Some of you may know I am headed down south to Argentina- to climb in Patagonia in a few weeks.
I have been training fervently, and imagining the possibilities… but the truth is I really don’t know what to expect.
I don’t even really have a committed partner yet. As for what I hope to climb- at this point it is ANYTHING! Anything dry, anything beautiful, anything inspiring to me. The dream is Fitz Roy… but I don’t plan to hold too strong of a grip on this, being my first trip. Sometimes when I am open to anything happening, the more spontaneous and adventurous the results are.
This last weekend, I hit the Wichita Wildlife Refuge in southern Oklahoma for a great session of granite crack climbing with the crew from Oklahoma City. I love the beautiful, lichen-covered rock and golden plains down there. I have recently seen an influence from my visits south in my tree paintings. Oftentimes you see a lone, pale Juniper tree accenting a horizon of golden prarie grasses with nothing but blue sky all around. These lone trees are so inspiring to me- to me symbolically testifying to endurance, strength and the immense beauty and quality found in solitude.
The Bison(not “buffalo”, I asked) roam free on the refuge and may appear randomly, alone or in herds, as you are hiking in. Sadly, I did not see any in the back-country on this trip as I usually do. Here are some shots by my good friend Ben Rodda of me training on Crab Eyes Dome. The routes are “Ra”, a fantastic 5.10 handcrack, and “Moby Dick” a steep 5.12b face climb. Ben and his talented wife Kym just moved their photography business from Evergreen Colorado, to Fayetteville, Arkansas.
