Southern Stoke

What up?

So much is going on right now in the mecca that is Yosemite, it's hard to adequately brag about all the sick 5.Dawnwallminus2 clip-ups that are going down. Ya know, if I add together my warm ups, my project burns, the vertical gain from the heinous double digit (in minutes) approaches I do every time I go out, I'm pretty sure that number comes close to the 3000 feet of choss or whatever that temperamental Czech is climbing.

Sure it's pretty, but a 15 minute approach...that's twice
as far to walk as it is to my project here in the South...
AND I have to carry a rack?!

Let's not forget the Dawn Wall of bouldering that Nalle has established. The Lappnor Project, now dubbed Burden of Dreams at V17, ushers in a new era of pebble-pulling. An overhanging face so devoid of holds, I bet Nalle didn't even have to brush any dirt or spiders off, as it was too blank for even their efforts.

Behold, a single boulder with more holds than the entire Dawn Wall combined.

In any case, you've all probably heard the hypest hype: V17, Dawn Wall, Zodiac Free, Dihedral Wall 2nd Ascent, Skwamas, Sprinter Vans, Global Warming (aka worldwide perpetually bad conditions), etc. Let's move into some more, er, "local" hype.

Having put down the long term project, Unshackled, I've been switching things up for a little bit recently, and starting hunting for some new new. I've tried some new lines - some involving bolts, some involving pads, some involving gear. Here is a list of short-ish term goals I've laid down that I can really get it up for:

Edge of Might 12+ R (Sunset Park)
This one is a trad line that wishes it was a sport climb. Steep, bouldery, dynamic, powerful. About 60/70ft of unreal movement with an element of spice right at the crux due to some very small, tricky gear. Much psych for this one, though it may be getting too cold soon (north facing, very windy).

Roughin' Up the Suspect 13c (Obed)
This is fun, plain and simple. A 12b/c intro takes you straight into a crux v7/8 boulder problem, involving huge campus-ish moves on surprisingly good holds. Much MUCH psych for this one. Killer 11a from the end of the crux to the anchors as a cherry on top.

Bionic Rats V8 (Rocktown)
Whereas the previous one was fun, plain and simple, this line is BEAUTIFUL, plain and simple. I've done all but one move, and then linking may take some effort. But nonetheless, this guy alone is worth the drive to Rocktown.

Less talk, more walk - I know.

So here's what's been going down. I possibly get more psyched talking about climbing and feeding psych to my friends than I do actually climbing. It's been rad getting out with good people recently and seeing them push themselves and succeed, because I know their success is in part due to my own psych and experience that I share. Shoutout to my buds Will and Chris for their first 5.12 flash of the incredible Ripple (12a). As soon as I did this I knew I wanted them to flash it. That day, my partner John and I went up a few times and made sure we had the best beta possible (in case I had missed something as I did it first go). We brushed some things and made some mental ticks. Essentially a v4 boulder off the ground, into 40 feet of 5.10 jugs, finishing with a tricky v3 sequence, all with perfect feet and a gorgeous setting. Will and Chris cruised, but not without making me break a sweat squirming over the final ledge to clip chains...props guys!

Chris on his flash of Ripple (12a).

Am I boring you with numbers? Alright back to goofing off. Some elements of southern style that have occurred recently:

• Trying to find a new crag, getting lost, and finding an old moonshine still instead.
• Becoming a little too excited about learning to take our shirts off while on a jug. 
• Falling on the easy sections of a project because you ripped off a honkin' jug.
• Relocating where you watch from because it's raining honkin' jugs...
• Watching some core Chattanooga developers crush your project while carrying on a conversation with you about differential equations and vector analysis.

Gotta love it here. 

Pretty sure the above is what Patagonia looked like when it started?

 The semester is winding down for me, and I am excited to be picking up an old friend from the airport and roll on up to the New River Gorge for big things. Top of my list is to revisit The Greatest Show on Earth (13a), which I spent 3 hours or so cleaning and whacking down spiders from on my last visit. Hopefully the cold has kept them at bay, because I feel like this route will serve as a huge milestone for me. It's perfect. Face climb to the roof, do some hard horizontal bouldering, then crank out the most beautiful and slippery 12- dihedral you've ever laid your eyes on.

Half climbing, half swinging my
draw at the endless spiders

Anyway, I'll leave you guys with one last bit of spray. I was thrilled to put down a canyon classic recently, Caliban (13b), involving one of the coolest sequences I've done here, and certainly the most exposed crux I've pulled in the area. I wish more people would try these obscure classics. In case you're hesitant - it is fully hung with draws, it's only 12b/c to the 2nd to last bolt, the crux boulder problem is on great holds (just really far between), and you can simply pull past on the draw if you need! Go try this 5 star line. Freshly chalked and brushed.

Cruxin! I wish I was taller...

Setting up for the final 2 moves on Caliban.

Also in case you've made it this far in the post without just leaving to visit 8a, I do want to make it clear - I don't believe Adam Ondra is a temperamental Czech, I know Nalle put in an unfathomable amount of work, and Patagonia has a very dignified origin. I'm always poking fun, and have nothing but respect for them all. Psych psych psych!! Happy craggin'.

Introduction to Me

This is (ideally) going to be an all-things-climbing blawg, and I think it's only fair to provide an introduction to the guy behind the scenes. The guy wacky enough to spell blog blawg and to create a representative site of who he is as a person and name it as a sporty knock off of a sweet potato, which is already a knock off of a real potato. Knock-off squared: BOOM. First point: I'm a math major. Have I lost you yet?

If I haven't lost you, here's a completely unrelated photo of me.
Lost now?

My name is Lohan Lizin. I became a climber 3 years ago. I climbed and climbed. Since then I've learned what a crimp is, I've learned not to drop your rope when you clean a route (by dropping one), I've learned GriGri's are not auto-locking (by being dropped), I've learned that soft catches matter (by spraining my ankle), I've learned to mind sharp rock (by core-shooting my rope...often), I've learned to eat well (after a rapid decline in health and motivation ensuing a week of Chef Boyardee), I've learned to move during the exhale and tie the knot long when I'm in a squeeze chimney (by getting stuck), and from it all I've learned to always be ready to learn.

Always learning. I've sent 5.13 in
fewer tries than this 10a squeeze took me

And here I am - I've taken lessons from multiple humbling experiences on El Capitan, as well as from the 54th fall on my 8 month project. I live in Georgia, but home is beyond that. Home is the belay seat below the Concave. Home is napping on my beaten crash pad underneath Sherman Photo roof. Home is taking my tape gloves off at Camp 4. Home is playing Cornhole with Del at the Obed.

Home underneath Separate Reality (12a), Yosemite Valley

I wouldn't call myself goal oriented, but more dream-oriented. There are things I dream of doing but I don't necessarily work towards that specific thing, like you would a goal. I do what I love and that usually happens to help me along towards realizing my dream. I love climbing and particularly I love experiencing places through climbing. I get bored taking walks and pictures. I need movement and struggle and beauty all in one.

Movement and struggle, in a beautiful setting.
Perfection in a route - Spellbound (12d)

I believe that's what draws me to projecting. My absolute favorite aspect of climbing is the ability to devote yourself completely to a line that inspires you enough to make you a different person - a better climber. Not necessarily a stronger climber, though that is often the case, but a better climber. The subtleties you learn in projecting can never be understood by anyone but yourself.

On a final note, take my most recent, and most involved, project that I have ever committed myself to. Unshackled is a 13b sport route that takes the most striking line up the gorgeous left side of the namesake Unshackled Wall. It IS the best route I have been on in the region, setting the standard for the triple crown of aesthetics, movement, and rock quality. It always sports fixed draws and since the first time I laid eyes on it about 2 years ago, I had to try. I fumbled my way to the second bolt. Months later, I came back again, barely scraping my way to the 4th bolt (12a to this point). I was captivated by this line. Finally, over a year since first trying it, I dogged my way all the way to the final crux (6th and last bolt).

Just below the last bolt on Unshackled (13b)

I was losing my mind trying to find beta for the last sequence - searching for videos, photos, comments, anything! Finally I heard rumor of a right sequence (I had followed chalk out left before). I went back out, and for the first time made it to the chains, having proudly done every move on the route.

This is the moment I went all in.

Every move was complete. Let the linking begin.

Here's the breakdown (warning black-box seekers):

An incredible 12a sequence to the 3rd bolt, with powerful moves on friendly holds down low, and a final delicate sequence which relies on flexibility (particularly your left leg). Easy moves lead to a kneebar rest which separates you from DA BIDNESS.

Once you're collected, a few easy moves lead you to the 4th bolt and another unnecessary kneescum rest. Now, you have 2 bolts separating you from the anchors. Three V5 boulder problems keep you from claiming your 1000 points.

First, a V5 revolving around an awful R hand sidepull/undercling, and finishing with a precise tension-y stab to a slopey, but deep, slot. Clip, set feet, and make another frustratingly precise deadpoint to a good R hand crimp slot (move shown in the last picture). I stuck this move less than 5 times from the ground before sending, despite it being the easiest of the boulder problems.

From here, you move up to a magical pinch. Truly. It's not unique in how you hold it or use it or anything. It's magical because it has always felt better to me when I'm pumped. When I was dogging or warming up/brushing holds, it always felt disgusting! But the few times I reached this pinch on point, it bit back. It held me as much as I held it. It was like the route had finally nodded its head to my hard work and was allowing me a chance to pass.

From this pinch, you have one final v5 that is brutally hard with a pump. You are, however, rewarded with the most spectacular finish, as you clip the anchor and top out the entire wall.

Two moves from the top of the wall, in the final V5 sequence.
Photo from my actual redpoint.

I'm a bolt clipper, a pad stacker, a gear plugger, a nerd, a clown, a climber. In any order really. Perpetually psyched on climbing, let some more adventures begin!