Monday, December 31, 2012

Mediocre Pancakes

It occurred to me the other night while I was eating a nice chili dinner that I had been doing it all wrong.  What was I thinking?  I mean, c'mon Chaz!  Can you be a little more creative than mediocre pancakes?  Throw some Bananas or Blueberries up in there.  You could even put some chocolate chips in there.  Sheesh....

Anyway, I'm sitting on the sideline this week with a shoulder injury.  The coach let me wear a headset and make all sorts of crazy hand and arm movements to the players on the field that aren't even looking at me.  Psyched!  Thanks coach!

I don't recall an incident involving shoulder use or abuse that would have done this.  Maybe it's just inflamed from overuse?  Unfortunately it feels like a rotator cuff.  I can't comfortably lift my hands over my waist with my arms straight.  Snow angels or the YMCA dance are impossible right now.

Since I couldn't go climbing yesterday I washed and waxed Helga and took her out for a photo shoot.







Hope you liked this post.  It's quite different from the normal content.  

Cheddar

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Alabama Crag

This post is all about the insane cliffs not too far from Chattanooga.  Crowning the valley and forming the coves is an unrivaled amount of hard routes on the tallest walls in the area.  The approach is 2 miles of deep ruts and ponds that only the burliest vehicles can pass followed by a 30 minute hike.  Gnar.   After that awaits a vertical encounter that you must prepare a way in and out of the gorge for yourself.  This area is NOT for the casual cragger.  With that being said, I won't mention where this cliff is exactly as it is private property.  Sorry....

Over the last two weeks we had some really good climbing days out here.  The days start out all sunny and warm.  Even when the morning temps are in the 30s the rock is warm and the atmosphere is comfortable.  As soon as the sun dips or you walk around the other side of the cliff the temp drops dramatically.  I managed to send an 8a route in a few tries (pic below) that Blake Cash had told me all about and how it's all vert and techy and barn door fighting on terrible feet.  DANG!  That sounds pretty rad right?  In the same time Blake had been trying hard on an 8b that he is VERY close on.  Any day now Blake, you will send.   I had the privilege to go up this route between his burns with all the beta readily available and I must say that it is one of the best.





Stay tuned for more.

Cheddar

Monday, December 10, 2012

Tis the season

You gotta love this time of year.  As the temperature drops (for brief periods of time) and the climbing season is in full swing, everyone has their game face on and seems to be getting down to business.   If that sort of psyche doesn't do it for you, there are christmas tree lots on every corner and signs of sales and reminders of holiday cheer to help lift your spirits.

This past week Urban Rocks and the Southeastern Climbers Coalition hosted a trail day at Chattanooga's sport crag mecca, Deep Creek.  There was a really good turn out which made the work load a lot lighter for everyone.  We ended up taking care of a lot more than planned and went climbing with plenty of day light to spare.








That trail day marked the end of a week of Evolv and Salewa demos.  The next couple of days were spent taking care of things around the house, mtn. biking, and scouting new boulders on the chattanooga hillsides.  Nate and I found a giant boulder with problems on every side.  In the pic below you can see a few of them.  We cleaned and sent all on this side, including one that sit starts in the middle of the right face and climbs left along the bulge and up the arete.  BOOM!  We named it Main Attraction 7B+.  


And since I mentioned the holidays and all the cheery things that come with it, I'll share some pics of Chandler and I's first tree.  We had a lot of fun decorating and taking pics.  My house smells soooo good now!





And finally, catching up to current events.  I went sport climbing on one of our recent, not so prime, 70 degree December days.  The venue was The Message Cave at Twall.  It was soooo hot!  However, I managed one of my better climbing days ever.  Not that it's a huge deal, but I thought it was pretty successful to do two .13a routes that I'd never tried before in the same day.  I guess the style and how easily approachable these two routes are made it happen.  Both are pretty casual up to and between their two distinct cruxes that earn them the grade.  Needless to say, I was satisfied and psyched!  


The weather next week is looking good!

See yall at the crag.

Cheddar.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

TC wrap up

Another years Triple Crown of Bouldering has come and gone.  We pulled together as a community of passionate and motivated individuals three times over the course of October and November to make this event happen.  We left each time feeling fulfilled, humbled, and exhausted.  Reflecting as we drive back to our respective homes, we can all find moments of glory, need for improvement, and the will to do better at the next stop on the Triple Crown of Bouldering.

Personally, and I think I speak for the other sponsors as well, this series is refreshing and fun but still a lot of work.  It is one of few events on my calendar that requires me to be setting up the Evolv, Sterling, Metolius, and Salewa booths at a boulderfield.  This I don't mind doing.  Knowing that I am a stones throw from places that helped grow my passion for climbing keeps me inspired.  Knowing that I am setting up part of vendor alley to make this event the best it can be for the competitors that drive and pay to be here is motivation for my effort.  And finally, bering together with all my friends from all over the southeast in one place, at the same time, for all the same reason is truly special.

With the conclusion of the series I look forward to next year and leave you with a photo re-cap of the series.  Some pics are iphone photos and some taken by Chandler....
























Wednesday, October 24, 2012

New Vid

Times are good right now.  As a continuation of my last post I'd like to say that I finally did Abandon .13c.  PSYCHED!   This one felt harder than any other route I'd done, including the .13d Man Show one route to the right.  Now that the redpoint burns are done I am happy to move on.  What's next?  Psychopath?  SoCo?  Apes on Acid?  The list goes on...

Anyway, in between redpoint days in the canyon I found myself bouldering a bit.  Actually, there was about 3 weeks where I didn't even try Abandon.  Then I went back to it and made a significant high point, an entire bolt higher, falling one hold below the anchors.  So, it was then that I declared Monday as take down day.

Here is a video of Nate Hefner doing the first ascent of his new found boulder problem Do Not Disturb.  We both managed a send this day.  It didn't look like either of us would send but then somehow we pulled it together.  We felt that it was harder than a lot of V8s.  So, V9 it is.   Hope you like it and good luck finding it!  :)




I'm on the road this week leading to a weekend at the RRG.  Psyched.

That is all.

Cheddar.
Do Not Disturb from Chaz Warren on Vimeo.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Loving October

So far so good this fall.  The first weekend in October was spent at the Triple Crown at Hound Ears in Boone, NC and the following was Triple Crown at Stone Fort here in Chattanooga, TN.  My time in between the two events has been 100% climbing, split between days on a rope at Twall and the power endurance roof areas like Dayton and another local Chattanooga area.  I've managed some quick sends on the boulders but haven't come up with anything too impressive on the sharp end yet.

To make all this even sweeter, the fall colors are coming out in an impressive way.  Green, red, yellow, and orange seems to be the backdrop of every day.  The weather has been absolutely perfect too.  Mclovin it.  

Here is a little media from the other day with Nate.

Beta burns on Luminous Transformation 8A


Temple of Doom from Chaz Warren on Vimeo.

The remainder of the week is gonna be spent at Little River Canyon and Twall.  I'll be on the road for a week beginning Tuesday leading me to the RRG that weekend.  Psyched!

That's all for now.

Cheddar

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Hound Ears 2012

It couldn't be anymore evident that I had a good time at Hound Ears.  I only took four pictures from the day and am still sore two days later.  Why is that good?  It's good because we all climbed so much!  It was an incredible Saturday morning for the first comp of this years Triple Crown of Bouldering.

I do, however, have pictures from my day bouldering with Nate and Sammy at Blowing Rock.  Big thanks to Sammy for picking up the camera while I was climbing.

we stopped in Knoxville

mushroom boulder

a dog

Nate on Portobello

girl on Pinch the Loaf

Pinch the Loaf

Pinch the loaf

Sammy skipping holds

Hound Ears tree

Metolius funraiser for Mtn. Alliance
And now we are just three days away from the beginning of the Chattanooga Triple Crown festivities.  

Way psyched.

Cheddar