Carrie Cooper

Triassic, UT

2012-01-28T21:10:00.001-08:00

Golden

Triassic is pretty close to Joe's valley. We had heard that you could climb there when it was snowing everywhere else. The drive down the snow covered dirt roads was unsettling given that we had driven 2.5 hours from Salt Lake for a day trip that may turn out to be a driving trip only. However, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the rocks provided a warm sunny spot to melt away the cold January Saturday.

The best looking problems in Triassic are tall and the top outs stand on their own. So be prepared. It's totally worth it.

Hannah Von atop the Sweet Boulder
(She brought Ava a giant pommelo as a gift this morning and presented it to her remarking, "I found a dinosaur egg!" Ava was delighted as she is somewhat of a dinosaur expert :)

Crazy Boulder

Me on Dynosaur

Dain Smaland

Another day stolen from the icy grip of winter.

Rock layers

Best problem of the day. I have no idea what it's called but it's on the Rum Boulder. Sit starts at the base of the left arete then follows up the prow. Mantel move to the jug in the middle of the face, then slab to the top. Brilliant. If it doesn't have a name, we shall call it, "Indian Paintings." After the only soul we saw out there stumbled upon us and announced he was "just walk'in ta see some Indian Paintings." classic. ps there are lots of petroglyphs (apparently. I think they were covered in snow) and Triassic is on the way to a dinosaur quarry. I am absolutely bringing Ava next time, though it is closed in the winter.

Indian Paintings :)

Hannah and I geeking out over cool hand holds and rock formations

Get Some Two Fingers
The top was covered in snow so we will just have to come back again for this one and many others. And maybe we'll get to see some indian paintings!

Sunset

23 and a half hours

2012-01-11T20:26:00.000-08:00

Just in case you needed a reason.

So everyone knows it's good to exercise right? Why don't we apply this to pregnant women? Why aren't pregnant women told that exercise is good? What needs to change?

39 weeks and USA Today

2012-01-10T18:12:00.000-08:00

Click photo to go to article

USA Today's Rita Rubin went out on an edge and wrote about fit pregnancies in today's paper. She and I spoke after she saw my video "39 weeks"

We had a wonderful discussion. Her keen observations and interest were inspiring. We spoke about the growing number of women who are actively seeking (pun intended) physical fitness throughout their pregnancy. Obviously, this isn't the first time in history that women have been active during pregnancy or even rock climbed during it for that matter. The point she was most interested in is to our cultures mentality of shunning exercise during pregnancy and also the lack of research to back up anything to the contrary. While I was pregnant (and I have an entire 9 months of blog posts if you click along) I tried to be mindful. I spoke with my doctor. I used the amazing amount of knowledge that I have gained about my own body through 7 years of competitive gymnastics, 10 years of dance and Pilates, along with 10 more years of climbing and now, Physical Therapy school.

We spoke about how I came to decide to continue climbing. My reply was very simple. After a clean bill of health I made a contract with myself that the moment climbing didn't feel GOOD, I would stop. And I found that with a shift in mentality, it always felt good! Thankfully.

I've talked to so many women since making the film "39 weeks". I've heard stories of women who wished there was something like this that they had known about. I've talked to women who have gone the distance by themselves as I did. All these women had varying degrees of physical ability both before and after pregnancy but all were able to continue running, or climbing, or dancing, or swimming, etc. throughout.

Personally, I cannot imagine running a marathon pregnant, but that's my body. We are all different and exercise should be a part of every person's life. Pregnant or not. This is the point that should be focused on. Why are we not applying our understanding of the human body and it's healthful functioning to women who are pregnant. Doesn't this seem counter-intuitive. Wouldn't we want women who are growing our future in their bellies to be the healthiest they can be? I know there needs to be a protective layer to all this but not so much that it resists the mere idea based on fear.

This is an amazing time! Here is the opportunity for research. We have started the discussion, let's spread the idea: Pregnant women are strong! I only hope that Johns Hopkins discovers that this statement has meaning.

Joe's Valley

2011-10-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

When Kyle told me I should go on a climbing trip for a few days in order to night wean Sebastian, my first instinct was to run before he changed his mind. I am amazed with my husband's strong manlyness as well as his caring and sweet fatherlyness. He truly is the best man I've ever met. So, here is a taste of mama CC's first solo trip post babe. I'm not going to say it wasn't hard to leave. I saw a little baby on day two and started crying. I had to walk away and numb the pain on a heinously crimpy rock climb called "Hooters". And I'm not making up the name to fit my story either.

Lewis the dog and I set off in the morning to meet some of my PT school classmates in Joe's. We arrived a bit late, missed the warm up session and went straight to Planet of the Apes (v6).

Scott on Planet of The Apes

I need to get stronger to do this rock climb. I can't use the same holds everyone else does and I end up just sticking to some crimps next to the rail. It's not easy but it's a really cool climb. Even with my beta :)

We strolled up to Will's a fire and were met with a scene of people an pads. No fear here that's for sure!

Halley, Matt, Scott

Me doing my favorite move on Will's a Fire (v6).
Photo by Matthew Paul Irving taken with my camera.

He also took a photo of a disgusting toe that I will not be sharing with you. You can thank me when you see me. I did not send Will's, sadly. The top crimp kept moving further and further away from me. Sneaky crimp. We ended the day on Kill by Numbers. A nice little v5 roof with an awkward mantle finish. Just ask anyone there, I made that mantle look like a ballet. (read much sarcasm in that statement)

Photo by Matthew Paul Irving

There is a pizza joint in Castledale aptly named, "PIZZA" and this is what they sell. I highly recommend this place though sadly, there is no beer available. It is rumored that 4 guys finished one of these in 30 minutes. Just putting it out there.

Day two was full of high ball rock climbing. The agenda that morning was to go do Dirty Hairy and Frosted Flakes. I had neither seen nor heard much about either problem. With a leisurely start that entailed eggy goodness with green onion meatball crumbles, chopped veggies, basil, and parmesaen burritos. yum. breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We set off towards the Hulk area.
The UMWA and The Small one provided a 15 problem warm-up circuit that more than prepared us to crush. We walked up to Dirty Hairy amidst chatter about people flying off the top towards near death and being caught pretty much in the trees. I was paralyzed with fear. I walked up to it and announced that I would not be doing this boulder problem then commenced to analyzing the moves and holds and being increasingly full of nerves. The thing is, it's not really that hard. The moves at the bottom are techy and they get you up the boulder in fast time so before you know it you are pretty exposed for the crux which is the top out. Mike Pirozzi sensed the stagnation of psych and displayed ease on the lower moves. After a moment of contemplation I had a rouse of inspiration and proclaimed that I would, "Take this problem as my own." I watched Halley top it out and new it would be a stretch. Even though I didn't grab the side pull pocket well I was still able to have enough tough and spirit to engage the hold, realize the exposure and rally towards the top. HALLEY-luyah! Phew. Glad that's done. Glad I did it. Done. Now towards the Dairy where the problems are slopey and completely different!

Halley searching for the holds on a problem in the dairy.

Moon rise over our campsite.

Third day on and I was pretty much spent. I barely made it off the pad and seriously considered diving into this beautiful but icy cold stream.

Mike the rock climber.

Mike the angler.

Matt Pincus the crusher.

Will's a Fire will be mine. I would also like to try Big Joe, Big Boy, and complete my slopey proj in the dairy which is named something like Basher the buncher or Beshman or something. I call it "The confident Liar" and I am now a self proclaimed consultant for FA names. I have a whole list if anyone's interested.
CC

Days of Summer

2011-09-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I've tried many times to do a summer post. Believe me I have. But every time I entered the office I felt that I would suffocate from heat stroke. Salt Lake in the summer is oppressively hot and I've heard that this summer was "quite mild". (blurgh) I almost burned myself putting my lap top on my lap last time I tried to write a post. These are my excuses and I'm sticking to them.
It is the first day of Fall and what a glorious change it has been. I feel relieved and almost post traumatically reminiscent of summer.
So here are some highlights:

Rock Mama Posse! I feel so lucky to have found the Rock Moms of SLC.

Blacksmith Fork Canyon in June

Kelly

Rosie and Mike

Controlled Chaos

I top roped the entire time. Unable to summon the lost courage to send 5.12 on the sharp end. It wasn't until John Sherman came to visit and imparted some hard man wisdom upon me. But before I relay it to you...the beach trip:

45 minutes outside of Vegas we had a blowout. 70 mph, I looked up from the passengers seat just in time to see our tire rolling off the side of the interstate. We were lucky and Volvo XC's are just as safe as they say.

San Clemente

Sebastian got his toes wet in the ocean waves for the first time. He loved it! He would just stomp and stare at the water as it rushed up toward him.

A level playing field: Goal by Ava with a strong assist by Luna and Ansel.

Carlsbad

Kyle and Bash

I had a whole two week break between semesters so we spent most of it driving :)
Upon returning to SLC we repacked the car and headed to Lander, WY with the Perozi's and Kris Dockstader and Noah Bigwood and their son Benjamin. Talk about some hard rock crushing family people...

Lander City Park. Not a bad place to camp.

Locals

Wild Iris: A pregnant and still crushing Cheryl.

I had a hard time keeping up. But those words of John Sherman's kept ringing in my ears. I made the mistake of telling him that I had been "taking" on sport climbs. Boy was that the wrong thing to say, let alone do. So hear it here people.

"Take. I don't know what that means." the Verm exploded. "We never took in the old days. We didn't trust our gear enough to do that."
"So what if the route was at your end range? What if you couldn't make it to the top?" I asked
"We made it to the top no matter what." He said with a tone of arrogance. (Such that any well versed OLD school climber is entitled to.)
"We would down climb, rest, shake it out. And continue up. That's how you get strong."

So this is the mantra I had in my head as we embarked upon Wild Iris.

"Take? What does that even mean?"

I embodied this to the best of my ability and surprised myself. I also backed off of a couple routes that were above my ability but I learned. I also led and fell and cleaned my first 12 since having Sebastian. It was rejuvinating. It scared me and I would totally do it again!

"Take? No way."

Ava sent her own boulder problem and then jumped off the summit. Ala Steph Davis...but not high and without a parachute...

So here's to the end of summer. Thank God. Now lets go bouldering.

The Climber

2011-08-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Climber is the official magazine of the NZ alpine club. It's the only climbing magazine published in NZ. It is an honor to write a piece about climbing while pregnant for this magazine given the line up of bad asses that usually grace this publication. Kiwi's are a hard core group with egos the size of peanuts and cojones that could crush a bull. The article is called, "A kick inside" and I'm happy that the idea of climbing while pregnant is starting to be an accepted one throughout the world. It's really not as scary as it sounds and it certainly made my pregnancy so much more enjoyable.

photo by Kyle George

Summertime

2011-08-06T15:44:00.001-07:00

It actually feels like summer right now. I just finished my first semester of physical therapy school at the University of Utah. It's a very demanding Doctoral program and I'm loving it but I'm also being tested by it in more ways than just academics. I feel so proud to have rocked it this semester after having just given birth and uprooted my family from our home in Flagstaff to Salt Lake City. It's been quite the trial but it's been so worth it. We are all completely stoked on our new playground and have hit the ground running. Kyle is mountain biking, Ava is swimming in the creeks and playing with the wild animals :)

Snail race with over 30 snails found in the driveway.

We are barely surviving the sweltering heat and I hear this summer has been pleasantly mild...
We are also adapting to drinking the 3.2 beer and I've found it's a nice study beer, being that it's mostly water.
I just finished a 6 week training regimen and am ready to go surf in California before we head north to Lander.

Training Log
15 minute traverse/wall warm-up
System board training:
1. Lock off's

5 sets of 5 lock off's with one arm (other arm is on another hold but doing minimal work). Try doing with same leg as arm, then switch opposite foot on as arm which is pulling for next 5 set of 5.
5 sets of 5 pinches (three up, three down moving up the wall)
5 sets of 5 crimps
2. Hang board or finger board
Choose a size and simply hang for 10 seconds, 10 times

By this point my tendons are thoroughly worked so I switch tracks to endurance.

3. 35-40 minutes of treadmill running.
I can do 30 minutes straight now but when I feel like I'm gonna pass out I switch over to the eliptical to work my quads and I can hold on tight!!! Can you imagine falling while running on the treadmill. I was interested so I googled it and spent 25 minutes either laughing hysterically or wondering what the world would be like without stupid people...

4. Stretching and Pilates to finish.

Now it's time to get outside and play!!!! Have fun out there!

A Lovely Little Cottonwood Day

2011-07-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

A short day at the secret garden area was fun and fruitful. Twisted is the area classic. Highly recommended. I fell of the very last move 4 times before I could hoist my body high enough to grab the JUG. Kelly showed me the moves :)

Twisted v4
Wren Delligatti (Kelly's daughter) learns to spot. It's a great way to get an 18 month old involved and keep her out of harms way. She stood about 5 feet behind me and we prompted her by saying, "Help me spot." and she would throw her arms up in the air and stand attentively while her mama or I climbed.
We had three kids with us and this area kept them enclosed and happy. There are "tunnels" in between the rocks and LOTS of inch worms to put in an inch worm zoo.

Get up, get out, and do something!

2011-07-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

The first few workouts are always the worst. I have to remind myself that if I set a goal, a true achievable goal at the beginning of every workout then I can not only make it through the pain but also come back again in a couple days :) Lesson one: learn to love the pain. It's like Stockholm Syndrome. Put on some good tunes and forget about the work ahead.
My first goal was to be able to run for three minutes at a time.
Do the strengthening part of your workout first.
The work-out:
Rows 40 lbs 3 sets of 12
Push-ups on a box with good form 5 sets of 5
10 v0-v2 gym problems
35-40 minutes endurance
Because my thighs have atrophied (the muscles size decreased) I used two machines. The first was the treadmill which I did 20 minutes of run/brisk walking. Then 10 minutes on level 3 at high speed on an elliptical trainer (basically till my thighs burned). Then 5-10 minutes cool down on the treadmill.
I can't fall at all from boulder problems because my thighs are so weak that my legs buckle...not cool. My friend Leif who is quite tall just plucks me out of the air when I need a catch but when he isn't there I just do more easy problems. I don't trust just anyone to spot me.
I like to do my core workout following endurance. Just trying to do the same kind of ab exercises that I described in my last post. I can do more reps but I still tire quickly. The day is coming though, when I am able to do a full set of Pilates hundreds and the roll-up. Look-out size 4 jeans...I'm coming for you soon!

I zip myself up

2011-05-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

To all you climbers out there. You are very strong. No matter if you climb v5 or v15. You are like mutant strong. Working my way back from ground zero has given me a whole new perspective on strength.
I would attach a photo of my grossly overweight and out of shape post baby body but my camera stops working every time I try :) SO you will just have to take my word for it! haha
Every woman's body is different, obviously.
My body does not take to surgery very well. I find it very painful. This C-section is no different. The first week and a half was the worst. Stuck on the couch popping pills to manage my pain. Then, like magic, on day 10, the pain subsided and I didn't need medication. Now wait a second, the pain wasn't totally gone, it was manage-able without meds, thankfully. I still couldn't do anything though. Week three of being on the couch I was able to start moving around and by week 6 I got the ok from my ob to start exercising. Her exact words were, "I'm letting you out of the barn but don't go wild." I may have gone a little wild... I went climbing four times that week and it set me back, way back. I felt this strange internal shooting pain than ran vertically up the midline of my belly. Ouch. It was weird. I learned that when I felt that pain it meant that I had done enough. I still feel it here and there but it is usually when I stretch my abdomen (I'm 12 weeks out now).
We just moved to Sat Lake City so I can attend Physical Therapy School at the University of Utah. I am totally stoked to be here. The school is great, the city is great, the climbing is new and they have a killer climbing gym. I've started getting in the gym and outside to climb on whatever I can hold onto.
Plus, I've started basic abdominal-strengthening exercises.
DESCRIPTION:
1. Lying on my back with bent knees, feet on the floor at hip width apart. Keeping the angle of my knees the same I lift my knees towards my belly. Then lower them back down. It's a simple motion. KEEP LOWER BACK ON THE FLOOR. I started with 2 sets of 15. Increase the sets when it becomes easier.
2. Basic crunches. Knees bent, feet on the floor. Lower back presses down towards the floor. Hands behind head. Lift nose toward the ceiling. Raise up only high enough to have shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Plank Position. Hold a push up position for 30 seconds. Think of pulling the top of your head toward the wall in front of you while your heels are pulling towards the wall behind you. lift belly towards the sky without bringing hips up with it. Think long body. Lifting chest toward the sky. Strong arms. Do 2 times. When this becomes easy, try a push up keeping elbows in. No chicken Winging!!

Flip

2011-05-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of Kyle George

The last week of my pregnancy was a huge surprise. Not that I didn't know I was pregnant but like in the way that you wait and wait for something without any change and then all of a sudden BOOM. I had a perfect pregnancy. So good it was that my doctors were only seeing me every other week. So it was a huge surprise to all of us that at my 39 week appointment (I went climbing that morning by the way)... my baby had turned breach. I actually went into labor at 36 weeks but stopped it because I wasn't term yet. Not three days later I was laying on my side and I felt this huge movement. I felt water slosh in my belly and I thought to myself, "Wow. That was odd." But it didn't hurt. I had heard that when a baby suddenly flips breach it is quite painful but not in my case.

photo courtesy of Kyle George

So the last week of my pregnancy was spent upside down. I tried everything to flip my baby. Pool time handstands, laying on boards at an incline, a natural herb called Pulsatilla, even manual version. My midwife, who has a 75% success rate, attempted to manually turn my baby and after 45 minutes of excruciating pain and about a quarter of an inch of rotation, we stopped and I scheduled my very unanticipated c-section. I explored my options for doing a natural birth even with a breach baby but with the way he was positioned I couldn't find a single midwife or OB who would perform it. So, I continued with my turning tactics and without any luck I gave birth via c-section at 8:05am on Monday February 14th.

Sebastian Cooper George
8 lbs. 8 oz
22.5 inches long
38.5 cm head circumference

FYI That's a HUGE baby. Not necessarily weight wise but height and head are in the 99th percentile.
**There is the proof that climbing while pregnant does NOT deprive the baby of ANYTHING!!!!!

Climbing pregnant: Week 39

2011-02-01T13:03:00.000-08:00

Rock Climbing

Yee-Haw! I'm officially feeling very pregnant. I went climbing in the gym yesterday and it felt great. Each climb is very slow. I have to swing my body side to side to be able to see the foot holds, actually place my foot on it and then shift my weight in order to go up. It's like hula dancing. For the first time I'm not psyched to make it to the top of the route because it means lowering down. I really don't like the lowering part. My harness squeezes my belly and its uncomfortable. Baby is fine, I'm not like cutting myself or anything. It's just uncomfortable. I had to yell down to Doug, my climbing partner, to lower me faster...I'm sure I sounded impatient and demanding. I'm so lucky to have him. He doesn't care. He cares that I'm climbing, and that's it. He doesn't mind that I can barely get up a climb, or that I don't let him fall while I'm belaying. Thank you Doug for being so supportive!

L-Day

The big day is coming soon. I'm both nervous and excited. I'm trying not to count down the days. A watched kettle never boils.
I'm reading a pile of labor books to help myself prepare. But everyday that I climb I'm thinking more and more about transferring those thoughts and methods to my labor. When I get a little pumped I focus on my breath and imagine myself in the middle of a really hard contraction and I think about opening and relaxing. Climbing is still climbing of course and can't really compare to labor but I believe any kind of mental preparation I can have increases my success of having a natural birth.
Tomorrow is my birthday and I've been waiting until that has passed to start doing "Let's get this show on the road" activities. I plan to take a long walk every day (and climbing of course) following my bday until my son is born. I just don't want to share my birthday with my offspring.

To think, I'll get to meet him in the next couple weeks. It's so exciting!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T17:24:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011 everyone!!!

Last year was great but I have a feeling that this year is going to be fantastic! I've never been one for idols or new years resolutions but I do have goals. My goals for this year are to send labor (at least a 5.22c/d), get into physical therapy school (probably v12), and get back into climbing shape.

photo by Kyle George

On the media front, check out the prAna LOVE!
http://www.prana.com/blog/2010/12/24/20-questions-interview-with-carrie-cooper-video/

I can't wait till after I have my baby so I can actually wear my new Kyra Jacket. I love that companies are moving sideways and using natural fibers again. I love wool. Traveling in New Zealand really sealed it when everything was soaking wet and cold but my wool still kept me warm miraculousy!

Health, wealth, and happiness to all!

Climbing pregnant: Weak 33

2010-12-31T15:25:00.001-08:00

Well this one is a short post cause I'm WEAK!
I made the mistake of not climbing for the last two weeks and now I'm all outta pregnancy climbing shape! Suck. I tried to climb a couple days ago and only did four routes (all 5.9). And they felt sooooooo hard. But I wasn't sore at all! Which means that its my endurance that took the dive. That time I took off because of the holiday's eating obligations made me stiff. I've had more hip and back pain than usual. Plus more swelling. YAY!
I went climbing and did those few routes and my body was tired yes but it was like it gave this giant sigh and said thank you. Climbing stretches the old tissues. Phew. I feel better.
I shall now refer to weeks 32 and 33 as WEAKs.
It is 7 degrees outside today with the sun shining. brrrrrrrrr
I really want to go sledding and or skiing. But I generally don't do either of those activities very safely in the first place. This coming week I'm going to work really hard to not hibernate too much and get those juices flowing!!!!
We'll see how it all goes down.

Week 32: Balance: An argument in favor of climbing pregnant

2010-12-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

Balance seems to be a popular question from people who discover that I'm still climbing. They ask, "How is your balance?"
"You must fall a lot."
"Does that big belly make you tip over?" That one is my personal favorite. Thanks for the compliment.
My answer is NO!!

Balance is a product of a few key factors. The main ones being muscle tone and balanced proprioception. These sensors in your body tell you whether or not your foot bone is connected to your leg bone and they tell you if you are standing, and if you are standing solidly most importantly. We use our vision for 90% of our balance. Have you ever tried to stand still with your eyes closed? How about on one leg with your eyes closed? It takes practice and what do you think you are training? Your proprioceptors.

Putting all this into context, as a pregnancy progresses, weight is gained in the center of a womans body. The center is the belly, the mid section that connects your top half to your bottom half and because there is little help from this area late in pregnancy, other adjustments must be made.

That myth that pregnant women fall over a lot, in theory, has to do with whether she sits all the time or is able to move and exercise.

So here is my argument for climbing while pregnant.

Climbing allows for a change in weight distribution. A climber must shift weight onto the left foot to lift the right foot, must balance weight in the center in order to match on a hold above the head. If a pregnant woman climbs throughout pregnancy, as a pound is added each week, proprioceptors are able to adjust to this change and therefore balance throughout the body is maintained.

I may not be good at picking things up off the floor or tying my shoes but I can balance on one leg with my eyes closed. I did it yesterday.

Climbing is good for pregnant women.

Climbing pregnant, the first fall: Week 30

2010-12-09T07:52:00.000-08:00

It never crossed my mind that I might, at some point, actually fall while climbing. I know, duh, it is a possibility, I just hadn't considered it. I have been very thorough with whomever is belaying me. Checking and double checking that everyone is double backed, locked and loaded. I make sure that my belayer knows to keep me tight so I don't go far if I was to fall. All the precautions were there, and I felt safe.
A few nights ago I was in the gym, same old same old. I was warmed up, it was my last hard climb of the session. I placed my foot on a positive but slick foot hold, and stretched up for a far reaching hand hold. SLIP. My foot skated off and off I went. I was dangling there in space when I realized I had actually fallen. During which time I tightened my abs as much as they would tighten (reflexes), so tight in fact that I had a hard time getting them to relax. I re-situated myself to a more comfortable resting spot and contemplated what had just happened. I sat there, waiting for the contractions to start. But there was nothing. My breath wasn't labored, my body felt fine. I was fine. So I kept climbing, I finished the route and called it a day.
Even though everything seemed well and good, I needed to feel the baby move before I was on a path towards ease of mind. I sat down to take off my climbing shoes and put on my regular shoes and bam bam bam goes the baby. Knocking around in there like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
I would have been fine had the voices of the hundreds of people who have said to me,
"You aren't still climbing are you?"
"Oh that's so dangerous, what about the baby?"
"You shouldn't be climbing, should you?"
And even though I know how to answer each and every one of their questions and comments. Even though I know that everything is fine and that climbing feels better than walking. Even though the baby was moving, I didn't get a single contraction...
The ghost-like voices in my head filled me with anxiety. It took me two days of talking myself, talking to the baby, talking to my medical practitioner friends for me to let go of the notion that I had damaged the baby by falling a 1/4" on top-rope.
I'm fine,
the babies fine,
if something irregular happens with the baby, it has nothing to do with my climbing. If mama is happy, baby is happy.
How much better can I take care of the growing life in my belly than to eat well, be well, and choose activities that give me peace of mind.
F*** the police.

My New Best friend

2010-11-30T11:36:00.001-08:00

We recently got a few inches of snow which have quickly turned to ice which summoned a sort of unwanted dance. I almost fell three times yesterday so I have turned to Kahtoola for answers...
The Microspikes. I went for a walk on the ice today then romped up into the snowy hillside with my dog. No problemo.
Holla!

Climbing pregnant: Week 26

2010-11-10T16:15:00.000-08:00

I've officially reverted back to infancy. I have to have lots of snack breaks, naps, snuggles, and I cry when I laugh. I figure its natures way of teaching my child in utero how he should act when he's in the outside world.
I really wish I could talk to someone in the design department at PETZL about some preggers adjustments for the harness. I fear that it is my harness that is going to slow my climbing and not my body. This should not be!
This pregnancy has happened a lot faster than my last, meaning that I am bigger faster. But I can still crank on small holds!!!!
I've noticed that my endurance has improved as well as my finger strength. I'm getting much weaker moving my feet up to new holds and I have to grunt to do a high step. Sometimes I can't high step. 5.11 is my happy place. I can still challenge myself at that grade but I don't feel like I'm damaging myself. I still try 5.12 but I usually don't make it very far. Maneuverability being my biggest hurdle. I got the OK from my doctor the other day who told me that it was ok to use my stomach muscles as much as I wanted so I can suck it in, so to speak, when I need to.

I'm enjoying my slow degradation. Every week I do get a little weaker. I don't push it even though I know that I used to climb MUCH harder. I'm listening to my body. As I go up a route I don't just push push push. I pause on easier holds, relax my belly, relax my hips, muscles, breath. I treat the climb like a dance more than a push to the top. Each move (especially the easier ones) I try to do with as much finesse as possible. I don't allow myself to get too locked in a position where I'm struggling to make the move. Being a pregnant athlete means you get to enjoy yourself and take it easy more than I would usually allow myself to take it easy.

So far, I've noticed I have MUCH less edema than my last pregnancy. All this motion must be good for circulation.

I'm still enjoying my climbing:
6-7 routes 2 times per week
Warm-up 5.8/5.9 (2)
(2) 5.10's
5.11
5.11 project
Finish with a pumpy 5.10 OR try a 12 and usually fail miserably but at least I tried!
Stretch and do standing rows with a theraband or band system. Pull shoulder blades back and strengthen the opposing muscles that are being pulled forward by the weight in my front half.

Climbing pregnant, Week 24: Body harness

2010-10-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

I fit in with the kids. That's really the first thing I noticed with the Petzl 8003 adult body harness. At first glance I thought it would be a puzzle to put on but it turned out to be way easier than any regular harness I've used. The "belay loop" as it were is in a very good place for a pregnant woman. It fits comfortably under my bra line and the rope or belay device connects the two sides of the harness. At first it felt really strange to tie in so high and I had to modify my belay technique just a hair to be able to belay comfortably. These are things any climber would easily figure out. The one conundrum is how to make the entire thing fit so it is snug but doesn't hinder my extension.

If I make the leg loops tight so they don't meander as I climb (which is really annoying and I end up fiddling with them throughout the route but hey it's good for endurance..) it shortens my reach. For example, if I have to walk my feet high to make a move that is at the extent of my entire 5'1" frame, the harness tightens in and I end up with a total length that is about 2 inches short of my norm...not that I need any more length cause I'm so tall. I've tried loosening the shoulder straps (dangerous), and the leg loops... not sure how to remedy this but if anyone technical has any suggestions let em rip!

Falling: I was belaying a much larger friend of mine the other night on top rope. And I have to preface that before him I had told my friends they weren't allowed to fall..I was scared, you understand. Anyway, he fell and I belayed him normally and the harness didn't pop my belly like a zit and everything was cool. It was actually more comfortable to catch his fall than it is to sit back at the top of a climb before being lowered. (It takes me a minute to situate.)

Overall this harness is exactly what I need to keep myself climbing.
I'm amazed that my stamina is progressing. It's very strange to feel more able yet weaker. Even though my endurance for routes is getting better, my ability to yard on small holds is diminishing! Here is my latest work-out:

2 times per week, two hour session:
1. Warm up easy, juggy 5.7/5.8
2. Then 5.8/5.9
3. 5.10 with crimps, slopers, one dynamic move
4. 5.10 with big holds on an overhang to induce some pump.
5. 5.11 project with small holds and no rest
6. repeat crimpy 5.10
7. 5.10 with sustained and dynamic moves (this is the only climb I feel I really use my abdominals)
8. 5.10 that makes you use your brain
9. and 10. cool down on two easy climbs

I've also come up with a stretching regimen that I'll video and post eventually.
I hope this helps, keep sending your comments and questions my way. This is fun!

mmmmm

2010-10-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

Don't knock it till you try it. Seaweed is my new favorite snack! It is chock full of iron most importantly but it also has many fantastic vitamins. It's very hard to find a good, taste-bud tempting photo of seaweed. I guess it would be pretty hard to get creative photographically...

Climbing pregnant: Mind Trip

2010-10-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been a mental transition more than a physical one. As my physical ability changes, so does the style of climbing I am attracted to. The vast majority of my friends are boulderers. Now that I can't top anything out without turning into a whale and flopping my way atop the boulder, climbing with my friends has become a new hurdle. They have all been so nice, spending extra time on the warm-ups, only making fun of me a little and in return accepting my sideways sarcasm with little rebuttle. I've now reached the point where I don't really WANT to go bouldering. I want to do routes! I am faced with the challenge of getting my boulder thirsty friends to put on a harness and lead (cause I can't).

I can't climb on the sharp end because that would put the baby in jeopardy. I'll allow my child to make that decision for himself someday. For now, I have borrowed a petzl body harness and I'm going to try it out tonight. I'll report back!

It makes perfect sense to me that I'm attracted to routes and the gym seems a very fitting place. I can climb more and longer than I could if I were outside. There seem to always be jugs around the hard holds so if I get too tired I don't have to back off the route, I can merely switch gears from 5.11 to 5.9 in a single move. It's brilliant. Here is my workout and I try to do it twice a week:

Warm-up on 5.8 and a 5.9.
Follow with 8 routes between the grades of 5.10 and 5.11.
Cool down on 5.8 slab

This is a goal right now more than a standard. It seems that my belly gets really tired on the 6th of the harder routes. I've thought to break it up a bit and do 4 hard routes then one really easy one, then 3 or 4 more hard ones. I'm hesitant to break it up like that because part of me believes that with the added blood volume, my endurance isn't quite what it used to be. So sticking with slowly increasing the amount of routes I do would hypothetically increase my endurance.
Through all this I have to remember that I am not training in the traditional sense of the word. So...Even though I have a goal, I'm not going to break myself trying to accomplish it. That would be counter productive.

I'll keep you updated with the status of workouts and stretches and whatnot...
Please feel free to post comments, questions, and suggestions straight to the blog so everyone can benefit. Thanks!!

Pie Festival: Pietown, NM

2010-09-22T08:49:00.000-07:00

Pie is good for the soul. And when you mix it with rock climbing and friends, well, you have one happy pregnant Carrie.

I took my daughter Ava with me on our first ever time to the Pie Festival, not knowing at all what to expect. I'm sure everyone has their own agendas during piefest but ours consisted mostly of:
wake up, eat pie, go climbing, go to the festival and eat more pie, go climbing, have gigantic spaghetti dinner.

The day of the festival we were focused on climbing in the morning so we got all our peeps together and headed out to Monster Island, a small but fun area with problems you are more than happy to get on for this one-time-a-year occasion.

Jenny Walker
Ploss
Climbing an overhang 4.5 months pregnant is harder than it looks!! I decided to make this particular overhang the last of my pregnancy. I found that it was really hard to not breath so hard that I gave myself a Braxton-Hicks. I had to rest, like a sport climber, mid problem to calm my breathing down and relax my stomach.

When the clock struck 12:30, we all ran down to the cars to make it back to the festival in time to see the pie eating contest (They make the contestants hold their hands behind there backs and go in face first!). By this time I was so hungry we had to stop at the pie booth first for an appetizer.

Being at the Pie Festival is a little like going to some one else's family reunion except everyone is invited.
After laughing through the pie eating contests and thoroughly stuffing ourselves, it was time for the horny toad race.

The horny toad race was truly a spectacle. Walker and Lisa efficiently drew two concentric circles with chalk on the towns basketball court. Each child, or adult, was marked with a number or letter that corresponded to the one on their toads belly (for retrieval and return to their homes after the race). The toads were then placed in an ancient metallic bucket looking thing and placed in the center of the circle. The first toad across the line won. Now, there were large toads and itty bitty toads which apparently has nothing to do with their age but all to do with their type. When the bucket was lifted, the crowd that had huddled around to watch erupted in whoops and hollars. When Walker's mom (the judge of the race) lifted the bucket there were 31 toads piled on top of each other. Now, we had heard that it once took a single toad 10 minutes to get from the pile to the winners circle so we were prepared for a wait. But the moment she lifted the lid this tiny toad shot out and crossed the line within seconds. Winner! Personally I think that was our toad because she was not returned to us at the end. Second place was actually two toads; one large toad with a tiny hijacker on its back.

Andrea

Pie Fest would not have been complete without the Kearney's and their amazing hospitality. In addition, I am so thankful for all our wonderful friends who make the Pie Festival what it is!

Photos by:
Javier G and Jenny Smith

Climbing pregnant: Week 16

2010-09-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

* Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. The opinions on this blog are my own educated opinions.

The pants I've known and loved are now crying "Mutiny!". They have rebelled against my growing belly and are refusing to button or zip. Solution: Belly band. Love that thing. I can still wear my skinny jeans and I don't have to show anyone what I'm wearing underneath.

I went out to the Priest Draw a couple of days ago and for those of you who are unaware of this area, it is almost all completely horizontal roof climbs. Now, I'm four months pregnant and my pants don't close, do you think I have enough core to climb roofs? I actually did amazingly well but it wasn't my core that is putting an end to my roof climbing for now, it's my joints. Being pregnant is much more than just carrying extra weight. Your body has to grow in order to accommodate and what do you think happens to your stomach muscles? They stretch!!! Without being too graffic here, not only do they stretch but all of your joints start to act like putty as well.

Relaxin is a hormone that does exactly what it sounds like, it relaxes things. Joints in my case. Strangely my core was still strong enough to keep me climbing through some very tough rock climbs but the moment I had to throw a heal to pull or drop my knee down and push the pain was un-ignorable.
The sacroiliac ligaments connect the sacrum to the pelvic bones. My pelvic bones are beginning to wonder. Therefore, I'm switching my focus in climbing to more vertical pursuits that do not require me to torque that area as much. The pain associated with my shifting pelvis is a constant bother. I work with a lot of physical therapists (I'm a tech getting ready for PT school) and I've been picking their brains about how to stabillize an area that doesn't want to stabilze. Their answer for the moment is to do exercises that strengthen the area around the joint.

Side lying: Lying on your side with your arm bracing in front of your body, straighten your legs out as though you were sandwiched between two plates of glass. keeping your knees facing forward lift and lower your leg squeezing your bottom. You should feel this in your upper glutes. Do it till it burns then take a break...

Side lying circles: Beginning the same way but this time lengthen your leg out and up off of your opposite leg. Keeping your knees facing forward start making small circles in the air with your toes. Go both ways.

Bridges: Laying on your back with your knees bent, slowly lift and lower your bottom off the floor by squeezing your bum to lift as high as you can.

The future is now.

2010-09-01T16:32:00.000-07:00

Climbing pregnant: The first trimester

2010-08-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

During my first pregnancy, my doctor told me it wasn't even safe to ride a bike so I chose to wait till the baby was born to tell her I climbed while I was pregnant. Most people, doctors included, don't understand rock climbing. But all risks being assessed, and being smart people, we can continue to climb through pregnancy.

Here's the truth:

1. Not every pregnancy is the same.
2. Not every woman will handle pregnancy the same.

For me, the first trimester entailed a lot of nausea, and episodes of extreme fatigue. I found an unusual way to deal with both of these hurdles.

1. Fight nausea with food! The moment I woke up in the morning I went straight to the kitchen and ate a bowl of cereal. I did not say good morning, I did not stop to pee, I did not collect $200. Food FIRST!!! I made the mistake with my first preg. of indulging in my sleepy state and hanging out in bed while the nausea worsened. BAD idea.

2. Climbing was the only time I didn't feel nauseous. If it were up to my body I would have stayed on the couch and ate food but thankfully my will was taking notes. Activity fights the nausea, and holds the fatigue at bay.

There are a few catches. I was able to still climb v-hard till I was about 3 months pregnant. My core was still good BUT I had to climb in the morning AND schedule a nap almost directly after. I don't remember being this tired with my first pregnancy but I'll refer to truth #1.

We all put pressure on ourselves to achieve and/or to live up to expectations. Like the co-worker who tells us about the woman he knew that ran 20 miles up until she was due. Or that one woman who worked 40+ hours a week till she popped. These sorts of stories are not inspiring to me and I wish these people (men who are sans children usually) would recognize that the true bad ass is the one who chose to even attempt the feat of growing a child in her belly and enter the journey or parenthood.

Why am I ranting? Well, it's hard to know what and what not to do during pregnancy in the first place without someone making you feel inept.

SO.... Do what makes you happy!!!!!!

Rock climbing makes me happy but it is a tiring activity. I climbed when I felt the most fresh and energized taking into account that I had to have enough energy to pay at least a little bit of attention to my daughter. ;) Not to forget work/study and whatever else occupies your day. Budget your energy. Recovering when your pregnant takes longer. Your body isn't just funneling it's efforts to maintain you. In your first trimester your blood volume is increasing which takes up a lot of iron. Protein Protein Protein! All that fatigue stems from the fact that your extra energy stores are going to help create the placenta, which is completed by the second trimester.

I eat a lot while I'm climbing. I think of the placenta as the baby at the moment, taking up it's own weight in food. So, start eating for two! Especially when you are expending calories in an activity like climbing. And lots and lots of water!

If you feel twinges in your belly while you are climbing, especially if you are on overhangs, stop doing that motion. As you get bigger, your ligaments stretch and it can be painful at times. But don't worry if it starts to ache a little, just take note and don't do that exercise any more. Now, I'm not a doctor but I'm pretty sure that if you have aches in your belly followed by spotting you should probably contact your DR who will then yell at you for climbing. Just so you're warned.

For me, the harder I tied to climb and the further along I got, the faster I got tired. And this truth will lead me to my next post: Week 16. Stay tuned.

Climbing Pregnant: The Hours

2010-07-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

So I'm very very close to doing the problem I've been talking about. I don't want to jinx myself though. I'm pretty sure I have two more weeks of high performance climbing before I can't hold my core. The way I've come up with this is an equation of sorts. It seems that after each climbing session, the amount of hours that I can hold my belly in has started to decrease. One session at the Mars roof now leaves me with two hours of sucking it in time. I figure for each hour that I can hold it in= one week of peak climbing time. I really really hope I'm right or perhaps a bit conservative.
Wish me luck.

Preggers: One day at a time

2010-07-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

So, there are lots of things to talk about when it comes to being pregnant. Even though this is baby number 2, the moment I found out I was pregnant I wanted to go out and find every fantastic preggo book on the market. But attempting to be a frugal mama made me step off the shopping trail and delve into iphone-landia. The book, What to Expect While you're Expecting has an iphone app! It tells you your due date, does a countdown for you and tells you roughly the size of your babe. It also gives you something to read daily on topics ranging from sensitivity, nutrition and even constipation! I love it an it only cost me $0.

So I've had a few days where its so freak'in hot outside that really all I could do was lay on the couch and eat. But I'll have you mind, tomorrow is a full climbing day.

The Ladies Issue

2010-07-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Dead Point to do away with editorial submission guidelines and entertain an idea that may not be the most popular one but certainly the most intuitive. I think it's brilliant: The Ladies Issue. There are so many lady crushers out there of all walks of life who, just because they don't send v1000, are worthy of editorial mention. I am so inspired by this issue and hopefully you will be too.
GO JILL!
http://www.deadpointmag.com/

Here we go again

2010-07-02T11:49:00.000-07:00

Be prepared, this blog is incorporating a new topic that may not appeal to everyone, for those who are uninterested in this addition, please keep checking in cause I won't be single minded in my postings.

So, I know it's a bit soon to be broadcasting this but I think it needs to be documented. The last time round so many friends had questions for me and I plum couldn't remember the answers to them. So now at least, I'll have an outlet and hopefully I can answer those questions finally!

I'm 9 weeks pregnant. This is usually the time that a couple keeps their news secret because many things can happen. Up until week 12-14, this is known as the first trimester. This is a huge time for me. I'm adjusting to the idea of being pregnant while dealing with all the symptoms that go with it. Thankfully, I have a very supportive husband who is stoked on the idea of number two.

Right now, I am nauseous all the time and the only way I have found to curb this unfortunate side effect is to eat small meals often. The second I go vertical in the morning I eat a bowl of cereal. It's fast, it's delicious, and it really only keeps me full till I can make an egg and some toast.

The other thing that temporarily curbs my nausea is CLIMBING!! I feel better when I'm doing something even though my first inclination is to lay on the couch and do nothing all day long! Which I did for about a week before I figured this secret out.

I have a project. Just completing the first half would be nice but to do the entire thing would set my climbing spirit at ease for the future of my pregnancy. I think it's important to set goals for yourself when you are in your normal state let alone with time constraints and pregnancy. This goal of mine motivates me to get off the couch and not eat cheese burgers all the time!

I still eat cheese burgers occasionally though.

knowing when

2010-05-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

Photo by Travis Vincent
I'm sure it's no secret that I love roofs. Sounds so strange if that sentence were read out of context. But I fear I may be tiring of them. I have been trying another Mars roof epic called "Supplexing Navajos" after hearing rave reviews from many who say it is by far their favorite on the roof. I now have my own opinion on the matter and it is of a contradicting nature. I find the climb to lack flow, have tweaky holds and I'm over it. I've done all the moves, I've done the climb in three parts, so I know that I can do it but, "Do I want to?" The answer is NO. I've moved on. I've decided that while I'm working the climb I've always REALLY wanted to do, maybe I'll give it a go or two for stamina and if I send it I send it, if I don't, no loss.
Is knowing when to stop a step toward enlightenment? Is greatness about knowing when to use it?
I've been thinking about training. Now, I don't mean going to the gym and pulling and not climbing outside. I might do a little of that here and there but when I say training I mean eating well, knowing when and how to peak your performance. Does anyone out there specialize in this kind of knowledge? If so, impart some on me!
Thanks!

Ahhh Climbing is soooo good.

2010-05-12T10:53:00.000-07:00

So I wrote this boo hoo post last time. Sorry to get all whiny and emotional. I felt really STUCK!!
But then, the universe aligned and Kyle came home from the canyon because of sideways blowing snow and said he needed some quality time with Ava and sent me out for a day of climbing.
Lisa the Lisa showed up at my house at 2:30. I was napping, the wind was howling and I was cold cold cold. But I pulled myself together, slid into her third world rig and she and I along with Tony Chang, EMA, and Andy Klier set upon the anvil boulders to climb more than two moves.
It was completely gorgeous. Sun was shining, green everywhere, and the desert was in bloom. Amazing that only a half hour drive can send you into an opposite land, Mars you could say.
Lisa the Lisa is strong. I love her. She and I were feeding off each other, she would send, I would try, she would send, I would try. It was awesome. OH and the boys would try too. It was a relaxed posse in a beautiful place. What more could I ask for. I was actually out climbing!
Around 6pm the sun started to duck behind the hills and the chill set in. We rolled up to Mars Attacks, our last climb of the day. Mars Attacks has thwarted me for years. I don't know if its my lack of going back to it and trying often. But I try it at least once a year. I may have gone a few seasons without trying it but most importantly, I've never been able to do the first move. I'd never tried the heinous top out either because, if you can't the first move you can't do the problem.
Photo by Kyle George copyright 2006
I'm about 3 months pregnant in this photo. Still trying the first move!!!

Well, turns out I should have scoped the top out.
Cause I sent it first try yesterday. But I'm not going to say it was pretty. I had no idea where I was going at the top and I'm pretty sure I was talking to myself. But whatever. I did it! Haha.
What a gift at the top above the trees: The sun setting and a desert cactus blooming.
In the last light of the day, my birthday sister Lisa the Lisa sent it too. Girl Power. Meow.

The rundown

2010-05-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

The school year has ended and a new schedule begins. For the past few years I've been taking pre-requisite courses for physical therapy school. I've had to take Anatomy and Physiology (which I took online), two semesters of Chemistry, and last but certainly not the least, two semesters of Physics. I absolutely loved the Physics. I was always really intimidated by Physics because my math skills were never very concrete. But being that I am an older student and much more focused towards my end goal, I found it to be an absolute joy. You can ask my friend Justin Wood, who helped me out on more than one occasion with understanding the math, that I had to work really hard to gain the necessary tools to be successful in the subject. Maybe it was the gigantic hurdle I had to leap over, or the idea that energy cannot be created or destroyed, or perhaps the teacher; whatever the reason, I grew as a person from having to take Physics. Weird I know. But if you have a goal that seems unattainable and you have to work (with others and with yourself) to figure out and achieve, I think you can do nothing but be changed. I had to believe in myself.
The class was Mondays and Wed. from 6-8:30pm. I often had to find a baby sitter for Ava (thank you granny liz and grandpa ed). I also taught Pilates during the day at the same institution and so received a tuition waiver (score!). But now that its summer (supposedly), the schedule has changed.
I'm now working as a physical therapy tech 15 hours a week while Ava is at Montessori. Kyle has been working in the canyon with his new business Bright Angel Bicycles so our lives are a bit scattered.
I can't just split whenever I want to go climb in areas you have to scramble to or places that are on a precipice. I can't afford to buy a gym membership ($70 per month) because we just started a business and invested all our savings. That money goes to activities for Ava anyway. Money aside, we live in an amazing place to climb with loads of areas that are kid friendly. But on a day like today when the wind is gusting so quickly that they had to close in interstate, whats a mama to do?
I have been adjusting the past week and a half so I've only climbed 2 days and I'm feeling very very antsy. My day that I have to climb on is the windiest day all year and I feel really frustrated!
I know this will pass as all things do, and I will adjust to my new schedule but right now I just want something to save me!!!!!!!

April showers bring May snow

2010-05-01T20:18:00.000-07:00

I'd like to just go ahead and give mother nature a little heads up: It's May 1. It should not still be snowing. Here in Flagtown we had a beautiful week, spring was in the air, folks came into town for climbing, and then all of a sudden I was turning the heat back up and shivering in my socks.
So, Jill, and Ava and I went to Grand Canyon to check out what my huz Kyle and his business partner Wes Neal have been up to...nothing short of revolutionary.
Bright Angel Bicycles. www.bikegrandcanyon.com
It's the first bike rental concession in the Grand Canyon,
but there is more that is special, it caters to a wide population of sight see-ers. Because they don't rent out mountain bikes (you can't bike into the canyon anyway) they have a different user base than the usual outfitter. They rent cruisers: flag-spirit 100%. (Flaggots like to ride single speeds at high high speed on sh*tty terrain http://drunkcyclist.com/2007/07/05/2007-cruiser-nation/).

This new business is sort of welcoming the Grand Canyon to the world of Eco-friendly transportation. The very nice rim trail can be easily followed on a cruiser by way of the shuttle- bus-only Hermit Road.

I took this photo while flying downhill and trying to balance my camera on my helmet. During the ride up, Jill and I got into a debate of whether greater mass actually makes a person faster on a downhill cruiser ride. We set physics aside to answer this question through trial and error. I was the leader every time by about a bike length and it turned out that Jill (5 months pregnant) is still 2 pounds lighter than I!!!! She's a machine. We rode up and down hills for 16 miles and she was right next to me (almost) the entire time!

Deer in Headlights

2010-04-13T09:55:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been introduced to a problem that feels so completely impossible? Do grades really do it justice? "Deer in Headlights" is precisely one of those problems. Just getting both feet off the ground is an accomplishment and the second you do, you understand where the problem gets its name. I talked to Ana Burgos after she did it and she told me, "It just suited me." Ok...Ana is about 4'11". I then heard from my friend Eben who said he thought it suited him. (He's like 5'11") I'm sorry. This problem doesn't "suit" anyone! Ana you are just strong!!!! Well, it felt hard to me.
Craig McCullum, shot this with a photo camera and unfortunately you can't see the mount. At least you'll have beta for the top though! At the time, the snow had yet to completely melt and the rock was dirtier than a hub cap on a four wheeler which always makes for an exciting exit....

Bishop=Challenge

2010-04-05T11:43:00.001-07:00

photos by Kyle George Photography

I can't help it. I'm really proud of myself for unlocking v10. I truly believe that it was something in my mind that was holding me back. A couple weeks ago, my little family and I met up with a rad posse of climbers: Ana Burgos, Jill Church, Nick Vosbein, Lisa Rands, and Matt Birch, for some beautiful granite climbing in Bishop. My first day out I sent Slow Dance (v10) at the Happies on my 4th try. What is it about a problem that attracts you to it? Lets be honest. Sometimes, climbs look a lot better than they climb and vice versa. The most classic lines in my book not only look great but are great. Slow Dance is not a classic but it was a great climb. I was initially attracted to a sculpted looking hole that I could barely fit two finger tips in. Upon further inspection I felt a hidden thumb catch on the side and was sold. I'm a huge fan of pockets so I have fun at the Happies. The sit down felt a little ridiculous because you basically start laying on your back. Well, maybe it's just me because I can barely reach the foot holds which are tucked into a little cave that flows all the way to the base of Acid Wash (You could really scare someone popping out of that hole which Ava quickly discovered!). The rest of the climb was fun and it provided me with all the necessary challenges, but I had it in my mind to go and challenge myself on some harder problems. I have been repeatedly told that I should just climb what I want and not pay attention to grades. Yea, duh but if I stuck to that I wouldn't be challenging myself. I've noticed that I have a "style" which is all well and good but I need to branch out a bit!! So Lisa and Matt and I took a tour of the Buttermilks and I tried a handful of v11/12's and had the best day I can remember in a long time. Not that I sent anything..not even close! But I was so worked for the next 4 days that I could barely move my right hand. That was exactly the day I'd been looking for! Challenge!!!

The Spree: 1

2010-04-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

2 in a day, 3 in a week. The spree.

Postural Righteousness: Stretching

2010-04-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

For our second installment of Postural Righteousness we'll be working on stretches. Before you watch the short video it is important to recognize how your personal body is aligned.
To do this, stand in front of a long mirror that will show you your entire body. Notice if one shoulder is higher than the other, is your head tilted, is one hip higher than the other, is one foot more forward or more turned than the other. Try to align yourself so that you are even. Then begin these stretches.
#1 Chin to Chest:
Place hands on top of head and relax your neck so that your chin travels down towards your chest. Do this without forcing your head down. Hold for 20-30 seconds taking deep and complete breaths and repeat 2-3 times.
#2 Ear to shoulder:
Place your right hand over the top of your head so that you can grasp hold of the left side of your head. Using the weight of your arm, let your head relax sideways so that your ear travels towards your shoulder. Breath, and hold it for 20-30 seconds. Switch sides, then repeat each side 2-3 times.
#3 Chin toward armpit:
Place your right hand on the top left side of your head, look at your armpit or knee or hip and allow the weight of your arm to gently stretch the opposite side of the back of your neck.

These will all make more sense if you watch the video
The next stretch isn't in the video but is a great one as well.

#4 The Door Jam stretch
You can use any vertical solid surface really. With your arm held bent at a 90 degree place the length of your forearm on a door jam and turn your body away from the door jam. This stretches you pecs and sometimes your biceps.

Repeat all exercises 2-3 times or throughout your day.

If you have any questions please feel free to post to the blog that way everyone can benefit.

Postural Righteousness

2010-03-09T12:08:00.000-08:00

"We all have the right to have good posture!"
This is my belief anyhow. I, admittedly, have good posture. That is, when I think about it, I have good posture. I teach Pilates to a range of abilities. As a part of my class I talk a lot about posture, body alignment, and body awareness. But I didn't always have good posture. In fact, I Don't always have good posture. I have to think about it! A lot.

In the past year or so many of my friends have asked me, "Are there exercises to help my posture?"
Rock climbers have terrible posture. You know it, you can see it. We all look like the Hunchback of Notredame. I'm starting a new element of this blog and I'm calling it, "Postural Righteousness". I will do my best to give weekly exercises and ideas to help all of us with this habit (it is a habit you know), stick with me and we'll all get over it.

This is the hunchback................................This is Me...................

So, stand up straight, stick your chest out and make your mama proud. Your first homework assignment is simple:

You are an upright individual. You walk on two legs, sit on your bottom, swing your arms when you walk. Do you really know what your body is doing at any given moment of the day? We are going to start by connecting our minds with our bodies because this above all or any exercises I can give you is going to be the key to your presentable uprightness.

Sitting down, without moving away from your computer, try to visualize all the parts of your body. Got a mental picture? Now, start to add to this picture. What is the position of your feet, your hips, stomach (near your navel that is), chest. Visualize your spine, your back, your neck, your head. Where is the top of your head?
Paying special attention to what your spine, stomach, neck, and head are doing. Where is your stomach in relation to the bones that form your spine and your hips?
Place both feet on the floor. Lean forward. Do you feel your hips tilt and your stomach change position?
What does your neck do when you lean forward? Does it stay in line with your spine or does your chin jut forward?
What is the position of your shoulders? Are they held high, tilted to one side, or maybe level. Lift your shoulders as high as you can trying to touch your ears and take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Lift them high!!!! And then drop them. Repeat. Breathing in, lifting your shoulders high, and exhale DROP them.
Are your shoulders lower than they were?
Sit back in your chair so your bottom touches the back of your chair. This may feel awkward and stiff but stay with me. Try to begin from your tailbone and slowly press your lower back against your chair. Feel you hips tilt to a very upright position. Smoothly, allow the rest of your spine to rest against the back of the chair. Did your shoulders rise? Try to relax them down. You should feel that your shoulder blades are even on the chair as well.
In this position, relax your neck and shoulders by taking a deep breath in and exhaling any tension you might be holding.

Congratulations, you have now met your body, acknowledged it, and now you can begin to help it. You can do any number of these things during your day. Sitting or standing. Just by taking into account what your body is doing at any given moment is your first step to better posture.
Breathe.

Inspiration Station

2010-02-18T09:38:00.001-08:00

Call me a dork, a dweeb, a fan, a freak, a fool---or join me in being completely inspired by the olympics! I don't know about you but I'll take some inspiration where-ever I can get it and the olympics seems like a darn fine place to pick some up. Last nights men's half pipe final was a body buzing high of inspiration. Shaun White. No more needs to be said.
Dude, he sent that thing.
So today I've vowed to stop drinking more coffee and remember that I haven't eaten yet. Scarf some eggs, drink some emergen-C, eat some carbs and go for it.
Today, I'm taking my dog on an hour long snowshoeing adventure to go check out the state of the boulders. Our five foot dump of snow is beginning to melt off so I figure there have to be some dry top-outs out there in the wild!
I'll find some time to do some work before I head over to a friends wall to train before I pick up my daughter from school.
One thing: I'm getting tired of my breakfast routine. Any suggestions?

A Tale of Two Islands

2010-02-03T09:46:00.001-08:00

The latest Urban Climber Magazine is OUT! The cover is Kyle's photo of me on Mobeus and it welcomes the reader with an accurate picture of the sloping, powerful and yet graceful problems that await climbers in NZed. Our feature article is my first published work and has ignited an excitement in me to do more! The 10 page spread is, in my opinion, carried by Kyle's stellar photos. As a non-climber, Kyle's eye is honed in a different way and I hope you enjoy his images!
The issue itself seems to give each individual article a cohesive, over-arching theme: classics.
Our article is named for a Tale of Two Cities, another is named for the amazing poem by John Keats, "Ode on a Grecian Urn", which was a poem that resonated with me in high school.

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," - that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

The quotes that narrate a beautiful photo essay by Andrew Burr range from Mark Twain to Top Gun (One of my favorite movies to quote.) This issue is full of content that transcends the world of climbing and yet it matches so well. I love the play on words. Kudos to Justin Roth.
I have to mention that the juxtaposition of the woman climbing on the rocks (you know which one I'm talk'in about) and the woman flying through the air like super dancer climber is one of my favorite parts of this issue.
Go get it and let me know what you think!

For more about our trip in NZ which spanned 5 months go to:
www.surfandstone.blogspot.com

Fred

2010-02-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

A Portrait of Fred Nicole from Prana Living on Vimeo.

Chuck Fryberger shot this well stylied short about Fred. By the way, his camera is so high tech it looks like an underwater boom box. Check it!

Snowpocalypse

2010-01-25T15:49:00.000-08:00

Natural Disasters are not the end of the world. But the last few weeks it seems mother nature has flexed her biceps and reminded us just how fragile our existence is. After the news about Haiti landed on my internet scene, my eyeballs were glued (torturously so) to all the images from the devastation that is Port au Prince. From the first moment I saw the photos I felt summoned to help. That's when Flagstaff got our own taste of El Nino.
In one day, 3 feet of snow blanketed Flag in white. The next day, it dumped 2 more feet. With interstates closed, and buildings collapsing what is a person to do but go sledding, build five room igloos or perhaps just snowshoe down to a friends house for hot cocoa and a jam sesh. Ava (my daughter) kills it on the harmonica.
Driving through the desert where the houses look like hobbit holes and little lights peer out of buried windows. The usual browns and golden tans have been replaced by sparkling white and I feel like I'm in a whole new place. I didn't have to travel far, like a 360 degree circle I landed in the same place I started but a world apart.

Dear Martha

2010-01-18T12:22:00.000-08:00

Since the snow has made the top outs untop-able I have decided to become better acquainted with my kitchen. My first project was to find the perfect recipe for baking chocolate chip cookies at high altitude (we live at 6500 ft). I had always heard to add more flour (makes them very dry and crispy), add less flour (makes them thin and crunchy), don't add as much baking soda (blah)... I decided to try this recipe that was buried deep within the archives of Cooks Illustrated. If you've ever attempted any of these recipes you should know that Cooks LOVES butter. How wrong could it go really? And they turned out to be the best cookies EVER. So here's the recipe:

Warning: Do not bake cookies in batches!!!! Bake them separately!

Be amazed, not afraid, of the size of the dough balls you place on your cookie sheet.

Makes 16 cookies. Published May 1, 2009. From ATK Books.

Avoid using a nonstick skillet to brown the butter; the dark color of the nonstick coating makes it difficult to gauge when the butter is browned. Use fresh, moist brown sugar instead of hardened brown sugar, which will make the cookies dry. This recipe works with light brown sugar, but the cookies will be less full-flavored. For our winning brand of chocolate chips, see related tasting.

Ingredients

1 3/4	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
14	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 3/4 sticks)
1/2	cup granulated sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3/4	cups packed dark brown sugar (5 1/4 ounces) (see note)
1	teaspoon table salt
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
1	large egg
1	large egg yolk
1 1/4	cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (see note)
3/4	cup chopped pecan or walnuts, toasted (optional)

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18- by 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
2. Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
3. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
4. Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet. (Smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches.)
5. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Have fun!! Bon appetit.

2010-01-17T15:38:00.000-08:00

This was a miniature photo in the last UCMag...

misguided

2010-01-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

My favorite way to see the back country in Hueco is to just throw down the extra cash for a commercial tour. That way I can go wherever I want with my friends. When Andy Klier is my guide I pretty much just let him show me around and we usually end up in some far reaching obscure area on West mountain. The approach is usually the warm up: Climbing up 5.8's, leaping over crevasses, and traversing exposed ledges with a crash pad strapped to my back. The time it takes to get to the boulder problem is one of the best parts about climbing in Hueco. I like to call these adventurous meanderings, "Misguided Tours".
On one misguided tour we found ourselves on all manner of "trad" boulder problems. The fin next to Uncut Yogi for example, Nick actually taped his hands to hand jam. We all did the "hourglass", I arm jammed to finish a beautiful v7 called Belly of the Beast because I couldn't reach the positive crimp another 6 inches away....the list goes on. So, if you come to hueco and you "aren't a boulderer" cause you've been trad climbing or whatever, keep in mind that the only four star problem in the park that Fred Nicole hasn't done is a 35 foot roof crack on north mountain called, "The Morgue" (v5). Happy hunting!

8a

2009-12-30T13:21:00.000-08:00

8a has always seemed to be a really big, unattainable, almost mystical number to climb. Lately, it doesn't seem so far fetched for me to picture myself completing a climb with a number like that.
Since I can now say that I climb v10, it seems silly that I have never even attempted anything harder. I've always had, and continue to have, this attraction to climbs that just happen to be rated v10. I'll walk up to something really pretty and invariably it always is rated v10. So naturally, thats all I've climbed. Since my spree earlier this month I have made it my small quest to break out of my habit and try an 8a or v11.
I started thinking to myself about all these hard climbs that I wanted to do that I didn't know the ratings for (all turned out to be v10 by the way...). So I started asking people who climbed harder than myself what some of their favorite climbs were. This inquiry turned to whether or not any of them were actually v11's.
"You should try Rumble in the Jungle." One friend said. "That's a v12." I replied.
It felt wrong to skip v11, 8a, all together and go to v12. So I began my research for a v11. I looked in my Hueco guide book and found that after v10, the amount of climbs that exist at the v11 rating or higher drops considerably.
"v12 in Hueco is easier than v11 anyway. You should just try a v12." my friend said...
WHAT.
I can't believe that. What is wrong with v11? In Europe there are tons of 8a's. You could say it's a popular grade. So why are there so many more v10's?
Is it because they are easier?
Do people just not like uneven numbers?
Whats the deal?
So, I am now on my search for the perfect v11, for me. I don't want a gimme either. I don't want to hear ANYONE say, "Oh that thing is really v10."
The search is on.

Fulfilled

2009-12-26T13:53:00.001-08:00

Happy holidays to all, I've had my hands full as of late but here is what you missed!

My last post was of a beautiful day of sending double digit boulder problems. I took two days off then headed back out to the Priest Draw with Jill Church. It was a very very crisp day and we struggled to stay warm. I have a little vid clip of Jill looking like a masked bandit that I'll embarrass her with on another day...
We kidded around for most of the day but because of my send day I was ampted to try my long time project, The Receptionist. So I lit the burner under our feet and we booked it down to the Mars Roof. On our way I spied a heart shaped rock. Now I have to preface this occurrence by saying that I see hearts everywhere and I have been known to hold certain superstitious attitudes. I commented to Jill on what I had seen followed by, "I'm not sending the receptionist today. Everytime I see a heart shaped rock something goes wrong." And she replied, "That sounds to me like a self defeating prophecy." We'll see, I thought.
Walking up to the Mars Roof we were greeted by a runway strip of pads already laid out beneath the climb. Wow! I'm usually there all by myself without a spotter let alone three extra crash pads! Word.
I hadn't been out there in more than 2 months so I attempted the end first. I didn't catch the crux hold until my second warm-up attempt but thought it best to try it from the bottom anyway.
Walking up to those holds was like being home.
"Hello, my old friend." I whispered to the rock.
There is something about being out at that roof. The trees speak in hushed rustles and there are always hummingbirds (save in the wintertime). I've often imagined Navajo or Hopi tribes having large meetings and sitting on the perfect thrones around the roof.
I set up my brand new camera, pressed record, walked to the start holds. The others were talking about a new area near Sedona when I started climbing. I tend to like having a distracted audience.
I bounced through the beginning moves with a well rehearsed rhythm. When I latched the telephone (the crux hold of the climb) I bore down. Even though I hit it low I thought to myself,

"Just don't let go!" So I moved with measured preciseness, I kept my breath strong. It was a blur throwing for the top jug but when I hit it, I awoke with a holler!!! YEAAAAH. haaaaa.
I just sent The Receptionist!
F-yeah. I'm 5'1" and I can't tell you how many times I've heard that I'm probably too short. Or that I need to use the heel beta (which I can't reach) or try another climb on that roof or whatever. Who cares. I did it. And I can't help but think that it was something in my mind that was holding me back all the time. Jill mentioned to me once that I tend to "savor things." Meaning that I work and work and work on things that I could really just send. That week made her statement sound too true for me to not accept. Thanks Jilly for being so wise.

A good day

2009-12-01T19:46:00.000-08:00

I was so comfortable in my bed this morning.
I carried Ava on my shoulders through the snow down to Montessori, studied a bit then prepared to head out for a short day of grappling. I picked up Kim with her brand new BD Mondo which barely fit into my volvo (good thing I forgot my dog) and we headed out to The Draw.
Pottery Wall was a veritable solarium and we basked in the warmth of the sun in our tank tops and casually commented on the snow all over the ground. A red tail hawk flew overhead and we felt lucky to live in Flagstaff.
My warm ups went, but they didn't feel easy.
We headed to the Puzzle Box Roof and padded up Cosmic Tricycle sit (v10). I had been trying it before Thanksgiving and was starting to get frustrated by my inability to latch the top hold. I worked out some new beta for the ending, cranked the Ting Tings and prepared for attempt #1.
SEND
I rejoiced at the top feeling vindicated after putting myself through mental anguish for not sending over the four days I had worked it.
We can really be hard on ourselves can't we?
I was still psyched about my send when we headed over to The Black Roof. To my surprise I did the "easy" problem on the left first try. (And that thing always feels hard.) So I decided to work out some beta for The Black Hole (v10) which starts on the right side of the black roof and traverses across it finishing on the most awkward problem in the Priest Draw. I hadn't been able to do the first move for years (like 4.5) and I hit the pinch my first try. I thought to myself, "Wow, that felt kinda easy. Weird." So I started working the next couple moves and thought to myself that I would work on it from the start cause its kinda long (13 moves +) and maybe one day I'd just gain the right endurance to send it. So I spotted Kim on her problem and we chatted for a bit and I decided I'd just try it from the start.
I hit the first hold and it felt good. I grabbed for the second hold (a shallow slimper) and stuck it. I scrambled my feet to push for the third long move to a small crimp. Stick. I jammed my right foot in a hole and made a very big cross, my feet swung and I stabbed them to the wall. Stick.
Oh cuss. What am I going to do now? I hadn't worked out the beta? I hear Kim behind me, "Go for it, you can do this." So I cut my feet and campused for four moves on good holds. But then I had to finish up on that sh*tty problem that is so awkward and hard. I hear her again say, "You just this one, you know this ending. You can do it." I pasted my feet to the wall, shook out my numb hands and pushed for it. Stick, stick, stick.
SEND
Holy cuss, I just did 2 v10's in less than an hour. !!!
This was by far the best climbing day I've ever had. And the season has just begun.
I feel strongly that most of this sudden ability has been locked away in my mind. A fear of success? Not realizing full potential? One thing is for sure. I know my potential now and I'm not giving in to old habits. It's okay to be humble but not to a fault. When humbleness holds you back from success is it worth all the hard work? It's okay to succeed and be happy about that success.
I worked really hard to get here.
I think I'll let myself enjoy this one.

Video coming soon.

Hueco dreaming...

2009-11-28T16:05:00.000-08:00

I know I'm supposed to be studying for my physics final but I can't help but dreeeeeeam.. dream dream dreeeam.. dreeeeeeam. about Hueco Tanks.
I made a last minute whirlwind trip a few weekends ago with my friend Kim Haase. We played hooky from school and drove 8.5 hours for three days of hot hueco temps, bitch'in rock climbs, and stylish company. I climbed like cuss but I had fun, ain't that whats its about...
Now, I've set my sights on training the right holds, the right angles, the right... oh who cares. I'm just so psyched that all I want to do is rock climb. I made a list of possible projects, half of which I've only seen once, some of which have good names, and some I've been lusting after for years. I am determined to have a different season than last year. My M.O last year was, "I fall off the last move of boulder problems." This year, my pre-emptive M.O. is "I crush these boulder problems." Can it be as easy as changing your mental approach? Maybe I should consult Thomasina Pigeon or Jill Church. They seem to have no problem crushing these boulders.

Unmotivate your fear: Flying and Climbing

2009-11-01T07:06:00.000-08:00

Lately (as in the last 6 months) I've been delving deep into my head and exposing my weaknesses. When I turned 25, something very odd started happening to me, I began to fear. I grew up traveling with my parents. Car trips from our home in Louisville, KY down to Florida, Colorado, Canada, even Mexico. When I was 10, my father accepted a job and we all moved to Hong Kong and the travels we did from there, well, they were exotic. So, who'd a thunk I would start to fear flying in an airplane??? But it happened. Followed by a fear of heights and the ocean. WHAT!!! I started surrendering my will to my fears and instead of them just quietly backing down into the narrows of my mind, they ruled it. When we flew from LA to NZ last spring my fear of flying was at an all-time high. Every bump sent me into a near heart attack/ panic attack (and it was a very bumpy flight). My fear was starting to exhaust me. When we landed in New Zealand, I spent 3 blissful months until the prospect of getting back on the airplane entered my head when we were still two months from returning home, enter my anxiety once again.

Fear builds on itself.

When it comes to high ball bouldering, you have to trust yourself and before you try a climb look at it, know your ability and assume you can and will do it before you get on it. So I started small, got a little bigger, then a little bigger. My first high balls were probably really scary to watch as I lost all sense of technique at the top of climbs and my fear would send my feet skating and my hands clambering for the top (GASP). But the more I did the more I could relax when I got high off the ground. This sense of relaxation when the fear started to set in was a technique I started using in more than just climbing.

photo by Derek Thatcher

Replace fear with a positive feeling.

A few days before we set off back across the ocean on our 12 hour flight, I started meditating on the idea that flying was fun. I imagined myself tucked in an economy chair with clouds floating out the window. I didn't imagine a bumpy flight or Ava misbehaving. I meditated on the idea of a perfect, bump-less, relaxed flight. And boy do you get what you put out there. The flight home was about as nice and relaxing as a flight can get.
When we returned home I didn't have much time to think about my fears, with friends visiting, family to catch up with and summer in full swing. It wasn't until Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in SLC that I got to address my fears again. I hadn't taken a lead fall in, hmm, 3 1/2 years or so. I met up with some friends Jonathan Seigrist and Andy Mann and we decided we weren't going to let the intense heat keep us off the rock. But I didn't have a harness. Outdoor Retailer always comes through. I got a brand new Arcteryx R-280. Now I have to interject here. Have you seen these harnesses? Have you tried them? They are so barely there its like you aren't even wearing one. And the technology is serious. I do not worry about my harness. Part of my fear of heights is increased exponetially when I climb routes. It's not that I'm scared of the climbing, I'm scared that my gear is going to fail. I look at the rope as I clip it into the quickdraw and as it bends my fear says, "The rope is going to break!" Or as I'm staring at the anchors while I'm cleaning my fear says, "The anchors are going to blow." It's my unfamiliarity with my gear and the fact that I have to trust something other than myself and my spotters that motivates my fear. But that day out with Andy and Jonathan I asked them not to tell me grades and I lead everything I got on. My fear was in check. I took my first whippers in years and with these two as climbing partners I felt safe and motivated by something more... flirting.

Photo by Andy Mann

Fear can be secondary to fun.

This experience catapulted me into a new phase of my climbing: Rout'in!! I now have a feeling to replace my fear when I climb high balls or routes. I flirt with the rock and I have fun with it.
Fear builds on itself. Replace fear with a positive feeling. And say to yourself, "Have fun." That's what its about anyway right.

UC MAG #33........GO OUT AND GET IT!!!!

2009-10-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

The new Urban Climber is OUT, and look who gets a shout out on the COVER!!!

Photo by Andy Mann

Just click on the photo to read the interview.

Thanks for reading!

The Mark

2009-10-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

The flu has hit. It knocked me down for 5 days. Flu: 2 Carrie: 0 . I get winded just sitting on the couch so I thought I'd wrap up some long awaited projects.

June 2008, I had an idea whilst driving with my friends Greg Locker and Shadow Ayala through the blazing hot western desert. I wanted to make a film based on the question, "What is The Mark?"I was seeing this theme in everything around us, so why not document it and see how it presented itself in our lives as well as the lives of stranger who had left their mark all around us. The West is full of small ghost towns, graffiti on old gas stations, abandoned furniture in strange places. It all seemed so connected somehow though it didn't quite congeal until I took out my camera and watched the world around me from a new point of view: the outsiders. I'd love to hear any of your points of view so feel free to chime in!

Obscurity Tour: Ralph Machio

2009-09-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Jason Jackson and I headed out yesterday to one of Flagstaff's obscure five star problems. Its located off the beaten path of West Elden and presents a style of climbing that is unlike anything else in Flag. You begin on a sloping rail tick-tacking yourself to the bulge where you make a karate kick (the Ralph Machio move) to find whatever foot hold will allow you to reach up and negotiate with a series of nipple sized "holds" trying with every move to roll more of your weight onto the precarious standing foot that is squeezing to stay put allowing you to finally grab the "Thank you god" hold at the top. Jason dispatched this so quickly I didn't have time to bust out my camera...so your stuck with footage of me. Enjoy, and happy hunting.

Slideshow!!!!

2009-09-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT!!!!!

Please come out Sat the 26th to the Vertical Relief Climbing Gym on San Francisco Street in Flagstaff for my slide show on climbing, surfing, and traveling in New Zealand. I'll be presenting Kyle George (my husband) photos and narrating a bit. I'll also be showing a little film that gives a good idea of what climbing in New Zealand is all about!!! This event is free and there will be a BBQ before hand so BYOB and bring something to put on the grill. There will also be a raffle with great prizes from my sponsors including a PrAna outfit, Mad Rock shoes, VooDoo gear, and MORE!! Raffle tickets are only $5. Bring a friend and be ready to see photos of secret crags, private surf spots, high ball boulding, and raising a child in the outdoors of New Zealand is all about! See you there!

Kick'in it Old Skool with John Sherman

2009-08-07T15:52:00.000-07:00

This past season I noticed that all the great climbs I had been doing were all put up by John Sherman. I'd walk off the top of one asking, "That was great. I wonder who FA'd it?" The answer John Sherman. Or "Who was crazy enough to come out here and put up this amazing thing?" (The Devil's Butthole, Hueco Tanks)... John Sherman. The list goes on. It seems I had fallen into a path of synchronicity with climbs by the legend known as "The Verm". To my delight he drove his self contained 4 wheel drive Ford Van over to see what Flagstaff had to offer in the hottest months of the year. But I'll tell you, what we got was a lightning and thunder filled day in amongst the ferns and some fun, rarely/ if ever, climbed boulder problems. I followed his lead up line after line, brushing off holds as we went and knocking for loose rock. I learned more about bouldering's bold beginning's in one day with Sherman than I have in 8 years of climbing. It was a great opportunity for me to talk about the relevant issues in climbing today and what the future may hold.
If I came away with anything it's this:
Be simple with your climbing motivation. Be bold but know your limits and risks. Know when to walk away. Don't chase grades but style points. It's not what you do, it's how you do it.

Here is a brief segment from our day. Enjoy!

Thanks for visiting.

Forward MOVEment

2009-07-27T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hello! We are back in the USA and for all of you who have been following us on surfandstone thank you for your attention. Since our return I've been busy catching up with friends, writing for magazines (coming soon), finishing up a short film of climbs in NZ, and of course climbing! This is just a shorty to let you know I'm back and will be posting on this blog primarily. Thanks for hanging with ME!

New Zealand

2009-03-15T12:51:00.000-07:00

We will be traveling through New Zealand for the next 4 months and I will only be posting on
http://www.surfandstone.blogspot.com
Please come and check out our travels!

First Female Ascents

2009-02-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

If a woman has already done a climb are you more likely to try it?
In the world of climbing there are ascentionists: first ascenters, second ascenters and so on. The first ascenters are the climbers who envisioned a problem, brushed off the holds, and climbed a problem first. They are named in guide books and written about in magazines. A first ascent is known as an FA, pretty much anything after that is forgotten. But what of the female first ascent or FFA. There are those ladies in our community that seek them out and pour their hearts into them hoping they will be the first female to ascend. There are others who don't necessarily seek them out but find pride in the fact that they are the first woman to do a problem. These ascents are usually undocumented save those in the descriptions of 8a scorecards and personal blogs or diaries. The female that did the climb isn't named in guide books, and usually is only talked about in casual conversation. Is the FFA even relavent?
As a female I usually just assume that a guy has put up a problem, named it, and given it a grade. How that grade applies to me is usually just a number. (I'm 5'1" with an enormous amount of flexiblity which are two strengths usually not possessed in a male.) For me, grades are neither a motivating or a limiting force. I've tried problems that I thought were way easy that have really high grades and I've also had to work really hard for problems that have a comparatively low rating. It's all relative right? It's the problems, regardless of their grade, that bout climbers of both genders that are truly hard. For when you have to work at something isn't it more worth doing in the end?
In the case of the quick trip to a new area, I find that it's advantageous to know where to start. Guidebooks can tell you where things are and what they are rated and whatnot but I often find myself asking friends, who are women, who have either been to the area or live there, not men. If I have heard that a woman did a hard problem in the area I like to find out what it is, where it is and at least try it. If I know a woman has already done a certain hard problem and it continues to bout other women, then I know it's truly hard.
Why don't we talk about FFA's, are they so rare? Why aren't there two ascents listed in the guide book, a sort of democratic court that decides the true grade of a problem. Here we go again with a debate over grades. I like to plead the Sharma fifth here and just say, "I don't do grades." This way I can be innocent of any opinion pushing and grade dropping.
Picture this: A high ball, a classic V5 highball that has sat in your back yard for five years. It's a perfect climb that has always been in the back of your mind of things to try. What if one snowy day you go out and witness a woman, possibly even a woman with a child, send this problem without hesitation her first try. Flashed. Are you more likely to try it?
Knowing that a woman has done a climb and knowing that she isn't 5'9"++, it makes that problem all the more accessable. More within my reach both literally and figuratively. It's an inspiration. And isn't that what we all need, a little inspiration to push us just a bit harder, a bit farther, a bit beyond what w previously thought was possible for us. Isn't that what climbing is about: Discovering what is possible? FA or FFA, both efforts are significant in their own way. Now if we could just see more female FA's!

i don't discriminate

2009-01-26T20:35:00.000-08:00

Hueco Tanks. A dumpster for debauchery.
It's the formal park: Hueco Tanks Historic State Park that draws us all to pristine El Paso, TX. It's an amazing outcropping of made-for-humans-who- climb boulders in the middle of the desert. You see more border patrol than po-po's, and the rules of the park are dern strict.
So as it follows, when there are lots of rules, there are lots of rule breakers. Outside of the park it is precisely this.
We rolled in to Shindagger at about 8pm with a party in full force. Ricky O's smoked pork butt, grilled veggies, beer, bonfire, and a booming sound system greeted us weary travelers. The occasion: Bush's last day of office. Farewell You Dog Party complete with a burning effigy. This was like an open door. "Please, come in and be as rowdy as you like. "
The first day was pretty safe. We took a tour to the East Spur where I did a pretty cool climb called "This is your brain on..."(v9) my second try. It was affirming to start my tour this way. I felt like this was going to be THE send trip had waited for. I was only mostly wrong.
Jill was sooo close to doing Better Eat your Wheaties on her 4th day on! Inspiring.
I was forced to then take two rest days because of an accident involving a picnic table and some concrete that sent Ava and I to the ER. Without divulging too much, I will say that the ER does things to your head. On my next day of climbing I felt all in a tizzy. I fell off the last move of The Egg in the East Spur, couldn't touch a problem I had all but mastered the time before...I did do a few classics (Moonshine Roof was awesome!) but more importantly it was this day that opened my mind to CHOSS.
I just don't know what happened? We went to the Sausage Factory (East Spur) which is cold and shady and I needed some sun. So I walked around and found this 4 move problem with really small holds that looked like they were the ear that Van Gogh tore off. It was serene until the rest of the tour showed up to see where Carrie had gone and immediately the sh*t talking began. "What a great problem Carrie. wow...I think two 10 year old's did this thing yesterday." blah blah blah...
So I obviously had to flash it. They were all psyched as I passed through the crux cross move to the worst hold I've ever touched in my life and then spotted as I threw a series of heels to top out. Clapping followed as did more sh*t talking when we found out what it was: "Stubby the Bush Veldt" (v10). HA! This one dude that I had just met seriously considered withdrawing his introduction to me. To him and all other sh*t talker I say, "Don't be a hater." I'll take the v10 rating, I don't discriminate. At least I can say I did it.

The following day we rhomped West Mountain like we were in the military. Hiked up to the Dragon's Pen and found where the mountain lion live. This is me after I fell off the last move of 1969 (v9) my first and only good attempt! What a fantastic problem. Now I have yet another problem I have to go back to!
Since I'm a chossologist, it was only right that I find a choss FA to do.
See, even the choss in Hueco looks good. We escaped the rangers peering eyes by hiking up to Body Snatchers (B.S) at the top of West. A classic 4 star hueco roof with a beautiful view of all of hueco. So after I threw myself at the prime prob on the roof, I decided to break some rules. I spied some holds to the right and started trying a new line. Amongst the poo talk from the peanut gallery who were busy laughing at anyone who made it to the top out of B.S. (which was EPIC at the end of the day. Took me about 3 minutes just to pull the roof and I had to use a calf lock!) Anyway. My project, "i don't discriminate", pictured above, attracted the attention of everyone on the tour including our poo talk'in guide who took more attempts on it than anyone. ps. it's still a project if you can find your way up there.
The night following our west mnt. rhomp was full of 10 oz. filet mignon and patron marguaritas followed by an 80's dance party. This is a picture of the morning after at the Shindagger Ranch. Coffee, leftovers, and a beautiful desert sun. After burning Bush, sending, a trip to the ER, falling, hiking, steak and shrimp, AND break dancing it is safe to say that I left IT ALL in Hueco. It's kinda like therapy.
Self portrait at the top of west on our last day.

A "Takis" Kind of Day

2009-01-15T21:06:00.000-08:00

Some days are just destined to be interesting. This afternoon bouldering session with Dustin, Jackson, Ava and Engbring was everything it could have been plus plus. I got an ambitious text from Jackson saying they were headed down to the Monster Roof, which in the 3 feet of snow was going to mean a lot of falling, post holing, and time. But alas, the men became men and Engbring took Ava on his shoulders ( Thankfully so, cause I bit it quite a few times along the way.) and we set out in search of the sun. And ps....Happy Birthday DKish!!! meow meow

Happy New Year!

2009-01-08T16:03:00.000-08:00

Since it's been snowing like mad and we've been stuck in the house with nothing better to do...

The Joy Ballad

2008-12-05T12:35:00.000-08:00

I feel like this right now. Isn't it beautiful.

hostessing

2008-11-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

A brief word on hostessing. I love climbs whose holds have names. The receptionist has two such holds. The "coffee cup" that you make the crux move from to the "telephone". If you can successfully grab the telephone from the start but you can't finish the climb, it's called "hostessing". For the first time, I hostessed, twice in a row..... TODAY! And now I'm trying to study but all that is coming into my mind is Ethan Pringle's voice in my head saying, "Yeah, I flashed it." I'm still so completely thrilled that I made that move that I'm not sure I could drink enough beer to relax me so I can actually do homework. So, I'm blogging.

Give it to Yourself

2008-11-18T13:30:00.000-08:00

So, I've learned recently that if you have something you really want to do it's most beneficial to have a plan of attack and to attempt it on a regular basis. I've had this long term, what my friend Ana Burgos calls a "mega project", that I get really good on then I leave it alone for a month. I have spastic focus...trying things all over town. Getting into doing obscure things no one has heard of... But now, I'm focused and I realize that if I want to give myself half a chance, I have to give it to myself! This is a little clip from a day last week when Jill Church and I went out and made this decision final.

Film Geeks

2008-08-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

I began my love affair with film and photography in high school. I studied dance at the North Carolina School of the Arts where I hung out with such film geeks as David Gordon Green (George Washington, Pineapple Express) and Danny McBride (Hot Rod, Pineapple Express), who at the time was behind the camera mostly not in front of it. I married my favorite photographer Kyle George and have begun to dabble in climbing film making. I'm a complete amateur but I have a vast choreographic background and I hope that translates to film! I hope one day I can reunite with my old classmates to congratulate them on their successes and to get to work with Peter Mortimer of Sender Films who completely upped the anti in climbing film making.

Streetfighter

2008-08-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

I have completed my second short climbing film with only a few lingering questions about video compression. I edited this one in iMovie which I have now sworn that I will never do again for anything meaningful. It was so much fun to shoot. It only took Jill and I a day to figure out the sequence (22 moves is a lot to remember) and a couple tries to send. It had been really rainy so the holds were very very dirty which was exciting at the end. The variable weather made for interesting color contrasts on the film. I'm not quit sure how to normalize that either. Time and place I suppose. I am very into the entire editing process, aside from the climbing, that for me was the best part. I get so zoned in to mixing the movement that my daughter has to tug at me to get my attention. I'm not sure that's such a good thing. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the second installment.

Story Teller

2008-08-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

How do you tell a story using 80-90% movement? Climbing is like a dance but it's so much more calculated. With dance you have an ingrained need for artistic expression but with climbing it's all in discovery. "Can I actually do this move? Will I psych myself out?" Is this then the origin of the story? How it makes you feel to climb? Pretty isoteric if you ask me. For now, I'll keep it simple.
Each move is in itself a small discovery. Lately I've been focused on not congratulating myself too early. It's easy to through something that's hard and then get excited, lose concentration and not get any further on the problem. It's not over till it's over.

Projects

2008-05-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

Priest Draw season has arrived at last and so have all those wonderful projects. I first tried the Receptionist in 2005. It was so far out of my league at the time bit it didn't stop me from trying. I would climb my way down the Draw completing area classics like Anorexic, Floor Pie, and Carnivore on a daily basis hoping that one day I'd just be able to walk down to the very end of the Draw to the Mars Roof and send.
The Receptionist is 12 moves on a completely horizontal roof. There is no letting up until the very end. It's more like a route than a boulder problem, thankfully no clipping though.
I thought I was so strong back then but I realize it is only now, after the birth of my daughter Ava that I have the strength and conviction to finish this thing!!!
I'm closer than anyone can get to sending....stay tuned!

2008-02-02T11:29:00.000-08:00

Ground Hog Day

2008-02-02T11:02:00.001-08:00

It's my birthday. I love birthdays but today I'm sick. So being that I'm stuck on the couch I'm using my day as a day of contemplation. Everywhere I look there are women doing amazing things. The next President of the United States could very well be a woman. Lisa Rands just climbed "The Mandala", a test-piece V12 and classic in the world of bouldering. Women everywhere are stepping it up. Whatever it is that we, anyone, men or women dream of, it is achievable. Don't just think your dreams, live them.

Shoot from the Hip Productions

2008-01-20T13:48:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, there is a distinct lack of females actually climbing in climbing videos. So, I have taken it upon myself to bring the hungry public exactly that. Though I may be a complete amateur, in my opinion, I am not without potential. So bare with me and keep checking in for new material. We can all learn new tricks.
My latest trick is called:
Shoot From the Hip Productions

Who am I?

2008-01-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

Well, my name is in limbo. So, forever on this blog I will be known as Carrie Cooper, rock climber.
I enjoy a life of change and being that it is the only constant, I try to be true to the moment. Currently I am re-arranging my basement around a climbing wall that was built for me while I was pregnant. (That's Flagstaff for you.) From that little hint, I have a daughter named Ava and she's 14 months old and she's busier than I am. But back to me.
I have rock climbing to thank for taking me to places I never thought I'd go to and for finding people I'm lucky to have ever met. Even though climbing has been my focus for the past 5 years, I have learned something far greater than any climb I ever actually summited: You can never under-estimate the timeliness of opportunity and the generosity of strangers. My life is varied and rich and now you can be there with me.