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Art Muir

@artmuir

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7 Summits Messner Maybe oldest to climb Mt Vinson, Ski Last Degree to South Pole and climb Carstensz Pyramid Powerlifting: IL records / nat’l champion

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Our objective loomed over us the night before our attempt. Pico Urriello @picouriello in the Picos de Europa national park in northern Spain.

I crawled into my bunk in the access Refugio unable to fall asleep as I reviewed the skills we had practiced in the prior days. This would be the most ambitious rock climb I had ever attempted and believe me I felt it.

My guide, the irrepressible Noe @noeliaoc7 and I got ready for a 5 am alpine start along with lead guide Elias @elias.the.spaniard and my climbing compadre Wolf @wolfblitzaa. It was still dark when we set out on the sketchy approach to the tower over what can be called a trail only with the most generous use of the term.

Elias and Wolf tackled a direct and challenging route to the top, 9 pitches running up to 5.10. Their route is pretty much the right hand side of the tower in the first photo.

Noe and I took a less challenging 5 pitch climb on the south side at 5.7 to 5.8, but it felt plenty airy to me.

After some hours of climbing Elias and Wolf popped through a natural opening and joined us on the south side for the final scramble to the top.

We hugged, we celebrated and then we did three long, beautiful rappels down and off the peak.

So cool.

What followed was a long, long walk down and back to the car. I was slow. It was hard going. But 14 hours later we were on our way to a late dinner.

Outstanding day with a truly great team. I am grateful for their unflagging enthusiasm and support. I am proud of us and what we did.

#picourriello #hardthings #itsallabouttheeffort by @artmuir

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18 days ago

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22 days ago

Headed up to our next objective - pictured in the photo on the wall in the last pic in this sequence. Intimidating to say the least!

Some slab practice.

Fortunately, I am in good company. @elias.the.spaniard and @wolfblitzaa to fortify and keep an eye on me.

#inovermyheadagain taken in Picos de Europa National Park by @artmuir

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25 days ago

Yesterday. Time for a day off. Why not go to the beach and climb some crags? What a country. With @elias.the.spaniard and @wolfblitzaa

#atlanticcoast #sunninganfcragging by @artmuir

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25 days ago

Two days ago we did a thing. A hard thing. 12 hours hiking and climbing to do a stunning traverse. The full traverse is between my thumbs in pic 7. Hard but satisfying. With @elias.the.spaniard, @wolfblitzaa, @noeliaoc7 and her extraordinary climbing friend @cristinillapaz. What a day!

#doinghardthings taken in Picos de Europa National Park by @artmuir

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a month ago

A couple of days ago we started our climbing with an afternoon on this spire. Quite an experience to do this type of climbing. A lot of uppity with chimneys and other problems to negotiate and three rappels to get back down. What a hoot. Well, it was a hoot after it was over. During - it required attentiveness. With amigos @elias.the.spaniard Elías De Andrés guiding and @wolfblitzaa to keep me smiling.

#climingspires #picosdeeuropanationalpark taken in Picos de Europa National Park by @artmuir

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a month ago

Well he did it. In his third-ever meet @artmuir set two @usapl_il records at 80 years young in the 75 kg weight class. @usalimitless put on a great @usapowerlifting regionals.

Overall he was 8/9:

💡Squat: 90 kg/198 lbs
💡Bench: 57.5 kg/127 lbs
💡Deadlift: 135 kg/297 lbs

The final attempt - 308 lbs - went up easy. We’ll get it next time with a little more grip work.

Art always says that it’s not about the summit, it’s the effort. And boy was that true here. He worked hard and trusted the process, but even more important is that we had a lot of fun. During training sessions we were just as likely to be talking current events as powerlifting.

The meet was an absolute blast, including hanging out with our new friend Duncan, the only lifter older than Art there. He’s a regular competitor at age 84 just because it’s a good time.

Special thanks to @uwl_barbell for working their butts off as loaders and spotters.

#powerlifting #mastersathlete #strength #squat #deadlift by @artmuir

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a month ago

Segovia did not disappoint. What a beautiful and historic city. The Romans built that viaduct 2,000 years ago!

#thingsthatlast #charmingcities #anotherfineday taken in Segovia, Spain by @artmuir

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a month ago

Art, wanna go rock climb in Spain? Me? “Yes”. When somebody asks, the answer is always yes. 😄

You can get non alcoholic beer everywhere now. And it seems to me that every other city in the world has a modern, clean and efficient airport. C’mon Chicago; get it together.

Looking forward to climbing with @wolfblitzaa and @elias.the.spaniard

This is gonna be great.

#inovermyhead #rockclimbing #getoutside #visitspain taken in Madrid, Spain by @artmuir

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a month ago

Met this fellow this morning. Viorel “Wally” Stirbu. @viorelwally A Romanian born retired Chicago firefighter who shared a harrowing story of escaping the Communist country in his 20’s when it was ruled by Nicolae Ceauşescu. You have to hear it from him. Really extraordinary.

He just summited Everest after trying three prior times. Persistent! But here’s the thing. He is 75 years old. Yep. Just another 75 year old Chicagoan who decided it would be cool to climb Mt. Everest.

We each brought the ice axe we used during the climb.

Congratulations Wally. Well done

#everestat75 #chicagoansoneverest

📸 @speshlkchi taken in Cupitol Coffee & Eatery by @artmuir

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3 months ago

This is so cool. Our grandson, a LEGO ninja, putting his skills to use helping his dad assemble a squat rack / cable machine in the garage yesterday.

Squat racks for everyone! Lift heavy; get strong; stay young

#weightlifting #barbellsallaround taken in Iowa City, Iowa by @artmuir

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3 months ago

I was thinking about my recent experience in the Masters Nationals powerlifting meet. It reminded me of summit pictures. You know - the ones we all love where it’s all smiles and high fives on top, but we often don’t get to see the years of prep, effort, luck and teamwork it takes to get there. I had no idea I looked like this in the middle of lifts. 😄 But I do like the feeling of moving that iron to the end range. Note to self: try smiling more next time if it is so much fun. More importantly, let’s get more people my age out there. This showing up and getting a medal for first is not fair! #powerlifting #liftheavystayyoung #thebardontlie #barbellsareforeveryone @usapowerlifting by @artmuir

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3 months ago