A Turn for the Worse

Every year around this time I try to convince myself I should start training. This shift from my general anti-training stance is of course due to the onset of oppressive Swedish weather. Unable to climb outside on a consistent basis I begin to wonder how many trip to the gym it will take to actually learn to like plastic. My attempts in previous years turned into simply hanging out with friends and whining about the weather, occasionally making it past warming up before throwing in the towel. We'll see how things go this year. I should just put together a campus workout and dangle from a hangboard so I don't become super weak. However, I'll probably resort back to obsessively checking the weather and waiting for my annual escape to the States (Dec 9th -Jan 26th).

Swedish winters suck but there are small windows here and there. Between the driving rain and lengthening darkness I have managed to make it out here and there the last couple weeks. Hopefully we'll have a few more good days, just enough to stave off depression.

Here are some pics.

It gets dark pretty early so night sessions allow the working stiffs to climb during the weekdays, if it's dry.

Pontus on a new problem I put up in Årekärr

Johan in Branta Trappan

Pics of Organic Pads

I've uploaded a slideshow of most of the Organic pads available here in Sweden. The pictures appear on the right side of the blog and all the pads have different colors and designs to suit your unique style.

The slideshow pictures are of the regular pads but I do have a few of the big ones available as well along with some other gear. For the time being the prices for the Organic gear is as follows

regular pad 2200kr
big pad 3900kr
chalk buket 250kr
chalk bag (with belt) 200kr

folks that are interested should shoot me an email at kearneyjourney@gmail.com.

I also have limited numbers of other Organic gear from tote bags to t-shirts.

Jänkarproblemet

Here is a video of Lars doing Jänkarproblemet on Öckerö. There are surprisingly many ways to do this problem but Lars is the only one I've seen use this beta.

Jänkarproblemet from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

Two Roofs

I made a little film of a couple FA's in Bohuslan.

Hamster Huey and the Gooey Kablooie was miraculously sent in the summer with sub-par temps. Sometimes you just get lucky I guess. It is still waiting for a second ascent.

As for Radar, if you follow the blog you know that my dumb beta lead to a punctured finger and a bruised ego. Per-Ola got the FA and I had to go back a week later and sent first try with the good beta. That problem has now seen several ascents and will be one of the more popular problems in an area that should eventually hold quite a few problems.

Here is the video. If you want to watch it in HD I think you have to go to Vimeo.
Hope you enjoy.

Two Roof in Bohuslan, Sweden from Walker Kearney on Vimeo.

The Ringer

Still getting out a couple times a week. The weather has been perfect and Hammie enjoys bundling up and playing in leaves. A couple noteworthy problems have gone up in the last few days. In Årekärr the cool rail problem yielded to cooler temps and proved to be quite good. Martin and I sent in quick succession but he got the FA so he'll have to come up with the name. (Ideas Martin?)
In Tjörn I stumbled upon an undeniably great problem and after wiping the drool from my mouth we went to work. It proved to be a bit harder than it looked but it still relinquished to my efforts. I'm calling it The Ringer.

Martin on the rail problem in Årekärr

The rail problem

The Ringer

Pay Dirt

Exploration pays off once again.

Ramsviksland

It was a Bohuslan weekend. Saturday we went to Ramsviksland as folks wanted to try Hamster Huey and the Gooey Kablooie and I wanted to try some things I bushed up awhile back. Unfortunately Hamster Huey resisted a 2nd ascent (although Lars and Daniel were close) and I only managed to collect new projects as nothing new was sent. Psyched to go back as there is heaps of stuff I want to do.

On Sunday I went back to a place in Smögen to try a couple beautiful projects with good temps. I'm pretty sure both the arete and thin face we tried can be done but I'll go ahead and say they are pretty damn hard.

Here's a few pics from Ramsviksland

Peter on Hamster Huey and the Gooey Kablooie

Lars working the beta on Hamster Huey and the Gooey Kablooie

Lina on a cool slab that shut down all comers

A new roof project

Branta Trappan

Took a short trip to Branta Trappan that proved quite productive. Three new quality problems where put up, Notoriskt S.T.O.R, Pengagrön lädersoffa, and Kristallklar. Kalle FAed all three, Geir repeated two and I only scraped up one, siting skin and general weakness as my excuses. Psyched to go back for Pengagrön lädersoffa as it's the best of the three.

Here are a few pics.

Geir on the first move of Pengagrön lädersoffa

Kalle on the FA of Pengagrön lädersoffa

Kalle on Kristallklar

Geir try a cool bulge that remains undone

Årekärr

Went back to the new place near Årekärr. A few more problems when up as the area is becoming just that, an area. The roof project seems to prefer taller folks as Bummel unlocked a sequence that will be impossible for shorter folk. He'll send next time for sure and I'll be stuck trying short person beta.

Here's a few pics.

Bummel stretching on the roof project

Kim on a new sloper problem

Henrik tops out Rainbow Crack

Bummel protests the sharp crimper on O-face

Bummel enters the slopey crux of Family Marbles

A day on Tjörn

On Saturday I returned to a new area on Tjörn to try and finish up a steep project. I had previously worked out beta and figured I'd walk up to it with fresh skin and send. It didn't quite work out that way as I flailed on the sharp crimpers, baffled at my inability to send. Sammy and Klas showed up after about an hour of flailing and Sammy discovered much better beta that paved the way for a quick accent by Per-Ola and himself. I unfortunately was totally gassed, falling off jugs 4 times before my skin finally gave out and blood poured from my index finger. Congrats to Per-Ola for the FA of a great new problem. I'll send for sure next time.

Afterward we went to another boulder and Sammy and I did a cool new arete (I'm calling it Sammy's arete unless Sammy dubs it something else). Later we went to Shelter and after digging out toilet paper that had been packed around the holds (seriously? how hard is it to pack it out) I managed to repeat the problem and put up another one to the right as well. Per-Ola and Sammy where too tired to send. Next time.

Sammy unlocks new beta and paves the way for the sends

Per-Ola on the FA of Radar

Another project

Sammy's Arete

Shelter

A portion of the shit paper left at Shelter

Ego Slayer

Just like that my chances of sending went from 90% to 0%. Some things just can't be climbed with taped tips.