Sonnie Trotter

FANNY PACKS ARE BACK!

Friday, October 29th, 2010

Black Diamond and Five Ten better jump on this train, because fanny packs are coming back with a vengeance.  I mean C’mon, think about it, where else are we supposed to keep our tator tots?  Our keys and wallet when we’re at the beach.  Or our dogs?  Face it, Fanny Backs are all the rage.

So, with my lack of will against direct marketing, I went out a bought a fanny pack.  I’m NOT even joking.

As we were mentioning in the last post, I am (and we are) amateur photographers,  hoping to make it into the big leagues.  If you wanna play NFL football, you better bring the right pig-skin,  if you don’t, coach won’t be put you in during the last quarter, you won’t win state, you won’t turn pro, and you won’t be sitting in a hot tub with your soul mate.  What I’m saying behind all this Dynamite is that if you don’t come prepared, you won’t get the shot.

Tip of the week. Get a fanny pack (pardon my french)

I tried EVERYTHING before I clued in.  But yet, nothing worked.  Here is my back-pack/briefcase bag.  LAME!!!

Here is my Black Diamond Bullet pack.  I tried.  Not lame, bad ass, but still doesn’t work for carrying your camera gear.

My computer shoulder bag, by patagonia, also bad ass, but is too baggy for camera gear.  I dropped three lens caps using this.

Again, it was Andrew Burr (BELOW) who showed me the light.  Just look at that fanny.   BTW – This is a picture I took three weeks ago while in Quebec,  the route is called Toit De Ben, meaning Ben’s Roof.  CLASSIC.

So, here is the model I got.  $79.99 at Lens and Shutter.  It’s not huge, but it gets the job DONE.  It’s made by Lowe Pro, but I just cut off all the extra straps and junk that didn’t really do anything but get in the way.  Now it’s streamlined.

It’s got enough for all your memory cards, three lenses, plus your body.  Note; it may not be big enough for the 5D.  But my 60D fits perfectly in this model.

Now I look just like a pro.  Also,  you can wear it simply as a shoulder bag if you don’t feel “comfortable” wearing the waist strap.  Or you can wear it on your back, so it’s less conspicuous and probably more studly.

But eventually you have to flip it around so you can have access to it.  As you can clearly see from this picture, it opens up and stays open, it’s rigid enough that you can use both hands at the same time to change lenses or whatever it is you do.  It may be a fanny pack, but this one is extremely useful so get over it.  ha ha ha.

The FACT is, you will ALWAYS have your camera ready, you will NEVER again have to set down your back pack to pull out your camera (so you won’t have any excuse to be LAZY and pass on an opportunity) think of it like a desktop, it’s ready when you are.

I see the way Burr uses his, and thus he uses his camera all the time.  He’s a brilliant photographer, yes, that’s well known, but he’s also hard working and I’m willing to bet he takes 10 billion times more photographs than any of us.  Now you know the secret, so go on, get a fanny pack, and be great.

Nathalie Malo, reenacting her effortless ascent of Toit De Ben, 5.13a.   Burr, capturing the magic.  Again.

| Posted in Climbing | 6 Comments »

The art of Time Lapsing!

Thursday, October 28th, 2010

As an amateur photographer, I am always excited to see great pieces of work.  The kind of work you wish you created yourself. Keith Ladzinski and Andrew Burr (to name a few talents in the climbing world) consistently pump out material I wish I could.  But more, there is a huge world out there of skilled artists that are experimenting and perfecting their crafts every day.  When I see good work, I realize how much of a thug I am with a camera.  I know nothing.  Here are two time lapsing clips I saw last night.  Time lapsing is taking a series of pictures and stitching them together to create an effect that looks like a film, but more edgy.  It’s pretty dope. Enjoy.

Everyone Forever Now – “Stoop Sitting” from Everynone on Vimeo.

Everyone Forever Now – “Tanning” from Everynone on Vimeo.

| Posted in Climbing | 5 Comments »

A Different Perspective!

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

For those of you local climbers, here’s a very cool shot from the air, taken by my friend Scott Pick.  He was nice enough to send these along because he knew I have some routes up in this region.  On the left side of the “gully” is the ever present Prow Wall,  home to Teddy Bear’s Picnic, The Prow Wall Project, Gravity Bong and now The Intrepid Traverse.  All of which are world class routes, and all of which go free at 5.12d or worse:))  I’ve always said that Squamish is one of the best multi-pitch cragging scenes in the world.  Commitment is pretty low, you can always rap to a ledge somewhere to call your day short, OR you can up the ante and link it into something else, and on and on ya go.

The blunt wall on the right side is the Squamish Buttress, 5.10c, FA, Fred Beckey and company 1959.  And the new North Face Variation, 5.9, 2010.  But what’s really jumping out at me the most, is the obvious gap between the two.  I wonder when Jeremy Smith and Ben Harnden are going to sac up and string a high-line between the two walls?  Now that would be a sight to see! Grin. I’ll bring popcorn.

Enjoy the pics.  Thanks again Scott.  CLICK to enlarge!!!

| Posted in Climbing | No Comments »

Ondra!

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

Thanks Joe for the awesome video below.  Seriously, well edited, tight, interesting, fun stuff.  While on the program, here is a video I just saw today of Adam Ondra, from BLACK DIAMOND, I know everyone has already seen this, and I’m behind the times, but damn if this isn’t one of the best sport climbing segments I’ve seen in a long time.  For free? And it’s the first time I’ve heard Adam speaking English which is sort of cool I thought.  Also, it’s the first time I’ve seen him making 5.15a look pretty easy.  What a line.  IN regards to Three Degree’s of Separation, 5.14d, I heard from a friend of mine (who’s tried it) that a hold broke since the FA, not sure where or if it effects the dyno or not, but curious if Adam knew about that.  Either way, pretty awesome to watch him get burly with it.  The only part that threw me off, was when he was walking up to the cliff, by himself, it felt a bit lonely.  But hey, we all need our alone time I guess.  Enjoy the video.  It’s very inspiring.  Watch it FULL SCREEN if you can.

VIDEO PROFILE: BD athlete Adam Ondra on first ascent of L‘étrange Ivresse des Lenteurs (9a+), Ceüse, France from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

| Posted in Climbing | 8 Comments »

Joe Kinder Does it again…

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

Well yes, he sent his new 5.14c project in Rifle, (Congrats on that, I read about it on facebook last week)  but that’s not what I’m talking about.  What he did again was show us all why Joey is a professional climber, why he’s an ambassador for the vertical industry.  Not just because he climbs 5.14, and not just because his girlfriend is hot, or because he’s putting up new routes, and not because he draws funny and obscene things with chalk at the base of sport routes, but because he’s devoted to the art of climbing.  Joe is as outgoing as they come, and he’s committed to the community and to the companies that support him and keep the big wheel moving forward.  One such company is Sterling Rope, innovative by design, down to earth by nature.  I had the WONDERFUL pleasure of spending the day in the office with Joe, Chris, Daila and meeting with sales staff and watching the way the manufacturing weaves through the plant, all to a bomber finished product on the other side.  Thanks to Joe for sharing this (nice work on the edit btw), and thanks to Sterling for the kind New England hospitality.  Amazing.

Sterling Rope Factory Visit 2010 from Joey Kinder on Vimeo.

| Posted in Climbing | 3 Comments »

Adam!

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

I just want to send a big congratulations to my friend, Adam Pustelnik from Poland who has repeated Action Direct 5.14d, in Germany’s Frankenjura. Although relatively unknown, Pustelnik is now the third Polish climber to have climbed the amazing grade, and he has done it by choosing the world’s most representative 9a.  From planet mountain.com, they say, Action Direct is not just the benchmark climb, but it’s also the most international: “14 ascents from nine different countries show just how wide the route’s appeal is”.

Nice effort Adam,  it goes to show what a strong will and hard work can do.

Adam in Indian Creek, Utah.  After another night of drinking Polish Vodka.

| Posted in Climbing | No Comments »

A Seldomely Repeated Uber Classic!

Sunday, October 17th, 2010

Although many TRULY monumental climbs occured during the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s, some still believe that Squamish rock was only in it’s infancy stage.  (Compared to the route development that has occurred in the last 15 years or so).  And that development includes the bouldering boom of the late 1990’s to present.  People are discovering the magic of Squamish, and with the amount of climbers now living here permanently (and visiting annually),  there is no slowing down on the pace of new grips to squeeze.

With that being said, back in ‘92, a sickly strong, talented, motivated younger man named Jim Sandford, braved the long winters alone with his equally talented wife Jola, during a time when nobody else was living here accept for guide book authors, truck drivers, loggers and meth dealers.  Bouldering was just starting to poke it’s head out from the caves of Hueco Tanks, and the crash-pad technology that we see today was non-existence.  So, Jim, with his titanium tendons and Hilti Drill, put up a slew of Sport Climbs on the biggest of the Squamish boulders.  Some were comfortized and enhanced, others were not.

Animal Magnetism is one such line.  18 years later it’s still a test-piece for climbers.  Giving 5.13a, (or V7) it’s powerful for the grade. I personally wouldn’t hesitate if they called it V8.   In 2006, Jason Kehl rolled into Squamish driving his oversized Hearse, and quickly set his sights on this 3 bolt “route” as a boulder problem.   It’s one of the coolest things in Squamish, and his vision set others in motion.  Jordan Wright repeated it in 2007, and if I’m not mistaken, it’s been climbed again by Jeremy Smith, and maybe Tyson Braun and Andrew Boyd as well.  Not sure who else.

The bottom line is that it’s one of Squamish’s FINEST. A classic.  A beautiful wall, a beautiful line, great holds, and spectacular movement.  The only downside, is that it’s SCARY AS ALL HELL.  The landing (if you choose to boulder it) is less than ideal.  Blocky at the start, and high at the end.  Also, if you blow the last move huck, there is a second tear that you can drop over and fall even further, to a most likely, un-padded place.

Yesterday, three of us, worked it on a TR (to refresh our minds) and set up 8 pads.  I slipped off the first move on my first go, (stupid high-balling jitters) then I took 30 seconds to compose myself and sent the line.  It felt more effortless than on a rope, I felt weightless and thoughtless as I surfed out for the jug at the lip.  The granite agreed with me that day and I’ve been grinning ever since, what a spectacular feeling.  Afterwards Young Marc Leclerc and Ben Harnden traded burns on the line, but failed to commit fully to last lurch.

Below, Jason the first ground up ascent.  Photographer unknown.  The bad landing warranted advanced “catcher-mit” pad spotting technology.

Below, a TR session shows the seriousness of the landing.  There is no down-climbing, once you commit, it’s groundfall potential, every time.

Below, the fall from the crux.

All points off, you can see Little Ben’s hands reaching out from behind the sitting block.  It’s where we anticipated the landing.  The whole time Matt just sat bundled up and watched the action, ha ha ha!  Which is okay by me, a spotter in the way isn’t going to do much but get hurt.  Great day gentlemen, I cant’ wait to see what today will bring…

| Posted in Climbing | 5 Comments »

Update Your Status!

Friday, October 15th, 2010

What are you doing right now?

Right now, (for those who shouldn’t care) I’m celebrating (not to mention publicly humiliating myself by announcing) my freedom from facebook.  The social networking program is very intelligent indeed, and it’s not necessarily a negative thing for our society, many wonderful things came and continue to come from the 2 million plus user web-site, including a Missing Childrens Page,  which help Investigators receive clues and ultimately track down victims in record time.  But, for me, the bad kept outweighing the good.  Even for a spray lord professional climber like myself – enough was enough.  From now on, I’ll only be delivering news, pics, and/or thoughts through the websites of my true friends, my innovative sponsors, and my own homey home page.

At the end of the day, you just gotta ask yourself – What was or is facebook REALLY about?  I feel as though I just broke up with a high maintenance girlfriend, or regimented climbing partner, he he,  But seriously, I feel light.  I feel free.  I feel slightly disconnected to the outside world, but more connected to my own.  So, now, with no cell phone and no facebook, Lydia and I are even harder to reach and deeper into the “old school” (read; new school hippy wannabee’s resisting to change) way of living.

But, please, if it’s important and you’d still like to chat with me, both e-mail and my home phone will work just as well as they always have.  Thanks for listening to my crud, as usual.   The sun is shinning again, and it’s time to drink a beer and investigate some seeping projects.   Rock Climbing FOREVER man.  Best wishes to all.

sonniejtrotter@yahoo.ca

This is me,  breaking free from the ridiculous.   Photo by Keith Ladzinski.

| Posted in Climbing | 7 Comments »

VAL DAVID!!!

Monday, October 4th, 2010

GREAT NEWS,  the rain stopped in Quebec, almost suddenly. The sun came out, the skies turned blue, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. We’re climbing, we’re so lucky. It’s BLISSFUL. The only thing more golden than the rock itself, are the local climbers here.   AMAZING.  What an incredible community.  Although small, they are tight friends and committed climbers. Val David is one of the MOST beautiful places I have ever seen in Canada, not just for climbing, (they have trad, sport and classic bouldering) but for mountain biking, walking, hiking, skiing, paddling, eating, farming, living, it’s all here, it’s like a smaller, albeit much quainter version of Squamish. I’ve been here before and I absolutely loved it, but I was young, I had so much more to see in the world. Now that I’m back, I realize it’s true majesty. Here are some photo’s from our trip. A big picture essay if you will…

Montreal, “The City of Lights”.  This is when the skies finally cleared.  It was perfect.

JP Ouellet, aka, Mega Pee Wee, racking up at the parking lot, the next day.

The New project.  A3+, it’s short, it’s burly, it’s exciting and it climbs like the best boulder problem I’ve ever done.  V7 to a shake, into a V11.

Pee Wee after too many chocolate croissants.  One thing for sure, these Quebec climbers know how to make decent pastry, and divine coffee.

Again, Pee Wee going for broke at the lip.  The lip encounter is the hardest part by far, not just getting to it, but holding the swing too. Each move goes at V8 by themselves maybe.  It’s one of the hardest I’ve tried in a very long time.  I am in LOVE.

Pee Wee and Andrew Burr,  best friends forever.  I still don’t know what Burr is doing with his left hand??  Or his right???

Dinner.  Everything here just feels a little…European?   There’s a way they do things here, build things, say things, that just feels, more…hmmmm….how do you say….romantic?

Water, Wine and Heinekens.

Bon appetit.

Andre Burr, getting his photo taken.   Wait until you see the pictures he’s getting here, it may make you rethink your next roadtrip destination.

Nobody here hikes, they stroll to the cliffs, they way it should be.

Enough said I think.

The Amphitheatre of Mont King, the inventor and patent holder of the notorious, roof crack.  Known around the world.  Where ever roof cracks are found, it originated here.  Le Toit de Ben.  Coming soon…

The scene, always friendly, always beautiful.

Not bad for a point and shoot camera.  This is the forest in Val David, it’s equally as enchanting as any forest I’ve ever seen.  Wait til you see the boulders.

Just like Font, climbing here is a family affair.  Young Sol (11) belays his father John.

And Sol’s little sister, whose name I have temporarily forgotten, but who stole my heart, when she slung her fathers rack over her shoulder.

Little Sol, (small for his age,  but who wasn’t) now fearlessly leading the 5.10c splitter crack.  Magic.

Mont King from across the lake.  One of dozens of granite cliffs located around Les Laurentides Mountains.

Our gracious and colorful host, Ghislain, climbing a 5.11 to warm up before the sun hits the wall at another crag I forgot the name of.   I do enjoy this “point and shoot fotography”.  This wouldn’t be a bad shot if we could just get rid of some of those damn tree’s, he he,  joking.  Bad idea.

What would a Canadian Road trip be without Maple Leaves basking in the afternoon sun?

Like I said,  everybody’s friendly.

Even the cafe’s here, they have a “Je Ne Sais Quoi” about them.

And NOT to bring business into this post,  but for those of you dreamers out there, DAMN is Val David ever reasonably priced.  I found this charming little swiss ski lodge, with a basement suite for $189,000.  This same house in Squamish would run you a cool $500,000, minimum.  WTF?

Okay, that it’s for me.  Hope you enjoyed the tour.  We’re going back out the climb something called the Spire.  Gotta go.  We’re strolling.

| Posted in Climbing | 8 Comments »