Touchstone athlete Ethan Pringle travels across the world. Norway, China, South Africa, and his home in San Francisco provide great climbing escapes for him. This fall he traveled to one of his old climbing crags to try one of the United States' hardest routes.

There's something special these days about having a crag to yourself. When you're alone at Mt Charleston's most famous crag, The Hood, just a 45 min drive from downtown Las Vegas, all you hear is the wind blowing through the pine trees, the birds chirping and the occasional tourist on the main hiking trail below - it’s quite refreshing. To be alone at any sport climbing cliff is a rarity now with climbing becoming as popular as it is, and especially so at a steep limestone cliff in prime conditions with hard routes. In the fall, when the temperatures in Vegas fall to the high 70s and the temps at The Hood get perfect, nobody goes. Besides the fact that all the locals are so thrilled that Red Rocks finally isn't an oven anymore and they can climb there without getting heat stroke, there is another reason Mt. Charleston is no longer a destination for traveling sport climbers: it carries the stigma of having chipped holds, and chipped holds are so 1990s. For me the routes are still fun: they are gymnastic, the moves work one of my biggest weaknesses - shallow pockets - and the scenery is beautiful.

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“People are always looking for the quickest way to get results,” said Dustin Stumpf. CrossFit is the ANSWER!”

There's great news for Sacramento Pipeworks members.  On Wednesday, January 23rd from 5 until 8 pm, CrossFit Pipeworks will open their new program with a BBQ to welcome new and existing members.

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Imagine climbing at your limit. Now picture soloing a crumbling slab. For many climbers these are just dreams or more accurately, nightmares. For Touchstone route setter Jeremy Ho this was a reality.

On Tuesday January 15th, Berkeley climber, Jeremy Ho made a coveted ascent of Evilution, a 60 foot V11 highball on the Grandpa Peabody boulder in the Buttermilk Boulders of Bishop, California.

Recently, Touchstone member and obsessive climber, Jordan Shackelford traveled to the bouldering mecca of Bishop. Jordan sent the Touchstone blog a trip report of his winter bouldering excursion.

I’m sure you’ve heard the name Jordan Shackelford before. When Ryan Moon made the first ascent of Gentleman’s Club in the Columbia Boulders, I spotted him. My handsome mug can be found in the winter issue of California Climber.

 Now that we are acquainted, let me tell you about my recent 16 hour drive from the Bay Area to Bishop, CA. (why did you drive 16 hours? Did you drive to tahoe first and then drive through Bakersfield?) That’s not a typo, that’s what happens when you chart your course to Bishop through Bakersfield, by way of Tahoe, during a major blizzard in the Sierras. I guess sometimes that’s the price you pay for twelve days of butter-milking, pocket-pulling, hot-springing, snow-camping, igloo-collapsing, teeth-chattering fun.

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The walls at Dogpatch Boulders in San Francisco are nearing completion. In the past week, Walltopia workers have been installing the panels, followed closely by the Touchstone setting crew. The setters have established hundreds of problems ranging from VB to V11 on the terrain of slabs, vertical walls, and steep roofs. Dogpatch manager Justin Alarcon, setters Cole Zuelke of Fresno, Jeremy Ho of Berkeley Ironworks, and Anthony Vicino of Ironworks talked about the setting happening at the new gym.

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It. Is. ON!

Free money to climb?? What?! Applications are now being accepted for the 2013 Live Your Dream Grant! Get yours in before the application period closes on March 1st, 2013! Click HERE and download the simple application for the Western Region. Show your ambition, fill it out well, follow the instructions, email to the appropriate place, and you're done. Bam.

The American Alpine Club's "Live Your Dream" Grant is a program that supports climbers in realizing their climbing ambitions and dreams. The AAC is seeking to sponsor climbers of all ages and experience levels, as well as a range of climbing disciplines including, but definitely not limited to, trad climbing, mountaineering, sport climbing, bouldering, ice climbing, ski mountaineering, gym climbing and any and all other worthy mountain pursuits! The emphasis of the grant is on projects that have significant positive impact on grantees’ progressions as climbers and/or the development of their skills. Show them how your project will take you to the next level or get you ready for it. The purpose of the "Live Your Dream" Grant is to encourage climbers to pursue their dreams and to fund those individuals (or individuals that are part of small teams) to make it happen. This is for real. Think of your dream climbing trip.... the AAC and Touchstone want to help you get there! 

The Western Region Live Your Dream Grant is supported in part through a partnership with Touchstone Climbing and Fitness. We are so happy to be a part of this project and can't wait to see where is takes the recipients! Our contribution, coupled with local fundraising means that the AAC has a TON of money to give away this year. Award amounts will vary independently depending on scope of project, but will likely fall in the $500 to $1000 range - unless your project is super, super cool and you need more.

APPLY NOW!  GET CASH!  GO CLIMBING!

These grants are developed and administered locally with community support. Application period runs 1/1/13 through 3/1/13. Grant recipients will be announced 4/1/13. Grant awards must be used within one calendar year of date of award. To qualify for the Western Region Grant, the applicant must be a resident of California, Nevada, Arizona, or Hawaii. If you have specific questions, please email Western Regional Coordinator Jeff Deikis.