SR Climbing School Blog

Everest First Ascent 50th Anniversary

Wed, 01 May 2013 15:56:00 GMT

May 1st 1963, Jim Whittaker, now 84, was the first American to reach the top of the world and summit Mount Everest.

The BBC put together a great short video remembering this moment in time.

I love the line that "if you are not living on the edge, you are taking up to much space."

Adventures continue to happen, but this was a magnificent climb. All the trekking and preparation is far beyond my ability. Good job Jim and Sherpa Gambu!

Click on the photo to visit the BBC page with the video.

Palisades Adopt a Crag

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:25:00 GMT

The annual Palisades Adopt a Crag event is coming up, so plan to be there, do your part, and have some fun!

Be there Sat April 20th from 9am to 2pm. Plenty of schwag and good stuff. Contact Eric at eric.weidenman@doyotes.usd.edu for more info if you have questions.

Jan Conn press release

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:13:00 GMT

Sorry I did not get this on the calendar sooner, but if you are not doing anything tomorrow Sunday April 14th, come down to the Outdoor Campus in Rapid City from 1 to 4pm, and hear Jan Conn speak about rock climbing and caving. Should be a good show.

Rock Climbing Access and Bolting

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:20:00 GMT

I saw this video on the Outdoor Research clothing site. Thought it did a great job of explaining how things happen with the people who manage the land that we depend upon for access to rock climb.

Access....without it, you are not a climber and don't have dirt.

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:57:00 GMT

So it may be that because I am sitting here in an office after mind numbing meetings, and over 5 months dealing with a personal access issue across public and private land to a piece of dirt with a special history that has been deeded to me......instead of being out on the road rock climbing and mountain biking in the warm south west sun, but from where I am sitting, it has been proven to me.....with 100% certainty that if you don't have legal access, you don't have dirt...or in the case of climbers.... rock. Loosing your access might not be fair or logical, but it can be real.

So with this in mind, I encourage ever climber out there to become a member and donate to the Access Fund. If you don't believe me...check out what the Access Fund has done for you lately. Then double up the pleasure and join the Access Fund and the Black Hills Climbers Coalition both at the same time!

So, the question is... Do you N-E-E-D that extra double Mocha?

Rock climbing slang definitions.

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 18:44:00 GMT

Yes, perhaps rock climbing is becoming to mainstream...if enough people are looking to understand the lingo that there is now a book about it. The video below is cute...even if it is in the end an advertisement.

With a little looking around, I learned that Wikipedia of course has a climbers slang glossary/dictionary. But if you need a hard copy for the coffee table or to give to your parents so they don't think you are taking drugs when you come home covered in sweat and chalk...you can get the Climbing Dictionary: Mountaineering Slang, Terms, Neologisms and Lingo

so that when your rock climbing partner says " I can dirt you or we can abseil"... you know what your choices are.

Have fun...climb on!

Today is my birthday...

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:25:00 GMT

So, ya, today is my birthday. I suppose I should be doing some rad ascent of Devils Tower in the 11 degree air that is blowing a few snow flakes around here, but I'm sitting around, reading about the Kyrgz people and the far out life they live and how they question their existence in the same manner many of us do. Thanks to National Geographic for their awesome magazine. Along with that, some work on the website, and icing a stupid injured elbow...I'm reminded that its a slippery slope this getting older....

Anyhow... I came across a well done video. Fritz Cahall is a very very talented story teller that continues to impress me with his work and its ability to make me think about things. Enjoy!

Rad Young Climber

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:51:00 GMT

I'm pretty sure I'm not tough enough to be part of this climbing family, but 11-year-old Brooke Raboutou sure does climb hard. If you are looking for some climbing motivation, perhaps this little video will get you off the couch. As for me....its snowing...there is a fresh pan of brownies just out of the oven... So hard resist.

Ice Skating - Black Hills Style

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT

Gotta love a little smart phone video about ice skating on Boxelder creek in the Black Hills. This ditty was shot by Mike Ray. I hope you enjoy.

Bark Beetle Changes Happening in Custer State Park presentation

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 07:00:00 GMT

If you have been to the Black Hills area in the last few years, you know that pine beetles and the trees they kill have been part of our life. It is an incredible landscape change.

Custer State Park has been very aggressive about removing bug trees. This was a presentation on Jan. 15 about the bugs and the treatment by Custer State Park. Pretty interesting stuff.

They are logging the heck out of the area in an effort to get ahead of the beetles. Time will tell how it all works out, but be prepared for change next time you visit Custer State Park. If biologist knew the easy answer they would be using it, but the drought and the beetles have no easy answer...just change.

Big Hill Cross Country Skiing

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:49:00 GMT

Big Hill Cross Country Ski trails are covered in snow and groomed. Check it out at the Black Hills Badlands Blog.

Cheryl and I have also been enjoying the snow on the Mickelson Trail below Crazy Horse towards Custer City with our XC skies, but with warmer temps predicted in the next few days, its hard to know how long those tracks will last.

Whatever way you look at it...getting out and enjoying whatever is around you is the way to go. Get off the computer and go outside!

Falling through the ice.

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 23:13:00 GMT

I love ice skating outdoors on the ice of the Black Hills lakes and rivers, but that is not without its risk. If you are the type of person who ventures out onto the ice for snowmobiling, ice fishing, or whatever, you might want to check out this video by Dr Popsicle, and watch what happens to your body when you fall through the ice.

AMGA Rock Instructor Exam Passed...Congrats long overdo

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:56:00 GMT

I would like to recognize the awesome accomplishment of Mr. Cheyenne Chaffee in passing his American Mountain Guide Assoc. Rock Instructor Exam this past June down in Eldorado Canyon, CO. As many of you know, Mr Cheyenne is both laid back and highly excited all at the same time. He works hard and plays hard on the rocks and ice for much of the year, so it was little surprise that he brought together these strengths to earn himself this title. Perhaps what makes Cheyenne so good at being a guide is his love for being outdoors, and that passion carries through in the way he shares his vertical world with new and old climbers.

The AMGA is perhaps the premiere organization to receive training and certification on "how to be a guide." They offer training to up and coming Ski Guides, Mountain Guides, Climbing Wall Instructors, and Rock Climbing Guides. If you want to take your bucket of climbing skills and apply them to the instruction and/or guide world...the folks at the AMGA are who you want to talk to.

Cheyenne is spending the winter framing his certificate, working, and goofing off down in Boulder. So, if you want to send him some kudos, just drop Sylvan Rocks a line and I'll be glad to pass the message along.

Rushmore Guidebook Release Party

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 22:54:00 GMT

In case you have not heard. The new Climbing Guidebook to Mount Rushmore is finally here, and it is beautiful and available at Granite Sports in Hill City.

Tonight....Sat. Nov 3 at the Gaslight in Rockerville, SD at 7pm there is free beer and a free slide show by Andrew Burr and Andrew Busse the authors of the new Rushmore Rock Climbing Guidebook. Congrats to both of them on the completion of a multi year long project.

PS - There is also a Barn Dance at the Custer YMCA at 7pm that Cheryl Mayer is calling at and the French Creek Folk are providing live music. No dance experience or partner needed. Donations go to the YMCA...feel free to bring a snack to share or just come on down and have a great time.

Snow at Devils Tower

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:17:00 GMT

There was forecast of snow here in Custer last night but we seem to have avoided it. I heard from Frank at Devils Tower this morning and he included the great photo below of a snow frosted Devils Tower. Its been a great year for rock climbing around the Black Hills. More warm dry days in a row then I can recall. The fall colors started in Aug. and have been impressing us ever since. The tiny amount of moisture in that snow is very welcome though. I've been out and about and continue to be amazed at how dry it is in the surrounding forest and prairie. As much as I like warm sunny days, a good soaking rain and snowy winter would be good for the Black Hills.

We hope all is well with you and thank all the great folks who came climbing with us this summer. Since the guides have all spread to vacations, school, winter homes, jobs ect. and Cheryl and I will be leaving next weekend to visit my families farm in Illinois, I expect that the 2012 guiding season will come to a close on Saturday. Thanks again for all your support and we look forward to climbing with you and all the new folks we will meet in 2013.