I saw that a couple weeks ago, and watched it twice, back to back. And next break, I'm watching it again! Its really a rad video.

My real introduction to alpine/mountaineering was on a NOLS trip to the Waddington Range, when I was in high school. Our small group was going to climb Minaret Peaks. We made it over the 'schrund, up the long steep snow couloir. We just had a short rock pitch from the top of the couloir (which ended in a sheer 2000' drop on the other side), which would put us on the rock ridge to the summit. Half-way up the pitch, leading in her plastics, our instructor shout's out "5.6 my ass! Hosed by Croft again!". She put in a pin, lowered, and we retreated. That was the first time I ever heard his name, and I can't help but smile and remember that trip every time I hear his name.

I can't believe that cam held!

It is a great vid, and it really paints a gorgeous and sweet portrait of Rands, Croft, the climb, and the high Sierra. All four come off very well.

I will say one thing that kind of bugged me, though. When Lisa says "to take like 15 steps backward in your climbing so you can try to get better". I infer from that that she's referring to the difference between 12+ and V11. It is indeed 15 steps backward in terms of physical difficulty, but many steps forward from a boulder to a 1,200 foot wall that is gear protected in terms of a wide range of skills and climbing tactics. I know she knows that since she used the phrase "to try to get better", but it does stick in my craw a little.

It seems to me that it would be fairer to say that a clean ascent of that route is at least comparable, not 15 steps back, to a really hard boulder problem.

GO

Great find, thanks Jay.

Lisa Rands, "Holy shit!"

Peter Croft has got to be one of the most down to earth persons in the climbing world IMO.

Yes, that was an awesome vid. I was holding my breath watching her try to stuff that cam. great!

awesome video. It's wild that Lisa is basically learning to trad climb on a 5.12+ alpine wall.

Oh, and they're using grigris. What a bunch of noobs.

Did anyone else feel Peter Croft looked a little sketched at around 6:20?
(The part where he was fiddling with gear while holding on with two fingers of one hand and smearing his feet on frosty granite)

Five star movie!

It is a great vid, and it really paints a gorgeous and sweet portrait of Rands, Croft, the climb, and the high Sierra. All four come off very well.

I will say one thing that kind of bugged me, though. When Lisa says "to take like 15 steps backward in your climbing so you can try to get better". I infer from that that she's referring to the difference between 12+ and V11. It is indeed 15 steps backward in terms of physical difficulty, but many steps forward from a boulder to a 1,200 foot wall that is gear protected in terms of a wide range of skills and climbing tactics. I know she knows that since she used the phrase "to try to get better", but it does stick in my craw a little.

It seems to me that it would be fairer to say that a clean ascent of that route is at least comparable, not 15 steps back, to a really hard boulder problem.

GO