Copied from East Idaho Off-Piste
http://www.nopiste.blogspot.com/
Friends of East Idaho Off-Piste will be hosting a free avalanche awareness night on Friday, October 23rd. We will be showing The Fine Line - A 16mm Avalanche Education Film. This is a high energy film that rivals some of the better movies out there with amazing ski, snowboard and snowmobile footage. This is a great film for the seasoned backcountry enthusiast wanting a pre-season mental refresher as well as an important education in basic fundamentals for any aspiring backcountry user.
Here are the details:
When: Friday, October 23rd at 7pm - 9:30pm. Doors open at 6:30pm
Where: Ririe High School Auditorium - 260 1st West, Ririe, ID. 83443 (park and enter the auditorium on the west side of the school)
Cost: FREE
Who: Anyone who travels or wants to travel into the side-country, backcountry, and alpine environment to ride, slide, or climb.
Why: Awareness, unity, meet new friends, and it will just be darn fun!
Some of you might ask, "Why Ririe?" Well that's simple and it's not because it's close to my house! The Ririe High School has been kind enough to let the community gather in their auditorium free of charge for educational purposes! Also, it's somewhat of a central location for folks in the Snake River Valley and those from Teton Valley who will drive over the hill to attend. Just make the drive to Ririe, it will be worth it.
Please spread the word and let's kick off the ski season with safety in mind.
See you there!
(if you are viewing this on Facebook, you may need to visit http://www.nopiste.blogspot/ or http://www.deanlords.blogspot.com/ to view the movie trailer)
The world’s best skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, and climbers join the world’s leading avalanche professionals to bring you a new movement in avalanche education. “The Fine Line: A 16mm Avalanche Education Film” is a cinematic journey that unites the cutting edge of winter action sports with youth education about responsible backcountry usage. An opening film is the prime emotional hook and four training films dive into the details of backcountry science. Massive avalanches, epic riding, year long time-lapses, crazy true stories, deep cable cam powder, Alaskan heli to heli, and educational materials made visible. Engaging, educational, and inspiring: This film could save lives.
October 14, 2009
October 08, 2009
short basalt in the backyard
Here's some local traditional climbing. It's all we've got close to home. The mighty Midget Widget...
Ben Eaton hangin' out on Crack-a-lackin' - Midget Widget Wall
Jennilyn Eaton trying to stay warm on Crack-a-lackin' - Midget Widget Wall
Rick Williams jamming the overhanging splitter known as the Widget of OZ 
Rick Williams is the Widget of OZ - Midget Widget Wall
Jennilyn Eaton soaking up the Eastern Idaho sunshine on Bitchin' Widget - Midget Widget Wall 
Rick Williams immersed in finger locks on Bitchin' Widget September 23, 2009
September 17, 2009
new sector at Midget Widget
I've been climbing a few days a week at Midget Widget the last few weeks. Abe Dickerson and I spent a morning out climbing some of the routes i established last fall. To my surprise they were just as fun as last year. Although the routes are short, they offer some pretty fun climbing. Basically, if you take the crux section of any trad route and place it on the rimrock basalt of Meadow Creek, you will have any one of the climbs at Midget Widget! Bouldering with cams is what i like to say!
It is short, but it definitely teaches you to protect the route. Some of the lines would easily protect with two cams, but hitting the ground is very likely due to the short nature of the some of the routes, so i find myself protecting the routes against ground falls more than anything. If you do venture out to Midget Widget, please bear in mind that it is basalt and somewhat brittle, so the likely hood of breaking a hand or foot hold is very possible. And depending on where you are on the route, you could easily hit the ground. Be safe please.
Jennilyn Eaton and I have been developing a new sector southeast of the main zone. Currently we have three new routes with a possibility of several more all on the same wall. These routes are a bit taller, maybe 5o to 55 feet and require a bit more boldness than the splitters from last year. Expect some committing face climbing and marginal gear.
Also of note, we established a nice corner crack on the north facing wall just to the south of the "Widget of Oz" . I will put together some more route info once we get the remaining lines done at the new sector. In the meantime here are a couple of photos.
Jennilyn Eaton on Crack-a-lackin'
Crack-a-lackin'
New routing on Basalt in eastern Idaho is always exciting!
It is short, but it definitely teaches you to protect the route. Some of the lines would easily protect with two cams, but hitting the ground is very likely due to the short nature of the some of the routes, so i find myself protecting the routes against ground falls more than anything. If you do venture out to Midget Widget, please bear in mind that it is basalt and somewhat brittle, so the likely hood of breaking a hand or foot hold is very possible. And depending on where you are on the route, you could easily hit the ground. Be safe please.
Jennilyn Eaton and I have been developing a new sector southeast of the main zone. Currently we have three new routes with a possibility of several more all on the same wall. These routes are a bit taller, maybe 5o to 55 feet and require a bit more boldness than the splitters from last year. Expect some committing face climbing and marginal gear.
Also of note, we established a nice corner crack on the north facing wall just to the south of the "Widget of Oz" . I will put together some more route info once we get the remaining lines done at the new sector. In the meantime here are a couple of photos.
Jennilyn Eaton on Crack-a-lackin'
Crack-a-lackin'New routing on Basalt in eastern Idaho is always exciting!
September 14, 2009
learning from mother nature
Getting burned isn't the worst thing that can happen. Rising from the ashes of tragedy are countless opportunities to show the world your true colors.(photo of an old burn area in the Yellowstone backcountry 9/13/09)
August 30, 2009
August 29, 2009
the braveheart
My friend Jennilyn is afraid of crack climbing. The one time she tried it, she knew that her feet and/or hands would get stuck in the crack and break right off when she fell. Needless to say her first time crack climbing last year basically sealed the deal that this style of climbing was not for her - citing the fact that if she didn't break her hands or ankles off in the cracks, then for sure if she were to lead all of her gear would just fall out; leaving only the ground to catch her fall!
I had a different theory than hers. If you understand the movement of crack climbing and how to jam your hands and feet, then you'll progress upward in control, and as a result of being in control, you'll have a clear head to place solid, confidence boosting gear. The idea is - getting to the top of the route is a direct result of skill rather than happenstance or luck. Do it right or don't do it at all; climbing is dangerous...
We planned a trip to the City of Rocks this week where my idea was to get Jennilyn prepped to lead an easy traditional route before we left on Saturday. So, for several days we roamed the Granite formations at the City of Rocks chasing shade and climbing a variety of cracks.
Jennilyn is not a fan of lead climbing. I'm talking about sport routes! She's pretty gun shy and almost always prefers to top-rope a climb. As a result i can only think of one 5.11a that she has red pointed and just a handful of easy routes under 5.10 that she has lead. So for her the thought of lead climbing even one route that requires placing gear is about a realistic as her going to the moon.
I say if you wanna go to the moon, then GO TO THE MOON!
Well, my theory worked. And the result was her first ever gear lead. Now some of you have climbed at the City of Rocks and may be thinking that she chose to climb Wheat Thin 5.7, or Carols Crack 5.6, or any number of classic beginner routes. Well, i'm hear to tell you that my theory worked so well, Jennilyn lead in perfect style (calm, in control, deliberate, and placing correct gear) on the obscure Inner City route, Heartbreaker 5.10d! Only taking one fall at the crux; then sending the rest of the route with ease!
I shot some photos of the little braveheart leading her first ever gear route. Enjoy!
A very excited Jennilyn near the top of Heartbreaker 5.10d - City of Rocks Idaho
I had a different theory than hers. If you understand the movement of crack climbing and how to jam your hands and feet, then you'll progress upward in control, and as a result of being in control, you'll have a clear head to place solid, confidence boosting gear. The idea is - getting to the top of the route is a direct result of skill rather than happenstance or luck. Do it right or don't do it at all; climbing is dangerous...
We planned a trip to the City of Rocks this week where my idea was to get Jennilyn prepped to lead an easy traditional route before we left on Saturday. So, for several days we roamed the Granite formations at the City of Rocks chasing shade and climbing a variety of cracks.
Jennilyn is not a fan of lead climbing. I'm talking about sport routes! She's pretty gun shy and almost always prefers to top-rope a climb. As a result i can only think of one 5.11a that she has red pointed and just a handful of easy routes under 5.10 that she has lead. So for her the thought of lead climbing even one route that requires placing gear is about a realistic as her going to the moon.
I say if you wanna go to the moon, then GO TO THE MOON!
Well, my theory worked. And the result was her first ever gear lead. Now some of you have climbed at the City of Rocks and may be thinking that she chose to climb Wheat Thin 5.7, or Carols Crack 5.6, or any number of classic beginner routes. Well, i'm hear to tell you that my theory worked so well, Jennilyn lead in perfect style (calm, in control, deliberate, and placing correct gear) on the obscure Inner City route, Heartbreaker 5.10d! Only taking one fall at the crux; then sending the rest of the route with ease!
I shot some photos of the little braveheart leading her first ever gear route. Enjoy!
A very excited Jennilyn near the top of Heartbreaker 5.10d - City of Rocks Idaho
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