Sonnie Trotter

Family Time!

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

I’m taking time off to see the family, so you won’t be hearing from me for a week or so.  But I wanted to depart with two pictures that I took most recently.  The First is of Jesse Huey, a Seattle/Boulder, energizer bunny, who crushes big mountains, thin ice, and 5.13 cracks.  Here he is on his first 5.13 ever, the imposing – overhanging 180 foot tall Squamish classic “The Shadow”,  from ledge to ledge.  Congrats buddy,  a vertical marathon and one of the most inspiring days of climbing I’ve seen in months.  A proud effort, thanks for the good times up there.

The second picture is of my man Jeremy Blumel,  we went up last weekend to finish off the prep work to a summer long project I’ve been neglecting.  We got up there with everything we needed for the day, and then the battery died.   DOH!  Not the first time this has happened to me and surely won’t be the last.  Our spirits sank (instead of our anchors), and we marched back down empty handed, but we did manage to clean up my “mess” from 9 months earlier.  A rack of ancient booty cams left in the rain all winter (note for future projects).  Oh and a huge shout out to Jeremy as well,  who ALSO,  just sent the Shadow.  Which if I wasn’t clear earlier, is one of the best pitches of rock climbing, ANYWHERE.  BIG UP BOYS, respect.

And finally,  a dead dreamy picture from Tim Emmet who is vacationing in the paradise of Scotland right now.  Perhaps a new hot spot for Honeymooners and sport clippers?   Watch out Kalymnos,  you have some competition now,  once word gets out,  the crowds will flock.

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Cover Shots!

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

I can’t help it.  I love this picture.  I just do.  Argue if you may, but I love this picture.  It’s got such great color, both rock and climber.  The stone looks exotic, like fire, there’s captivating movement, pleasant contrast, and anticipation for what’s next,  it just pulled me right in.  I bought the issue on the spot, (when all I really wanted was chalk) and paid full price for it too.  I’m such a sucker for visual stimulation.  This pic makes me want to be there, in India, feeling those holds, that move, that’s the moment, that’s the dream.  It’s these pictures that make us want to be a better photographers, (and better climbers).

Which brings me to the next image – I’m not sure if anyone here noticed, (ah, hem) but my keen photography skills landed one of my finest pics on the COVER of GRIPPED magazine lately.  I only mention this now because A)  I just got paid for it and spent the whole lot at the local health food store,  and B), because the new gripped just came out which totally crushed my ego because it reminded me why Paul Bride is, well…Paul Bride.  He’s a wizard behind the lens.

Below, Vikki Weldon, a friend, a hero, a beautiful girl, on a beautiful boulder, in a beautiful place, squeezing some itsy bitsy grips.  I was pretty much dead set on the fact that this was the second best cover shot ever taken! Ever.

But then I saw the latest issue,  Ah ha, and it made me rethink my stance.  Nothing against Vikki and her incredible climbing prowess, but in terms of TECHNICAL photography skills,  this may be the best cover shot our Canadian Magazine has ever produced.  A gnarly roof crack, a sweet rack, an expression of discomfort and effort, great depth of field, great composition, crystal clear,  not too shabby Paul!

But since we’re talking about LEGENDARY cover shots, I’d like to throw my vote in the hat for this last one, as the all time BEST over shot ever taken anywhere.  EVER.  The late Wolfgang Gullich, soloing with style on Separate Reality 5.11d/12a.  It was this picture that made me want to start soloing in the first place.  And although I’ve never taken it to the places that Peter Croft or Alex Honnold have (for those who don’t know, he just soloed FREEWAY,  a dream come true for many Squamish locals), still I enjoy my own personal levels of exposure, and adventure.  Thanks WG. RIP.

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Ventilation!

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Is it just me, or does anyone else seemed bothered or disappointed, by the fact that Climbing.com reports Will Stanhope and Alex Honnold’s latest adventure together, as the HONNOLD adventure?  What the hell is wrong with the world?  I saw this last week and just couldn’t let it go.

http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/honnold_on_the_chief_four_routes_in_a_day/

Now we’re not dumb, we all know Alex Honnold has a name and a reputation in the climbing world, (I mean the kids got talent) and it will attract hits on the home page I’m sure.  Whatever.  But where (might I ask) is the honor and decency (not to mention respect) in dismissing someone else’s hard work, vision and skill?  Will Stanhope is a world class rock climber, strong both physically and mentally, and his whimsical approach is both refreshing and inspiring.  Stanhope’s a local fool and hero to many, but I don’t need to remind anyone of that, his climbing speaks for itself.  To clarify, bagging 4 routes in a day on the Chief was Will’s concept, Will’s plan, Will’s imagination, Will’s backyard, and he only needed a partner to either A) Hold the rope for him, OR  B)  To join in the fun.

Enter: Alex.

Please don’t get me wrong.  I love Climbing Magazine, I work with Climbing Magazine, and I check the site often, this is NOT slander, this is simply the expression of my dissatisfaction towards NEWS in our society – and the way it’s reported in general to attract flies to paper.  Especially when it effects the people I admire.  I am well aware that they mention Will in the “article” but it hardly does the boy any justice.  For all we know, he could have jugged the ropes.  Nor is this to single out Honnold,  he’s a magician, an athlete and a much valued friend.  Congratulations to both climbers,  sincerely, it was a remarkable day on the rock,  the only slagging remark I have is, why didn’t you punters climb a fifth route?  You were done so early?

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Mexico Madness!

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Went bouldering yesterday for the first time in months,  sicky sticky temps in the forest.  Yasser said I did a new V8, cool.  Tomorrow I might go bouldering again, or watch Alex Honnold on “Cobra Crack” 5.14- or try “Going to California” 5.13-, or I might go redpoint the shit out of my “Power of Yesterday” project (5.13+ 4 pitches).  Hmmm, too many decisions, Hmmm, here’s two more videos from BDEL for your viewing pleasure.   I screwed up yesterday and put them all out of order, so here they are again,  1 through 4 – Hope you enjoy mom…

VIDEO #1: BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Alex Honnold make one-day ascent of 28-pitch 5.13a in Mexico from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

VIDEO #2: BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Alex Honnold make one-day ascent of 28-pitch 5.13a in Mexico from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

VIDEO #3: BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Alex Honnold make one-day ascent of 28-pitch 5.13a in Mexico from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

This last clip is hilarious.  After 10 hours of driving back to the boarder, and 3 hours waiting to cross, the best (WORST) part of our trip came right at the end, when the front right wheel of Andrew Burr’s Toyota truck fell off on the Freeway going 70 miles per hour.  It was either the rough Mexi roads, or some kids tried to steal his tires – Either way – we stuck the crash landing and got towed to a mechanic in Tucson, Arizona.  Yay!

VIDEO #4: BD athletes Sonnie Trotter and Alex Honnold make one-day ascent of 28-pitch 5.13a in Mexico from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

| Posted in Climbing | 7 Comments »

ROAD-TRIP

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Sometimes (despite what newbie’s might say) climbing takes a backseat to regular life.  And that means, SURF trip.  Last weekend, it was starting to get hot in Squamish, and while most climbers pulled up their pants, and sent their projects before dawn, Lydia and I cashed in our chips, packed up the MPV (Most Powerful Vehicle) and headed WESTBOUND, to Tofino.  We jumped in the ocean and surfed like the gumbies we truly are, hiked the rain-forest trails with authority, we dodged an angry black bear (not cool) and Lydia did back-bends while I took a picture.  It was awesome.

The surf was “mushy”, as they say.  We missed the epic swell by three whole days, but really, who gives, the ocean rules!

This is Cathedral Grove,  think the land of Avatar.

To finish it off, we climbed at the shady limestone cliffs of Horne Lake for an afternoon.  I tried ADATO, the latest 14b addition by Mike Doyle.  It was SPECTACULAR.  I can’t wait to go back and clip the chains, I give it fifteen stars.   Also, a funny thing happened over the weekend, we saw Pamela Anderson in the coffee shop.  She really doesn’t appear comfortable walking around in public, I sort of felt bad for her in her big poofy hat staring at the ground.  It’s not like she had any fans or groupies crowding her business, she’s just a regular bird, but she just happens to take semi-descent-semi-nude photographs for money and apparently feels more comfortable doing that, than buying a cup of coffee in a tiny surf town.  Weird.   The truth is, she seemed really nice, she’s originally from Vancouver Island, so it made sense to see her their with her mom and her 10 year old son.  But still, she doesn’t look much like her magazine self in real time, except she’s got that unmistakable rack, but otherwise she looks like a very wealthy, slightly tired, very hard working mother in her 40’s.  And that deserves respect.

I, on the other hand, (like many) really don’t enjoy having my picture taken, and I certainly don’t feel comfortable on film either.  At the end of the day, I’m just a rock climber, not an actor.  Nope.  Never will be.  Film me climbing if you like, just PLEASE, PLEASE don’t ask me to act.  I’m worse than Steven Seagal.  I really just want to climb rocks and have fun.  I sometimes wish I had the skills of Leo Houlding, who films commercials for the Audi Car Company and probably earns more money than some professional golfers.  But I don’t, I’m not.  I’m just simple ‘ol me.  HA!

So now that I got you all fired up – check out this new video posted most recently.  The Nor’Easter event released a quick clip of me cragging in the Gunks with the legend himself, Russ Clune.  What a rad man, and what a rad crew.  Thanks for the good times y’all,  the sweet videos remind me of how much fun we had, and makes me want to climb and travel even more.  Which is what life is really about anyway.  Road-trips.  Right?

The Road to the Nor’easter with Sonnie Trotter & Russ Clune from NE2C on Vimeo.

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