Here’s some news while I get my feet back under me after two days of guiding up on Independence Pass. Looks like a cool program.

Big City Mountaineers & Mammut Launch Pitches with Pros

Ever wondered what it would be like to rope up with Steph Davis on Moab’s desert sandstone or climb ice with Will Mayo? Mammut presents Pitches with Pros, an unparalleled sweepstakes to benefit Big City Mountaineers. Visit www.pitcheswithpros.com to buy a raffle ticket for your once-in-a-lifetime chance to rope up with a Mammut-sponsored professional climber.

Raffle tickets are for sale for $5 or 5/$20. Each ticket is a chance to win a day of climbing one-on-one with a legend of rock. Tickets are available until January 2009, where the winners will be drawn at the Ouray Ice Fest, January 9-11, 2009.

“Pitches with Pros is another exciting fundraising program that has been put together thanks to the seemingly endless generosity of our outdoor industry partners,” says Mark Godley, Executive Director of Big City Mountaineers. “Mammut’s willingness to leverage its brand and athletes as a benefit to our organization is extraordinary.”

The top five winners get to climb with: Dean Lords, Will Mayo, Steph Davis, Dean Potter or Sean Jones. The next winners will receive a Mammut gear package.

“Climbing has provided me with adventure, life long friends, and experiences which have changed my life for the better,” says Dean Lords. “All of these would be meaningless if I could not pass it on to others through programs like Pitches with Pros.”

Anyone can enter and decisions on climb locations will be made between each winner and the pro with which he/she is climbing.

Thanks to sponsors Mammut, Rock and Ice, and Podclimber for making this event possible.

About Big City Mountaineers
The mission of Big City Mountaineers is to enhance the lives of under-resourced urban teens through transformative outdoor experiences. Big City Mountaineers is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit corporation.

Seems like it’s that time of year, when you can’t open your email inbox without finding out about another end of summer sale. This one really stood out though as Cloudveil is offering up to 60% off some of their climbing and ski clothing. I picked up a few things, these prices are better than pro deal! Supplies probably wont last long though, so I’d head over there soon if you want to get in on the fun. Enjoy!

Now this is what I am talking about! The trailer for Sender Films’ new movie the Sharp End, which looks simply bad ass. This is also part of the Reel Rock Film Tour, which we are working hard at bringing to the Roaring Fork Valley in September, stay tuned for more details.

Challenge Aspen is a local group that strives to create “possibilities for people with disabilities.” One of their annual programs is bringing groups of disabled military veterans to Aspen for the week, where they climb, raft and generally have a good time. I’ve been fortunate to help out with this the last two years, and it’s always incredible to be a part of.

Watching these guys with one arm or one leg battle their way upwards is nothing short of inspiring. You think the “freedom” scene in Braveheart gets you fired up? How about a guy with one leg moving up a climb better than some folks do with two. Saw it happen yesterday. Damn.

I know this is supposed to be a great experience for these guys, but ultimately, I think we probably get more from it then them. Sure we give them an outlet, something new try to get outside their comfort zone and hopefully break down some mental barriers. But these guys give us a true sense of determination and perseverance. Compared to what these guys have gone through, and go through on a daily basis, any “bad day” I’ve had pales by comparison.

Politics aside, these guys have sacrificed much for something they believed in, and I’m honored to be able to give something back to them, in whatever small way I can.

Friday morning I guided a couple from Texas up the Northwest Ridge of La Plata Peak (14,354′). While it’s nothing more than a walk up, I’ve always enjoyed this peak. The views are fantastic, including the Apostle group to the south, which is said to be home to one of the finest couloirs in Colorado on Ice Mountain.

Our day started under a thick fog, which really kicked in around 12,000′. Occasionally it broke to reveal early morning light on the surrounding peaks, but not until we started up the final ridge at 13,100 did we get out of the clouds. The temps stayed cold the entire time, with some graupel hitting us occasionally. We didn’t linger too long on the summit, as it appeared some thunderheads might have been rolling in. The descent went quick, although the continous pounding on your knees gets old after a couple miles. This hike gains 4300′ of vert in 4.5 miles, so its a pretty consistent grade, with very few flat sections.

This is a great intro to 14er’s in our area, as it’s not technical but still requires some effort to get to the top.