Alex Honnold writes about the climbers in Poland, and how unbelievably motivated they are, despite climbing at gyms that are significantly less glamorous than their American counterparts.

Andrew Bisharat shares his recent experience with climbing coach Justen Sjong, and just how much it opened his eyes to flaws in his climbing

Practical tips from the Self Coached Climber guys about how to get more out of 4×4 training.

The Anderson brothers give some PhD level advice on the nuances of getting stronger through training.

And for everyone out there that’s tight on time, Alli Rainey gives some great tips on staying fit through a busy week.

But most of us DO have jobs, and so we head indoors to train and hopefully get stronger and better for the coming spring. On a recent trip back to DC for the holidays, we visited a local gym, where we found the ratings, especially in the lower grades, to be quite stiff. I’ve been playing this game long enough now that whenever I visit a new cliff (or new gym), I always start well below my limit to get a feel for the rock (or the route setting). The grades in this particular gym felt two to three letter grades off, and it got me wondering what the majority of folks prefer when the climb indoors, grades that tend towards the soft side, or those on the stiff/sandbagged side.

I conducted a highly scientific and non-biased survey of several friends as we lounged around the base of a sunny cliff this past weekend, and found a couple opinions on the matter. The overwhelming sentiment was that, given a choice between the two, they preferred grades on the softer side. You go to the gym to get a workout, to train, and to generally have fun. You can get beat down by sandbagged grades outside almost any time you want. And besides, they argued, is there really anything wrong with padding your ego a little by having some success inside?

On the other hand, they felt that if the grades were too soft, it could promote over confidence and folks would go outside with a false sense of what they were capable of. While I see the point, I think most realize how different the two mediums are, and just because you climb 12b inside, regardless of how soft or stiff the grade is, doesn’t mean you can  come anywhere near that level on real rock. Of course, it doesn’t really matter, because if your gym has stiff or sandbagged grades, you’ll adjust your routine accordingly, and maybe when you do go outside, things will indeed feel “easy.”

So what do you prefer, oh esteemed readers? Grades so soft the routes are melting off the wall, or sandbags so big they could keep the Mississippi from overflowing?

Here we are again, the end of another year. A time of relaxing with friends and family, a time of thankfulness and gratitude, for all we experienced over the previous twelve months. Many fond memories, shared with special people, in the most incredible places in the world. The life of a rock climber is a truly amazing gift.

From blogs to forums, folks are reminiscing about what they accomplished this year, and many would say that climbing in general is experiencing a large leap forward in what can be considered the “norm.” Personally, I’ve rededicated myself to mental training, and as I try to walk the path of the Warrior’s Way, the end result becomes less important, the journey and the process everything. As such, I offer up some of my favorite memories and lessons from this past year:

Crack climbing in Indian Creek is a life long pursuit, as technique can always be improved. This year I had personal breakthroughs on both wide hands, and ringlocks. Both have opened up exciting new doors of possibility that I’m excited to step through.

I came to understand that on hard redpoints, you have to love the process or the process can consume you with anxiety and doubt. I want to relish each moment and movement, not be worrying about screwing up and not getting the “send.”

After a hiatus from bolting routes, coming back to realize I love the creation of new climbs. The rediscovery started with a tribute to our pup  who died unexpectedly in the spring. I also added some really fun routes to a new sport crag near Moab that is sure to become popular once it’s unveiled to the public.

After dabbling in training last winter, I fully saw the benefits upon our first trip to the Creek where we both crushed former projects. I have no desire to train year round, but when you can’t climb after work during the week, you might as well be getting stronger through a systematic approach to training. (More on this to come in a future post.)

Sharing almost every climbing day with my beautiful, motivated and incredibly talented wife. Love you babe!

Continuing to train technique, and break down mental barriers. You think a move requires more strength, until you discover a subtle hip shift that allows all the pieces to fall into place. We often want the easy way out, but perseverance often teaches us to look for the subtle things that make all the difference.

We spent more time than ever at Rifle this year, and it really felt like the home crag. It’s kind of like walking into the bar on Cheers, where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came. People talk about the “vibe” in the canyon, but these days it’s just a bunch of good, motivated folks, giving it their all. It doesn’t matter how hard you climb, people just want you to give it your best!

Climbing in costumes on Halloween in Indian Creek will always be a fun way to spend the day. Especially when bananas, clowns and lime green body suits are involved.

I love exploration, which is part of what draws me to developing routes. As such, going to new areas is always exciting, and this year we got to check out Paradise Forks, Castle Rocks, the Theater, Green Acres at the Black Cliffs and the Abraxas wall.

Using injury as inspiration to come back better and stronger. After sending two projects back to back on consecutive days, seeing  the fitness start to click, I tweaked two fingers. I was feeling tired, and should have let go, but tried to muscle my way through a section that required technique, and my fingers paid the price. Instead of allowing self pity to take hold, I immediately analyzed how to deal with that kind of scenario in the future, and set an intention to train hard this winter, to come back stronger next year.

I look to 2012 with much hope and excitement. As I move forward, I want to trust in the process, and take each moment with eyes open to all the possibilities they hold.

And a huge thanks to all of you, who continue to visit the site, leave feedback, participate in contests, and generally make all this possible. Without the fans, we’ve got nothing. So thanks again, and don’t forget to get some free stickers if you haven’t already!

The Road to Astroman

An excellent story of succeeding on a dream route, by Luke Stefurak.

Jubilant Song

An honest tale of overcoming mental barriers.

Against the Grain

Peter Beal talks about embracing what you have in your backyard, and how the 1% might include some folks you hadn’t considered before.

Pure Imagination

A fun look at the woman who is redefiing the notion of what female climbers are capable of, and her recent tick of a 9a route in the Red, making her the first American woman to climb that grade.

Sasha DiGiulian. “Pure Imagination” 5.14d (9a). from Adidas Outdoor on Vimeo.

Oreganic

A visual tour of Riggins, Idaho and Smith Rock and Trout Creek in Oregon.

Oreganic Volume 2 from Greg Garretson on Vimeo.

Whether you’re taking off this week to visit some far off destination, or will simply be celebrating at home with friends and family, this is a time for thanks and gratitude. As climbers we are incredibly blessed to enjoy one of the most fulfilling activities, surrounded by great people, in the most beautiful places on the planet. I’m beyond thankful for the chance to experience life in this way. It’s easy to lose perspective some times, but when you think of what the average citizen of planet Earth does on an average day, our lives really are pretty incredible. Have a great week everyone!

There’s no doubt that winter is closing in on Colorado. In Rifle yesterday there was ice on the shady and wet walls. Tonight it’s supposed to snow, and the days just aren’t as warm as they were even a couple weeks ago. We were fortunate to chase summer south last week, spending much of it in Red Rocks, and the weekend in Indian Creek. As rock climbers we long for the good weather to last year round, but reality dictates most of us stay grounded in one spot year round.

It’s easy sometimes to get depressed this time of year, realizing it wont be warm enough to wear shorts around here for probably five months at least. But as I’ve said before, I prefer to look at the different opportunities the change in seasons brings. There are some new winter crags I’m psyched to check out, and maybe some new routes to put up. I’m motivated to train more than ever before, and might even actually go ice climbing this year, as opposed to packing my bag and leaving it by the door all season.

And when time and money allow, I know that it’s summer somewhere out there, and maybe I can sneak away for a taste, even if just for a couple days.

Summer is a fantastic time of year, as the snows recede into the high peaks, and the mountains become a playground where you can do anything you can dream up. It seems like every living thing reaches its peak, clothed in brilliant greens, a celebration of life. The days are maybe a little warm at times, but any complaints are quickly silenced when you think back to the long and wet winter.

At the start of the season, the meadow is nondescript, as life has yet to spring forth. In fact, it’s easy to walk right by, not taking much notice of it. By mid summer, however, it might just stop you in your tracks with its beauty. Little yellow flowers are everywhere, punctuated by the purple clover and other wildflowers. It’s a small spot, but holds an air of significance, like if you were to stay here and meditate all day you might stumble across some deeper meaning of life.

There’s a point every summer when it hits me that the summer has peaked and is sliding back down the other side towards the inevitable coming of fall. Up until that moment, there has been little to no thought given to what lies beyond, all that matters is the here and now. The days are long, the weather is good (mostly) and life is an open canvas that lies before you.

But then the moment passes, and subtle reminders that this bliss does not last year round creep back to the front of consciousness. Like being halfway up a long alpine route on Saturday when a sudden thought of work hits you, it’s an unwelcome intrusion into you current state of being.

It’s hard not to let the mind wander beyond this first realization, to how much time is left before winter settles in. As you asses the coming days and weeks in your mind, it all passes in a blur, and a wave of sadness washes over, at the march of time, when you wish you could linger in these days for more than a passing moment.

But mingled with that sadness is an appreciation for the days you do have left, and an urgent sense to make the most of what remains. So as the nights get cooler, and you see some leaves already turning yellow, embrace those feelings of time passing by, but don’t forget that there are still many days left in the warm sun, and that fall, though bittersweet, really is the most incredible time of year.

Cragmama

As someone who someday wants to have kids, I’m increasingly intrigued by the people who have kept climbing after having children. What works for them, what doesn’t, what are the challenges? Do you ever really get to sleep? Erica Lineberry has a great blog going that details the adventures that she and her husband have with their child Cragbaby in tow. An excellent and revealing look into the world of moms who still pursue their passion, with the hope of passing along to their children an appreciation for the outdoor lifestyle.

Cruxn

These guys are trying to bring together a diverse group of bloggers from all over the country, so you can get your climbing blog fix all in one spot. While the content is currently a little southeast-centric, they are working to get more and more folks involved. We just got on board, offering up the classic My Day in the Life of a Woman Climber as our first post. The diversity is refreshing, and no matter what you are into you’ll find something interesting over there. Definitely want to throw this one in your feed reader.

Off Belay Podcast

We’ve already mentioned this previously, but they are putting out some great stuff. If you like sitting around the campfire, listening to a friend talk about climbing, then subscribe to this in your iTunes and check them out. From the ant-anti-crowd rant to the pros and cons of climbing couples, no topic is sacred, and Chris and Jamie Lynn bring a unique and humorous perspective to the climbing world.

ClimbIdaho.com

Another site I’ve known about for awhile, recently they’ve been diversifying their content, including a weekly series of videos called Weekend Choss. These are some great shorts that show ordinary people out enjoying climbing, in all it’s varieties. It’s a rare look at the “everyman” climber, and the simple joys we all get out of the this thing called climbing. I do spend a lot of time in Idaho (for someone who lives in Colorado anyway), so I may be a bit biased here.

JSTARinORBIT

I don’t follow many “pro” blogs, frankly most just aren’t that interesting. The exceptions, for me anyway, are Joe Kinder and Sonnie Trotter, and now I’ve added Jonathan Siegrist to that list.  He posts often, with great photos, and usually has something interesting to share. It probably doesn’t hurt that he spends much of his time gallivanting across the West at places I enjoy reading about.

Evening Sends

My friend Andrew is the Senior Editor over at Rock and Ice, and he recently created an online home for all his writing, a place where he can spread his wings a little more than at the mag. You’ll find a wealth of stuff on here, from past Tuesday Night Bouldering columns to his latest discourse on the role media plays in the climbing world. Hours of worthy bathroom reading on your iPad await.

Know of any others we should check out?

Get Involved With a Youth Climbing Team

When it comes to climbing, perhaps the most selfless thing you can do is to pass on your knowledge and experiences to others so they can hopefully enjoy it as much as you have. Getting involved with a climbing team can be a great way to do this. Maybe you can be a full time coach, but it doesn’t have to be that big. Perhaps you could give a technique clinic, or talk about big wall climbing, or any number of things they maybe haven’t been exposed to that you happen to specialize in. There are numerous opportunities here, and in the end you’ll broaden their horizons that much more. And who knows, maybe you’ll inspire the next Tommy Caldwell.

Do Some Trail Work

As climbing gets more and more popular, our crags are getting loved to death. More people means more impact, and the trails and base areas at cliffs often need a little maintenance to prevent erosion and keep them in good condition. Local climbing groups tend to organize these events in conjunction with the appropriate land managers, and it’s a great way to spend the day helping out and meeting other climbers. Even if you don’t go to a formal event, you can always take the extra 15 minutes before leaving the cliff to shore up some stone work that is coming apart, or block off a side trail that is getting too eroded. A little bit goes a long way.

Help At a Comp

Climbing comps can be a great social gathering where everyone comes together to have a good time pushing themselves hard. Comps can be a lot of work to organize, and often volunteers are needed to help with a variety of tasks. Next time you hear of a comp in your town, maybe sit this one out to see if you can help everybody else have a good time.

Set Routes at Your Local Gym

Maybe you live in Boulder, and you can climb at the best crag in Colorado year round, where the route setting is almost as good as nature intended it. For the rest of us less fortunate souls, chances are you climb at a smaller local facility, which may not always have fresh routes every 3 weeks. Good routesetters are hard to come by, and most gym managers will welcome the extra help, especially if you are volunteering your time for free. That being said, not everybody is good at setting routes (i’ll just make the holds smaller and put them farther apart!), but most will have something unique to contribute in this area.

Bolt Routes at Your Local Choss Pile

Putting up sport climbs is hard work. You can spend a whole day working out where the bolts should go, cleaning holds, and trundling choss, while your friends are out there getting in pitch after pitch. In the end, however, you are creating more climbing for the community to enjoy, and there are few who wont appreciate your efforts. Obviously you should only do this if you have the proper skills/experience or an appropriate mentor.

Replace Old Hardware

Most of our sport crags are hitting that 30 year mark where the hardware is in need of upgrading, and it’s no small task. At last year’s Rifle Clean Up, it was impressive to see how many people got in on the anchor upgrading. Over the course of one day, numerous routes were improved so that others could safely continue to enjoy them. As with the previous item, make sure you know what you are doing or go with someone who does.

Got any others that we missed?

On some level, I am going to miss these grey weekends, as they afford a level of relaxation not found in the rest of the year. Once the nice weather arrives, we’ll be getting up early every day to pack the bags, eat breakfast and head out the door to our favorite cliffs.

But on these wet weekends, there is nothing to do. There are no expectations. You can sleep late, get up a noon, cook a huge breakfast, sip coffee, hit the climbing gym for a couple hours, and head out for a nice evening with friends. The pace is refreshingly laid back, especially living in a place where the active lifestyle borders on addiction for many, and chilling out is something you only do on the way to and from whatever it is you’re doing that day.

So take a deep breath, sit back, and enjoy watching the beauty of snow falling on your green lawn. It’s not going to stick around that much longer, and soon we’ll all probably be complaining how hot it is, wondering when the cool temps of fall will be here.