Showing posts with label Traditional Climbing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Traditional Climbing. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

12,000+ Miles in less than Five Months

Since January 9, we've taken dozens of climbing trips from Salt Lake City, including several to Moe's Valley, Utah, two to Bishop, California, one to Moab, two to Bozeman, Montana, and a "buttload" to Joe's Valley, Utah.

I'm about to leave Salt Lake City for the summer. I'll spend the first month in Ten Sleep, Wyoming trying to remind my forearms how to climb more than ten moves at a time. After that, I'll head to Sweden -where I'll hopefully get to boulder, trad climb, and sport climb.

More soon!
-Christine Balaz

JOE'S VALLEY, UTAH

David Sending Beyond Life (Gustavo Moser Photo)


BISHOP, CALIFORNIA

MOAB, UTAH: KANE SPRINGS CANYON







MOE'S VALLEY, UTAH

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Kane Springs Canyon + Indian Creek

This weekend my friend, Zac Robinson, and I headed down to Kane Springs Canyon (near Moab) and Indian Creek. On the first day we climbed the Predator Tower, a muddy little spire on the edge of Kane Springs Canyon. After that, we went to The Creek, but I'm not going to post any photos of that, because all you'd see is toproping and crying.

Kane Springs Canyon as it opens into a proper valley.
Zac Robinson Photo
Predator Tower is barely visible, viewer's right.


Zac Robinson Photo

Zac Robinson Photo
Wide-angle lenses aren't flattering for anyone up close.

Zac Robinson Photo
Belay station

Zac Robinson Photo
Topping out feels scary

Looking down

Calling the dog (black dot, bottom left)

Zac Robinson Photo

Zac Robinson Photo

Zac Robinson Photo
Freaking BRRRRR

Zac Robinson Photo

Zac Robinson Photo

Crossing the pokey riverbed

Zac Robinson Photo
Checking out the Devil's Golf Ball




-Christine Balaz

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Running from Bad Weather, Worse Injuries, and Even Worse Luck!


I read a post by Peter Kamitses on this blog toward the end of 2009, entitled something like "Bring Me a New Year." Peter reported on a poopy year filled with unfortunates, and I really identified. My 2009 was, well... pretty crappy. Though I got to check out some cool, new-to-me areas from the Red River Gorge to Ceuse, each trip and each destination was sandwiched between unfortunate circumstances, and punctuated by illnesses and major injuries.


SO I began 2010 psyched for some positive change but the Universe, it seems isn't finished with me. A road trip that was supposed to begin in early January didn't actually start until February for very unpleasant reasons... and the first month of said trip has proved to be riddled with snow, rain, wind, and more injuries...

In any case, we have stopped by Zion, Moe's Valley, Red Rocks, Hueco Tanks, and are now in Indian Creek. Bad weather seems to have descended on most of North America, so we're taking this time to hang out in Moab and get some internet/ electricity-related work taken care of, and let some of these pesky injuries heal up a bit... so there's not too much to report, but hopefully "the gods" will give us a bit of a break soon, and I'll start posting photos and stories of ridiculous sends, amazing health, and sunny days.

Seeking shelter from the Texas wind in Chris Weidner's van.



Triple feature at the dollar theater in El Paso.


My newest injury: pulley.

Broken down en route from Heuco to Indian Creek: Sleeping in the mechanic's parking lot (Blanding, UT)

Waiting for someone to pass. Alternator failure in N.E. AZ, no cell reception.

Indian Creek in early season.


-Christine Balaz