More From Kelly

Lina and Kim have returned to Sweden leaving Hammie and I for a week of Dad-camp.  We decided to spend our final days in the State climbing around Durango, CO and fortunately my sister Prairie joined us, ensuring hygiene will be a little better than Dad-camp last year.  I'm looking forward to climbing myself into oblivion on the various sandstone blocks around Durango.

In the meantime, here are a few more pictures from Kelly Canyon.

 Lina runs a lap on Poor White Trash

 Lina looking for the next hold on a fun steep problem

 Jim stretches out

Kim finding purchase on a sweet overhanging prow

Arkansas Wall

The Arkansas Wall is another of Kelly's best.  Tucked away in a corner it doesn't see that much traffic despite being home to one of the best problems, Touched by and Uncle.   

 Cory getting off the deck and one move before the crux stab to a pocket

 Andrew bearing down

Timmy looking constipated on a problem to the right of Touched by an Uncle

Donkey Punch Wall

The sandstone at Kelly Canyon runs the gambit from sandbox to solid.  Almost all the rock is climbable and fun but a few wall are genuinely stellar.  The Donkey Punch wall one of these topnotch outcroppings and is perhaps the best wall at Kelly.  Great features on solid rock and several independent lines make this wall alone worth a trip to Kelly.     

 Antonio on the start of Donkey Punch

Ryan on Cleveland Steamer

Flagstaff Sandstone

One of the great things about Flagstaff is the variety as one can climb on 4 different rock types without driving more than 15 minutes (limestone, dacite, basalt and sandstone).  During our short time in Flag we never got around to any of the many Dacite areas and instead opted for multiple days on sandstone at the fun and friendly Kelly Canyon.

Here are a few pictures of a dyno problem at Kelly that Lina, Kim and Prairie threw themselves at.

 Prairie setting up to dyno

 Kim opting for the heel-hook beta

 Lina sticks the dyno 

The Gym Kid Dyno

Upside Down Climbing in Flagstaff

No visit to Flagstaff would be complete with upside down climbing at Priest Draw.  Here's a few pictures.

Praire gets turned around on Twister

Kim works on her kung-fu kick on Twister

Flexing biceps on The Egyptian

Getting horizontal

Cherry Canyon

I made it back to Sweden and the weather is perfect. I'm psyched to tackle some of my projects with the good temps but first i got to shake off a cold and some jet-lag, should be good in a day or two.

Here's a couple pics from my last climbing day in the States. We went to Cherry Canyon for some fun highballs and project slaying. We ended the day on the Bulge wall and after 5 straight days of climbing I could only manged to work moves and look forward to an off day. Good times.

A fun high ball

Lisa fires Jean Val Jean

Jason walks Jean Val Jean

Face down in the Muck

The Flagstaff trip wasn't all peaches and cream as driving through the small town of Mountaineer proved treacherous two days in a row. The first incident involved a loose dog and some white trash. The owner of the pitbull that tumbled underneath the Motherload wasn't angry at all, he was actually apologetic as his dog miraculously emerged unscathed. One of his neighbors on the other hand was very putout by the vehicles left in the road while we checked on the dog and decided yelling at us was appropriate. "I've got to protect me and mine". Ahhhhh, white trash.

The very next day we had a run-in with a mud puddle just minutes from where we had hit the dog. After some shovel work we ended up calling a friend to drag the Motherload free (Andy is hero).

Fortunately that was the extent of the hard times and everything worked out in the end.

Here's some pics of the Motherload.

Betsy, who lives nearby, shovels mud while Jason and Hammie supervise

Mud left on the running board

Broken Symmetry

Another noteworthy Dacite problem is found in middle Elden. As far as I know Broken Symmetry is still unrepeated as the strange mix of finesse and power has left suitors unsuccessful but feeling the problems is possible. Definitely one I'd love to go back to.

Jason finding balance on the crux

Lisa reaches the intermediate before the long crux reach

Jason feeling the crux move

The Peanut

I'm generally not psyched on the Dacite around Flagstaff. It tends to be sharp and chossy but occasionally it makes for some great problems. One of these is the Peanut and despite a couple days of effort I've been unable to make it to the top. It's just one of those problems. I wish it wasn't so damn good so I could walk away from it forever.

Joe eyeballing the shallow pocket before the big dyno

Lisa

Andy on the first move

Pasty Gangster

Priest Draw still has a few problems I haven't done. One of these I've been avoiding until I got beta as the key grip, while cool looking, is pain inducing. Lisa had done the hard part of working out the beta to the Pasty Gangster but thus far I am still a failure. I've got a max of 6 burns before the throbbing in my thumb and finger render me a writhing mass. Maybe I'll do it today.

Reaching the painful hold

Closeup

Oh the pain!

Two Dudes and a Baby

I'm not sure if Jason new what he was signing up for when decided to jump in the Motherload with Hammie and myself. A road trip with an infant is a bit different than the standard one but thus far it has been great. We've gotten more than enough climbing as other friends always join and we are rarely less than four (and a half if you count Hammie). Hammie is making heaps of new friends and is content to play in the dirt while dad and others climb. Flagstaff was a good choice for our last week in the States and Hammie and Jason have done some serious bonding.

Hammie and Jason chilling outside the Motherload

Hammie with a couple new friends

One dirty girl

Jason flexes, Lisa climbs and Hammie plays in the dirt

Flagstaff, AZ

Lina is on her way back to Sweden while Hammie and I have another week in the States. The plan is for Jason to join us for a trip to Flagstaff for some limestone roofs and visiting friends. We actually just came from Flag as we rolled up there for a few days after Pie Fest and before dropping off Lina at the airport. We'll see how it goes without Lina but if there is one place that it's possible to climb heaps with an infant it is Flagstaff. Hope Lina enjoys her week without poopy diapers and early morning.

Here's a couple pics for a few days ago.

Lisa pieces out Pasty Gangster

David gets confused on Underachiever

Flagstaff, AZ

We are back in Sweden and it's nice to be home. I'm already planning my onslaught of Swedish projects but first we've got to shake off the jet-lag and move back into our home.


Until we dive back into the Swedish scene I'll try to post some photos from the last few weeks in the States. Here are a few from Flagstaff, AZ.

Hannah slaps some sandstone slopers in Kelly Canyon

This picture doesn't do the problem justice. Broken Symmetry withstood our 30 minute assualt but I can't wait to go back

Ryan crimps on Mt. Elden

Dain demonstrates how to climb at Priest's Draw

Andy sets a committing heel on Move and Groove Barbie

The Great Dain in Kelly Canyon

Line gets horizontal on Bat Roof

A Few more from Flag

Here's another vid from my few day's in Flag. It consists of the Puzzle Box roof and some of the 5 Star problems on Mt Elden. The Puzzle Box is just another sweet roof in Priest's Draw that I did my own circuit on (not nearly as impressive as Sam) and the 5 Stars are obscure dacite problems on Mt Elden. It's worth noting that there are actually five 5 Stars and the only thing that kept Mike and I from completing them all was an early afternoon downpour. So it goes. I guess I have something to go back to.

Many thanks to Jason Jackson (aka #1) for giving me the tour of the 5 Stars. It was nice seeing something new in Flagtown and actually made me think about moving back there.

A Few More From Flag from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Sam Davis vs Mars Roof

I'm back in Sweden after my short trip to the States. It was far from the typical vacation for me as climbing wasn't at the forefront. I spent most days visiting friends and family or looking for a new van. Speaking of which, if anyone has a line on sweet rig that a family of three can spend 5 months living out of let me know. I'm thinking a raised roof conversion van or something with a pop-top.

Anyway, amongst all the visiting and van searching I still managed to get on some rock. I spent a few days in Flagstaff, AZ and met up with my friends Sam and Anna for a short session at Priest's Draw. While my roof climbing ability has suffered considerably from living in Sweden (the land of granite and gneiss) Sam's seemed to be in top form. He decided to do every problem on Mars Roof twice as the usual once through didn't even make him break a sweat. All the problems on Mars are pretty difficult and when you factor in the the endurance required it seemed like a worthy challenge for a climber of Sam's caliber. Well, Sam didn't seemed the least bit phased after topping out the roof for the eighth time. Maybe he'll have to start eliminating holds to up the anti.
Here is what a strong man doing laps at his local area looks like. Don't worry, I only included one lap on each problem (his second trip on each for the day) so hopefully this video isn't too boring.

Sam Davis vs Mars Roof from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Kelly Canyon

Flagstaff, AZ is still tops on my list of best bouldering towns in the USA. The quality and variety are exceptional with several different types of stone and styles. Throw in the added bonus of new areas popping up all the time and year round climbing conditions and it's hard to find a better place to live.
Here are a few pics from Kelly Canyon, one of the larger sandstone areas.

Jenny slapping the slops on the incredible undercling problem

Jason testing the fiction

Jenny sending the classic trailer park arete

Ashley eyeballing the next grip

Upside down climbing

Coming to the States not only provides brilliant weather but the opportunity to get my roof climb on. So far we've just been hitting up some of the old stomping grounds and repeating some of the classics. Here's a little vid of three roofs from NM and AZ. Enjoy.

Flagstaff

In our four days on Flagstaff we climbed on three different rock types and four different areas. I in all my travels I still haven't found a better city for climbing and it tops our list for places to live should we move to the States.

Jenny gunning for a jug at the draw

Roof climbing

The draw

Kelly Canyon's superb "Donkey Punch" wall

Prairie on "Dope Lounge"

Jason in Cherry Canyon

Prairie in Cherry

The crawsly of life