Brian Runnells

Nationals comps had taken place in somewhat of a vacuum: if you were physically in the gym they were held at you got to take in the action but if you weren’t (i.e. you didn’t live in Boulder, usually) The following year was a bit of regression in that Nationals from Colorado Springs was not broadcast live, but when it came time for the 2013 edition to be broadcast live It’s through this nostalgic lens that I reflect on the changes afoot with USA Climbing this year that have resulted in me coming to learn somewhat unceremoniously that I won’t be involved in these broadcasts moving forward. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed that I won’t get to continue this journey that I’ve invested so much of my time, energy and passion into over the past several years (particularly given imminent drive toward the Olympics), but reflecting back I can’t help but be satisfied that I got to be involved at all.

Fall is in full swing here in Wisconsin, and I wanted to share a couple of items I hope will motivate people to get out and do some climbing (wherever you happen to be reading this). First up is a Devil’s Lake West Bluff bouldering mini guide. Notoriously hard to navigate, the talus beneath the West Bluff at Devil’s lake holds the highest concentration of hard, good problems at the Lake. And to get you motivated to check out the bouldering on the West Bluff, here is a video of a new problem I alluded to last week.

Almost 15 years later Rouhling is still at the top of his game, opening new routes in the so-called 9th grade of climbing (5.14+ and harder). The new part starts with a great dyno in a roof, to catch a flat hold (7C/+ boulder grade) with a bad fall (scratch to a vertical part…). The finish is also hard with extreme body tension moves with so far between the holds ( I think this other part can be grade 8A boulder for 5 moves). If you have some more time to kill, check out the website for Visit Venus Productions where they have a few different clips presented in a glorious high resolution format a la the Big Up website.

The Fitness had seen one repeat (Fred Nicole) and plenty of broken holds in the ensuing years leaving many on the internet to speculate the problem may not be doable any longer. The trio of Daniel Woods, Jimmy Webb and Paul Robinson made the trip to Arkansas to find out for themselves what was what, and as Big Up Productions reports in their newly redesigned site, Daniel Woods was able to figure out a new sequence to nab the problem’s third ascent after three days of effort. More from Woods himself from his Facebook page: Day 3, Jan. 5, 2013, Witness the Fitness was reborn. ’s original state, but by looking at the holds in Dosage 3 and comparing them to its present state, the line now is totally new moves.