Rock Monkey Art

The Journey To Sustainability

2011-12-19T21:19:00.001-08:00

An adventure to Taiwan to some of the largest factories on the planet, to help The North Face tell their sustainability story for the first time to the general public. I think I worked harder on this project than anything else in 2011, the road to sustainability is certainly complicated and hard to communicate. After working with TNF on an athlete level for the last 6 years it was an honor to go deep behind the scenes and learn about these important initiatives in this way. As always, thanks for checking it out! ~reo

EXCLUSIVE: Tested. Proven. : Behind the Lens in the Tetons PART 2!!

2011-12-12T08:13:00.000-08:00

As promised here is part 2 of the 'Tested. Proven." series with some gnarly storm sequences, more cineflex aerial footage and some pure climbing/skiing action high in Grand Teton National Park. Tim Kemple aka "Kempy"leads us through this part of the production process. Thanks for checking it out and stay tuned for part 3 next monday. Cheers, ~reo

EXCLUSIVE: Tested. Proven. : Behind the Lens in the Tetons

2011-12-10T08:16:00.001-08:00

Part One of a Three Part Exclusive Series This past Spring Camp 4 embarked on one of our biggest projects to date — documenting a ski mountaineering trip deep into the Tetons Range in Wyoming, in hopes of gathering enough high quality footage to produce a :30 television commercial for The North Face. Our goal was to be ‘light and fast’ but still capture the highest quality content possible. This video is the first of a three part Behind the Scenes series that we’ve dubbed ‘tested. proven'. Jimmy Chin Tim Kemple and myself each respectively talk about the 3 part process of production, shoot and edit...part 2 on Monday! Thanks for checking it out!! ~reo You can view the finished commercial currently airing on national television here

The Denali Experiment

2011-11-20T17:46:00.001-08:00

As promised here is the complete 15 edit: Free-ride skier Sage Cattabriga-Alosa and big mountain snowboarder Lucas Debari step out of their elements and make an attempt to climb, ski and snowboard Denali. Sage and Lucas get a helping hand from a huge cast of seasoned and professional climbers and ski mountaineers from the North Face Athlete Team, including Hilaree O’Neill, Conrad Anker, Ingrid Backstrom, Jim Zellers, Emilio Previtali and Giulia Monego, as the two embark on the hardest expedition of their lives. Although I was still injured during this expedition, it was an honor to get a chance to tell the story and live vicariously through the footy during my recovery. With eight characters and lots of possible story-lines it was one the most challenging pieces I have worked on to date! We are lucky to be able to share it this way, it's true 'experiment' for in terms of how how many people will have the attention span to watch the whole thing online :) Hopefully it does well, so we can keep it coming! Thanks for watching, ~renan a CAMP 4 COLLECTIVE production Director : Jimmy Chin Cinematographers : Jimmy Chin, Matt Irving, Adam Clark Editor: Renan Ozturk Motion Graphics: Barry Thompson, Eric Bucy, Mary Blumen Additional Media: Teton Gravity Research, Absinthe Films, Colby Coombs, Renan Ozturk Color: Anson Fogel

The North Face TV spot

2011-11-16T12:36:00.001-08:00

Have you seen the new North Face commercial lately on TV? If not or don't have a TV (like me) here is the 30 sec spot that is now airing on prime time. It was written, produced, directed, shot and edited by Camp 4 Collective. Also a big thanks to Brain Farm Cinema for working with us on the cineflex aerial footy and BASSNECTAR for the music! Although it was a only a 30 spot it was a pretty epic project with over 2TB of footage to work with. We are psyched to be able to utilize some of the out-takes in this behind the scenes piece. Considering this was the project that almost killed Jimmy Chin and myself last spring, it feels really good to have it finally have it all see the light of day!! warmest regards, ~reo

The Denali Experiment

2011-11-13T22:43:00.001-08:00

Hell All, Sorry for the lack of posts, its been a crazy last few months on expedition in the Indian Himalaya and then directly back into full on editing mode on this wild Denali expedition edit. I promise I will catch you all up with the inside info on the Meru expedition as well as keep the posting a bit more regular :) For now please enjoy the teaser for THE DENALI EXPERIMENT. I will post the full 15 minute feature here next Monday! Thanks so much for watching, ~renan

On Assignment

2011-08-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

My favorite of the 3 pieces we produced for the May National Geographic cover story about Yosemite climbing. It seemed so serendipitous to be 'on assignment' in a place that we all cut out teeth as adventurers (and then ended up becoming the namesake of our collective!) As always, thanks for tuning in! ~reo

Yosemite Falls High-Line

2011-08-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

We shot this piece for National Geographic last spring. Its always good to hang with the monkeys in the Valley!! Best, ~reo

Yosemite Falls High-Line from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

The Tooth Traverse

2011-07-31T20:39:00.001-07:00

This piece is comprised of some of the attempts Zack Smith , Freddie Wilkinson and myself have put into the 'Tooth Traverse' of the Ruth Gorge, AK. There has been a log going on surrounding our adventures: The 1st attempt was heavily embarked upon only days after the memorial for the deaths of our close friends vimeo.com/5065432, the 2nd attempt ended with helping with body recoveries of other climbers in the gorge and the just before our proposed launch day this past spring I almost died in a skiing accident. Beyond the allure of enchaining one of the most iconic [& untrodden] skylines in NA the Tooth Traverse has come to represent so much more than that to us. With my healing going well and the inspiration (and angst) greater than ever we are planning another attempt in the NEAR future. I see the eventual story breaching some pretty heavy topics involved in alpine climbing: sponsored vs. non-sponsored expeditions, dealing with death and the effect tackling dangerous objectives has on friends/family. At any rate here is a little window into our work in progress. ~reo

Living The Dream 2

2011-07-25T00:40:00.000-07:00

A standard day in the life of the recovery from a few broken vertebrae and a skull fracture. Even though I'm not technically cleared for psychical therapy yet, the time has finally come for some soul therapy. cheers, ~reo

Burning the Brace

2011-06-30T22:52:00.001-07:00

Happy to report that after 3 months on lock down inside a c-collar healing fractured c2/c7 vertebrae the beast comes off! ~reo

Telluride Film Festival!

2011-06-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend a number of films I was involved with graced the the big screen at the amazing Telluride Mountain Film Festival. Situated deep in the mountain of Colorado this festival is one of the most recognized on the planet for bringing stories of postive change for the planet to thier audience. It is always a big energy boost to attend and a huge honor to have our expedition stories screen in the same group as films that tackle huge political, social and environmental issues. The TNF line-up of films included COLD (Forge Motion Pictures), TOWERS OF THE ENNEDI (Camp 4 Colective), DOWN OUT AND UNDER (Sender Films) and ON ASSIGNMENT (Camp 4 Collective).

As an athlete and filmmaker there is nothing more exciting (and scary!) than to be able to premier your work in front of a packed theatre of liked minded people hungry to absorb the adventure. Being able to see peoples reaction in real time and answer question on stage is one the most powerful ways I can imagine to share stories. For me, this realization of the power of film really stemmed from this particular festival in 2009 when Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and myself premiered SAMSARA and it took the Charlie Fowler Climbing film award.

I'm so proud to report that the TNF film hightlighting the historic ascent of G2, which is a very real and visceral depiction of what it is like to undergoe climbing a 8000M peak in winter won the Charlie Fowler Climbing Film award. Furthermore our film "Towers of the Ennedi" recieved a honorable mention in this catagory and was also nominated for the cinematograpy award. Athough I'm not much of a competive person it is always a bit nerve racking to attend the award ceremony and see how your peers, mentors and audieneces judge your art of storytelling. In the end it is all about all those special intactions you have throughout with event with the amazing people that inpsire you to take action to keep sharing & creating positive change for the planet! Thanks for reading and hope to see you all at the next T-Ride Mtn Film Fest :) Cheers, ~renan

'Towers of the Ennedi' behind the scenes

2011-05-16T09:51:00.001-07:00

Our crazy first year as a production team ended with a wild adventure to document the first ever climbing in the remote Ennedi desert of Chad, Africa. After 4 days/800km following a GPS coordinate on a roadless wasteland we found ourselves among thousands of beautiful unclimbed towers. Tim, Jimmy and I all have a lot of experience in expedition storytelling from the high himalaya to the jungles of Borneo but this trip redefined 'remote' for all of us. We were so psyched to collectively push our gear and creativity with our athlete friends at TNF. Besides the knife fights with the locals and a few lenses lost to the sand things went pretty smooth. We were able to run our entire work flow without a generator using goalzero solar and battery setups. It was also our first time shooting the motion time-lapse setup on the kessler pocket dolly which was the secret weapon in so many ways. A director's cut of the final film "Towers of the Ennedi" will screen at 5point at the end of April before the full premier at Mountain Film at the end of May! Thanks for checking out this tid-bit. Cheers from the c-collar ~reo Music: Ki:Theory "Step Outside" Computer Vs Banjo "Give Up On Ghosts" Random Rab "For My Corpse"

Towers of the Ennedi - sneak peak of film festival edit!

2011-04-19T19:45:00.001-07:00

This is an exclusive preview presented by The North Face of the film festival edit that will be showing at the 5point film festival and Telluride Mountain Film. If you have the ability to make these festivals I highly encourage it! Meeting the filmmakers, the big-screen viewing experience and the variety of amazing adventure film subjects are not to be missed. At any rate, make sure you have solid 12 minutes to sit down and enjoy this cut of the Chad story. Thanks for taking the time to check it out, lots of love has gone into this edit so far. Cheers, ~reo

Cuba Chapter 5_The Cock Fight

2011-04-19T19:43:00.000-07:00

This is the last of the Cuba series, thanks for following this tropical "vacation" adventure. Although there are a few hurdles for US travelers to go to Cuba once you arrive the culture is welcoming and the climbing is world-class at all grades. Highly recommended in all ways! ~reo

Cuba Chapter 4_The Life of Leo

2011-04-18T08:28:00.001-07:00

A story about one of the dedicated Cuban cranksters of vinales. ~reo

Cuba Chapter_4_The Life of Leo from renan ozturk on Vimeo.

A Close Call

2011-04-10T14:46:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update on some recent catastrophic events. Although we really love taking on every project all the time and going full-steam 24/7, sometimes the powers that be overwhelmingly tell us to slow down. In my case it all came to a halt last week in Jackson, Wy during a C4C/TGR collaboration that was supposed to follow big mountain riders into the Grand Teton National Park. During a pre-production shoot at the JH resort to capture b-roll on mellow terrain I caught an edge with to much speed just above a cliff band. What would have been a normal little fall turned into full on nightmare. My arms pinwheeled in the air fighting for life before the inevitable impact into the rock. During the unconscious lapse that followed my good friend Jimmy Chin 1st responded, playing a major role in saving my life. As I came back to consciousness I was still in the process of being extracted on a sled through the tight tree terrain below Rock Springs buttress by the highly skilled JH Ski Patrol. I shivered uncontrollably and was only able to see intermittently through the fogged oxygen mask and wallops of snow falling from the tight trees. The toll of injuries included a massive depressed skull fracture, collapsed lunge and 2 broken vertebrae. Any one of these could have easily killed, paralyzed or caused permanent brain damage. Luckily the emergency craniotomy and other surgeries were successful. The road to recovery will be slow but the recovery will also be a full one. So, besides just being thankful to be alive I'd also like to thank all of friends and supporters for the love and kindness during the painful start to this healing process. I will still continue to follow my dreams of adventure and creativity in the mountains but will do my best to pay attention to when the universe is telling me to slow down and not take anything for granted. ~reo

Chad Film Festival Teaser

2011-04-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

I've been putting in a lot of time lately working on a ~14min festival piece based on the Chad adventure to the Ennedi dessert. There will be a sneak peak at 5point Film Festival and a hopefully a premier of the finished version at Telluride Mtn Film later in the spring. Here is the teaser so far. Enjoy! ~reo

Cuba Chapter3_The Climbing Comp

2011-04-03T16:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a competition climber so it was a real privilege to see the spirit for the sport thriving in such a way during this grass-roots Cuban event!

Cuba Chapter 2_Enter Vinales

2011-03-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

Psyched to share the next chapter of the Cuba installments...this is first glimpse of the climbing! As always, thanks for checking it! ~reo

Cuba Chapter 2_Enter Vinales from renan ozturk on Vimeo.

Music Recorded On Location

Cuba!

2011-03-04T04:37:00.000-08:00

I'll be posting a 5 part little series on a recent adventure to Cuba. Cheers, ~reo

CUBA CHAPTER .5_getting there from renan ozturk on Vimeo.

A little precursor to a new adventure in Cuba-->A few weeks off the grid climbing and checking out the culture with no phone or internet.

1 5d, 1 pair of climbing shoes and a pair of flip flops...here we go!

MUSIC: http://www.diagramcollective.com/

CUBA CHAPTER 1_Havana City Bustle from renan ozturk on Vimeo.

music recorded on location

Living for the Moments

2010-12-27T10:34:00.001-08:00

Hope the holidays treated everyone well. I know for me it was a crucial time to decompress from the craziness. Here is something to help psyche up for the new year. The Camp4 Collective produced this piece in June. Its was cool to shoot for a concept on this one and really dive into the heart of the experiences we all love. As always thanks for checking it out! ~reo

Chad Dispatches

2010-12-10T10:10:00.000-08:00

I just got back from one of the most remote and wild expeditions to date. You can follow the entire dispatches backlog The North Face Blog. Here is the last dispatch excerpt: “Expedition Time Distortion”: I think this could describe what the whole crew is experiencing at this point out here in the remote Chadian desert. Although we have only been gone for a matter of weeks, and it probably seems like a blink of an eye to all those back home, to us it truly feels an eternity lost in the endless sea of unclimbed sandstone, micro barbed picker grass and roaming camels. Despite the looming homesickness, today the moral is high. We convinced Piero, our tireless guide, to go for a final hail mary quest to the most remote part of the region to check out what seems like the most inspiring formation from our research: a tower/arch that we have deemed “the delicate arch” of the Ennedi. Piero is skeptical of the whole journey after the incident with the knife bandits (see dispatch 4) and tried to ward us off from the idea: “You know there are vipers and cobras in camp-- definitely maybe!!” Even though we will only have an afternoon and morning worth of water to explore the location before have to turn back we all agree it’s worth it. More 4x4ing through the heat and we arrive at the objective. It is even more inspiring than we could have possibly imagined: a helix of two spindly towers ~160 ft tall connected by a tiny arch that truly resembles Canyonland’s famous Delicate Arch! With our limited time the team quickly sprung into action and headed up the talus cone in the brutal midday heat to scope the line. Each side had distinct cruxes of chossy unprotected slabs or decomposing cracks. Eventually Mark and James decided on the slab. The rest of the day was spent battling for protection in the decomposing sandstone. At one point Mark tried to place a bolt and it was so loose in the hole he had a double stack pitons around to make it even remotely passable as protection. Jimmy, Kempy and I scrambled around trying to document the madness we could here James cursing after Mark relinquished the lead: “Its like bloody Caster sugar up here, after you break the outer surface the rest just explodes, #(*)&#@#&!!!”. Feeling a bit antsy at the base Alex took matters into his own hands and went for the kamikaze onsight free-solo first ascent of the crack up the other side. At this point it was a free for all with time running out to find a way to the summit. “Here you go dude, take this wireless mic,” I suggested and he clipped it on. After sending half the formation I could hear his breathing elevate with is knee stuck in a wide crack unable to commit to a loose flake transfer. Displaying good judgment and some extreme skill he carefully retreated down the lower tech face as we all watched clenching our teeth. Darkness set in James and Mark also decided to play it safe and descend, hoping to get it done with an alpine start the next morning. During the night as the climbing teams rested for the morning we stayed up most of the night documenting a moon-rise we will never forgot: The nearly full moon rose directly behind the arch and tracked a perfect path slitting the formation. For the Camp4 Crew this was a mind-blowing coincidence for us to be able to share the beauty of this place. We ran 3 timelapses through the night, one on a motorized Kessler dolly tracks to add another layer of movement to the tracking stars and moon. I have to say it was kinda gripping scrambing around wondering if the aforementioned snakes might be lurking under any rock. Before sunrise the games began again. James took the final leap of faith. I’m sure the details of his moment with God will come out in his and Mark’s own detailed descriptions but all I have to mention is that Mark could barely force himself to belay the pitch. If he fell he would have ripped the entire pitch including the anchor... After some victory screams he brought up the rest of the crew for some truly feel good moments. Its so rare that in this day and age that such iconic first ascents are still a possibly. Looking out over the expanse of rocks and village life below it was an unsaid realization how special this experience has been. . (The Arch of Ba-Chikele) Our time here is coming to a close. By Marks’s vision of putting this adventure together, Piero’s 20 year knowledge of the landscape/people, Alex and James’ bold summit leads and the Camp4 Collective crew photo/video efforts we all hope to bring back a greater understanding of the Ennedi to share with those back home. However haggard, diarrhea ridden, sand caked, starved and exhausted we all may be there is no doubt we are vastly grateful for the experience and the opportunity to be the first to climb in this remote region. Stay tuned for not only a feature in Outside Magazine and Video Dispatches but a more polished film festival piece highlighting the start to finish epic! Thanks for following and cheers from the whole team out here in middle of nowhere! ~reo

As It Happens..vimeo staff pick!

2010-09-05T08:50:00.001-07:00

We are super stoked to have our film from Nepal “As It Happens” a staff pick on vimeo.com! For us being recognized on this platform of creatives is a huge honor. Although we often contribute such works to film festivals and give the audience the full cinema experience we also believe in the value of sharing content online. So here you go, the full 16 min film... Cheers, ~reo

>>>TNF Ultra Trail Du Mont Blanc>>pre-race_dispatch

2010-08-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

After a long stint working on a big brand video for The North Face which will launch on thenorthface.com later this fall we are psyched to be able to release a "dispatch" from a new assignment. Bringing a story direct to a wide audience right after it happens is part of our soul as filmmakers...so here is the latest from the last few days! Thanks to all those involved here in alpine wonderland of Chamonix, France. MUSIC>>>green button music

FREE RANGE TURKEY_final dispatch_#8

2010-05-15T13:05:00.001-07:00

The final take away installment of the FREE RANGE TURKEY dispatches. Thanks for following! Produced by: camp4collective Additional Imagery: boone speed SONG Almost Familiar ALBUM Taking Up Your Precious Time ARTIST Pretty Lights

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #7

2010-05-04T02:16:00.000-07:00

Samarai warrior??....Ninja assassin??.....Bruce Lee?? No, it's Yuji Hirayama!!! In dispatch 7 we discover his personal philosophy for life and climbing as he floats up some of the world's most difficult rock climbs [Devers Royal 8c+? hardest climb in Turkey!] . Loosely translated from Japanese! Edit: C4

5point Film Festival

2010-05-03T07:56:00.000-07:00

We were honored to screen "As It Happens" and "Living the Dream" at the 5point film festival this past weekend to a crowd of nearly 800 people! It was great re-entry to the US after the FREE RANGE TURKEY assignment. Stay tuned for the final Turkey Dispatches!

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #6!

2010-04-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the crew explored a totally different venue and resource off the coast of Olympus, the deep water soloing! We are continually blown away by the culture & climbing potential here in southern Turkey. Thanks for following!!!! ~reo

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #6 from camp4 collective on Vimeo.

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #5

2010-04-21T14:54:00.001-07:00

dispatch 5 final-VIMEO HD from camp4 collective on Vimeo.

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #4

2010-04-17T00:24:00.000-07:00

Who is Daniel Woods? Dispatch #4 dives into the unfiltered character of one of the world's strongest climbers within the context of the FREE RANGE TURKEY trip. What a classic character!!

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #4 from camp4 collective on Vimeo.

Khumbu Climbing Centre 2k10

2010-04-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the 7th year of the Khumbu Climbing Centre in the Everest region. Nepali high altitude workers tune up on technical climbing, English and medical skills during the Khumbu winter. This was my second time teaching as part of the school, a true pleasure to take part in this program!

The Khumbu Climbing Centre 2k10 from camp4 collective on Vimeo.

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #3

2010-04-12T04:37:00.000-07:00

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #3 from camp4 collective on Vimeo.

OK, now we are drilling into the heart of the experience. After 3 nonstop days living the climbing lifestyle in the Jo-Si-To climbers camp the team heads to town for Turkish Sunday market. edit renan Music: Dabrye BeatSpoke Additional Imagery: Boone Speed Climber Compound for all ages: josito

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #2

2010-04-07T02:57:00.001-07:00

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #2 from camp4 collective on Vimeo.

Getting into the swing of things! Three days of non-stop hard climbing and shooting has pretty much smoked every muscle in our bodies. In this dispatch Sam, Emily and Daniel have back to back sends (climber speak for successful ascents!) of "Freedom is a Battle" 5.13+. We wanted to give you some raw action in this installment and get a bit more warmed up to high-angle shooting. It is clear that the limestone here is unique to the world...but what about the culture? Stay tuned for the next dispatch on the amazing scene here..the local climbers, markets and vibe that drive the adventure.

Art From On High

2010-04-06T13:36:00.000-07:00

Strayzine.com, a new online magazine for adventurous souls wrote an article about Amee and I and our current Exhibtion, INterACTION. Check it out here

Beginnings

2010-04-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately for me my parents did not allow video games or TV!! Growing up in Barrington, Rhode Island I spent most of my free time climbing trees, building forts, and getting lost outside in the “Muschuck” marsh. “YEEEHOOOOYEEEHOO!!,” I’d shrill from the top of the big tree at the edge of our property. I had developed this bird call to alert my next door neighbor and best friend Ben it was time to come outside for an adventure. Ben would drop his homework, climb out his second story window and join me in the tree and escape for an adventure in the salt water marsh a few blocks down the street. This large shorelines ecosystem was full of tall reeds, meandering streams and muddy bogs pretty much untouched by any in the area: This was our little patch of wilderness to explore. In the tall reeds we foraged a maze of paths that led to little forts constructed from washed up recycled tid-bits from the sea: entire cockpits of old boats, fishing nets, buoys, large tires, and sculpted logs. Like little pirates we had maps that detailed the confusing network of trails and chased each other wildly, crazed and out of control. Commonly we would stumble home after dark bleeding and depleted from the exploration of a new part of the marsh. Looking back on these classic times, I realize how they still shape the way I live life today. Adventures are relative and at the time building a new trail and fort structure in the Muschuck marsh down the street was equally as epic and satisfying as executing a massive climbing expedition and art project deep in the Himalaya. Holding onto that spirit of adventure from a kid helped me stay motivated and happy. So, whatever your age or ability you are the take home message remains the same: The more time we spend outside expressing ourselves the more richly we have lived. Climbing and art are two of the greatest vehicles I have found to carry me this direction. ~reo

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #1

2010-04-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

FREE RANGE TURKEY_dispatch #1 from camp4 collective on Vimeo.

Spinning in space 100ft off the ground with a camera is where we expect to be a lot on this expedition: the "Free Range Turkey" trip, a climbing exploration supported by The North Face to Antalaya in southern Turkey. We will be updating videos live from the field featuring a bad-ass international roster of athletes including: Emily Harrington, Sam Elias, Daniel Woods, Yuji Hiriyama, Eneko Pou and James Person. In this first installment the crew makes the initial journey and gets psyched for the adventure to come.

INterACTION

2010-03-09T18:21:00.000-08:00

Amee and I are excited about our upcoming show at the CCAH Gallery in downtown Carbondale, CO. The exhibition is in conjunction with the 5Point Film Festival, where I will be premiering my latest film with Cory Richards. Come check it out if you're in the area! or even if you're not.

Tawoche 2k10 dispatches #6

2010-02-19T09:54:00.000-08:00

Although Cory and I have been back for a week from Nepal, we are still reeling in post-adventure excitement. Besides being a bad-to-the-bone alpine climber Cory is also a very established adventure photographer. Although he mostly worked with me on video to tell the story, he also killed it with his stills....here is a select from his edit!! Also, we are currently working on a behind the scenes and out-takes video to expose the junkshow behind the dispatches...stay tuned!

TAWOCHE 2k10 dispatches #5

2010-01-21T22:33:00.001-08:00

“This is our decision to live fast and die young. We've got the vision, now let's have some fun. Yeah it's overwhelming, but what else can we do? Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute?” MGMT As we told our sponsors before the climb, we’ve gone rogue like Sarah Palin. We are off the grid… As we wake up battered and depleted, everything points us towards bailing. Only we are too hard headed to concede defeat, not realizing in fact that we are just too stupid to know when to call it. We haven’t had water in a day or so…but who needs hydration anyway? Talking with this degree of cottonmouth makes me sound like I am speaking in tongues…Renan looks at me with confused, puffy eyes. Are we really going up? I am as confused as him…the answer is a surprisingly emphatic ‘yes!’ I dodge rocks as Renan leads through some choss. He short fixes, I jug, dry heave, swing leads, dry heave more, and suck down hard candies like an addict locked in the throes of withdrawals. I can’t wait for the snow, for the water, but we still have hours to go before we get there…if we get there. But the unspoken common ground is that we are down to go up… As are artists, we are locked in a constant struggle between what we want to capture, and the energy our bodies can afford to give. It’s an instinct to reach for the camera, but one that nearly always falls second to the tasks at hand. Often times, I criticize myself for not shooting more…for not nailing the perfect image…but then again, I am fighting just to move. As athletes, we are succeeding, but as creative individuals, we are flailing…it hurts. There are multiple points in any given day, during any given hour, or on any given pitch, where I want more than anything to call it in. I want to yell up at Renan that I’ve had it. I can’t swallow, can’t talk…can barely breath, and all of it makes me want to descend. I know he feels the same because I can see it in his face. But our mouths stay shut, moving upwards steadily as a cohesive unit. No, it doesn’t make any sense…but we’ve never pretended to understand. Life is reduced to a consecutive series of familiar motions. Our arms begin to cramp due to lack of fluid. The glands in our mouths stop producing saliva. We are dried up… All the variables in the equation equal out towards descent. But math was never my strong point…apparently Renan suffers from the same learning disabilities. c & r

TAWOCHE 2k10 dispatches #4

2010-01-20T23:21:00.000-08:00

Waking at 3:30 a.m. is the least of my concerns. We haven’t really been sleeping anyway. Our minds are filled with “What Ifs?” and scenarios that leave us wondering if we are struggling against basic fear, or fighting intuition. Alpine climbing is a labor of love…it’s type 10 fun…the kind of fun that doesn’t have to be fun to be fun. In fact, most of the time spent in the actual activity is consumed by the minds’ pursuit of the base desire that has thrust you into the situation to begin with. In short, it is not something that makes a tremendous amount of sense. Following your instincts isn’t really an option because your instincts tell you not to leave the ground. But conversely, not leaving the ground isn’t a viable option either…because fighting your desire to climb leaves you more miserable than the climbing itself. We think about friends we’ve lost in the mountains and wonder if they were feeling the same thing the last morning they crawled from their respective tents. There is a massive question mark that hangs gloomily above the whole situation, and this morning is no different. I light the incense and tuck it into the makeshift Stupa. Over my shoulders, pre-dawn light outlines the horizon…the dark figures of Makalu, Baruntse, and Ama Dablam. The last of the gear is shoved into the packs in silence as our labored breath rises into the light of our headlamps. The only thing left to do is start climbing. Greater fears are boiled down to specific distractions: Will there be water? Will the weather hold? Can we climb fast enough? And before we know it, the sun warms our backs and we are high above the valley floor on new terrain. The fear melts and melds with joy to create a hybrid emotion that feels almost tangible. Like my friend Colin Moorehead says, “Climbing is the truth.” c & r

TAWOCHE 2k10 dispatches #3

2010-01-12T22:35:00.001-08:00

Turn up the RADIO! Coming at you live from 17,000 ft. below the South Central (Gangsta) Buttress of Tawoche… Renan and I are stuffed in a tent suffering from pounding altitude headaches. This after our 4,300 ft elevation jump yesterday on our final approach to BC comes as little surprise. We have never actually been accused of being the sharpest bowling balls on the shelf…so go figure. Tawoche in all her glory rises above us another 5,000ft. With the view, comes the all to familiar rollercoaster of emotions that precede any alpine endeavor. Balancing fear and intuition, angst and energy, the action vs. the idea….they all flow into your already pounding cranial vault, leaving you exhausted before you’ve left the ground. Since our last dispatch, we are one man, one camera, and one crucial lens down. Chhewang accompanied us to BC, but has since descended to Pangboche to wait. One 5D was tragically lost to a windstorm last night, as well the lens attached. Left with merely pieces, I am more than just a little bummed that the culprit time-lapse didn’t even make the cut for the dispatch. Thanks for hanging with us…while we have no real comms up here, it means a lot to us to know someone might be listening. c & r

TAWOCHE 2k10 dispatches #2

2010-01-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

The good news is the plane didn't crash...and there is no bad news. The lights that dot the hillside outside our window go out one by one...it’s late in Namche. Our floor is less carpet space than duffels overflowing with camera and climbing gear. Namche is the hub of almost all activity in the high Khumbu and yet now in the off season, it’s hard to find a shop open before noon. We’ve been here for two days, breathing the thinner air, adjusting to the cooler days and hanging out with the Tibetan traders below the village. Thamserku, Kwangde, and Kusum Kanguru tower above us in an impressive trifecta of ice and stone...conditions look good and we are stoked. Tomorrow we’ll leave before the sun hits the village and wander up the Thame valley towards Tibet. Our friend Chhewang Nima will come along fort he ride.. You’ve never heard of him...but you should have considering he’s climbed Everest 17 times (yeah, you read that right)! His is just another example of Sherpa modesty and stoicism. The next four days will take us over the Renjo La at roughly 17,400 ft., down to Gokyo, and finally to Phortse where we will stage for our attempt on Tawoche. Three friends, two cameras, one trail....epic.

Tawoche 2K10 dispatch #1

2010-01-04T16:20:00.000-08:00

It’s 5:45 a.m. and Renan and I are up and throwing the last of the goods into barrels and duffels. What stays? What goes? Where are my shoes? Our days in Kathmandu have been good…a productive and creative time to sink back into Nepali culture before getting on a plane to fly into the mountains. There is no doubt it is time to get out of the city and up into the hills. The flight to Lukla is a time-warp…you get on the plane surrounded by the amenities of modern life and 45 minutes later, after landing on a super sketchy runway that angles steeply uphill, find yourself surrounded only by trails, monasteries and deep gorges. No more car horns and pollution…it’s sick! The motivation and creativity are running thick and Renan and I are busting at the seams to capture our trip and bring everyone back home along…it’s good to be here, but the extended tribe is never far from our thoughts. ~Cory The new year is staring out right! I'm in Nepal for 2 part adventure. First I'll be meeting up with my friend Cory Richards for a first ascent attempt on the 6000M Tawoche Himal followed up by teaching Nepali climbers technical skills as part of the Khumbu Climbing School. Nepal holds a special place in our hearts with its vibrant people, iconic mountains and rich culture. We are going to do the best we can to share the endeavor! ~renan

Living the Dream

2009-12-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

My quintessential day here in Boulder Colorado. For most of the last 6 years I've been a traveling vagabond following my passion for art and climbing. This existence involved sleeping outside in wild places, hitching rides, having very little belongings, a drained bank account and some gourmet dumpster diving for food. I climbed everyday and lived my dream. These days I'm a domesticated man. By most people's standards I'm still living in the ghetto with my 1988 beater car and trailer-like house. Each day I find time to escape to the nearby rock spires and bag a summit. Making this creative short I realized that I still live my dream everyday...!

City Footage

2009-12-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a speaking event in NYC. It was my first time in the city as an adult and I found the constant movement contagious and inspiring. Most of this piece is footage for the general library to be used on future projects. In the long run the idea is to mix some of this into a mountain film to have some contrasting food for thought. opening song by Cedar Wright thanks to WIRED magazine and The North Face for making it happen in style

The North Face Athlete Summit Snippets

2009-12-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

The gathering of adventurers in San Leandro, California for The North Face annual global athlete summit meeting.

WIRED Magazine Video Clinic

2009-12-10T23:30:00.000-08:00

I've been here in the bay area for The North Face athlete summit, a gathering of the tribe of adventurers from all the disciplines. I've got a few short stream of consciousness videos vignettes from the antics coming soon. For now, just a quick note on an event coming up this Saturday in NYC! I'm so psyched to get a chance to share some knowledge on what its like shooting real time video dispatches from the field while climbing Himalayan objectives.

Indian Creek Rukus

2009-11-29T23:59:00.000-08:00

It was great to get back to the roots and spend thanksgiving in the unique red sandstone landscape of Indian Creek, Utah. After the tragic deaths of our friends this past summer it made me sad not to share this with them. It was clear that they helped the community grow stronger than ever and get psyched to live life to the fullest everyday. Here is the quick and dirty edit of about 3,000 photos that tell the story of T-day with the monkeys, complete with on location camp-fire music from the late Jonny Copp's father Jonathan Sr. We missed you Micah, Jonny & Wade! Stay tuned for footage of Cedar and Nick Martino's new 5.13 at the 2nd Meat Wall and Matty Segals new 5.13 at Battle of the Bulge...

Kendal Mtn Film Festival--Best Adventure Film

2009-11-22T20:36:00.000-08:00

Super honored that Samsara won "Best Film on Mtn. Adventure" in the UK at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival. Its so cool that the awards are original pieces of art by Andy Parkin, a climber-artist who I really appreciate! Also my good friends at Sender Films took the grand prize for "Alone on the Wall", featuring Alex Honnold on his Half Dome and Moonlight buttress free solos. They just finished a 6 episode TV show called "First Ascent" which is going to air worldwide on National Geographic Adventure Channel in 2010. Stay tuned for the air-dates of episode 2 about our Vertical Carnival quest in South America and all the other madness...

Lost Cave Temples adventure is online NOW!

2009-11-20T22:26:00.000-08:00

If you missed the broadcast of the Indiana Jones adventure, you can still check out part of the show on PBS online. "Lost Cave Temples" is from the first exploration to Nepal's Mustang Kingdom. We used creative choss climbing techniques to enter many cliff cave complexes and discovered ancient artwork and treasures that offered clued to pre-Buddhist Himalayan cultures. CLICK HERE FOR THE SHOW

Photos From a Remote Land

2009-11-15T00:31:00.000-08:00

Starting to get excited to see the final films from the "Caves of Mustang" project: ON PBS NOV 18 @8pm. Wish we actually had a TV! The word on the street is that they are going to show two hr long pieces from the discoveries of ancient artwork, human remains and wild climbing action. It was the most mind-blowing adventure I'll probably ever experience in my lifetime: a full on Indiana Jones style horseback and lasso thriller on the Tibetan plateau. At any rate, Kris Erikson, my good friend The North Face athlete and adventure photographer has published a online gallery of his images from this adventure, they give a good flavor of what we went through.

Samsara Wins Best Overall Film

2009-11-12T21:34:00.000-08:00

The 9th annual Williamstown Mountain Film Festival had another successful year with over 450 people in attendance. In all, 16 films were shown during the two nights. I'm super honored to have "Samsara" chosen as best overall film from the selection. It is clear that Tom, the kindhearted director of the festival is going to keep growing this mountain film festival! Thanks for showing our film and sharing the sufferfest!!

Moonlighting--art show

2009-11-10T21:53:00.000-08:00

All of my friends over at The North Face have organized a fine art reception from all the talent within the brand. If you are around San Fransisco it is on friday the 13th from 5-11pm at "Work Space LTD" 2150 Folsom (btwn 17th and 18th) BART @16th and Mission parking on 17th @Folsom. I have a number of oringal works on display including some pieces from the summit of El Cap looking out in Yosemite Valley! Links to a few selects in the show: Summit Series Color Summit Series B&W Cedar

new gear site

2009-11-10T15:52:00.001-08:00

New online closeout store brings wallet-relief to gear junkies. DepartmentofGoods.com it is going to be the biggest and best closeout sites for outdoor gear on the planet. They are giving away 200k in gifts- Everyone that orders something from the site will get a bonus gift...anything from socks to a bike, to a kayak. ALSO one in every ten orders will be completely comped. Totally free. To get a code you can either just got to DepartmentofGoods.com and request a code, or go directly to DOG Facebook page to get the daily code http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/DepartmentofGoods?ref=ts Anyone can get a code....just request on at the site and the’ll email you.

Behind the Pieces

2009-11-01T14:17:00.000-08:00

FREE show--opens friday @4!!

2009-10-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

Amee and I set up the "Alpine Wonderlands" exhibition in the Max Bell building at the Banff Centre yesterday. We are so psyched about the new system for displaying the art: grommets in the canvas, old carbiners clipped to the grommets then cord extending to the ceiling. It is environmentally friendly and adds to my style of art. Also the space is huge, so this is the best representation of my work to date. It will be great to share these alpine scrolls for a like-minded, adventure-hungry crowd! The opening is on Friday from 4-5 with sketchbooks and creation videos from the field to check out! MORE INFO CLICK HERE...

National Geographic Adventure Interview

2009-10-28T18:46:00.000-07:00

The filming work we have been doing in the field for The North Face Expedition Dispatches has been recognized by National Geographic Adventure online. Story with interview click here...

Patagonia Art for Banff Mtn Festival

2009-10-27T23:27:00.000-07:00

Working on a piece that was started in Argentine Patagonia this past winter with Jeremy Collins. Showing this at Banff Mountain Film festival next week.

Make Your Own Legends

2009-10-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

Original art show and "Samsara" on the big screen at the Boulder Adventure Film Fest Here are the easy links for more info for this event which kicks off on November 12th in Boulder, Colorado! Tickets and Trailers

Caves Of Mustang-"Secrets of Shangri-La"

2009-09-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

Coming Soon on PBS part of an inspiring project in Nepal's Kingdom of Mustang!! Wed, Nov. 18, 8PM Priceless treasures unearthed inside human-carved caves in legendary kingdom of MustangIn the legendary kingdom of Mustang, a remote corner of the Himalaya previously off-limits to outsiders, a team of explorers and scientists climbs for the first time into human-carved caves thousands of years old. They find priceless 14th-century wall paintings, ancient human remains and a centuries-old hidden library of sacred texts that may reveal some secrets about Shangri-la. Photo Gallery from Kris Erickson!!! CLICK HERE...

Launching Soon

2009-09-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

The North Face is launching a new website to help folks find outdoor events going on around the US. Big City Mountaineers, The Access Fund, The American Alpine Club, The Sierra Club and many other are partnering up for this as well as many North Face Athletes. It is now live at PLANET EXPLORE!! Here is a preview of the flash banner we made for the home-page which features art from the summit of El Cap looking across Yosemite Valley toward Half Dome.

Go Outside

2009-09-05T07:54:00.001-07:00

Published Recently in South America

Norway Road Trip Part 2 - Stetind

2009-08-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of the Norway Road-Trip. Packed 4 deep in the Northern Alpine Guides Mitsubishi L300 minibus we took multiple mini ferry rides to most iconic peak of the country, Stetind. Not only is this peak a wild volcano-looking spire of granite (1,700 ft of rock!!), but the approach is also magical: endless blueberry patches, waterfalls, enchanted mushroom/mossy undergrowth and finally pristine alpine lakes. Unfortunately we got hammered by a torrential rain storm close to the summit so there is not much climbing footage... Amee and I were able to top out the last few steep 5.10 pitches and were lost on the summit for a while before finding the descent while the rest of the team found an escape ramp. best from up north, ~reo

Reel Rock Tour Trailer

2009-08-25T01:20:00.000-07:00

Our Friends at Sender Films and Big Up Productions presents there latest adventure films. Click Here to check a location near you. Our "Vertical Carninval" trip to Patagonia and Brazil will be featured!

Lofoten Islands, Norway Road-Trip

2009-08-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Northern road-trip in Norway! This is a work in progress for Northern Alpine Guides, and features the owners/newly weds Seth and Maren on the 13 pitch 5.10 classic West Pillar of the Priest or "Presten" formation. Its really unique to have a sustained route of this nature (nearly every pitch is 5.10) on a spire rising right out of the sea. These magical islands above the arctic circle (24 hr daylight in the summer!) are home to a rich history of trad climbing, mountaineering, and hard-core cod fishing. You know it's a good trip when: you lose your new camera on the plane, your debit card gets "captured" by the ATM, you leave your credit card @the gas station, it rains every night and you have a single wall tent, you spill a big bottle of Dr. Bronners in your duffel, the iPhone drowns in a wet pocket & finally someone steals your frying pan...

live this fall

2009-08-15T08:26:00.000-07:00

I'm helping produce the visuals for The North Face Speaker Series which kicks off this fall. Six video trailers for this material and ticket info available on the TNF site. Some really inspiring stories, if you are around any major city this fall reserve your tix now!

Alaska

2009-08-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

The full story of the AK adventure on the Black Diamond Website

Celebrate

2009-08-10T02:37:00.000-07:00

Long Live Micah Dash!

2009-07-16T23:03:00.000-07:00

This slideshow pays tribute to my late great friend Micah Dash who along with Jonny Copp and Wade Johnson was killed by an avalanche in the Sichuan mountains of China. Micah was a brilliant climber, speaker, and all around top notch individual. Those who were lucky enough to get to know micah were touched by his humor, love and sense of community. LONG LIVE MICAH DASH!!!

Alaska Reality Check

2009-07-15T13:44:00.001-07:00

I just returned from a mini-expedition to Alaska with Zack Smith. We spent two weeks living on the glacier. The line-up of peaks in this gorge is one of the most impressive skylines on the planet and the accessibility from the lower 48 is mind blowing. In 24 hours from home you can be quivering below the largest walls in the world. This juxtaposition of realities inspired our video work on the trip. We will be releasing a short film on Black Diamonds new website.

SNEEK PEEK: TNF speaker series_trailer

2009-06-18T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Road to Ultra-Bright-Ness

2009-06-17T22:40:00.000-07:00

Amee had a breakthrough this evening with this mixed media piece on canvas. It is a screen print with a road to ultra-bright-ness painted in with acrylic. Life in Boulder has still been pretty jostling after the deaths of our close friends but we are all trying to get back on the path and do things with a heightened level of inspiration. I've been back in video world working on a trailer for The North Face speaker series that includes clips from 7 top athletes going for around the globe. The torn and cut paper music video masterpieces have been driving my curiosity and this piece will be an effort to incorporate some of these elements with crazy base-jump, alpine climbing, ultra-running and high altitude skiing..stay tuned Thanks for checking this out and kind regards, ~REO

Micah & Jonny in "The Sharp End" Produced by Wade

2009-06-08T19:39:00.002-07:00

Huge Loss of Micah, Jonny, and Wade in Sichuan Mountains China.

2009-06-05T13:04:00.000-07:00

I first met Micah about eight years ago when he joined the Yosemite Rescue Team. Micah was a bad‐ass wall climber but had a lot to learn about free climbing the cracks. I remember stumbling around a corner one day at Arch Rock just in time towatch him take a giant whipper on a 10a‐plus fingers to offwidth crack called Midterm!As a seasoned crusty Yosemite veteran I hazed him with the appropriate amount of teasing and slander. To my surprise and delight, three years later Micah was cranking 5.12 cracks onsite and redpointing 5.13 quickly. “Remember Midterm” he yelled down to me one day from the top of a heinous Indian Creek finger crack that he on‐sited, and that I an hour earlier had whipped off, “this feels way easier than midterm,” he smirked. The tables had turned. Micah continued to progress at a blistering pace and was soon sending the gnar in the mountains and living the dream of a sponsored bad ass! Through Micah I met Johnny Copp who became Micah’s partner in the mountains and friend for life. Johnny struck, me as the archetype of everything an alpinist should be, big, burly, seemingly undaunted by the sort of situations that make most men pee their pants. He wore one of those infectious smiles that beamed positive energy, and the two of them together was a super strong if not somewhat comedic super team of the small and big. Micah was my brother and the loss I’m feeling right now is impossible to put in words…and I really haven’t event registered the reality that Micah will probably not be walking through the door gnawing on a carrot like a hyperactive rabbit and showing his rippling abs and asking if he looks fat. Right now the world just seems cruel and unfair…I’m going to miss you brother…I love you man….Cedar. I have lost good friends Micah Jonny and Wade to an Avalanche in the Sichuan Mountains of China. There are no words for how deeply this tragedy is rocking our community..... The Latest Updates on Adventure Film

Musical Roots

2009-05-30T22:15:00.000-07:00

I'm in RI with family after the Patagonia, Brazil, Borneo, Mountain-Film whirlwind push. My mother, grandmother are music teachers and I've always been specifically drawn to tonal percussion instruments. Being here has helped me rediscover an old favorite: THE Mbira (mm - bee - ra) of the Shona people of Zimbabwe & Mozambique. Although just a simple percussion instrument the resulting music is very complex: "cycling in 12-, 36- or 48-pulse patterns, Shona mbira songs elaborate a seemingly endless number of variations around a basic harmonic shape, shifting rhythms and melodies at ever-changing places in the cycle" Please EnjoY!

Reel Rock Tour

2009-05-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

My good friends over at SENDER FILMS are launching the 4th REEL ROCK FILM tour, featuring the final edit from the Vertical Carnival adventure for National Geographic TV international. Also they are hosting a film contest for shorts. Such a great way to get your creative works out there [and collect some $$ and prizes...]

Signing on with Backcountry.com

2009-05-29T21:39:00.001-07:00

I'm really excited to be a new member of the Backcountry.com pro team. I'll be contributing gear reviews, photos and answering questions in their community of outdoor adventurers. If you are looking for any kind of outdoor equipment it is the place to go to get the best selection, price and support! They even have a few sub-sites for biking one of which is called Huck N Roll of which has a monkey logo. Also check out backcountry.com's blog called THE GOAT which just posted a welcome. Backcountry.com really "gets it" on a number of levels, I'm psyched to be on board!

Plum TV interview for "Samsara"

2009-05-29T19:03:00.000-07:00

Telluride Award

2009-05-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

Samsara wins the Charlie Fowler Award@Telluride Mountain Film We were really psyched to see the turnout of people to see "Samsara" at Mountainfilm in Telluride. The edit was finished last minute and delivered in classic style the day of the screening. The final version featured the original art from the field and some additional shots of Jimmy/Conrad from our recent adventure in BORNEO. The film played 3X at the festival: prescreening for T-Ride high school kids, on opening night, and a TBA for those turned away from the first showing. Thanks to Amee for crucial feedback, TNF for making it happen and Jimmy & Conrad for such showing me the true meaning of the GNAR.

Samsara World Premier

2009-05-11T23:48:00.000-07:00

Samsara, a rock monkey art production will see its first screening to the public on Friday May 22 at the Mountain Film in Telluride In addition "Center of the Universe" (left) 60'' x 40'' mixed media on canvas, original art from the expedition will be showing at the festival. Cheers, ~reo

BORNEO BIG WALL

2009-04-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a video assignment for The North Face in Borneo with Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, Mark Synnott, Alex Honnold and Kevin Thaw. I managed 8 video posts with the satellite modem from the field, here is the last of the series, the final success. ~reo

Brazil Outside Magazine Feature

2009-04-27T06:52:00.001-07:00

This article was published during our Vertical Carnival before we made it home. Photos by Tim Kemple

Outside Magazine Feature

2009-04-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

Check out the new April 2009 issue of Outside Magazine for the feature article “Why Am I Here Again?” written by Conrad Anker and featuring Jimmy Chin’s photography. In the esoteric game of high-altitude big wall climbing, the Shark’s Fin, a blade of pale steep granite deep in the Garwhal Himalaya, lies right at the boundary of what is possible. The peak’s inaccessible beauty has inspired many of the world’s best alpinists to attempt it over the past 25 years. None have been able to conquer the infamous overhanging East Face. The article covers Conrad Anker, Renan Ozturk and Jimmy’s brutal 19 day attempt. Conrad’s story along with Jimmy’s photographs illustrate why no team has yet completed this route.

Vertical Carnival

2009-02-03T22:53:00.000-08:00

A new adventure begins tomorrow. I'll be headed down to Patagonia then on to Brazil on a "Vertical Carnival" of first ascent climbing. The trip will be featured in Sender Films National Geographic TV show. Follow adventure through at Vertical Carnival Dispatches

Chongo Documentary

2009-01-04T16:01:00.000-08:00

A great friend and an inspiration for living life by your own means. Check out the super well done documentary HERE!

Back from the Field

2008-10-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

Its good to be back after a double duty expedition push in the Himalaya... First off was the "Caves of Mustang" adventure in Nepal. We worked hard to explore more of the thousands of cliff-cave systems and discovered significant things that should stir up the historical record for high himalayan culture. The specifics must wait for the NG film which will air in the spring on PBS. Directly following this I met up with Jimmy Chin and Conrad Anker for a go at the Shark's Fin on Meru. This thing pushed us to the edge of our ability to suffer and survive.. 19 Days on the wall w/10 days of food, 3 guys in a 2 person portaledge, an 8 day storm, daily frostnip, 5 hr belays, spindrift, hauling, and wild trench-ware!!!! Check out the video Chronicles here As for now, I'm still hobbling from the frostbite and taking it easy it Crested Butte. Thanks for checking it! ~REO

Sender Films Presents 'The Sharp End'

2008-08-24T22:48:00.000-07:00

While Renan's away, I'll try and post exciting happenings as they come up. Thanks for checking in to the rockmonkeyart blog. We're psyched you're here! Our friends over at Sender Films are always working hard to create rad climbing movies and this film is a testament to that.'The Sharp End' is about bold climbing and features lots of heart-racing footage. Be sure and check out senderfilms.com for a showing near you. It's always a fun evening of adrenaline and socializing! To see the trailer click here.

Tower Jumping VIDEO On NY times website!

2008-07-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

PHOTO TIM KEMPLE --------------------------------------------------- Sender Films has released a video short that is on the New York Times Website. It features my good friend and climbing partner Cedar, but I'm also taking the leap in the red jacket about a minute into it. Stay tuned for Sender Films new feature film called the Sharp End that will have more great footage of these areas as well as some my art animated in 3d.. stay tuned for the sept 10 premiere.

Adrspach Springy on Canvas

2008-06-03T14:04:00.001-07:00

52''X 18'' Mixed Media on Canvas. Completed in Crested Butte, CO from a sketch done on the train tracks in the Czech Republic a few weeks ago..

RED GOLD MOVIE

2008-05-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Telluride Mountain Film Fest was last week and I got really lucky to see the world premier of "Red Gold". The film illustrates the beauty and culture of the largest remaining wild salmon fishery on earth and the struggle to save it from the proposed "pebble" mine that will destroy it if it goes through.. Check out the trailer below

Rock Monkey Article in Climbing Magazine

2008-05-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

Cedar & Winkie put this article together! that's me in the lower right.. http://www.climbing.com/exclusive/features/stone_monkeys-visions_of_the_modern-age_stonemasters/ online now!!

Kismet Rock Foundation 2008 Jubilee

2008-05-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

May 17 at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, NH. Jubilee is THE annual event for Kismet Rock Foundation! All are invited to join in this festive springtime occasion which includes dinner (catered by White Mountain Cider Company), live music, dancing, a very popular silent auction, and student presentations. Amee and I both donated artwork to the silent auction as well as many other rad photographers, artists, gear companies and local NH establishments. To get an invtation visit Kismetrockfoundation.org. If you're in NH or close buy, then mark your calenders for May 17 at Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, NH. Sponsors: Supporting Companies (providing donated products or services): Dutch Bloemen Winkel Frontside Grind Coffee and Espresso Polartec LLC UPS Store - North Conway Auction Donors: Amee Hinkley Anne Skidmore Photography Attitash Becca Van Fleet Brian Post Photography Chris Noonan - Oriental Rugs Chuck Roast Climbing Magazine Conway Historical Society Debony Healthy Hair Harrison Shull Photography Horny Toad IME Isis Julbo Kris Pastoriza Laura Johnson Lupine Pet Mammut Maui Jim Sunglasses Mike Jewell Nereledge Inn New England Aquarium Philbrick Photography Ragged Mountain Equipment Randy Rackliff Renan Ozturk Rock and Ice Magazine Saco Bound Seacoast Air Tours Snowflake Inn SOLO Schools Sterling Rope Co. The Inn at Thorn Hill White Mountain Artisans Gallery Wildcat Service Station Wild Things More coming soon!

Barefoot in Bohemia Part 2 (re-edited)

2008-05-13T01:51:00.001-07:00

Sketches from the Field

2008-05-12T03:20:00.001-07:00

OLD SCHOOL SKETCH-GNAR!!! So, the end or our journey is in sight, and it now seems like a good time to reflect on a three-week journey into the past to a mystical land of sandstone towers where climbing ethics developed behind an iron curtain and never caught up with the times. A place where cams and chalk are taboo, a good knot placement is hard to find, and the slow slipping feeling of your fingers on a grainy sloper can not be relieved by a dip into your chalk bag!!! A place where it’s actually illegal not to run it out. This is an area where most of the locals have broken bones, and the helicopter takes away another victim of the severe runouts nearly every weekend! This is the only bastion of climbing where the absurd idea of jumping huge gaps between towers is considered a sport, and has a grading system! We hear legends of a man named “Oxygen” who pushed tower jumping to a new level! If you see the gaps he jumped they defy what seems possible or sane…broken bones would be the best-case senario of blowing one of his unrepeated tower jumps! A lot of beer gets drank by the locals before and after climbing, and one old school local recommended two strong beers before attempting any dangerous line in the park!! At the end of the day you celebrate the fact that you survived another climbing day by drinking more beer! “When in Rome” as they say. Since our arrival here in Adrspach, the group has debated the merits and downfalls of this unique and scary climbing style. Surely there isn’t a more serious, mentally demanding place to climb than this bizarre haven of Bohemian climbing, but because they lacked cams and stoppers, they often placed bolts next to cracks, which offends some members of our team. But the end result is not safe or unchallenging, in fact it’s the exact opposite. Sure it’s a little weird to see a bolt next to a crack, but you could take away the bolts add cams, and have a lot less scary and challenging experience! So yes the cracks are bolted but that doesn’t make them a homogenized safe experience…it ironically makes them even scarier, when all you get is a couple knots and maybe a bolt or two per pitch you better have you’re A-game on! My viewpoint is that climbing and ethics are inherently contrived and at least here in the Adrspach climbing is earned with blood sweat and fear, and feels like a gladiator sport for the mentally honed! The style is refreshingly different! This isn’t gymnastics, it’s like boxing or bullfighting, it’s frigging the full sketch-gnar, it’s terrifying!!! Maybe it’s because I’ve always respected and practiced the art of Free Soloing, but I appreciate it here where you have to be fully committed to the moment, and can’t fake it and climb beyond your limit. You stay solid, and locked in or you risk hitting the ground and ruining your trip, your legs and maybe your life. The number you climb becomes arbitrary, and is not the point, it’s about the beauty of the line and how solidly you can climb it. Yes it’s contrived and silly, but all climbing is in some way. Also for sheer beauty, the Adrspach is one of the most inspiring places I have visited. There are hundreds of spires and when you summit one, you look down on an endless sea of sandstone needles sticking out of a beautiful alpine forest. This has to be one of the best slackline venues in the world, and yesterday Renan and I rigged and sketched across one of the coolest highlines I have ever walked. It was one of those cleansing, soul soaring moments you always hope will happen but can never count on…so we are feeling thankful for a beautiful experience in a beautiful place. We have three more days here in the Czech, then back to our respective homes in the states, where we will definitely appreciate our cams and chalkbags with renewed enthusiasm. Cheers…CEDAR WRIGHT.

2008-05-07T01:03:00.000-07:00

From the Sketchy Sandstone...

2008-05-01T00:42:00.000-07:00

Its been non-stop here in the Elbsandstein!! The last few days have been a blur, as we tour the endless climbing areas, and get used to the extremely sketchy climbing techniques. Many of the climbs here are quite run out, and yesterday I pretty much reinvented myself on a 5.11 runout that if I had slipped would have likely put me on the ground. I felt shaky from the adrenaline surge for the rest of the day. Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen from Sender films are on a mission to capture the climbs and beauty of this area, and I was pretty impressed with the massive crane that they erected on top of a teetering tower to capture footage with; quite the production! Bernd Arnold continues to tour us around, which is invaluable, as everything is in German, and the climbs are often hard to find, and harder to find protection on. I think Bernd is the most amazing 60 year old climber I've ever met, and I think he really gets a kick out of introducing us to this unique style of climbing. Last night we had a spirited conversation/debate about ethics in climbing, discussing the merit of sticky rubber kneepads, and other new tools in modern climbing. While we all had our differing views, one thing was clear, we all really love climbing and feel strongly about going about it in the best possible style, which in many ways is exemplified by this oddball backwoods european climbing area where it's not uncommon for people to solo routes barefoot without chalk, which really is a style that's hard to improve upon. While this style of climbing is pure and to be admired, it is also quite dangerous, and my main hope for the trip is that no one breaks a leg or worse. Today it's raining but hopefully the sun smiles on us soon and we can go run it out on sketchy sandstone, because even though it's real scary, it's a whole lot of fun. written by: Cedar Wright Photos: renan ozturk

Way of the Warrior

2008-04-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is me on "Bushido" a wild 5.13 arch originally scoped by Zack Smith.. The name means "Way of the Warrior" a samurai code of conduct stressing mastery of arts and honor unto death. For more of Zacks explorations check out his "flying ninja" segment on Momentum Video Magazine site The photo is also taken by a local nick-named "EO". If you get a chance check out his imagery ! !!! best, REO

Sketch from Castleton Summit

2008-04-19T16:34:00.000-07:00

I've really enjoyed this long stint in Moab and the surround desert areas. Here is a rough sketch from the top of Castleton tower after I dragged my sketch book up the Kor-Ingalls climb. I'm off to the Czech republic in a few days with Sender Films to climb on the thousands of grey sandstone towers. The area is unique because of its strict ethics: no metal protection, no chalk, no shoes. Stay tuned to the "dispatches" on The North Face site. Thanks, REO

NEW PIECE

2008-04-12T11:37:00.001-07:00