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

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!

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.

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