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Forest Altherr

@faltherr

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Tina’s Hot Tips is hidden in plain sight just off of a very popular trail. An epic Blake McCord photo of @lor_sabourin on the route adorned the cover of an old climbing magazine. Within the magazine there is a humorous list describing some mostly obscure Sedona climbs that, according to at least one person, are supposedly pretty good. While the list itself might have been a joke the exploration involved in tracking down and repeating some of the climbs documented in the article has been a fun* pursuit.

Here’s @mitchyaggie going for a lap on Tina’s after his onsight of another climb on the list called Where the Wild Things Are. Oh and the video of Mitch flexing, and scaring away anyone else who would want to queue up for the route, is courtesy of @quesyrahsarah.

*Fun depending on the enjoyment you get from thrashing through the woods and suffering a bit here and there. by @faltherr

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a month ago

At first I felt like traveling across the Atlantic for a solar eclipse would be crowded, expensive, and not really that interesting. I was totally wrong.

We sat on a hill outside of Nájera to observe the event. Nájera is a small town in the wine country of Northern Spain that we picked for its unobstructed view of the horizon while driving south from Bilbao. In the 100 degree heat we hydrated with wine and watched the moon’s shadow cast itself on the earth. I cowered under an improvised sun shelter made of a stick clip and a sleeping bag liner. In the minute of totality I discovered that a solar eclipse is one of the most beautiful things I imagine I will ever witness.

Around the eclipse we spent some time traveling in Asturias and Cantabria. We wandered around old streets and gawked at the marvel of ancient, grandiose, cathedrals. At the Guggenheim, Lindsay showed me many of the classic works of art she learned about during her days in art school. We sought and discovered many fine swimming holes. Finally, I got a taste of the exceptional climbing in Teverga and Desfiladero de la Hermida, and we were fortunate to have our good friends Nat and Cris join us for a solid part of our climbing, surfing, and cheesecake tour.

Notes for future travels in Spain:
- Nos ordenamos (We ordered) is not the same as nos ordeñamos (We milked)
- Going out to a restaurant just for tarta de queso (Cheesecake) during dinner may lead to some confusion by @faltherr

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2 months ago

Mean Leaner I
Shot in the Jemez Mountains, NM | | December 2022
32 mm | f/6.3 | 1/500 s | ISO 100

🧗: @faltherr

#tradclimbing #jemezmountains #rockclimbing #rockclimbingphotography #climbing #climbingphotography taken in New Mexico by @faltherr

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2 months ago

Mitch stretching out for Neglect (13b), a route containing delicate sequences transitioning ferociously into dynamic throws. It concludes with an airy run to the chains nearly 40m out. This panel on Aegir has to be one of my favorite pieces of rock anywhere. by @faltherr

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3 months ago

Follow the broad sandstone walls
And weave across the creek for a year or more
Sneak past the beasts with their terrible teeth
And upon parting through the vines
You could find the wildest thing of all

🧗‍♀️: @quesyrahsarah
⛰️: Where the Wild Things Are

The video of the kingsnake munching on a lizard was captured by Sarah as we walked along the trail back to our car. It’s extraordinary to see the size of prey a snake can ingest. Hopefully, this snake found somewhere comfy to digest this rather large portion. by @faltherr

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4 months ago

The Brook Trout 🎣

There is a tenuous no hands before the crux where you place some micronuts. On my prior attempts my mind would drift to thoughts of ripping the pitch, but on this day my awareness stayed with my breath and the sensations I felt and heard in the canyon air around me.

Things have changed since the first time I approached this route. Initially, I engaged with it merely as a physical challenge and a stepping stone to loftier goals on the neighboring walls, but I had a lot of room to grow.

I thought fear was an ugly place in my head. I remember feeling as though my ability to endure stressful situations had regressed around the time I first started trying this route. The wear and tear of chronic stress may have brought me there, but it wasn’t going to change without some work.

In the past few months, I discovered research suggesting a positive association between happiness, contentment, and an athlete’s ability to endure suffering. As I dug deeper, I found myself intentionally working to reframe my mindset.

During this process, I had to remind myself it is a privilege to willingly put myself in stressful situations. Rather than evading discomfort and fear I could learn to welcome failure and uncertainty while training myself to become more comfortable with risk.

The day I sent the Brook Trout, I found myself in that position below the crux and thought, “Damn, I am so fortunate to be here.” While I may have found the right mindset that day, there is no doubt I will have to continue working to carve out this space for discomfort.

The cool thing is that, for now, I am excited to go there.

@arizona_mountaineering_gear by @faltherr

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5 months ago

Sometimes while I’m lying draped across a sandstone slab, listening to the melodious chatter of courting birds in the desert, I get lost watching the clouds roil in the blue sky overhead and I can’t help but think of how this life is a mere flicker in the universe. by @faltherr

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5 months ago

Mitch on the Magazine at the Beef Walls.

This is a sweet little crag in the shadow of Oak Creek Spire. Like many of Sedona’s small pockets of quality stone this spot is found at the end of a maze of Juniper and cacti but this pitch and its neighbor, the Chief of Beef, are certainly worth the approach. by @faltherr

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7 months ago

In March I spent some time in Costa Rica. I traveled from the cloud forest of Monte Verde to the playa of Manuel Antonio, and I soaked up a ton of biodiversity. Santa Teresa delivered two phenomenal weeks of little green waves, which were some of the most fun and consistent waves I’ve ever surfed. The most enjoyable moments were listening to bird songs in the morning with a hot coffee and trying to determine whether a branch was furry or if it was, in fact, a sloth. Near the end of the trip, I was fortunate to have a friend show me around the neighborhoods of San Jose, adding another layer of gratitude to the journey. I’m thankful for the chance to explore new magical places. by @faltherr

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2 years ago

A bit of sandstone frothing finally got me to put together this short video of @skyler_mavor climbing the Green Pitch on Heavy Metal. Video from October 2024. by @faltherr

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2 years ago

When you’d rather climb another route than hike out of the canyon the halfpipe is the way to go!

@arizona_mountaineering_gear providing the bungee crafted to max out the experience. by @faltherr

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2 years ago

Metal🤘

@arizona_mountaineering_gear by @faltherr

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2 years ago