Our Stories - page 3

Guides and clients: why hire a guide?

August 12, 2014. Posted by: nelsonday

Each experienced rock climber started climbing in some manner or other. We were all beginners at some point. No one started out “well ahead” of their peers. We all remember our first time on the rock, our first lead, and our first lead fall. However, the journey to becoming an experienced climber that each of ...»

Successes and Failures Rock Climbing at The Incredible Hulk

July 18, 2014. Posted by: nelsonday

My favorite alpine partner, Polly (who is also my sister) and I had been planning a return to The Incredible Hulk since our last visit a year ago. We had some unfinished business with the route Positive Vibrations, as well as some new business to attend to on a couple other routes. For those who ...»

Trip Report: Inti Watana to Res Arete link-up, 5.10 Grade V rock climbing day

June 4, 2014. Posted by: nelsonday

The idea was to climb Mt. Wilson, the tallest mountain in the Red Rock Canyon area, by linking up two routes: Inti Watana and Resolution Arete. Between these two climbs, my good friend and climbing partner Ash and I were looking at approximately 2,800 vertical feet of continuous climbing. What’s not to like? The route ascends ...»

“This time, with muscle”

May 23, 2014. Posted by: nelsonday

Hello rock. Remember me? Maybe you do, maybe you don’t You’re old, ancient in fact Many have scaled your face Many have triumphed against you, many have failed You may remember me, maybe you don’t But while you have stayed exactly the same I have changed, you see It will feel different this time when ...»

Rock Climbing Anchors

May 1, 2014. Posted by: nelsonday

As many of you are probably aware, there recently was a rock climbing related death in Joshua Tree National Park. https://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2384845/Recent-Climber-Death-in-JTreeSuch incidents are quite sobering and completely tragic, and especially so if they could have been avoided. This particular death was attributed to a traditional gear anchor failure. This is unheard of in the climbing community, ...»

Rock Climbing: The Question

March 19, 2014. Posted by: nelsonday

“Man, that rock climbing route looks so good”. I find myself staring at pictures of a classic rock climbing route on mountainproject, hands starting to sweat, heart beat starting to raise, with a nervous twinge creeping up my spine and a few butterflies trying to find a place to rest in my upper back. I ...»

Red Rock Mental Games

January 21, 2014. Posted by: nelsonday

After weeks of guiding, moving, house renovation (at times I seriously felt like I was on an episode of “Flip that House”), I decided that I needed a break. Since remaining in Joshua Tree and taking a break would undoubtedly lead to working on the house anyways, I headed out of town to the city ...»

Musings

November 26, 2013. Posted by: nelsonday

The song, once a distant intoxicating melody A bee buzzing softly from afar Faintly whispering to my soul, carried on the winds of life Circling, buzzing, slowly approaching and fading A slippery fish impossible to grasp Now is within my grasp The volume has been turned up The song is reverberating in my chest Life ...»

Joshua Tree Rock Climbing “Climb Smart” Event

November 8, 2013. Posted by: nelsonday

On October 19th and 20th, The Climbing Life Guides attended the Climb Smart event in Joshua Tree National Park as a volunteer guide service. I was assigned to teach a Lead Climbing clinic on Saturday at The Sentinel formation in The Real Hidden Valley area at Joshua Tree National Park. The clinic was well ...»

Guiding in Suicide Rock for FYJ (University of Redlands)

August 30, 2013. Posted by: nelsonday

On August 22nd, I assisted Becky Lyons and Jay Harcum in a guiding extravaganza at Suicide Rock near the town of Idyllwild, CA. The clientele included University of Redlands students on their First Year Journey trip, as well as trip leaders, Mary and Jesse. The purpose of the trip was simple: give some first year ...»