Said Belhaj - All in, all the time.

This is our first multi sensory post where you get to read, listen & dance all at the same time.

On a recent Episode of the Enormocast (Radclimbers favourite climbing podcast), we got to learn a little bit more about Swedish/Moroccan/Finnish climber, Said Belhaj. He is one of the most inspiring climbers & musician out there.

Podcast : Play in a new window

''After obsessively adventuring on nearby rocks and breaking into his grade school like a ninja to train, Said found sport climbing and his fate was set. He is a seeker and finds the meditative state in climbing to be as necessary as air and food. As an accomplished musician, Said travels the world sending hard routes and blowing minds with transcendental music. All in, all the time, Said Belhaj is a climber for the ages.'' Chris Kalous

Now close your eyes and listen to some of Said's Music.




Also check out: Said's website

Radclimbers

Blood, Sweat & Tears

Blood, sweat and tears was Mike Libecki’s motto for the expedition. After 16 days on Poumaka—a jungle spire on the remote island of Ua Pu in French Polynesia—Libecki and his climbing partner Angie Payne experienced it all. They battled jungle, mud, horrendous choss, sometimes wearing crampons, and massive whippers to forge a new eight-pitch A4 up the 3,264-foot spire. They succeeded in the end, but got off to a rough start. 

“It was a crazy first pitch,” Libecki told Rock and Ice. “I had just taken off my crampons and threw them down to Angie, as I had to front point and runout a small section of rock with moss and roots on it.

“I decked, but fortunately it was pretty jungly-soft so a somewhat mellow landing.” Libecki managed to climb the pitch on his second try, “with proper free shoes and protection with beaks. Needless to say, the first pitch was pretty interesting!”

Higher on the route, Libecki took whip number two when he tried to aid through “some overhanging, rotten coral…right off the anchor.” The nut popped and he went crashing into the rock just below the belay.

“My knee was worse than I let on at the moment,” he says. “Did not want to freak out Angie any more at that point, and knew I just needed to get back on lead right away. My sock and shoe were filled/caked with blood by the time I finished the pitch.”

Libecki took a third whip while trying to free an overhanging, expanding crack, but it wasn’t caught on camera. “Only the first cam blew when I fell,” he says. “Another exciting ride!

“Ha, what’s that saying? ‘Not whipping, not going for it!’ Something like that.

“It was a really strange climb…emotional and beautiful, and honestly, pretty challenging.”

Credit:  mikelibecki.com, rockandice.com

Rad Climbers.

Climbing in turkey

We met in Istanbul. It was a cold but cheerful reunion. We hadn’t seen each other for months and we had planned this trip over two quick phone calls. Roxanne & I had come over from Myanmar.  We had decided together that Myanmar would be a spiritual trip, a trip to discover Buddhism at its fullest. Jonathan was working a nine to five job in Montreal and was more than stoked to quit when he heard that we were on our way to Turkey for a climbing trip. The three of us had climbed together in many places including Canada, China and Thailand. 

Roxanne and Joe are both very talented climbers, but beyond the talent they are the most amazing friends I have. It was pure joy for the three of us to regroup in such a blissful background. Istanbul Is for me a mix of flavors and colors. You can’t go wrong visiting this city. The oldest covered market in the world will hypnotize you with its array of spices. The Aya Sophia Mosque dating back to the 4th century gives you the impression you have teleported back in time. At night you can feel the streets transform. They become more alive than you would ever imagine. The Istanbullus sure love their drink! We sure loved to drink with them!

Some of the old greek ruins around Antalya!

The time spent in the capital felt short which surely confirmed the fun we had. But nothing could prepare us for our rock-climbing destination: Antalya! We took the shity night bus in order to save money from flying. Man, I couldn’t wait to get off that bus! Impatient to reach the cliffs as we arrived, we jumped right into a small dolmuch (local bus) heading towards the hills of Geyik Baiyiri 25 kilometers away. Since so few people travel through the villages, you need to hitch-hike the last portion of road up the hills. Surely, these small communities never would have thought they’d see a foreigner walk by until everything changed in 2001. A few climbers turned the place into a climbing wonder world.

From Kezbans camp

The area provides 4 different types of guest houses/ campgrounds for climbers only. We stayed at Kezban’s which is run by a friendly local and his girlfriend. In Geyik Bayiri, you can climb over 700 routes and there is still potential to develop many more! You can find routes from 4c to 8c on the same wall.The climbing is on superb limestone rock, with many features such as slabs and faces with small crimps to bomber overhanging tufas and roofs. A 70 meter rope is recommended for most climbs.

We spent a month living in our tent next to other climbers that were mostly French, Polish or Russian.  I always marvel at how strong the Europeans can climb. This one friend we made had cigarettes and beer as his main diet and still managed to climb 8b’s (5.13d). We climbed most week days. Sundays were the ideal rest days as it is market day in the neighbouring village. The majority of climbers hitch a ride down to stock up on food provisions for the week! The food is always awesome.

One of our favourite crags is called Trebena. This area is mostly sheltered from the rain and has some of the craziest rock formations. We all got to tick some projects there since it was always dry. My favourite route there was ‘’sucker punched’’ an awesome 7a (5.11d)  line that finishes in the 7c (5.12d) grade.

 

To get the real feel of climbing in Antalya its worth driving down the coast to Olympos. This is the real Turkish hippie town. Located near the ocean, Olympos has gorgeous beaches, ruins and tree houses to sleep in. One of the crags in this area bears the name of ‘’heaven’’ in turkish. It’s an amazing vertical slab with a few pockets placed perfectly as you make your way up. The routes there are all mostly in the 5.11/5.12 area which was perfect for us.

During our stay in Geyik there was an issue with some mining companies trying to get permission to dig up the crags. After heated discussions between climbers and miners, the climbers got the final word and saved Geyik! My concern is how long will it be until the mining industries come back. To anyone travelling to Turkey please try to get informed and make sure to offer a helping hand if needed. This place is truly beautiful and we want to make sure we keep it that way!

Lots of love,
Vincent

Climbing in Colombia with Katie Lambert

As the spring season heated up, climbers head south in search of new destinations to build their strength and stamina. One rising destination in the Southern Hemisphere is the La Mojarra climbing area on the Mesa de los Santos next to the Chicamocha Canyon National Park in Columbia. Known for bullet-hard red sandstone, overhanging sport routes and surreal climbing above a picturesque valley, the zone has started drawing international climbers due to its growing reputation. 

Climbers Mason Earle and Katie Lambert journeyed to the area, staying at the climber epicenter of Refugio La Roca and tested their spring skills by sampling the hardest routes in La Mojarra’s 5.8 to 5.14a range. On down days, the team experienced the cultural travel aspects of a spot featuring stunning National Park vistas, thriving farmer’s markets and some of the best coffee in the world.

What an inspiring location this is!
See you all in Colombia,
Radclimbers

Stinger Low, Squamish

Michelle Yalowega on the ascent of Stinger Low V10, Squamish.

Michelle lives in Squamish, BC. She works as a high school science teacher. 
This is one of those videos we thought should be shared. 
What an awesome start to 2016.

Podcast with Paige Claassen

Here is a refreshing podcast from pro-climber Paige Claassen just for you. Claassen joins Pro Skier Hadley Hammer who has just launched NAUSICAA-CAST on december 7th this year. This is Nausicaa's 3rd episode yet. The podcasts aim at covering some of the worlds best female athletes. It's about those who have dedicated their lives to extreme sports.

Paige classen is very down to earth and fun to listen to. Her vision of the climbing industry is very interesting. She talks  about herself aswell as her goals such as bolting her first route. If you havent heard about Paige this is your chance to catch up on this amazingly talented climber. She has been crushing various hard 5.14 routes over the past years and will surely continue to inspire us over the comming year.

''I think a lot of people try to put on this face in the outdoor industry… that you have to be this perfect figure, this perfect athlete, always be psyched, always be happy…and that’s not realistic…and so to portray yourself as always psyched and always motivated-I don’t think that’s helpful for the community. So I’d rather portray a more realistic version of myself that people can actually relate to. It’s more fun for me, because I get to be myself. '' -Paige

Play podcast.

nausicaacast.com

Rad Climbers

Alizée Dufraisse's trip to hampi

French climber Alizée Dufraisse tells us about her trip to Hampi, India.  

The article is presented in French & English for the enjoyement of everyone. The english is Alizée's own translation. It might be little hard to understand but we accept it as it is.

''Hampi is not a big city at all,  it is a small touristic village far from cities, where people are really hospitable, always motivated for climbing, discovering and share new things. Life in Hampi is quiet, relaxing, peaceful et we fell there, free to do what we truly want to do.  The keyword is be COOOOOL''

Read full story

You never know when?

Back when I was in China, my partner and I biked out to the big banyan tree crag, just 4km outside Yangshuo. We left on an early Saturday morning for an attempt at what is said to be one of the best 5.12’s in the area. The route was called the ‘’Todd Skinner Line’’ graded 7b (5.12b). It was obviously one of the most popular routes at the crag. It is a very straight forward powerful climb. The guide book describes the route as a ‘’sustained pumpfest’’. As I was getting ready to climb, my partner obviously looking at my harness said: ‘’I can’t believe your still climbing with that old harness! Seriously, you should get a new one’’. I had a quick look at my harness and could only agree that she was right. ‘’I’ll buy one soon’’ I promised. She was right, but I loved my harness. It had followed me through thick and thin and I hated the idea of replacing it.

As I started to climb, I couldn’t help but notice the bolts looked out of shape. They were getting a little old and rusty. We should make sure this route gets rebolted I thought. On top of that, I was still thinking about my harness. I really needed to get a new one. Instead of acting smart, I don’t know why, I pushed on. I tried hard to swat these ideas out of my head. But the higher I got over that rusted bolt the lower my mental game was. My legs started shaking uncontrollably and my arms felt like someone was pouring hot Chinese tea onto them. I was pumped and I wasn’t even half way up yet. I pushed through and clipped the next bolt but as I got higher the inevitable happened. I took some airtime. It felt like the biggest whipper in my life, but in reality it was just an ordinary short & safe fall. If someone else had observed the scene he probably would have chuckled a bit at the sound of my scream. As I looked around, the bolt had held and so did my harness.  Why was I so freaked out?

Tod Skinner

Later, I thought of Todd Skinner and the legend he was. I read about his achievements and his death. It made me think about how illogical it was for someone like me with an old shitty harness to climb like it’s no big deal. Worst of all, is the fact that I mindlessly tempted faith by testing my ‘’shitty harness’’ on the Todd Skinner’s line.

Todd Skinner died on Yosemite’s leaning tower in 2006. He was killed when his worn belay loop broke while rappelling from Ahwahnee Ledge. He fell 500 feet to find his death at the base of the tower. Four days before the tragedy, Skinner’s partner, Jim Hewett, had noticed that his leg loops and belay loop appeared a little worn out.  “I very much stressed to him that that’s not good,” said Hewett.  Skinner answered that Hewett was right and that he had a new one on the way. The death of Todd Skinner could have been prevented easily had he backed up the loop with a cordelette or a sling. Belay loops are made to be as strong & durable as possible but they aren’t indestructible.

As climbers it is ingrained in us to push ourselves beyond the limits. The strongest climbers will talk about how important it is to turn your brain off and just go for it. At times, we need to be risk-takers to succeed but we also need to be smart ones. Gear isn’t cheap and it’s easier spending money on traveling and climbing than buying new stuff but I want to keep doing what I love. I want to keep others around me safe and I feel like in the end; it’s no big deal to be a little cautious and climb with proper gear. 
Todd Skinner, rest in Peace!

How to install a backup

Climb on & don't forget to check your gear! 

Vincent Kneeshaw 

Rad Climbers ©

the pro climber vs the top model

So, how exactly do I write about a climber like Sierra Blair-Coyle without adding a picture? Well she isn’t the typical female climber out there. I mean, when I think of female climbers I think of rugged outcasts, tough gals with scruffy hair, strong shoulders and lots of callus on their hands or hands that are just completely ripped up. You know, the type of girl that is fearless and will happily take a shit in the woods and possibly fight a bear on her way back to camp. Yeah that kind of girl! I also think of people like Lynn Hill who wouldn’t mind sleeping in a tent on a porta-ledge for various days in order to free the nose of El Capitan!  I don’t really imagine a hot climbing babe in a bathing suit posing on a boulder. Well… except for, you know, in my private dreams…

Alright, meet the first ever pro-climber / top model in history. Sierra Blair-Coyle is the first actual pin-up pro climber.  How does she not bruise her body for the afternoon photo shoot? I seriously don’t have a clue. Perhaps this will be for a future article. I mean, yes she is pretty sexy and she’s climbed up some serious boulder problems, up to V13. It’s cool to have more women mediatized and recognized in the climbing world. I have the utmost respect for all the female crushers out there. But am I the only one that thinks this here is a little strange. Maybe, it’s because I am the son of a feminist mother. Maybe I’m just ranting for no good reason and I should shut-up. I’m just not sure what the focus is? It feels like the sexiness is gotten a little overboard.

Okay I really can’t do this without pictures. I just wonder how we got from this…

To this…

All right, maybe this is a bit of an exaggerated contrast and she’s definitely not the only climber who uses her personal image for profit. I can think of many more. But I feel like Sierra might be attracting the wrong kind of attention to the sport. Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on just one person. Or maybe I should...

Just kidding.

Thinking of all the young beautiful sponsored female climbers that could easily act like Sierra frightens me a bit. Imagine Paige Claassen or worse, 14 year old Ashima Shiraishi competing in a bikini at nationals. I found out this is already happening. I fell onto one of Alex Johnson’s posts on Deadpoint Magazine. Here is what she had to say about the annual bouldering competition: 

‘’It was unbearably hot, as the desert usually is in August, and the scantily clad girls were out in full force. I understand how dreadful the summer heat can be, but some of the outfits are beginning to cross the line. It’s out of respect for my fellow female competitors, and the respect that I hope they have for themselves, that I wish for the provocative attire to be taken down a notch.’’

Well said Alex! I totally agree that climbers should be recognized for their abilities, their personalities, their morals and professionalism way before their body!

This is obviously a bit of a touchy subject. Best of reasons to talk about it! This might even be the reason why you found this website! It doesn't matter what you think, I’d be interested about what you’ve got to say? Do you believe this is the start of a pin-up era in the kingdom of rock-climbing? Be rad, please leave a comment!

Vincent 

Rad Climbers