20
Questions
Describe
your climbing background: Climbing
for me started in the local climbing gym, which
at the time was the logical progression from
the trees in the backyard! As the years
passed i began to discover through acquired
climbing mags and gear catalogues that there
was a world of climbing waiting to be explored.
All i had to do was convince someone to join
me and save up for some gear. Big walls always
fascinated me and after many years of fun and exciting
free climbing in Australia and abroad i started
aid climbing in 2003. Ten months after i
stepped into a set of aiders I found myself
on El Cap climbing Reticent Wall simply
because it had the smallest gear list in
the guide book! Almost exactly a year after
climbing El Cap my fantastic climbing partner
Nathan Kukathas and I made the long trek
to the Karakoram. This was our first crack
at a big wall in one of the greatest mountain
ranges in the world.
Was there a big breakthrough or defining
moment for you?
Aid climbing.
Describe
a memorable climbing experience:
For my 21st birthday i decided to go
against the grain of all night piss ups
and yard glasses. Instead I held a portaledge party halfway up the 300m north
wall of Mt. Buffalo. Eight of my climbing buddies and i rapped off the top of
the wall with over 300kg of gear, hammocks,
food, stoves and a full sized stereo.
The flashing setting on our head-torches made great party lighting!
What
are you up to when you’re not climbing?
Fixing classic Minis.
Any training advice or suggestions?
Don't
get too caught up in the vortex of training,
climbing outdoors is the best training of all.
Eating lots of ice cream also helps!
Who or what inspires you?
Big
walls, impossible looking aid lines and my friends.
How do you see
climbing evolving in the next five years?
There are some very talented
young climbers in Australia that have been raising the bar at an astonishing
rate, especially in the competition circuit. I think that climbing will definitely
become a bit more "mainstream" in the next five years. i also hope
that these young climbers will continue their efforts and keep pushing the
limits outdoors.
What do you think about the 5.15 grade?
Hats
off!
Care
to comment on: pre-clipping more than one draw on sport routes or pre-placed
gear on trad routes, chipping/comfortizing holds, glue vs. no glue:
Chipping,
glue ons and comfortizing... Not cool. Pre-clipping draws... some crags
have "perma draws" these days so i don't see a problem here. Pre-placed
gear... as long as no one else sees you it's all good :-) Just don't try
and claim an onsight, that's not cool.
Do you have any vices
and what are they?
Spending too much time tinkering with cars in
the shed.
Any near death experiences?
A
few sketchy aid pitches and a few motorized shenanagins.
Are you
a fan of climbing history? Explain?
Climbing history is fascinating.
I am always humbled by what the pioneering climbers achieved back in the
days of hemp rope and swami belts.
What are your future plans or goals in
climbing?
Climb Trango, Amin Brakk and as many other big walls
as i can.
