Comments for Notes from the Wall

Comment on Caving and climbing combined by Cathedral Spires - did ya notice the change | Life As An Itinerant Artist

Cathedral Spires - did ya notice the change | Life As An Itinerant Artist — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:07:14 +0000

[...] The header, above, is new. It’s a composite panorama of the Cathedral Spires, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, and one of my favorite spots. Scrambled around it last summer, and climbed Spire Four with my cousin HJ. For a full account of that misadventure, and an embarassing pic of me trying to squeeze through a very narrow spot, read HJ’s blog, here. [...]

Comment on A Joshua Tree Offwidth Climbing Primer by Shanti

Shanti — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 20:14:29 +0000

There was no doubt in my mind that HJ (aka Heironomous Josch) was secretly thrilled as I forced him to walk by classic after classic Joshua Tree finger/hand cracks in search of the elusive, obscure, painful and weird offwidths. HJ truly basked in the glory of climbing these evil routes — 10 feet of “climbing” followed by what feels to be endless amounts of time hyper-ventilating, vomitting and bleeding profusely.

Aldude summed it up the offwdith experience nicely: “the genre is rife with self-loathing, flagellation and sado-masochism…” Yes indeed we are a sordid crowd and HJ fit right in of course. All in all the Widefteish guys are not just bad-ass climbers and the hottest middle-aged men I’ve ever encountered but they are also my hereos.

Well, back to the gasoline and rags for now and maybe a few sit-ups. ~Shanti

Comment on A Joshua Tree Offwidth Climbing Primer by parker

parker — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:07:51 +0000

The vid is pretty f-ing hilarious. I doubt I could even get into that slot!

Comment on The Joshua Tree Wide Fetish Experience by parker

parker — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:14:13 +0000

Sorry I couldn’t make it out there this year. I think it’s funny that you’re drinking out of the bong-ish device and trying to use the beer bottle as a stovepipe.

Comment on Polar Plunge by parker

parker — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:40:59 +0000

Brrr. Chilly. You wouldn’t catch me doing a dang fool thing like that, even if there was girls involved! Yikes!

Comment on Ladybug Tower — first Ascent? by parker

parker — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 22:43:48 +0000

I forgot to mention that this picture was shot two seasons earlier on a very rainy day from the Elkhorn-Harney ridge. Only through the magic of digital manipulation and the wizardry of the cropping tool was I able to get you this close. The shot was taken with a 400 mm lens from a distance of about a mile, I reckon.

Comment on Ladybug Tower — first Ascent? by hjschmidt

hjschmidt — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:51:05 +0000

The picture is much more ominous than the climb, at least for the climbers. Perhaps if Becky had seen the picture, she would have taken the day more seriously. A major omission to the story, Sarah gets full credit plus bonus points for keeping her dehydrated delusional relatives alive by forcefully pointing out to them that drinking scummy-treated water is way better than dying. Also, no Ladybugs were actually injured in the climbing of this tower, but some quartz crystals probably drowned in blood. Rockhounds looking for the rare red quartz crystal take note. Also note that in keeping with Needles tradition, no anchor was left behind on this climb.

Comment on Superpin by parker

parker — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:21:30 +0000

Most excellent shots… classic.

Comment on Spring Break Past by parker

parker — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:36:06 +0000

How can Hailey see with that hat pulled over her eyes? The snowboarding must be exciting, eh? Looks like you are at Middle Geyser Basin, or somewhere in that vicinity…

Comment on Garnet Peak Firetower by parker

parker — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:57:29 +0000

Uh… all of the above???

Re: hat question: I know, but I ain’t tellin’! Clue — it’s helpful in saving all those Smokey Bears…