Cover photo by feature photographer Florian Beyer
October Feature Photographer: Florian Beyer (aka. Lepyruvate)
|
Photographer and climber Florian Beyer hails from Germany, but goes by the French version of a biochemical name - Lepyruvate (or pyruvic acid).
In this interview we learn about the critically important role of pyruvic acid in life, along with Florian's other passions - crag development and water treatment. Florian has a PhD in microbiology and works in the field of water purification - specifically the process of turning sea water into drinkable water. Florian shares his wonderful wonderful photos with us, along with the climbing world in Germany, and the greater needs and issues of the surrounding world. |
Editorial
|
Welcome to the October 2020 edition of Common Climber!
Oh October - or Rocktober, as we affectionately call you - you are the perfect month of the shoulder season, enabling us to strengthen and tan our shoulders in the cooling fall-temps of the northern hemisphere and the warming spring-temps down south. We are ready to send! Yes, COVID is still making the rounds (especially here in the U.S.), and wild-fires are still rampaging in the States or have left scars and falling trees in the Western U.S. and southern Australia. It's a buzz-kill for sure. But, it just means taking extra precautions - be it wearing a mask when others are around, avoiding burned areas per the local recommendations, and having the campfire chats, perhaps without the campfire. Just like finding that hidden beta for your project, it simply takes a little more effort - and it's soooo worth it. This month we have some sweet beta on some specific crags and climbs:
We wrap up the edition with a climbing love poem to warm the heart and re-publish a previous article about COVID-19 to remind how to protect our hearts and others' hearts (and lungs and brain and lives) from this disease. |
Editor, Stefani Dawn, at Mt. Charleston, Nevada.
|
Adventure
|
Consolation Prize (By Hugh Ward)
Two adventurous climbers seeking a first ascent , get benighted, skunked, and a little consolation prize tossed in. |
Profiles
|
|
|
Profile - Lindsey Hamm
(Interview By Enock Glidden) Lindsey Hamm is a mountain guide based out of Bishop, California. She has a strong Instagram following who love to see her photos of sending and having a blast climbing and guiding. Lindsey was a competitor in the Titan Games, lives out of her camper, and, her absolute favorite food is chicken. Read on to learn more about this confident, mountain spirit! |
Developer - Mitch Lehman
(Interview By Stefani Dawn) Mitch Lehman shares his experiences developing a new crag in the Piney Creek Gorge in Beckley, West Virginia. Mitch worked closely with local organizations and government agencies to create a crag for all levels and for teaching. He provides an excellent example of community-based crag development. |
Crags and Climbs
|
|
|
|
From Yorkshire to Eternity (By Keith Bell) Australian author and climber Keith Bell takes us on a journey of the ultra-classic crack climb Eternity on Mt. Piddington in the Blue Mountains outside of Sydney. |
My Home Crag - Nowra, New South Wales, Australia (By Max Gordon) "Nestled in amongst the coastal suburbs of Sydney are a plethora of amazing bullet-hard sandstone crags that are sure to satisfy even the thirstiest of frothers. There’s thin technical face climbing at the Grotto, powerful steep overhangs at South Central, open-hand slopers at Hospital Rocks, and all of the above at Thompson's Point. Whether you like minging down hard on credit card holds or contortionist type gymnastics, Nowra has something to test you." |
Location Review: Mt. Charleston, NV - Yeahs and Neahs
Mt. Charleston is a sport crag that sits high above the Las Vegas, Nevada desert floor. It has large walls of limestone scattered across the mountain and a variety of climbing grades and rock “styles” – from limestone with horizontal chert-infused layers to super-sharp “pokey” limestone to overhung yellow- and grey-hughed limestone with chunky edges. Learn about details, camping, and "yeahs and neahs" to help you decide if it's worth a visit. |
Poetry
|
... |
A COVID Reminder
As the peak climbing season begins, please let's remember that COVID-19 is still with us and is increasing in many places. It is true that when we are in the outdoors the spread of COVID decreases, but that's not a guarantee. In crowded crags or days with little wind in close quarters, we can still get exposed or expose others if we are asymptomatic carriers. A climbing community is just that - a community - that means we give a shit about each other, uplift and care for each other, and in times of COVID, that means wearing masks and taking precautions. Please revisit this helpful article to reduce your exposure and help stop the spread. We all have to do this together - otherwise no one will want to.
- How to Climb and Avoid the Coronavirus (By Dr. Julian Saunders) - Julian is an accomplished climber, frequent contributor to climbing journals, and offers online Osteopathic consultations for climbers. Here he discusses the possible variations of climbing (or not) during this pandemic. His article is accompanied by some beautiful photos of classic climbs around the world - illustrating how we are all in this together.