Frank Bogerman and friends in Rocklands South Africa

I found this footage on the site of Sloper. Click the picture to watch the video.

(source: sloper.climbing.nl)

National Geographic captures Big Sequoia

National Geographic sent Nichols to spend an entire year in California's redwood forest. His mission was to capture the majesty of some of the tallest trees on Earth, some of which date back before Christ. And if you've ever photographed in a forest, you'll understand the challenge this presented. There's no capturing the awe one feels before these monoliths that measure, in some cases, upward of 300 feet.

The making of the above picture, which is composed of no less than 83 images, took the team three weeks and an assortment of climbing gear worthy of climbing a big wall. In a recent lecture at National Geographic in Washington, D.C., Nichols described his frustrations. Eventually, though, he devised a way to do redwoods justice. It involved three cameras, a team of scientists, a robotic dolly, a gyroscope, an 83-photo composite and a lot of patience. Check the short movie about the making (click picture below).

(source: unclesomebody.com)

Totem Pole Tasmania climbed free

All individual pitches of the original climb up the Totem Pole in Tasmania, Australia, were freed in January by Doug McConnell and Dean Rollins.
News from downunder sometimes takes time to sicker through: in mid-Janaury the original route up one of Australia's most iconic rock pillars, the Totem Pole on the SE coast of Tasmania, was finally climbed free by Doug McConnell and Dean Rollins. In a massive nine-month effort the two local climbers freed all the pitches of the first route up this remote sea-stack, established with the use of aid by John Ewbank and Allan Keller in 1968. The three pitch outing now goes free at grade 27, circa French 7c, and the two climbers were the first to point out that their style can still be greatly improved upon: they had freed the individual pitchs on seperate days and pitches two and three were split by a hanging belay. Those aspiring to climbing the line in a single push should be aware that the route takes fiddly trad, is run-out and solid for its grade.

(source: planetmountain.com)

Kilian Fischhuber flies Airstar Fb 8B

Rocklands bouldering, In August 2009 Kilian Fischhuber from Austria freed Airstar Fb8b, a long-standing problem at Rocklands, South Africa.
What do you get if you stack two of the best boulders in Rocklands, one of top of the other? The answer is Airstar, the Fb8b problem first ascended by Kilian Fischhuber this summer in South Africa's bouldering hotspot. Airstar was an old project. Klem Loskot, Fred Nicole, Bernd Zangerl and many others had tried it. This year when I returned to Rocklands Nalle Hukkataival told me about it, and both he and Kevin Jorgeson tried it a bit (see here for more).

(source: planetmountain.com)

Simon's Cat - Cartoon and Animation (NEW)

Because it was World Animal Day (we should treat animals like it every day) last sunday here a hilarious and very cool animation about cat habits. In this case what cat's do when (trying) to catch a fly.... Love it ! Click the picture to start the animation.

(source: Marianne (thanx!) and simonscat.com)

Jason Kehl Routesetting at Mammut Boulder Games 2009

Niii-ce video by Jason Kehl and Abbey Smith about the routesetting activities with Joel Zerr and Bret Johnston. Note his funky hairdo and the cool ladder they use for placing the high holds.The fun begins at the moment they start forerunning the routes and after that the tries from the competitors at real competition. Njoy !

(source: revolution.com)