News & Notes – 10/29/2008

News…

• Fresh off climbing Parthian Shot (E9) ground up, Kevin Jorgeson has made the first repeat of James Pearson’s proposed E10 The Promise.  It took Jorgeson about 1 hour to figure things out which led him to propose a lower grade of E8 or 5.13c/d R.  Read all about it at his travel log.  James Pearson has posted some musings on his blog in response to K-Jorg’s quick repeat.
• The Shield, a striking V12 at Tennessee’s Stone Fort (AKA Little Rock City) has seen a lot action now that temps are starting to get good.  James Webb, Jeremy Walton and Brion Voges have all made repeats this season.

The Shield @ LRC

Photo: Kasia P/Webby Climbs

• Speaking of James Webb, he recently did the FA of another striking line that happened to be cleaned by Jamie Emerson at Laurel Snow, TN.  He called this new problem Western Gold (V11).
• Ty Landman repeated another Swiss V13 of Dave Graham’s called Amber.
• Daniel Woods is in Rumney vying to repeat Vasya Vorotnikov’s unrepeated potential 5.15a Jaws II. While waiting for conditions to improve, Woods quickly ticked off The Fly (5.14d/V14).  This is the boulder-route’s 8th ascent (by my count).
• Justin Alarcon recently repeated Yabo Roof (V12) in Yosemite Valley.  You can see video of Tommy Caldwell sending this problem in Dosage 5.

…and Notes

• To follow up on yesterday’s Deadpoint Magazine post, Tim Kemple has an interview with DPM’s editor, Matt Stark.  The interview gives some good insight into the lofty goals that they have for DPM.
• A few weeks back there was a bad accident on a popular 5.12a at the Red River Gorge called Ro Shampo.  The climber involved fell 65 feet from the anchors of the route straight to the ground.  She is doing ok considering what happened, but she has a long road to recovery.  You can read more about what happened at the CragBaby blog.  This is definitely a good reminder to always be sure to double and triple check your systems every time you are off the ground.
• Micah Dash has a blog.  For all you ankle breakers out there, check it out for pictures of where he was when he broke his ankle this summer…and be glad you broke yours much closer to the ground.
• In case you’ve been living under a rock, Alpinist magazine abruptly shutdown a couple of weeks back.  You can read more about it here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, or here.  Who knew this many people were even reading Alpinist!?

We are heading to the Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Arkansas this weekend to do some bouldering.  Can’t wait to check it out!!