The North Face

Jul 14 | Pou Brothers Climb One Of The Most Difficult Walls in Europe

By The North Face

HARDEST OF THE ALPS: SOLO PER VECCHI GUERRIERI

 

This summer’s first objective has been achieved with the completion of  “Solo Per Vecchi Guerrieri” (For Old Warriors Only), an 8c/150m climb with the unmistakable signature of Manolo Zanolla: vertical slab, good quality rock and very difficult (one of the most difficult wall climbs of this kind in Europe).

 

You can only admire the way this route begins when you see it from below, with long run outs a level of difficulty of  7c, 7b+/7c, 8b, 8c. But none of this should surprise us bearing in mind that the visionary Italian climber was famous for difficult climbs and “free solos” and was the first to achieve the first 8a in Europe with “Il Mattino dei Maghi”. That pitch (there were 4) was 30m long with only one bolt in the middle …

For us it involved four days of hard work in typical Dolomites weather, which can change suddenly in a matter of minutes.

On the first day we set out from the village of Aune in search of the wall, which we found three hours later. There was only time for Iker to try the first pitch before the rain forced us to stop.

On the second day we managed the first three and once again the rain forced us down before we could attempt the fourth.

On the third day we finally managed to do the entire route but it was raining and we had to give up for a third time. The downpours left us totally soaked and blue with cold while we waited for three hours in the belay for the wall to dry out.

The fourth attempt was the best and the weather held out although a storm was threatening. It was the only day we climbed without any problems.

 

As well as completing the climb, looking back, the most interesting moment was our encounter with Manolo, three hours chatting to a living legend of mountaineering, a man who achieved the first European 8a in 1981 and who only two years ago – to celebrate his 50th birthday - climbed his last 9a: Eternit. I think the names of his last two routes (For Old Warriors Only and Eternit) perfectly reflect how he feels about climbing these days. It was also great to share our views about the vertical world with him, which weren’t that different from his. All of us felt strongly that there was a “moral obligation” to start from below with climbs such as For Old Warriors Only as that was how they were opened up. Respecting the philosophy of those who open the routes – in this case, clearly an act of great courage – we are repeating “his route” knowing that nothing compares with the vision and the joy of being the first. It is also a way of thanking all the friends of the Dolomites who have helped us and for all who have gone before us. Congratulations for all your work because the route is fantastic!

 

 

Eneko & Iker Pou

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apr 26 | FREE RANGE TURKEY: A Tribute

By Emily Harrington

Our group has become quite diverse. We have several nationalities represented: Japan, Spain, UK, and the USA as well as several different generations of climbers.  Renan, Jimmy, and Boone represent the media side, always coming up with innovative and creative ideas to portray each of our characters and tell our stories. Each member of this team has brought something unique and inspiring to the trip and it has been a wonderful experience to be able to share our passion and knowledge with one another.  I feel incredibly fortunate to be in the company of such influential and motivated individuals.  There is no shortage of inspiration, laughter, and good times.  The youngest members of the group: James, Sam, and myself have had the opportunity to spend time with some true legends of the sport.  We’ve dubbed them “The Elders”: Eneko Pou, Boone Speed, and Yuji Hirayama.  Here is my tribute to them.............

ENEKO POU

Eneko, or “Enrique” as the Turkish local climbers call him, is a classic character and the most entertaining member of the crew.  He is the older half of the Pou brother team.  Both Eneko and his younger brother Iker are famous Basque climbers known for bold big wall and alpine ascents and Iker has also been known to destroy 9a and 9a+ sport climbs on the regular. Eneko’s enthusiastic sense of humor coupled with his Spanish accent never fail to have us all in hysterical fits of laughter.  His love for climbing of any kind is obvious – I think he’s been averaging about 15 pitches a day here, “Emily!  Emily!  This route is incredible!  You cannot believe!  OH MY GAWD you must try! You will take very fun!”

BOONE SPEED

Boone Speed is one of my good friends and climbing heros.  He was one of the pioneers for hard American sport climbing and bouldering in the 90s.  Now he is a successful and talented photographer. Boone is quite possibly the most energetic person I have ever met. He approaches photography like he used to approach climbing, with maniacal drive and an intense desire to succeed.  Boone’s motivation to get the best shot is unrelenting.  He has the spirit of a 16 year old, always smiling and never afraid to have an adventure. 

YUJI HIRAYAMA

We have all had the privilege to watch Yuji climb during the past few days.  I have never seen anything like him.  He climbs so quick and light you’ll miss some of it if you blink. When he’s onsighting a route, you get the impression that he’s been on it a million times before.  He has it dialed. There is no hesitation or doubt – he doesn’t even stop to think, just moves fluidly upward until he reaches the anchors and yells “OK! Thank you! Wooooohooooooo!” There is no doubt that he is a true master of the sport and one of the best all-around climbers in the world.  His achievements can attest to that – World Cup Champ 2x, two 5.14b onsights, Speed Record for The Nose on El Cap, etc – but I had no idea how impressive he was to watch in real life.  He is also one of the most genuine and good-natured people to be around. We have decided to call him “The Grand Master” due to his calm-yet-focused demeanor and astonishing skill.  We will all learn a lot from watching him in the coming weeks.  

Climbing is truly a special sport when you can be one of the best at age 16 or 41.  There are so many lessons it can teach and it can take a lifetime to learn them all.  Right now I am learning that strength can take you far, but experience just might take you further.  In this way, climbing can be much more than a sport; it can be a lifestyle. These three individuals represent this lifestyle and the various ways it can enrich one’s way of life.  They all began young and inexperienced, were influenced and educated by the generation before themselves, and are currently living their own dreams.  Now they are the ones influencing the way I think about my life and climbing’s place in it.  It is thanks to them that I am looking forward to the many years I have ahead of me to climb, explore, grow, learn and enjoy.

An Antalya Sunset........

Sep 25 |

By James Pearson

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, a few isolated individuals, from completely separate locations, did something that people thought a little crazy.  Tearing off their shackles and throwing caution to the wind, they climbed free and solo above the ocean and a new style was born.  In England they called it Deep Water Soloing, in Spain it was christened Psicobloc, but the name is almost irrelevant, it is the feeling that matters.

 

At first, most thought they were crazy and they were left to entertain themselves, but gradually, others began to see the true path and over time, the new way gained an ever growing, committed following.  People became hooked by the feeling of complete freedom that was so often missing from other forms of climbing and devoted themselves to the rock and the sea.

Still, Psicobloc remained in the shadows whilst other styles took centre stage.  Try as they might to convince others, the converted found it difficult to explain the magic of the sensation in words alone, for to truly know Psicobloc, you need to experience it for yourself.  And this presented a problem...

For the magic to exist, certain elements must align with one another.  The Sun, the Sea, and the Rock must all work in harmony, and if any one of them is lacking, the magic disappears.  Without the magic, the feeling is very different and fear creeps steadily into your head.  Perfect spots to practice Psicobloc are few and far between.  Cold Seas, shallow water, unpleasant weather and painful rock are unfortunately common and are enough to scar any aspiring disciple’s body or mind.  However, perfection does exist, and where the magic flows free you would be forgiven in calling it heaven.

My own initial experiences were not the greatest and I found myself approaching the rock with a trad climbing mentality of great caution and restrain.  I struggled to believe the stories I heard about fearless freedom and pushed Psicobloc to the back of my thoughts, until one day I received an invitation asking if I would like to join them on a trip to Mallorca.

Red Bull were holding a Psicobloc festival between the 8th and the 14th of September and had invited six climbers from around the world to explore and develop the sport, whilst living on a luxury catamaran.  Erm... hold on... I just need to check my diary... are you kidding, of course I will go.  I accepted before I even thought it through but as the destination day drew ever nearer, I remembered my unfavourable past experiences and suddenly it didn’t seem like such a good idea.  On top of that, I am not the best swimmer, and I am scared of jellyfish, so the thought of often rough, jellyfish infested water sent a chill to my bones.  But now was not a time to be a mouse, for the path to enlightenment is often difficult under foot.

I arrived in Mallorca, feeling very tired from a festival I had been at, and was met by Alvaro Vitores from Red Bull.  Alvaro is a fantastic guy, full of energy with a permanent smile on his face and he made me feel right at home from the very start.  We arrived at the boat and I was introduced to the whole crew which included Athletes, Red Bull people, the production team and the Capitan.  Everyone was super nice and I felt very welcome.  I relaxed into my chair for a night of listening to beautiful Spanish sounds.

The athlete team included The North Face® Athletes Iker and Eneko Pou, the locals Neus Torrens and Miguel Riera and Psicobloc legend Tony Lamprecht,.  All of them were inspirational for different reasons, but Miguel was the guru, one of the first.  He was there from the beginning, a pioneer of the style and the one who gave Psicobloc its name.  Way back in the 80’s, Miguel was climbing on these pristine cliffs, way above the ocean and has never looked back.  Finally, in 2001, he invited a team of international superstars to this little island for something he hoped would be “worth the trip”.  Everyone was blown away and Mallorca became Mecca for Psicobloc enthusiasts from around the world.

On the first climbing day, the seas were rough and the team had planned to go to Cova Del Diable, the islands crowning jewel.  Unfortunately the air was incredibly humid and the rock was really wet.  Miguel asked me to follow him on a reci of the crag and I obediently followed, hoping my nervous thoughts of 20 meter falls from greasy rock into choppy seas did not show.  I have never felt slippier rock but we battled on and soon I found myself below the famous Afroman.  I tried in vain to watch other people try and fail on the slimy moves but I could not see the holds around the corner.  My turn came and I reluctantly set off, but as soon as I began to climb, fear disappeared and all I thought about was my battle with the grease.

Splash...  It was as simple and as natural as that.  Painless, stress less, perfect.  My love affair with Psicobloc had begun. 

After a couple of really humid days where conditions were poor the wind finally changed direction and we found ourselves at a slightly damp, but very climbable Diablo. I warmed up a little before joining a growing number of damp climbers on the dry bag ledge and began to prepare myself for today’s route of choice. Tony Lamprecht, Iker Pou and I decided to try our luck on Loskot and Two Smoking Barrels which was made famous in the climbing film Dosage 2 and features a huge all points off dyno, 15m above the crashing waves.

After watching Iker and Tony fall off, it was my turn to give the route a shot and I nervously traversed towards the start. I was unsure of how I would feel about hurling myself uncontrollably off the rock so far above the water but once I set off up the wall all nervousness disappeared and I launched for the twin pockets with all I had. My hand went in, but just as quickly ripped out and I squealed like a school girl as I headed towards the drink. Puta.

After drying off again on the ledge, it was time for round two. I set up for the jump, and could hardly believe how far away the pockets looked. It seemed really unlikely but I went for it anyway and a second later I was horizontal, holding the swing and letting out a whoop of joy. Screams erupted from above and below, “this is the life” I thought.

I felt happy and relaxed, but soon remembered there were still a few hard moves to go. Tony was screaming the beta at the top of his lungs and thanks to his instruction I made it to the last move. I tried to static a long reach to a two finger pocket that I should have slapped but my hand could only hover 5cm below the hold.  With nothing more to give, the sea was calling; I picked up speed, splash.

That single moment of catching the jug was one of the best I can remember in climbing and epitomised all that Psicobloc is about.  I didn’t try the route again.  For some reason, getting to the top did not seem important and I wanted to keep that moment of contact special, at least until my next visit.

Days passed, just as they always do and my time in paradise slowly drew to an end.  On the last day we climbed at Cala Barques which really is a perfect venue for trying or watching others try Psicobloc.  This made it the obvious choice for the last day’s location and we were joined by many local and international climbers, creating a fabulous and friendly atmosphere.  With everyone encouraging each other, and the boat playing great tunes, it was easy to give the routes everything you had, resulting in some inspirational ascents.

The sun set slowly over the horizon and it was time to party. The Red Bull crew are not known for doing things by halves and tonight was to be no different. It may have been the atmosphere, or it may have been the never ending supply of vodka red bulls, but the first time I looked at the time it was past 4am.  We moved on to another venue which I thought was surprisingly good for a small town.  The DJ’s played good tunes and mixed them well, what more can you ask for.

I woke up the next morning to a fuzzy world and forced myself to pack my bags.  After eating lunch, I got chance to see the photos from the week, courtesy of Damiano Levati and they were amazing. I was blown away by some of the images and found myself feeling very sad that it had all come to an end.

I said my good byes to friends old and new and headed for the airport. My week in Mallorca was nothing but a pleasure and has introduced me to the wonders of Psicobloc which I can see playing a big part in my future climbing.  I think the real joy of this style, is feeling completely free from the normal constraints that climbing can put on you.  Everything that I love about climbing is magnified and intensified by Psicobloc making for an incredibly pure and special experience.  Climb where you want, climb how you want.  Enjoy. -James Pearson

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Sep 14 |

By James Pearson

Again I find myself writing this from an airport, but this time from the check-in que, which I am in for the second time today due to pea-brained, senseless airport rules regarding credit card security, aye aye aye! Anyway...  

Red Bull Psicobloc has come and gone and what an amazing time I have had. Sailing around on a luxury catamaran, rocketing over the waves on jet skis and a wild all night party are experiences I will not forget in a hurry. Oh, and the climbing was pretty good too.

 

Seriously, good is not the word to describe the DWS in Mallorca, it really is like a heaven. Combine the nicest flame orange limestone you have ever climbed on, with a pleasant air temperature and warm turquoise seas and you will begin to get the picture. Add to that a group of fantastic climbers and great friends, plus a load of awesome perks and you have all the makings of a trip of a life time.

 

I had heard various people tell of the fantastic sense of care free freedom you get from psicobloc but having only dabbled with it in the past, in less than ideal circumstances, I had yet to experience it myself and to be honest I wasn’t sure they were telling the whole truth. As is often the case, I was mistaken and I can now officially say that psicobloc, or DWS, or whatever you want to call it is pretty damn cool, that’s right, its OFFICIAL ;)

 

Never before have I been able to completely immerse myself in climbing without the slightest distraction. To go where you want, when you want, how you want, without a care in the world is simply incredible. Pure joy.

 

After a couple of really humid days where conditions were poor the wind changed direction and I found myself at a slightly damp, but very climbable Diablo. I warmed up a little before having to do a bit of inconvenient but necessary filming work with the rest of the team. Once finished I down climbed a slightly wet 6c to join a growing number of damp climbers on the dry bag ledge and began to prepare myself. Tony Lamprecht, Iker Pou and I decided to try our luck on Loskot and Two Smoking Barrels which was made famous in Dosage 2 and features a huge all points off dyno at 15m. After watching Iker and Tony fall off, it was my turn to give the route a shot and I nervously traversed towards the start. I was unsure of how I would feel about hurling myself uncontrollably off the rock at 15m but once I set off up the wall all nervousness disappeared and I launched for the twin pockets with all I had. My hand went in, but just as quickly ripped out and I squealed like a school girl as I headed towards the drink. Puta.

 

After drying off on the ledge, it was time for round two. I set up for the jump, and could hardly believe how far away the pockets looked. It seemed really unlikely but I went for it anyway and a second later I was horizontal, holding the swing and letting out a whoop of joy. Screams erupted from above and below, “this is the life” I thought. I was happy and relaxed, before remembering that there were still a few hard moves to go. Tony was screaming the beta at the top of his lungs and I made it to the last move. I tried to static a long reach to a two finger pocket that I should have slapped. My hand hovered 5cm below the hold but I had no more to give, the sea was calling, I picked up speed, splash.

 

That single moment of catching the jug was one of the best I have had in climbing and epitomised all that psicobloc is about. I didn’t try the route again, getting to the top somehow did not seem so important and I wanted to keep that moment special, at least until the next visit. 

 

Later on that day we sailed the 7 seas to the mighty pontas. In short I was blown away by the difficulty of this line, it is a huge step up from any other DWS I have seen. However, it is possible to climb the route without the crazy dyno, making it a slightly easier proposition but the main meat of the route comes after the dyno so overall, it will still be an insanely difficult route. Maybe the future will see me return to give the line a serious effort, who knows, time will tell.

 

The final day arrived and a festival had been organised by the Red Bull people to take place at Cala Barques. It was a fine day, with good conditions, routes, friends and music. I tried a line called Snatch which is an awesome short 8b up a smooth concave wall on one and two finger pockets. The moves were awesome and felt highly improbable. On my flash attempt, I made it to 4 moves from the top and on my next try I got two moves further. Close but no cigar. My hands were feeling pretty sore by this point, salt water and rough rock certainly makes your skin drop off. I decided to call it a day and hopefully recover allow my skin to recover a little before beginning the second leg of my journey. 

 

Again, despite not completing the route, I felt really content. This is unusual for me as normally I cannot sleep until a project is in the bag but with psicobloc things seem to be different. I think the real joy of this style of climbing is feeling completely free from the normal constraints that climbing can put on you. This very obviously applies to the issues of rope and gear but why stop there. There is no need to be restrained by existing routes, or lines in a guide book, climb where you want and how you want, do whatever feels the most fun at any particular point in time.

 

The sun set slowly over the horizon and it was time to party. The Red Bull crew are not known for doing things by halves and tonight was no different. It may have been the atmosphere, or it may have been the never ending supply of vodka redbulls, but the first time I looked at the time it was 4.15am. 

We moved to another venue which was surprisingly good for a small little town, good tuned mixed well, what more can you ask for. I finally bailed back to the boat at around 6am for a steady 2 hours sleep and woke fresh as a daisy, well maybe not quite to pack my bags. Just before leaving, I got chance to see the photos from the week, courtesy of Damiano Levati (www.damianolevati.com) and they were amazing. I was blown away by some of the images and found myself feeling sad that it had all come to an end. I said my good byes to friends old and new and headed for the airport. The week has been nothing but a pleasure and has introduced me to the wonders of psicobloc which I can see playing a big part in my future climbing. And the future is now, because for the net week I will be in the Costa Blanca at the Orange House DWS fest.

 

Now if only there was a little more water under my Devon project...