I recently returned from my semi-anual trip to New England for the Dark Horse Championships held in Boston.  Every time I go to Boston I am reminded of how great the climbing, the culture, and the friends are.  I feel like the luckiest person alive to consistantly visit New England and get perfect bouldering conditions on some of the best rock in the country.  Farley, Great Barrington, Bradley, and Pawtukaway have never let me down and remind me of climbing in good old Boone, North Carolina.

Fall conditions extended late into the winter season this year across the country and this was one of the first times I had been to Boston without snow piled up on all sides of the road and blistering wind stinging my face!  Dave Wetmore and Josh Larson were able to take Jordan and I out bouldering for a few days of rock climbing bliss between competition and setting work so we took full advantage.  We got to check out a cool area rarely visited called Milford and is located right smack dab in the middle of a Lowes, Best Buy, and Target parking lot.  Despite the horrible surroundings, the rock was outstanding.  There are 2 established climbs on the boulder that go at v6 and v9 with a project sit start to the v9 that involves a massive move to gain the start of the v9 called Highway Robbery.  After we warmed up and sent the established lines I started working on the project sit.  After a bit of work and some 6’5″ arm span I stuck the first move and took it to the top!  I called it “The Best Buy” and I think it might be around v12 but who knows.  I would be very impressed if anyone shorter than me could make the reach.

Later on in the week we made a trip out to Great Barrington for my annual attempts on Roses and BLue Jays (V13).  On the way we stopped at a boulder called Andromeda (V11) and worked out the moves and snagged a surprise send!  I think a hold has crumbled since the last time anyone climbed on this boulder but it is an outstanding line and rarely gets done.  Go check it out!  Roses and Blue Jays kicked my ass for the 3rd straight year.  I think I need a week or so to work on it with good weather… one day…

Finally on our last day in Boston, we headed out to Ragged Mountain for a quick session on The Owl’s Lair Project (V10/11). the “Go Bot” of the east coast. The boulder climbs out of a hole with a stepped landing and a crux finish.  I was able to snag a flash and Dave Wetmore and Alex Enright were able to come away with a send as well!  Video of Dave on this line will be out soon in a new video we are making for Stonelick!  Check back!

After working for 80+ hours a week in the LT11 office, I start to loose track of how important it is to get out and make long bouldering trips happen.  Despite our trip being short, the reward from just getting out and bouldering was worth the sleepless nights, long hours in front of the computer and having to listen to Dave’s Boston accent 24/7.  We are looking forward to next year’s Dark Horse Series already and have some fun stuff planned!  Until then, enjoy this years highlights!

It’s finally here!  The 2012 Men of Route Setting Calendar is available to download and just in time for VALENTINES DAY!!!!

DOWNLOAD HERE – $3 (Donated to the Access Fund

Download last years calendar here for free!

The perfect gift for your loved one (male or female) this Valentines day.  When purchasing this calendar for your friends, family or significant others you will be donating 100% of the proceeds to The Access Fund!  That’s right!  All of money made from your MORS purchase helps keep our beloved limbing areas open year round for us to enjoy.

LT11 would like to thank all of the photographers and MEN who helped us make the 2012 calendar a raging success!

All underwear provided by Baskit!

This years MEN:
Jason Haas
Andrew Freeman
Sam Hathaway
Jake List
Connor Griffith
Kevin Boehm
Alton Richardson
Ben Polanco
Paul Dusatko
James O’Connor
Chris Redmond
Josh Larson

Photographers:
Pat Bagley
Rich Crowder
Greg Mionske
Beau Kahler
Kevin Anderson
Santiago Portilla
Andrea Charest
Berne Broudy 

When you purchase a calendar download from our site, you will get a 30mb size file with the calendar in high resolution and it will be print ready.  All you need to do is take the file to your local print shop and for under $10 bucks you have a 2012 Men of Route Setting calendar hanging on your wall!  What more could you ask for this Valentines day?!

Support the Access Fund and donate $3 today!  Thanks for your support!

My good friends Paul Robinson and Alex Kahn are putting together a new film as we speak!  It’s called Welcome to the Hood and it highlights a 2 month trip to
Switzerland, Austria and France.   The video includes climbers and friends Daniel Woods, Paul Robinson, Guntram Joerg, and Anthony Gullsten. Climbing in
Ticino, Murghtal, Silvretta, and Fontainebleau, the crew accomplished some of their biggest climbing achievements to date. Witness Guntram and Anthony send their first 8B+/8C, Paul make the
first ascent of an 8B+, and Daniel make the first 8B+/8C flash in the world.

At around 40 minutes in length, Welcome to the Hood gives you an inside look at the psyche and motivation that goes hand in hand with living and climbing with elite athletes.

Welcome to the Hood will be available on the 2nd of April as an HD Download on 27crags.com/films!!

Louder Than 11 has been hard at work on a series of short videos for Stonelick, a new bouldering pad company based out of New England.  These guys have some innovative designs and are mixing it up a bit in the small world of pad design.  It was a pleasure working with Taylor Nystrom on this project and she represents Stonelick in Boulder, Colorado!

“It’s on our minds everyday. From the moment we wake up, to the moment we close our eyes, our focus is on climbing. STONELICK is dedicated to making the most innovative and highest quality crash pads on the market. Join us at stonelickclimbing.com and feel the difference. Welcome to a new era in bouldering.”

Check these guys out and keep an eye peeled for two more short videos we are producing over the next few months!

I wanted to give everyone a heads up about a cool event LT11 is hosting this Saturday, January 28th, at 7pm at the Prana Store in Boulder, Colorado.

We are showing two movies!  ”Park Life – Yosemite Bouldering” and never before seen video of Paul Robinson and Tiffany Hensley climbing in New England!  It should be a great night and we are donating 100% of the proceeds to The Access Fund!  We will have FREE beer from Avery Brewing and its only $3 bucks at the door to get in!  There will be a huge raffle with great items from a solid selection of generous companies including La Sportiva, Sterling Rope, Prana, The North Face, and The Spot Climbing Gym!  Come on down and support a good cause, drink some beer, and watch a movie with us!  Should be a great time and we look forward to seeing you there!

The past month has been a blur.  Traveling home for the holidays, to Hueco for some bouldering fun over new years, and now just getting back from the Winter outdoor Retailer Trade show, it has been nuts.

Our Vimeo account has been blowing up!!!!

I had not been to Hueco in 10 years and getting back to the desert and climbing on problems that had long ago destroyed me was a nice feeling.  I am beyond frustrated with the climbing rules and regulations in Hueco but it is a small price to pay for the highest density of hard rock climbing in the country.  I wanted to do a classics tour and did not have reservations for North Mountain so I just jumped on some tours and climbed on some great lines!  Highlights of the trip include Power of Landjager and Full Service, both climbs were on the lifetime tick list and are 5 star boulders!  New Years in Hueco is everything that you can expect from all the stories you have heard!  Its a great time and thanks so much to Adam and Melissa Strong for showing us around!

Check out the short video we put together of some of the fun we had down there.  BA on the Evangalion (V13) is so sick.  He spent 3 minutes on this boulder, broke holds, had to have someone run around and point out the top out holds, but he did it and watching it was terrifying! Psyched for this guy!

LT11 just got back from the Winter Trade Show in Salt Lake City and we worked out butts off for 4 days straight!  We schmoozed with just about everyone we could talk to and we are filling up our production calendar as we speak!  It’s exciting times over here at LT11 and we hope that the vibes are infectious!!!  More importantly than all that Trade Show nonsense is the changes happening over at the LT11 website.  You may have noticed some additions to the family over at LT11 so check it out!

Louder Than 11 is proud to welcome three new members to the crew.  Texas bouldering superstar Brian Antheunisse, sport climbing wizard Ben Spannuth, and the under gound powerhouse Melissa Strong are now part of the LT11 family!

Brian has been bouldering at an elite level for years and LT11 recently worked with him on “Straight Out of Africa“, displaying his climbing tear through the Rocklands.  Brian has an impressive ticklist and some say he is the ideal American man.. second only to the infamous Dave Wetmore.

Ben is a rising star in the sport climbing game has been on a year long tour across the world climbing some of the hardest rope climbs out there.  Ben has been working with LT11 here and there over the years and aside from being an all around great guy, he has become a great friend.  Looking forward to what Ben has to offer in 2012 and hopefully we dont loose him to Spain and his love for tufa sport climbing.

Melissa is an underground legend in the Rocky Mountain Nation Park and Hueco scene.  Maybe you have heard of her?  She crushes and is always out there working hard and getting it done and all for the love of rock climbing.  Another girl in the group and I’m sure Natasha Barnes is stoked!

We are super excited to have these talented people on board with the LT11 master plan and 2012 is going to be an amazing year.  Lots of rock climbing in the future and we look forward to working with the new guys as well as the old one in hopes of creating something awesome that will last.  Thanks for all your support and its our fans that keep us going.  ONWARD AND UPWARD!  MYFO

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE DOWNLOAD!

Foreword:

Jon Krakauer wrote, “In any human endeavor, some fraction of it’s practitioners will be motivated to pursue that activity with such concentrated focus and unalloyed passion that it will consume them utterly. As a result of this infatuation, existence overflows with purpose. Through immoderation, he experiences something akin to rapture.”

Yosemite Valley has long been regarded as the holy land for climbers and boulderers throughout the world.  The origins of rock climbing lie in the 3000-foot granite walls lining the valley and the boulders that sit strewn about below these staggering monoliths.

In the late weeks of November, the Louder Than 11 crew gathered from all corners of the country to experience Yosemite Valley bouldering. As a group of passionate individuals, we enveloped ourselves in the landscape for two weeks, attacking boulders as if tomorrow would never come. On the surface, the very foundation of our identities is built on rock climbing—a sport that we believe is the greatest on the planet—but there is much more to this seemingly inherent addiction than meets the eye.

With Park Life, we strive to answer this age-old, omnipresent question: Why? By combining difficult climbing, captivating visuals, and engaging music under the all-encompassing umbrella of a professional production company, we hope to portray a unique lifestyle that has given us all a palpable sense of unwavering purpose. The long-lasting friendships, incessant failure and equally abundant success, reckless commitment and dedication driven to the point of complete and utter irresponsibility; it’s an eternal battle. We do it because we love it.  At LT11 our media is always free, whether you like it or not.

Quotes from the climbers and producers:

Natasha Barnes – http://natashabarnes.lt11.com/ (Athlete)

“Going to Yosemite with the rest of the LT11 crew was like a dream trip in my own backyard. I’ve never been on a trip with so many psyched individuals. The positive energy when we were together on this trip was unbelievable and something I will never forget.”

“LT11 is on the forefront of climbing entertainment. We love what we do and we want to share it with the rest of the world.”

“Showing my friends around my home area, which just so happens to be a world class climbing destination, was an unforgettable experience. I can’t think of a better place to bring the crew together than the birthplace of rock climbing.”

Max Zolotukhin – http://climbingczar.lt11.com/ (Athlete)

“Louder Than 11′s “Park Life: Bouldering in Yosemite” gives me exactly what has been lacking in 99% of climbing media: jaw-dropping climbing footage but with the poignancy of human emotion to back it up. I have seen plenty of mindless teenagers climb V15 in high definition; what I haven’t seen is working class weekend warriors lay bare their indefatigable infatuation with climbing as their raison d’etre while climbing five star classics of all grades in the place where it all began, Yosemite Valley. Park Life presents bouldering as the archetypal lifestyle sport, with dedicated athletes that want nothing more than to express themselves through their passion for climbing. Never has a FREE online climbing video made the common bouldering experience so palatable for the every-day enthusiast; LT11 has produced the quintessential piece of climbing media for 2012, with unequivocal substance to match its savvy cinematography. I APPROVE.”

Jon Glassberg – http://jonglassberg.lt11.com/ (Co Owner of LT11, Athlete, Director)

“We wanted to make this film to show climbers, and non climbers, what we do at Louder Than 11.  More than just a movie about bouldering in Yosemite Valley, this piece digs deep into what it means to the characters to be involved in rock climbing to their core.  As individuals and as a company, we are fully immersed in rock climbing as a way of life and a livelihood.  We hope that “Park Life” expresses out love for the sport and our endless pursuit for beautiful boulders, amazing life experiences, and long lasting friendships.”

Jordan Shipman – http://jordanshipman.lt11.com/ (Co-Owner of LT11, Special Effects, Motion, Director)

“Louder Than 11 is like a band. Its all about the ingredients each individual brings to the collaborative effort. I’m really excited about Park Life because it represents a true collaboration for the entire LT11 crew. The production quality we can achieve when we work together far exceeds what any one of us could do alone. I loved making this video. Shooting, climbing, editing and motion graphics–I love it.

Rich Crowder – http://www.richcrowder.com/ (Director of Photography)

“An all out visual assault on the Valley classics. A true documentary that wears its heart on its sleeve”

Movie Credits

A Louder Than 11 Production

Starring
Natasha Barnes
Rich Crowder
Sarah Fullerton
Jon Glassberg
Jordan Shipman
Ryan Silven
Ben Vernon
Anson Whitmer
Dave Wetmore
Max Zolotukhin

Directed by
Rich Crowder
Jon Glassberg
Jordan Shipman

Video by
Rich Crowder
Jon Glassberg
Jordan Shipman

Additional Camera Support by
Ben Vernon

Director of Photography
Rich Crowder

Edited by
Jon Glassberg
Jordan Shipman

Motion Graphics by
Jordan Shipman

Visual Effects by
Jordan Shipman

Music Supervision by
Jon Glassberg

Music
Django Django “Default”
The Japanese Pop Stars “Take Forever”
Metronomy “Everything Goes My Way”
Gramatik “Dungeon Sound”
Umek, Baltek “Out of Play”
Mr. Sche & L. Ceasar “Hustle Maniac”
Flowers and Sea Creatures “Secrets we Stole from the Dance Floor”
Kemek “Certain Frequencies”
The Japanese Pop Stars “Shells of Silver White Sea”
Flowers and Sea Creatures “A.M.”
T&K “Summer Night”

Best Boy Grip
Ben Vernon

Special Thanks to
Urban Climber
Revolution Climbing
Buck Hoover
Ethan Pringle
Chad Wolak
Doug Hartman

Free. Whether you like it or not.
© 2012 Louder Than 11

Louder Than 11 is proud to present “Park Life – Yosemite Bouldering” coming to the internet, for free, on Monday, January 16 at 9AM Mountain Standard time.

Over at LT11 we are beside ourselves with excited anticipation.  We gathered up our crew of nine LT11 family members and headed to Yosemite in November of 2011.  We set out to climb from dawn to dusk on some of the finest boulders in the country and for 10 days we did nothing but live the “Park Life”.  We got back from the trip in early December and it has been a non-stop effort to roll this video out on the 16th.  Monumental does not even scratch the surface of how important this video is to us as a company and as dedicated artists pursuing what we love.  Rock climbing.

Mark your calendars, grab a snack and sit back for 27 action packed minutes from Yosemite Valley, January 16th.

Starring
Natasha Barnes
Rich Crowder
Sarah Fullerton
Jon Glassberg
Jordan Shipman
Ryan Silven
Ben Vernon
Anson Whitmer
Dave Wetmore
Max Zolotukhin

Directed by
Rich Crowder
Jon Glassberg
Jordan Shipman

Video by
Rich Crowder
Jon Glassberg
Jordan Shipman

Additional Camera Support by
Ben Vernon

Director of Photography
Rich Crowder

Edited by
Jon Glassberg
Jordan Shipman

Motion Graphics by
Jordan Shipman

Visual Effects by
Jordan Shipman

Music Supervision by
Jon Glassberg

Best Boy Grip
Ben Vernon

Special Thanks to
Urban Climber
Revolution Climbing
Ethan Pringle
Chad wolak
Doug Hartman

Free. Whether you like it or not.
© 2012 Louder Than 11

Everyone is making their top ten lists this time of year and we wanted to get in on the fun. Here are Louder Than 11′s top ten videos from 2011:

#10
2011 SCS National Championships – Men

#9
Threat Level Colombia

#8
Straight out of Africa

#7
Endo Valley Bouldering

#6
Paul Robinson On Vacation

#5
Alpine Bouldering Summer

#4
2011 IFSC Lead Wold Cup – Boulder, CO

#3
Bouldering world Cup Vail – Mens Finals

#2
Bouldering World Cup Vail – Womens Finals

#1
The Swiss Account

We tallied this top 10 based off of numbers on each video individually and not based on series numbers. If we were going off of series statistics (numbers added up from the entire series release), Lincoln Lake Giants, Dark Horse, and Heart of Steel would have made the top 5. What LT11 videos were your favorites?

Brian Antheunisse, Scott Cory, Rob D’Anastasio and Dave Wetmore travel to Rocklands, South Africa on a bouldering safari. Follow the crew as they climb over 20 boulders from 7B to 8B, narrowly avoid being eaten by lions and all to a 1980′s soundtrack! I have been working on this video a lot ove the past month and it has been a great experience making memories with these talented climbers.  Brian, Scott, and Dave sent me footage on their hard drives and Jordan and I went to work to try and create a movie that captured the spirit of the trip.  1980′s music, excited up beat rock climbing and the personalities of dedicated rock climbers all show as the team crushes through some of the Rocklands hardest boulder problems.

Boulders included:
Amphitheatre (8A+)
Au Bour d’Leau (8A)
Black Mango Chutney (7C+)
Black Shadow (8A+)
Black Velvet (8A)
Cedar Spine (7C)
Gliding Through Waves Like Dolphins (8A)
Golden Virginia (8A)
Green Mamba (8A)
Hole in One (7C+)
Last Day In Paradise (7C+)
Mooiste Meise (8B)
Nutsa (8A)
Oral Office (8A+)
Paula Abdul (7C+)
Pinotage (7C+)
Power of One (8B)
Roadcrew Arete (7B)
Royksopp (8A)
Shosholoza (8A+)
Solar Power (7C+/8A)
The Vice (8B)
Witness the Sickness (8A)

LIONS!!!!!

© Louder Than 11
lt11.com

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