This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
PlanetFear is reporting that a new climbing magazine is soon to be launched. This is not the magazine to come from the amalgamation of High Mountain Sports and On The Edge, but a completely new magazine produced by Bob Elliot. The new mag will be called Friction and the first issue is set for December.
News item - http://www.planetfear.com/news.asp
UKC News - http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/
News item - http://www.planetfear.com/news.asp
UKC News - http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/
In reply to Alan James - UKC:
'Friction' !!!
If the magazines as bad as the name then it's going to plumb the depths !
'Friction' !!!
If the magazines as bad as the name then it's going to plumb the depths !
In reply to Alan James - UKC:
If it's going to be called called Friction, I guess it will be manly of interest to Grit Boulderers, sandstone devotees and sport climbers.
Good market research done there I think for a wide audience that's already fed up with mags full of similar stuff.
If it's going to be called called Friction, I guess it will be manly of interest to Grit Boulderers, sandstone devotees and sport climbers.
Good market research done there I think for a wide audience that's already fed up with mags full of similar stuff.
In reply to Alan Stark & Jonno:
Jeez, will you listen to yourselves. Tell you what, why not prejudege the mag before it's even out on the basis of the title alone.
You know what, it's people like who...oh you're not worth it.
Jeez, will you listen to yourselves. Tell you what, why not prejudege the mag before it's even out on the basis of the title alone.
You know what, it's people like who...oh you're not worth it.
In reply to Alan Stark:
theres nothing like jumping to a conclusion is there?
> (In reply to Alan James - UKC)
>
> If it's going to be called called Friction, I guess it will be manly of interest to Grit Boulderers, sandstone devotees and sport climbers.
>
> If it's going to be called called Friction, I guess it will be manly of interest to Grit Boulderers, sandstone devotees and sport climbers.
theres nothing like jumping to a conclusion is there?
In reply to Mr Mike:
Fair play there was no real need for Alan "Cluseau" Stark's flight of imagination, but Jonno has a fair point. Namely that if the mag is as bad as the title, then it will be rubbish. This is a roundabout way of making the very justified point - the name is crap.
Fair play there was no real need for Alan "Cluseau" Stark's flight of imagination, but Jonno has a fair point. Namely that if the mag is as bad as the title, then it will be rubbish. This is a roundabout way of making the very justified point - the name is crap.
In reply to Alan Stark: sounds like its perfectly marketed to me, Bouldering is a trendy subsport.
In reply to coconutter:
i really can't believe you guys are going to pre-judge a magazine that you've never seen purely on its title! how arrogant.
by your guys logic, magazines with such stupid titles as "cosmopolitan" or "time" would also be crap and a total disaster, not selling any copies eh?
i really can't believe you guys are going to pre-judge a magazine that you've never seen purely on its title! how arrogant.
by your guys logic, magazines with such stupid titles as "cosmopolitan" or "time" would also be crap and a total disaster, not selling any copies eh?
In reply to Alan James - UKC: cool, hope it has more UK bouldering in it and training tips.
will definetely give it a try for a few months - its about time we had a fresh new magazine.
will definetely give it a try for a few months - its about time we had a fresh new magazine.
In reply to Anonymous:
What is it with this website? I myself am not prejudging the magazine on the title, the magazine is the sum of its contents as we all know. What I *am* saying is that the title is crap. No more, no less!
What is it with this website? I myself am not prejudging the magazine on the title, the magazine is the sum of its contents as we all know. What I *am* saying is that the title is crap. No more, no less!
In reply to Jonno:
For what it's worth I think it is a great name, plus the domain is still up for grabs - www.friction.co.uk
The thought of producing a new climbing magazine without an integral web site does surprise me though. It looks like Greenshire are going to make that mistake as well with their new mag.
For what it's worth I think it is a great name, plus the domain is still up for grabs - www.friction.co.uk
The thought of producing a new climbing magazine without an integral web site does surprise me though. It looks like Greenshire are going to make that mistake as well with their new mag.
In reply to Alan James - UKC:
he says, smiling to himself
> (In reply to Jonno)
>
>It looks like Greenshire are going to make that mistake as well with their new mag.
>
he says, smiling to himself
In reply to Alan James - UKC:
Ah but they have do have http://www.frictionmagazine.com/aboutus.asp , oh, whoops, maybe not ...
> (In reply to Jonno)
>
> For what it's worth I think it is a great name, plus the domain is still up for grabs - www.friction.co.uk
>
> For what it's worth I think it is a great name, plus the domain is still up for grabs - www.friction.co.uk
Ah but they have do have http://www.frictionmagazine.com/aboutus.asp , oh, whoops, maybe not ...
In reply to Alan Stark:Friction is not a word that jumps to mind when I think of UK sport climbing.
In reply to Serpico:
You obviously haven't read 'Slime' yet? Maybe WH Smiths aren't stocking it?
> Friction is not a word that jumps to mind when I think of UK sport climbing.
You obviously haven't read 'Slime' yet? Maybe WH Smiths aren't stocking it?
In reply to Alan Stark:
Could also do well 'on the top shelf' as a mistaken impulse purchase by someone in a hurry.
> If it's going to be called called Friction, I guess it will be manly of interest to Grit Boulderers, sandstone devotees and sport climbers.
Could also do well 'on the top shelf' as a mistaken impulse purchase by someone in a hurry.
In reply to Adders:
I have a training tip for you.
(1) Go climbing.
(2) Eat lots.
(3) Sleep lots.
(4) Repeat until death.
I hope this works for you.
Rich.
I have a training tip for you.
(1) Go climbing.
(2) Eat lots.
(3) Sleep lots.
(4) Repeat until death.
I hope this works for you.
Rich.
In reply to Alan James - UKC:
I hope it features 99.9% bouldering. That's what we all want. Somebody do that and you've cornered the market. Most of the people I know want info on the problams we've got access to and which have us 'chomping at the bit' in anticipation of a dry, cold evening or weekend. Stuff 'Annapurna'; Stuff ice climbing in Colorado; Stuff some sweaty limestone sport climb in Spain and stuff the next 'Big wall' climb in Uzbekistan!
I hope it features 99.9% bouldering. That's what we all want. Somebody do that and you've cornered the market. Most of the people I know want info on the problams we've got access to and which have us 'chomping at the bit' in anticipation of a dry, cold evening or weekend. Stuff 'Annapurna'; Stuff ice climbing in Colorado; Stuff some sweaty limestone sport climb in Spain and stuff the next 'Big wall' climb in Uzbekistan!
In reply to hugedyno: I have to say, I no longer buy any of the UK climbing magazines because they are full of bouldering! I get Alpinist and that is it. I'm pretty bored of all these 'new' problems that everyone keeps findind and reporting. How boring!
I love the indepth stories about near death experiences and about 'proper' climbing. I have yet to read a real nail biting piece about bouldering. A few arty farty articles about 'the move' just don't cut it if you ask me. Oh, and I don't need a 'how to do it' article, it's a bloody boulder problem, you can see all the chalk covered holds from the floor!
Total diference in opinion there hugedyno, I'm afraid.
I love the indepth stories about near death experiences and about 'proper' climbing. I have yet to read a real nail biting piece about bouldering. A few arty farty articles about 'the move' just don't cut it if you ask me. Oh, and I don't need a 'how to do it' article, it's a bloody boulder problem, you can see all the chalk covered holds from the floor!
Total diference in opinion there hugedyno, I'm afraid.
In reply to suzy_lu:
Totally agreed with you on all this.
Just when is some real content going to come back into the climbing mags? The one area they all now excel at is with the photographs, and reproduction of same ... but very threadbare otherwise.
Totally agreed with you on all this.
Just when is some real content going to come back into the climbing mags? The one area they all now excel at is with the photographs, and reproduction of same ... but very threadbare otherwise.
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
month before last they both had half decent content then this month slipped back. Climber was a bloody disgrace, two articles and half a zillion sock reviews.
month before last they both had half decent content then this month slipped back. Climber was a bloody disgrace, two articles and half a zillion sock reviews.
In reply to sutty:
I stopped my subscription because of all the reviews were positive! It was a completely pointless exercise, they may as well have asked the companies to write the reviews...
also, it only took me about half an hour to read it... I expected more things along the lines of what suzy lu suggested. What i liked was neil greshams classes, but they are all available on planet fear. Also liked historical items by perrin and the short trip guides (very useful)
What i would like to see: chapters from upcoming books, more interviews, some following up on contraversy - has anyone tracked down people making dubious claims (recall there was a really interesting article about fred rouhling recently on the internet), also what about real-life accident analysis i.e. what went wrong (something this site sorely lacks, been presently surprised by rockclimbing.com) for average climbers like myself...
> (In reply to Gordon Stainforth)
>
> month before last they both had half decent content then this month slipped back. Climber was a bloody disgrace, two articles and half a zillion sock reviews.
>
> month before last they both had half decent content then this month slipped back. Climber was a bloody disgrace, two articles and half a zillion sock reviews.
I stopped my subscription because of all the reviews were positive! It was a completely pointless exercise, they may as well have asked the companies to write the reviews...
also, it only took me about half an hour to read it... I expected more things along the lines of what suzy lu suggested. What i liked was neil greshams classes, but they are all available on planet fear. Also liked historical items by perrin and the short trip guides (very useful)
What i would like to see: chapters from upcoming books, more interviews, some following up on contraversy - has anyone tracked down people making dubious claims (recall there was a really interesting article about fred rouhling recently on the internet), also what about real-life accident analysis i.e. what went wrong (something this site sorely lacks, been presently surprised by rockclimbing.com) for average climbers like myself...
In reply to brian crawford:
An area that has been totally neglected is interviews with major rockclimbing pioneers who are still alive.
In an easier world this is something I would love to have done (life is just too tough, and yes, too short, at the moment, for various reasons, to take sufficient time off to do it) - I have original unpublished interviews that I've made, and a heap of other original material, from Frank Elliott, Arthur Birtwistle and Peter Harding, to name just three, plus possible access to a huge archive of material about Stanley Jeffcoat now in the possession of his son, also called Stanley, whom I tracked down after a huge amount of detective work, but himself now about 87 yrs old. I also managed to track down Tom Probert (who possibly made the first ascent of Left Unconquerable), whom no one else had ever managed to find (Geoff Birtles challenged me to do it!), again after months and months of searching.
Plus many other major pioneers like Townsend, Loy and Dick Brown, all of whom I've spoken to at length.
A few of the magazine editors were v interested, but the general assumption seemed to be that I would go off and do these without any backing, when actually I was completely immersed at that time in other professional commitments, and still am, really, in different ways ... I mean, I literally do not have one spare hour at the moment to do anything on spec.
Anyhow.
An area that has been totally neglected is interviews with major rockclimbing pioneers who are still alive.
In an easier world this is something I would love to have done (life is just too tough, and yes, too short, at the moment, for various reasons, to take sufficient time off to do it) - I have original unpublished interviews that I've made, and a heap of other original material, from Frank Elliott, Arthur Birtwistle and Peter Harding, to name just three, plus possible access to a huge archive of material about Stanley Jeffcoat now in the possession of his son, also called Stanley, whom I tracked down after a huge amount of detective work, but himself now about 87 yrs old. I also managed to track down Tom Probert (who possibly made the first ascent of Left Unconquerable), whom no one else had ever managed to find (Geoff Birtles challenged me to do it!), again after months and months of searching.
Plus many other major pioneers like Townsend, Loy and Dick Brown, all of whom I've spoken to at length.
A few of the magazine editors were v interested, but the general assumption seemed to be that I would go off and do these without any backing, when actually I was completely immersed at that time in other professional commitments, and still am, really, in different ways ... I mean, I literally do not have one spare hour at the moment to do anything on spec.
Anyhow.
In reply to suzy_lu:
I bought Alpinist for the first time recently, primarily for the topos of the Titan. It is a stunning magazine. But then it does cost 2x or 3x a 'normal' mag. Even at that price, my understanding is that it is essentially a not-for-profit venture, backed by some post-dot-com zillionaire as his hobby. I find mildly amusing that the staff obviously want to include a certain amount of pure rock climbing coverage, but they seem to have some rule that only stuff longer than US IV can be included, so you get notes on big wall routes but nothing shorter. That seems fairly arbitrary to me.
I bought Alpinist for the first time recently, primarily for the topos of the Titan. It is a stunning magazine. But then it does cost 2x or 3x a 'normal' mag. Even at that price, my understanding is that it is essentially a not-for-profit venture, backed by some post-dot-com zillionaire as his hobby. I find mildly amusing that the staff obviously want to include a certain amount of pure rock climbing coverage, but they seem to have some rule that only stuff longer than US IV can be included, so you get notes on big wall routes but nothing shorter. That seems fairly arbitrary to me.
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
Gordon that sounds like very interesting material. However, your comment about magazine backing is typical of today's media. Why would they publish something that has taken you hours of effort when they could fill the same inches with some throw-away dross from the "reality" climbing world. Do another book mate.
> (In reply to brian crawford)
>
> An area that has been totally neglected is interviews with major rockclimbing pioneers who are still alive.
>
> An area that has been totally neglected is interviews with major rockclimbing pioneers who are still alive.
Gordon that sounds like very interesting material. However, your comment about magazine backing is typical of today's media. Why would they publish something that has taken you hours of effort when they could fill the same inches with some throw-away dross from the "reality" climbing world. Do another book mate.
In reply to tobyfk:
Alpinist has until issue 12 to start turning a profit. Subscribe (and get back issues) now!
Alpinist has until issue 12 to start turning a profit. Subscribe (and get back issues) now!
In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run:
Interesting.
'Mountain Review' only lasted about ten issues didn't it?
Hilarious comments about gritstone in the Alpinist #8 editorial.
Interesting.
'Mountain Review' only lasted about ten issues didn't it?
Hilarious comments about gritstone in the Alpinist #8 editorial.
In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run: I don't think you can compare Alpinist with the other mags. It is a quarterly that will probably stay on your book shelf forever rather than a couple of hours read and into the recycling. I'd say that its way better value at £10 than the £3 mags.
In reply to styman:
I agree. It is not comparable because its quality is so high. But why not have one for the UK too. If Alpinist turns a profit (and I hope it will) then it should be doable here also shurely.
I agree. It is not comparable because its quality is so high. But why not have one for the UK too. If Alpinist turns a profit (and I hope it will) then it should be doable here also shurely.
In reply to tobyfk:
What did it say?
> Hilarious comments about gritstone in the Alpinist #8 editorial.
What did it say?
In reply to Alan Stark:
Should aim it at the lower grade market perhaps, call it Big Jugs - probably get REALLY good sales for first couple of issues
> (In reply to Alan James - UKC)
>
> If it's going to be called called Friction, I guess it will be manly of interest to Grit Boulderers, sandstone devotees and sport climbers.
>
> Good market research done there I think for a wide audience that's already fed up with mags full of similar stuff.
>
> If it's going to be called called Friction, I guess it will be manly of interest to Grit Boulderers, sandstone devotees and sport climbers.
>
> Good market research done there I think for a wide audience that's already fed up with mags full of similar stuff.
Should aim it at the lower grade market perhaps, call it Big Jugs - probably get REALLY good sales for first couple of issues
In reply to
I personally find bouldering the most painfully boring subject to read about in magazines, I think there is far too much of already in the current selection of mags. I also think all the magazines concentrate on climbs / problems that are too high a grade for the average climber. Endless glossy coulor photos of climber X onsighting a 7c also get tedious
Big Steve (at work)
I personally find bouldering the most painfully boring subject to read about in magazines, I think there is far too much of already in the current selection of mags. I also think all the magazines concentrate on climbs / problems that are too high a grade for the average climber. Endless glossy coulor photos of climber X onsighting a 7c also get tedious
Big Steve (at work)
In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run:
When you say 'for the UK' that surely presupposes that Alpinist is just 'for the US'. Which isn't really the case: it has global coverage, much like 'Mountain' in the 1970s/ 80s.
> But why not have one for the UK too. If Alpinist turns a profit (and I hope it will) then it should be doable here also shurely.
When you say 'for the UK' that surely presupposes that Alpinist is just 'for the US'. Which isn't really the case: it has global coverage, much like 'Mountain' in the 1970s/ 80s.
In reply to TobyA:
Sadly my typing is not up to the job. You need about 10-15 lines of the text to do it justice. It ends ...
"Suddenly it dawned on me that these boulders were the fabled gritstone. Dear Lord, I thought, the poor island and its inhabitants."
Give me a call and I'll read you the rest.
Sadly my typing is not up to the job. You need about 10-15 lines of the text to do it justice. It ends ...
"Suddenly it dawned on me that these boulders were the fabled gritstone. Dear Lord, I thought, the poor island and its inhabitants."
Give me a call and I'll read you the rest.
In reply to tobyfk:
Yes BUT the UK has:
a flourishing bouldering scene (or so 'da yoof' inform me)
a flourishing rock climbing scene
world class alpinists
should be enough to do a decent quarterly shurely?
Though I'd happily do without the bouldering...
Yes BUT the UK has:
a flourishing bouldering scene (or so 'da yoof' inform me)
a flourishing rock climbing scene
world class alpinists
should be enough to do a decent quarterly shurely?
Though I'd happily do without the bouldering...
In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run:
> a flourishing bouldering scene (or so 'da yoof' inform me)
Indeed. Though I wouldn't rely on da yoof to shell out £10++ for a magazine.
> a flourishing rock climbing scene
Is it flourishing? I have noticed a lot of people comment how empty some crags are these days (I don't mean Stanage).
> world class alpinists
Who contribute to Alpinist.
In reply to tobyfk:
UK rock climbing has got to be as strong as it ever has been (at the cutting edge). Dozens of very talented youngish climbers operating at E8 and above.
UK alpinists could contribute to both magazines. They contribute to the current rags as well as Alpinist.
UK rock climbing has got to be as strong as it ever has been (at the cutting edge). Dozens of very talented youngish climbers operating at E8 and above.
UK alpinists could contribute to both magazines. They contribute to the current rags as well as Alpinist.
In reply to tobyfk: I found it on their website:
“Have you ever seen the gritstone?” Geoff Birtles asked me.
I hadn’t. I had two more hours to spend in Sheffield, England, where I was visiting with Birtles, the editor of High Mountain Sports magazine, on a brief working tour of the country for The American Alpine Journal. Jumping into his Citroën, we careened down the narrow streets, the rolling countryside greeting us as we emerged from the industrial pallor of Sheffield’s roads. We parked among a row of cars, all neatly filed, and set off. The trail dropped into a depression, and we proceeded along a low swath of dark-gray stone, mottled with holes, cool to the touch. I followed Birtles, waiting to see the fabled grit. A couple of climbers were inexplicably racking up for a twenty-foot crack. Farther on, another set of climbers was doing the same thing, racks of nuts on Perlon and giant hexes clanging at their sides. They must be out on their inaugural climbs, I thought, practicing as they were on these boulders. Suddenly it dawned on me that these boulders were the fabled gritstone. Dear Lord, I thought, the poor island and its inhabitants.
For anyone interested its at: http://www.alpinist.com/the-magazine/from-the-editor.php although it isn't really about gritstone at all. The grit is just an introduction to climbing gods, by way of Ron Fawcett who clearly Beckwith doesn't consider a god because he didn't know who he was. Although Ron has done some historic things in Yosemitee hasn't he? So maybe he counts afterall.
Toby - are you climbing the Titan this autumn? Good luck! I'm off to Olhava this weekend, perfect forecast of sunny and 10 oC after an abysmally wet summer. Not quite on the same scale but considerably more solid I would imagine.
“Have you ever seen the gritstone?” Geoff Birtles asked me.
I hadn’t. I had two more hours to spend in Sheffield, England, where I was visiting with Birtles, the editor of High Mountain Sports magazine, on a brief working tour of the country for The American Alpine Journal. Jumping into his Citroën, we careened down the narrow streets, the rolling countryside greeting us as we emerged from the industrial pallor of Sheffield’s roads. We parked among a row of cars, all neatly filed, and set off. The trail dropped into a depression, and we proceeded along a low swath of dark-gray stone, mottled with holes, cool to the touch. I followed Birtles, waiting to see the fabled grit. A couple of climbers were inexplicably racking up for a twenty-foot crack. Farther on, another set of climbers was doing the same thing, racks of nuts on Perlon and giant hexes clanging at their sides. They must be out on their inaugural climbs, I thought, practicing as they were on these boulders. Suddenly it dawned on me that these boulders were the fabled gritstone. Dear Lord, I thought, the poor island and its inhabitants.
For anyone interested its at: http://www.alpinist.com/the-magazine/from-the-editor.php although it isn't really about gritstone at all. The grit is just an introduction to climbing gods, by way of Ron Fawcett who clearly Beckwith doesn't consider a god because he didn't know who he was. Although Ron has done some historic things in Yosemitee hasn't he? So maybe he counts afterall.
Toby - are you climbing the Titan this autumn? Good luck! I'm off to Olhava this weekend, perfect forecast of sunny and 10 oC after an abysmally wet summer. Not quite on the same scale but considerably more solid I would imagine.
In reply to TobyA: 20 foot crack, lol! i think its a bit tongue in cheek
In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run:
Well good luck if you're thinking of starting one.
> (In reply to tobyfk)
>
> UK rock climbing has got to be as strong as it ever has been (at the cutting edge). Dozens of very talented youngish climbers operating at E8 and above.
>
> UK alpinists could contribute to both magazines. They contribute to the current rags as well as Alpinist.
>
> UK rock climbing has got to be as strong as it ever has been (at the cutting edge). Dozens of very talented youngish climbers operating at E8 and above.
>
> UK alpinists could contribute to both magazines. They contribute to the current rags as well as Alpinist.
Well good luck if you're thinking of starting one.
In reply to tobyfk:
Not me, I'm happy to carp and criticise (play to ones strengths).
Not creative or driven enough to start a mag.
I do think that magazines that try to be all things to all men end up being poorer.
Maybe if the best articles and pictures in a given year from OTE or whatever were given the glossy format treatment and issued as a 'best of' annual it might work...
Not me, I'm happy to carp and criticise (play to ones strengths).
Not creative or driven enough to start a mag.
I do think that magazines that try to be all things to all men end up being poorer.
Maybe if the best articles and pictures in a given year from OTE or whatever were given the glossy format treatment and issued as a 'best of' annual it might work...
In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run:
If it's going to to called "Friction", it's not going to be of much relevance to we Avon climbers.
If it's going to to called "Friction", it's not going to be of much relevance to we Avon climbers.
In reply to TobyA:
'We parked among a row of cars, all neatly filed, and set off ... As we rounded a corner, Birtles pointed out some of the classics of the area: Masters’ Edge, Ulysses, Darkness Falling ...'
Eh??
'We parked among a row of cars, all neatly filed, and set off ... As we rounded a corner, Birtles pointed out some of the classics of the area: Masters’ Edge, Ulysses, Darkness Falling ...'
Eh??
In reply to Anonymous: they are only insignificant extended boulder problems so you can forgive mixing crags and names.
In reply to suzy_lu:
Agreed, but isn't it that variety which gives us the freedom to diversify at any time? 'Climbing' isn't football; it isn't golf. It's everything from 'rapping' up Trango Tower to throwing yourself at a gritstone pebble for six months before finally 'sticking' it. At the moment, I'm obsessed with the latter. I haven't always been and I might not be in the future. In the meantime, at least you've got a magazine specializing in where your head's at, whereas I (and not an inconsiderable amount of others) ain't.
Peace and love, HG.
> Total diference in opinion there hugedyno, I'm afraid.
Agreed, but isn't it that variety which gives us the freedom to diversify at any time? 'Climbing' isn't football; it isn't golf. It's everything from 'rapping' up Trango Tower to throwing yourself at a gritstone pebble for six months before finally 'sticking' it. At the moment, I'm obsessed with the latter. I haven't always been and I might not be in the future. In the meantime, at least you've got a magazine specializing in where your head's at, whereas I (and not an inconsiderable amount of others) ain't.
Peace and love, HG.
> Peace and love, HG.
Correction, HD. (these nicknames can be so inconvenient!)
In reply to hugedyno:
How do I rap _up_ something, Huge?
> ... It's everything from 'rapping' up Trango Tower ...
How do I rap _up_ something, Huge?
In reply to suzy_lu:
"I have yet to read a real nail biting piece about bouldering"
Possibly, though I would like to read any on-sight account of the full Black Circuit at Elephant - Font. There are numerous high-ball problems which would hit the E4/5 mark; Le Pilier Legendaire, harder higher up than White Wand; and then there is the "traverse above the pit of death"... Anyone who could do the above on-sight could compete with great Alpinists; I wonder how they would rate the Black Circuit against the Walker Spur in terms of difficulty to complete in a day.
Regards to chalk marks making bouldering straight forward, the words of Pat Ament spring to mind, " I could grasp the holds but not the problem". Try West Side Story, it drove me mad before the sweet delight of my top out on Feb 14th last year...
Last Septemeber in the Dolomites, whilst loving the place, couldn't help but dream of climbing on the grit, "the friction", as the Bleausard say "Ca Colle" - literally it sticks; open your mind...
Cheers,
"I have yet to read a real nail biting piece about bouldering"
Possibly, though I would like to read any on-sight account of the full Black Circuit at Elephant - Font. There are numerous high-ball problems which would hit the E4/5 mark; Le Pilier Legendaire, harder higher up than White Wand; and then there is the "traverse above the pit of death"... Anyone who could do the above on-sight could compete with great Alpinists; I wonder how they would rate the Black Circuit against the Walker Spur in terms of difficulty to complete in a day.
Regards to chalk marks making bouldering straight forward, the words of Pat Ament spring to mind, " I could grasp the holds but not the problem". Try West Side Story, it drove me mad before the sweet delight of my top out on Feb 14th last year...
Last Septemeber in the Dolomites, whilst loving the place, couldn't help but dream of climbing on the grit, "the friction", as the Bleausard say "Ca Colle" - literally it sticks; open your mind...
Cheers,
In reply to simon cox:
There seem to be very few good magazine pieces about crag climbing per se. Unfortunately. Perhaps because it doesn't generally lend itself to true epics.
I don't get it.
This I can agree with. It seems to be a common experience that, wherever you're climbing around the world, thoughts and conversations often come back to the grit. Strange but true.
> (In reply to suzy_lu)
>
> "I have yet to read a real nail biting piece about bouldering"
>
> "I have yet to read a real nail biting piece about bouldering"
There seem to be very few good magazine pieces about crag climbing per se. Unfortunately. Perhaps because it doesn't generally lend itself to true epics.
> ... the full Black Circuit at Elephant - Anyone who could do the above on-sight could compete with great Alpinists ...
I don't get it.
> Last Septemeber in the Dolomites, whilst loving the place, couldn't help but dream of climbing on the grit ...
This I can agree with. It seems to be a common experience that, wherever you're climbing around the world, thoughts and conversations often come back to the grit. Strange but true.
In reply to simon cox:
I wonder how they would rate the Black Circuit against the Walker Spur in terms of difficulty to complete in a day.
I think I know what you mean, but one difference is that you can walk back to your car halfway round the circuit if the weather turns inconvenient!
I wonder how they would rate the Black Circuit against the Walker Spur in terms of difficulty to complete in a day.
>
>
>
I think I know what you mean, but one difference is that you can walk back to your car halfway round the circuit if the weather turns inconvenient!
In reply to Anonymous:
I don't get it.
Most of the problems on the Elephant Black Circuit are quite high, so there is a lot of climbing on the circuit in volume terms; but to do it in a day requires IMHO a huge amount of endurance/ power but more than anything guts... there are many hard problems with really bad landing...
Whatever,
> ... the full Black Circuit at Elephant - Anyone who could do the above on-sight could compete with great Alpinists ...
I don't get it.
Most of the problems on the Elephant Black Circuit are quite high, so there is a lot of climbing on the circuit in volume terms; but to do it in a day requires IMHO a huge amount of endurance/ power but more than anything guts... there are many hard problems with really bad landing...
Whatever,
In reply to Anonymous:
'You better watch out,
'cause 'Huge' is in the house
'Rappin' up or rappin down,
'I ain't no Mickey Mouse'
'On the Grit or on the Lime,
'I ain't no Donald Duck,
'So stand it on your head
'You lousy Mother#....
(I feel a recording deal coming on!)
> (In reply to hugedyno)
>
> How do I rap _up_ something, Huge?
> How do I rap _up_ something, Huge?
'You better watch out,
'cause 'Huge' is in the house
'Rappin' up or rappin down,
'I ain't no Mickey Mouse'
'On the Grit or on the Lime,
'I ain't no Donald Duck,
'So stand it on your head
'You lousy Mother#....
(I feel a recording deal coming on!)
In reply to simon cox:
Was it Alain Ghersen who did one of the hard circuits at Fontainblea; an 8a and the Peuterey Integral in a short period of time? If it wasn't him, certainly one of the French "stars" did something similar.
Bob
Was it Alain Ghersen who did one of the hard circuits at Fontainblea; an 8a and the Peuterey Integral in a short period of time? If it wasn't him, certainly one of the French "stars" did something similar.
Bob
In reply to Alan James - UKC:
read some of this thread but not all, people keep crying out for bouldering magazines yet I just can't see the enjoyment in this.
Recently read my first copy of Alpinist and it is fantastic, a great mix of all the reasons I got into climbing.
Firstly the photography is stunning, fulfilling all the requirements I have for breathtaking scenery.
Secondly, the stories are full of adventure and climbing in far out places in great mountain ranges.
The magazine articles are full of interesting writers that inspire you to go climb.
how could bouldering magazine do this?
Why there is no magazine doing this for the UK market, who knows. High used to cover some articles of interest, but I dread to think how much this is going to be watered down when combining with OTE.
I would subscribe to Alpinist, only the 6 week delay for non North American delivery puts me off, I can buy it down the shop before that.
Does anyone subscribe in the UK?
Does it really have a 6 week delay?
Why can't I pick this as my favourite read in my profile?
read some of this thread but not all, people keep crying out for bouldering magazines yet I just can't see the enjoyment in this.
Recently read my first copy of Alpinist and it is fantastic, a great mix of all the reasons I got into climbing.
Firstly the photography is stunning, fulfilling all the requirements I have for breathtaking scenery.
Secondly, the stories are full of adventure and climbing in far out places in great mountain ranges.
The magazine articles are full of interesting writers that inspire you to go climb.
how could bouldering magazine do this?
Why there is no magazine doing this for the UK market, who knows. High used to cover some articles of interest, but I dread to think how much this is going to be watered down when combining with OTE.
I would subscribe to Alpinist, only the 6 week delay for non North American delivery puts me off, I can buy it down the shop before that.
Does anyone subscribe in the UK?
Does it really have a 6 week delay?
Why can't I pick this as my favourite read in my profile?
In reply to Eskdale massive:
I subscribe. It is six weeks. Worth supporting them though. Four more issues to start making money or their funding is pulled apparently.
I subscribe. It is six weeks. Worth supporting them though. Four more issues to start making money or their funding is pulled apparently.
In reply to nick from alpkit: try emailing boulderUK, he is mates with Gaz and Ian.
In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run:
In which case I should support the only magazine that I like on the market.
Has no one any plans to make a similar UK offering, plenty of scope for it?
In which case I should support the only magazine that I like on the market.
Has no one any plans to make a similar UK offering, plenty of scope for it?
In reply to Eskdale massive:
No plans for a UK offering as far as I'm aware. The two new UK mags will still be monthly and I doubt if they'll receive the Alpinist treatment either in content or presentation. I'd love to be proved wrong though.
No plans for a UK offering as far as I'm aware. The two new UK mags will still be monthly and I doubt if they'll receive the Alpinist treatment either in content or presentation. I'd love to be proved wrong though.
In reply to Dave Hunter, Rock + Run: dont know how successful it would be- as many people arent overly keen on bouldering and prefer a wider scope but for me personally a bouldering only magazine uk or worldwide would be fantastic!
In reply to Anonymous:
I've never encountered this climbing with anyone, anywhere (twenty countries and counting). This is a typical insular Sheff-centric perception.
> It seems to be a common experience that, wherever you're climbing around the world, thoughts and conversations often come back to the grit.
I've never encountered this climbing with anyone, anywhere (twenty countries and counting). This is a typical insular Sheff-centric perception.
In reply to tobyfk:
You might think so, and maybe you're right.
The first time it happened to me was in Yosemite. Sharing a belay with an American climber, he started talking about Great Slab on Froggatt!
'typical insular Sheff-centric'? Calm down.
> I've never encountered this climbing with anyone, anywhere (twenty countries and counting). This is a typical insular Sheff-centric perception.
You might think so, and maybe you're right.
The first time it happened to me was in Yosemite. Sharing a belay with an American climber, he started talking about Great Slab on Froggatt!
'typical insular Sheff-centric'? Calm down.
In reply to Anonymous:
He'd probably clocked that you had no other conversation topic and was trying to be friendly?
> The first time it happened to me was in Yosemite. Sharing a belay with an American climber, he started talking about Great Slab on Froggatt!
He'd probably clocked that you had no other conversation topic and was trying to be friendly?
In reply to tobyfk:
Are you trying to be polite?
Bye ...
> He'd probably clocked that you had no other conversation topic ...
Are you trying to be polite?
Bye ...
In reply to Bob:
Not sure re Alain, though I know that one of the top Bleasuards Tony Lamiche is also one of the leading extreme alpinists.
I recall he went to Boulder Colarado and blew the Yanks away in some bouldering event; flashed Mandela before adding the sit start + 2nd ascent of Sceptre (Dave Graham's problem that Sharma hadn't repeated at the time).
French bouldering of course used to be considered training for the Alps.
One of my personal objectives at the moment is to do a full red circuit in one session...
Cheers,
Not sure re Alain, though I know that one of the top Bleasuards Tony Lamiche is also one of the leading extreme alpinists.
I recall he went to Boulder Colarado and blew the Yanks away in some bouldering event; flashed Mandela before adding the sit start + 2nd ascent of Sceptre (Dave Graham's problem that Sharma hadn't repeated at the time).
French bouldering of course used to be considered training for the Alps.
One of my personal objectives at the moment is to do a full red circuit in one session...
Cheers,
In reply to simon cox:
"... went to Bishop, California" surely. Only 2000 miles and a time zone apart.
>
> I recall he went to Boulder Colarado and blew the Yanks away in some bouldering event; flashed Mandela before adding the sit start + 2nd ascent of Sceptre
> I recall he went to Boulder Colarado and blew the Yanks away in some bouldering event; flashed Mandela before adding the sit start + 2nd ascent of Sceptre
"... went to Bishop, California" surely. Only 2000 miles and a time zone apart.
In reply to Anonymous:
I've only seen one copy of Alpinist, been tempted to subscibe but if it's like Couloir (US ski mountaineering mag) the delivery takes for ever.
But does anyone in the UK see 'Altitudes'? its a French annual a bit like the old Ascent, can't remember how much it costs but its more like a A4 paperback book than a mag. Good photos & interesting articles and something you want to keep
I've only seen one copy of Alpinist, been tempted to subscibe but if it's like Couloir (US ski mountaineering mag) the delivery takes for ever.
But does anyone in the UK see 'Altitudes'? its a French annual a bit like the old Ascent, can't remember how much it costs but its more like a A4 paperback book than a mag. Good photos & interesting articles and something you want to keep
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...