Fefe came to Glenwood!

We went snowshoeing at Sunlight... and decided to have some snow angel action in the pristine Colorado powder! Brendan did camera duty for the stars ;)
And yes, we still have the snowshoes on!

Chloe climbing the Pearl (V4/5) in Vegas

Just barely stuck that first move!

Vegas

We made it back home yesterday from our little trip out to Vegas. We had a good time climbing in the warm sun in the Nevada desert for three days. We climbed long and hard on Sunday and Monday, leaving our skin worn thin and our muscles weary. So the third day we ventured to a different climbing area known as the Black Velvet Canyon where a little more of an approach hike was involved. Unfortunately, due to some bad directions, we hiked around for about two and a half hours before we finally found the right area. The setting was little different, among the cacti and desert brush, making the geography look a lot like Mexico. We saw a large group of bighorn sheep roaming around, which was kind of cool. I finished the day off with a sketchy send and top out of a fairly intimidating boulder problem called the Fountainhead (V9). But luckily with all our pads and Chloe spotting, I had just enough confidence and energy left to accomplish the final mantel at the top. We went and checked out Wetdream (V12) just up the canyon after my send, just to see what it was like. It's a really amazing looking steep line put up by Ethan Pringle back in '05 (I think). I'll definitely have to return fresh for that one! I'm back at WECAD today and Chloe's doing the nurse thing, so we'll play some more in a few days.
Cheers.
-Brendan

Livin it up

So where did I leave off...? We were having quite the kick-ass weather. We both patrolled on the mountain on Monday and really enjoyed some beautiful bluebird weather. Days like that on the mountain really make patrolling the most amazing job sometimes.
After that, we went climbing up at the Fortress of Solitude for Tuesday and Wednesday. I think the weather was even warmer for those two days. Needless to say the climbing was great! With this south facing amphitheater of rock as long as there is sun without wind it can cook, and it did. According to our little key chain thermometer, the temps got up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit in the middle of the day!!! Chloe sent Metropolis 5.12d and I worked on a really nice 5.13d (should be able to send it next time :). A lot of the routes here are long and it's definitely trying for our little forearms which have only been used to bouldering lately. So more than seven moves in a row starts becoming pretty pumpy. Metropolis is so long that one has to lower twice with a 70 meter rope! It's so incredible to live in a place where we can have great skiing one day and then killer rock climbing in shorts and t-shirt the next!
After all that we both worked for a couple days/nights, and then we climbed some more in Boulder on Saturday and went skiing on Snowmass mountain today! The skiing today was pretty windy and cold, but we had some great powder and very much enjoyed wacthing the high society environment of the Aspen/Snowmass area: always a great show :)
Looks like our weather is going to be a little more snowy for this week, so that should be good for the mountain. We leave next week for some climbing in Las Vegas!! In the words of the King: Vivaaaaa Las Vegas!! We'll see if we agree ;)
Oh, and I officially start as a Paramedic for WECAD on Friday! Yesss!
Cheers.
-Brendan

Video?!

This is a test to see if we can successfully post video.

Paramedic

You have to admire my new, impressive belt buckle. If you live in Colorado, guess you gotta have the belt buckle... so I went and bought myself one... no, not really. This impressive belt buckle was actually a gift to me from the ambulance company I work for as a congratulations gift for actually becoming a paramedic. I'm not sure if people actually wear things like this for real... god I hope not. In case you can't read it, it says: "The EMT-Paramedic. An American Hero." Uh-huh

Flippac 2.0 and Ibex!

Ibex! For those of you not familiar with this desolate place: it is a great bouldering destination out in the middle of the Utah desert, near the Nevada border about 2.5 hours south of Salt Lake City. The closest thing resembling civilization is about 50 miles away. This place is way the hell out there and it's a desolate, harsh environment: perfect place for some fun! :) Randomly in this place are quartzite boulders strewn around. Quartzite is an interesting rock: it is incredibly hard, yet very chossy in spots. The holds are slick as hell, but good crimps do present themselves. The climbing temps were perfect. We went climbing out in Ibex for four days saw only two lost souls who roam the area setting traps in random places for coyotes or bobcats, or whatever. They dropped by to make sure we weren't lost and that we were ok, because if you break down out here, you're pretty much screwed, or you're in for a very long walk. We climbed our asses off during the day in the pleasant warm sun and then bundled up at night for the sub-zero (Fahrenheit!) night temps, where everything freezes (even my contact solution (which is salt water). I think the only thing that didn't freeze at night was the wine ;) The night sky is unique and awesome (though you can still discern the glow of SLC in the distance in one of the corner's of the sky. Prior to our trip out to Ibex, I was able to finish up our Flippac accomodations. I learned from our last one and was sure to make this one all that much better, and indeed it was! Our new set-up is definitely pretty sweet. This was test number one for the new truck/Flippac: many more to come :)
Upon returning home, we went for a nice long run up Glenwood Canyon along the Colorado river in the snow and sun appreciating the winter wonderland beauty of this place, then we went home and had some delicious "Raclette" wich was sent over by Chloe's grandmother: the perfect winter meal. Chloe then headed off to Junction that night to work at the hospital. I work at WECAD the next day and then we both patrol at Sunlight on Monday (MLK day).
Cheers.
-Brendan