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Matthew De Santis

@desantis.matthew

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I like to go in the woods and climb up small rocks.
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some videos I make sometimes:
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Arta season is in full swing and has been getting lots of traction this summer. Utah’s best pseudo-alpine zone offers some sick Uintah stone and a respite from the heat of SLC. - Chris Watts (@chris4518) AKA King Chuff has been on a recent development tear, adding a few dozen great looking lines to the area, including this one: Heart of the Pack - The shoulder move is claimed to be the hardest individual move in the zone. Chris called it V10, though the second and third ascentionists Matt (@desantis.matthew) and Alexander (@futurewatt) upgraded it to V11 and 12 respectively. - Whatever it is—it looks like a lot of fun to us!!
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OOPS, Sickos went and did a journalism ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ On EP.05 @seaofczars sits down with @kayaclimbing Co-founders @thegnarwall and @davidgurman along with Kaya’s head of marketing @eric.jerome for a wide ranging conversation about the company’s history, business model, learnings and missteps, and all things guide books, digital and print! Stick around for the @desantis.matthew cameo where we break down the economics of being a digital guide book author and explore the grey areas of copyright VS reference data… Circle the WAGONS, we’re fightin’ off pitchfork-armed troll mobs…. 🚫🧌 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and sickossocialclub.com 📸: @hi.henk
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Summer-y of the past few months ✔️celebrated Brian’s huge accomplishment ✔️said goodbye to Seattle ✔️snuck in a trip to Maine ✔️successfully moved my plants to UT ✔️assembled lots of furniture (and we still like each other) ✔️enjoyed lots of new climbing and the season is only just beginning :)
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Whelp…this one kinda got dropped for us! But we’re stoked to ~officially~ announce the Rock Shop guide by Matt DeSantis. - 15% of the revenue from this guide goes to Central Wyoming Climbers Alliance. - “The Rock Shop is a beautiful, quiet refuge of boulders tucked in the forest right off the highway about 30 minutes south of Lander. The easy access, remote feeling, high rock quality, and density of climbs make it one of the best bouldering areas in Wyoming. The granite found throughout the forest is often bullet hard, very featured, and colorful, making it perfect for climbing. The Rock Shop bouldering season is best in Spring and Fall, but decent conditions can be found all Summer long if you stick to the shade. When the weather is nice it’s a great place to car camp and spend a long weekend. If you’re living in Lander, these boulders are the local stomping grounds that can easily be accessed on a workday. After a snowfall, the road up to the boulders can get a little squirely, but for those desperate for good temps it can be navigable. Special thanks to David Lloyd and Zach Alexander, whose previous documentation efforts were an invaluable stepping stone for the formation of this guide. David Lloyd has published a paper guide for the area that is available for purchase for those who prefer the feel of a physical guidebook. Additional thanks go to the many climbers who have contributed to the development of this area such as Chris Marley, Jesse Brown, Justin Iskra, David Lloyd, Jon Glassberg, Griffin Whiteside, and many more. Chris Marley in particular is responsible for a large share of the development. Chris found, cleaned, built landings for, and FAed many of the hardest and best boulders in the area in the early to mid 2010s. Some of his testpieces still have very few repeats. - All of the established trails and climbs are on BLM and National Forest Land, but make sure to stay clear and be respectful of the private property that lies southwest of the main UFO zone.“ - Matt DeSantis
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Arta Lake in the Uinta Mountain range of eastern Utah is now verified in-app thanks to author developers Matt DeSantis (@desantis.matthew) and Alec Quick (@aldroid0)! - The Uinta Mountains in northeastern Utah offer a rugged and beautiful setting for bouldering, with remote, high-altitude zones that come into condition mostly during the summer and early fall. - 🪨 Rock Type: The boulders in the Uintas are primarily quartzite, which is dense, sharp, and highly featured. It offers great friction, though it can be skin-intensive. There are also some areas with granite and other metamorphic rock types depending on the exact location. - 💎 Quality: The quality ranges from good to excellent, with many classic problems that have seen increasing development over the last two decades. Expect everything from highballs and technical slabs to steep, powerful overhangs. - 🏔️Elevation & Season: Most of the climbing is between 8,000-11,000 feet, so conditions are best from late June through early October, depending on snowmelt and weather. The higher altitude makes it an ideal escape from the heat of Salt Lake City in summer. - 🚗⚠️Access & Ethics: Many areas require hiking in (some quite far), and weather can change quickly. Leave No Trace principles are especially important here. It’s relatively undeveloped compared to places like Joe’s Valley or Little Cottonwood, so expect solitude and a bit of exploration.
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Oh to be moss on these stones. Thank you, Fontainebleau.
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January already seems like a while ago with life moving so fast, but this was a trip for the books. First time in Hueco and it did not disappoint. Featured vids (all from the same day!): -First time climbing with double knee pads on Loaded with Power -Flashing the historic DDD -Getting numb while flashing See Spot Run
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A Valley week celebrating the marriage of two of my oldest and most cherished friends, Matt & Christina. My favorite moment of the entire trip was captured in this series by Caleb: Mid-week Louie gave a rip on the quintessential sketchy sandbagged Yosemite slab, ‘Initial Friction’ V1. The low angle, polished classic climbs over an uneven landing and has a very no-hands section where one must get a highhh slippery foot and full-trust to reach a distant edge. I watched Louie’s attempt from afar nervously. Outstretched, she latched the final crimp—we all felt relief until her foot picked and she slid down the slab at near-terminal velocity. Wearing shorts, Louie was left oozing with road rash. We left. On the very last night of the trip, all haggard from the trip and a long day of scaling at various zones for team-members final objectives, all gathered once more for a final fuck-ourselves-for-the-drive-home sesh in Camp 4. Landing at Initial Friction last, the squad charged up the slab with varying degrees of exuberance, hesitation, trust, and fear—I felt good until I quickly realized there was a small pebble in the tip of my shoe—ouch, not recommended! All waited atop for the best view of the next climber latching the crimp. Finally, with peer pressure and a leant pair of pants, we got Louie back on the wall. A top down view—the fear in her eyes was clear. Swapping feet back and forth down low hesitantly—maybe this wasn’t a good idea, I thought, while still loudly cheering, ofc. As Louie got higher off the deck, all shared the tension and anxiety of the moment, and subsequently all experienced the elation and release when she once again snagged the final grip and this time, didn’t slip. Going to Rocklands without a squad had me feeling hollow. Most my life, climbing itself has been so immersive and wonderful that I could’ve been content if I were the only person left alive in the world. However, this summer, climbing another 8A with a bunch of random European men I’d never see again wasn’t filling my cup. I was deeply craving the connection, shared experience, and investment in the success of my friends which this Yosemite trip greatly delivered.
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So stoked to have gotten to spend a week in Yosemite! What an incredible place! Shoutout to the newlyweds @desantis.matthew and @cmdinaps for putting this marvelous adventure together! #goingwiththefloweric #hottub • •📸@caleb_eww
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Another Utah bouldering guide from Matt DeSantis (@desantis.matthew)—Price Canyon! From the author: - “Price Canyon offers some nice sandstone bouldering about an hour and a half from Salt Lake City. The majority of the climbing can be found in the Price Canyon Recreation Area, although more recent development has brought to life more boulders in the surrounding area. The best climbing conditions are typically found in Spring and Fall. The Recreation Area stays about 10 degrees cooler than surrounding areas, making the Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune zones a nice early Fall / late Spring option. The Sun Gulley and Holy Grail zones get a lot of sun, making those areas accessible for most of the Winter. - Many of the boulders are small and can be climbed solo with just a couple pads. However there are a few high quality highballs that you’ll want to rally the crew for. Grades range from vO to v12, with a handful of harder projects yet to be done. If you climb the grade, Turtle Head (v8) is a must do for the area. - If you are coming from Salt Lake City, Price Canyon could be a more “Day Trippable” option than Joe’s Valley when you’re craving some sandy grips. The Recreation Area is en route to Joe’s, so it could also be an easy pit stop if you’re headed to Joe’s for a longer trip. - Follow leave no trace practices when you visit. Particularly when in the Price Recreation Area, be respectful of the land and your impact. Park in designated pull-offs only. Climbers currently have a good relationship with the Recreation Area management and we want to keep it that way. Car camping is not permitted in the Recreation Area at the climbing pull-offs - however a nice paid camping area with water and bathrooms is available at the end of the recreation road.” - Photo is Vincent Burns on the incredible slab, The Price is Right (V5)
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Joe’s Valley’s neighbor to the the east, Triassic, is now live on KAYA! - Here is what author Matt DeSantis (@desantis.matthew) has to say about Triassic: Triassic is a great zone that hosts tons of sandstone boulders in a very condensed area. The boulders are accessible year round, except for rare occasions after a heavy snowfall. The best climbing seasons are Fall, Winter, and Spring. The majority of the boulders fall within the easy to moderate grade range, and many of them can be climbed with just one or two pads. This, coupled with the area’s short approaches and high concentration of boulders, make it a great spot for beginners and families. But for the hard-bodies out there, don’t worry-there are several double digit boulders scattered around, as well as many hard projects yet to be climbed. Because of its proximity to Joe’s Valley, climbers sometimes travel to Triassic for the day when Joe’s has inclement weather, since Triassic often remains dry and sunny. This area is also much less traveled than Joe’s, so it can offer a nice secluded reprieve from the Joe’s crowds. - Check out the full guide at the link in our bio or by searching for Triassic in KAYA. Enjoy!! - Gorgeous photos from @kredberg
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‘The Golden Bough’ V11 FA: (@vampireprofessor) Every region has its legends and the problems which define their legacy. Growing up in Maryland, I spent most of my time climbing in South Central Pennsylvania trying testpieces from folks like Travis Gault, Char Fetterolf, Tim Rose, Josh Newman, and many others. Just hours further west another slew of strong folks and imposing problems lay. At the time those people and places felt incredibly far away. The Golden Bough was one I’d watched many videos of and always struck me as very intimidating given the compilation of diggers in Joel’s YouTube video, as well as the crimpy, board style of climbing. I first met Matt DeSantis under another PA testpiece, ‘Divide Before Nothingness’ in Whiskey Springs. He was going to school at Bucknell to the north and I was in Maryland to the south. We met in the middle to climb on diabase almost every weekend. In later years, I poked and prodded him to join me out in Utah where we continued our missions. This year he came to join me for a short trip in the region we both began climbing outside. We felt a very pleasant nostalgia in the forests of the area together. I’m still trying to find an avenue to make posting on IG feel authentic and valueable. I really like the posting style of @aidan.roberts98 @niky_ceria and @dave_graham_ who tend to put out thoughtful captions which convey more of the experience, add context (be it geographic, historical, or experiential). For me, this problem and a few others from the time spent in PA felt a little like a homecoming as well as a marker of my growth as a climber and otherwise. Before visiting, I’d considered this problem a contender for the top 100 listeroo. Ultimately, the rock at the beginning is flexing and has sustained breakage in recent years, and the tiered landing makes for somewhat awkward falls. Besides that, it is very singular and a nice height. The crux grips are seemingly solid and have a unique texture and feel. The difficulty to me felt very similar to Lois Lane in Joe’s Valley, given that they are both cruxy pocket stabs. Lois Lane being more about timing and balance than strength. Thanks Joel for the experience!
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