Iker Pou - Nit de Bruixes (9a+) in Margalef

Fenomenal climbing and dito footage. Ever wondered how they make these video's? See the link at the bottom with Simon Carter behind the scenes. (zourze: Vimeo)

Push Button to Add Drama

No words needed; just watch and see for yourself!!

Avoid the Edge

A golden oldie, but in this times of digital and faster the neccesity of good old 'using maps' is stil valuable. Unless you cross the edge that is...

Steve McClure Climbing Hubble at Raven Tor

Always special to see why so few climbers dare to climb Hubble and succeed as well! Steve McClure explains why this route is so special. Few moves, all of a revolutionary intensity, linked on 14 June 1990 by a extraordinary Moon (in version rasta) who with this masterpiece produced the world's first 8c+. Even today the route stoically resists attempts (just ask Adam Ondra) and in its 22-year history, the route has been climbed a mere 6 times. All by Brits, of course: Malcolm Smith, John Gaskins, Steve Dunning, Richard Simpson and, in 2009, Steve McClure who explains here why this route is so special. Zourze: planetmountain.com

Where good ideas come from

This is a truly ingenious way of visualizing "where good ideas come from", made by Steven Johnson. Take time to watch and let serendipity take place as new insights are forming. (zourze: profoud.nl)

Ice Climbing Aurdal - Norway

Although the winter is much warmer than it used to be around this time of year, there is plenty to climb. Here we 'tackle' Liten Foss (WI3+) near Bagn in the Norwegian region Valdres. Nice blue ice, somewhat brittle here and there but good climbing on the whole.
Above Edwin in the upper region of the ca.25m long route.

Boudewijn's first lead climb in many years, but it went smoothly!

Two days before we climbed a gully with ice and a fine last pitch vertical. Here Boudewijn and I pretend to be 'running up that hill".

And ofcourse our ice climbing mascot 'mouse' is climbing as well. Ice bouldering in his case :))

(First three pics: Tim van der Linden; last pic: me)

Tempest Freerunning Academy - Pure Fun!

Tempest Freerunning Academy from The Cool Hunter on Vimeo.

Check this out! As there are climbing gyms and bouldering gyms, here's the indoor version of the freerunning as it used to be on the streets. Besides the beautiful designed gym the video is nicely choreographed too.

(Zourze: Thecoolhunter.com)

WePowder - Menno Boermans on a Snow trip USA

Menno Boermans, our Dutch photographer, mountain rescuer and winter-medic specialis, is on a road trip searching for powder (click pic). Follow his adventures, tips, infodoc's and loads of pics here.

(zourze: mennoboermans.nl)

Nordic Flower - Magnus Midtbø climbing 9A

Looking for ice climbing information in the area of Valdres, Norway (where we are going to climb in about two weeks time), I found a link to footage of Nordic Flower (Flatanger area). This route was opened and first climbed by our Dutch climbing hero Jorg Verhoeven. In this case the footage is of Magnus Midtbø climbing the 55 m, 120° Roof graded at 9A.

Ice Climbing in the Netherlands

Unsusual, but nevertheless possible; ice climbing below sea level. In the little town Bodegraven Thomas Knoope biuld a cunning construction on which he let water trickle down. Cooled with a set of copper pipes the water made beautiful steep ice, no less than 11 m high.

Stalagtites, a little overhang and perfect ice ("plastic") and even a barn in which to take a little shelter for the wind. For the first time I climbed leashless with the Black Diamond Fusions (thanx Tim!) World class hardware :))

I hereby thank Thomas again for his hospitality and generous way he let's everybody climb at his premises for free.

A week after I climbed there the (!) Dutch Ice Climbing Competition took place.

ART - Intricate carvings from used books

Ever thought about what will happen with all those books when discarded or put away in cartboxes at the attic? French Canadian artist Guy Laramée did. Based out of Montréal, Laramée is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, director, composer and anthropologist.

He uses books to create intricate fine carvings of the most elaborate landscapes. 3D views of well known places like the grand canyon or the rock temples of Petra. Both as artist as well as from philosophic point of view he presents the books as natural material showing nature's denudation. Nature becomes art and art show's nature's decay, the hardcopy books might 'denudate' into the flatland of e-books.

Urban Environmental Innovation - 2100.nu

In one year citizens and companies in the urban area Østerbro in Copenhagen, Denmark have reduced a lot of CO2 and created green innovation. See the remarkable results and get inspired to do something in your own city or urban area!

The best thing however is the common sense of awareness and urgency they have created! There are a lot of ideas and methods of reducing the human inpact on the environment. The hardest part though is to mobilize people to act on a larger scale than one houshold. This initiative has reached that goal, which I think is far more important at this stage than reaching a very respectable 10% recuction of CO2.

(zourze: 2100.nu)

Brillant gig by the band Pickwick from Seattle. Reminds me of music from..., yeah what?? Just listen en make up your own mind.

Live From The Basement - Pickwick (bonus track) from Sound on the Sound on Vimeo.