February 17, 2009

Five Ten Project Shoe Exclusively at Rock/Creek!

For a limited time, Rock/Creek will offer you the ability to get the PROJECT, a brand NEW climbing shoe from Five Ten, at an awesome discounted price. The Project is an exclusive offer only through Rock/Creek, so get yours before anyone else on the block, but hurry or you won't get the 10% off!

So what are you ordering?

The Project Shoe by Five Ten is a new addition to their already super popular climbing shoe line-up. The Project has been designed to be used on overhanging rock, be it the boulders of Rock Town or the roofs of The Obed.

The Project has been designed with Five Ten's Pretensile Technology that performs around the idea of climbers needing to pull with their feet and use them like hands, and with the Project's use of the new Stealth Mystique rubber you can grab with your feet like never before. Couple that with the Project's downturned soles that are thinner than most all other shoes, and you get a seriously sensitive, "other hand" to grab shelves and small footholds while dangling upside down.

Constructed with one hook and loop closure across the top of the foot giving you the ability to tighten as needed without all the bulk of two straps.

A great shoe for hard ascents, so it is likely the Project will be the shoe you grab when trying that route or problem for the nth time.

Features:
Maximum sensitivity
Pretensile Technology
Stealth rubber
Only one hook and loop closure for a less bulky feel
Downturned soles are only 2mm thick - while other shoes are usually 4mm
New Stealth Mystique rubber

Rubber:
Stealth

Upper:
Leather

Closure:
Hook and loop closure

Already have the Project from Five Ten? Be the first to review it online >

Purchase the Five Ten Project Climbing Shoe at Rock/Creek >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:27 PM | Comments (0)

February 13, 2009

Telluride MountainFilm on Tour in Chattanooga

What: Telluride MountainFilm on Tour. Consisting of seven to eleven videos from the Telluride MountainFilm Festival.

When: Thursday, February 26. Expo 7 p.m. :: Movie 7:30 p.m.

Where: Chattanooga Theatre Centre

Cost: $10 at the door

Who: Ticket sales to benefit Southeastern Climbing Coalition, Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association, and Appalachian Voices.

More About Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour: The Mountainfilm on Tour is dedicated to educating and inspiring audiences about issues that matter, cultures worth exploring, environments worth preserving, and conversations worth sustaining.

"Mountainfilm on Tour inspires us - it informs us; it challenges us; it makes us laugh; it even makes us cry; it makes us mad as hell and, above all, it shows us the power of film to change the world."

1st Annual Telluride Mountainfilm on Tour in Chattanooga Trailer from Sam Silvey on Vimeo.

In 2000, the Mountainfilm in Telluride festival embarked on a new journey - Mountainfilm on Tour. Each year, a selection of films from the international film festival are taken on the road to reach audiences who otherwise wouldn't have a chance to experience the festival. Those films display themes of adventure, mountaineering, remarkable personalities and important environmental and social messages.

For more information about the three non-profit organizations that we are benefiting, please visit their websites.

Click Here for Seclimbers.org
Click Here for Sorba.org
Click Here for AppVoices.org

This event was made possible by the Weldon F. Osborne Foundation and the sponsors listed on this page. Thank you very much for your help!

For more information on this event, or if you are interested in sponsoring this event, email Sam Silvey at samsilvey@lookoutdoornews.com.

To get more info about MountainFilm on Tour, visit MountainFilmonTour.com

Posted by Mark McKnight at 8:13 AM | Comments (0)

January 17, 2009

Stone Fort Bouldering Comp Wrap-Up

Triple Crown Bouldering Series

Stone Fort Recap
Words By Kevin Jorgeson
Photos by Sarah Gale

For those unfamiliar, The Triple Crown Bouldering Series is presented by Rock/Creek and has three stops: Horse Pens 40 in Alabama, Hound Ears in North Carolina, and The Stone Fort (formerly Little Rock City) in Tennessee. The goal of these events is twofold: First and foremost, the mission is to raise funds for the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Carolina Climbers' Coalition. Secondly, these unique events provide the vendors to promote the sport of bouldering. These two goals go hand in hand as access is sensitive in these areas. As the number of climbers that practice bouldering grows, education and awareness of responsible land use is key.

Thanks in large part to the work done by the event directors, Chad Wykle and Jim Horton, in conjunction with the SCC, CCC and Rock/Creek, a strong community has been developed in the South, access to many areas has been secured and positive relationships have been developed with private land-owners, BLM, and National Forest management alike. The night before the comp, Rock/Creek hosted the premiere of Andrew Kornylak and Josh Fowler's new movie, Heart of Stone. Over 400 people came out to watch the film, which focuses on the past successes and present challenges to climbing access in the Southeast. Lisa Rands, Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden-Caldwell, myself, and other regional activists also spoke out at the premiere in an effort to raise funds and awareness.

Departing for my first Triple Crown event, I was planning on being a spectator due to the nature of my recently injured finger. However, it only took 5 minutes at the bouldering area to realize that my injury was no match for a little tape and determination.

In its sixth consecutive year, The Triple Crown Bouldering Series has been growing in popularity. Over 480 climbers registered to compete in the last stop of the 2008 tour, enough to require 4 school buses and a Uhaul truck to transport everyone and their crash pads!

Conditions were prime, with the temperatures hovering just above freezing most of the morning and evening. To stay warm, I only needed a Power Stretch Full Zip Jacket and the TR6 Jacket. The Power Stretch provided the perfect balance of warmth, comfort, and flexibility. The TR6 was light enough to pack into my carry on baggage and the synthetic insulation kept me plenty warm between climbs.

Despite having so many climbers in one area, it rarely felt crowded. The long stretch of boulders spread out the crowds so that you could enjoy yourself on the problems. The sheer diversity of style and difficulty that Stone Fort provides is amazing. With grades for all levels and angles for every style, you were bound to find climbs that not only suited you, but also left you smiling long after you topped out.

I spent the first half of the day cruising around, climbing as many easy classics as I could find. Let me say, there are a lot! Despite the event technically being a competition, it didn't feel like it. There was the occasional stressful moment for climbers when an important climb did not come together, but on the whole, the atmosphere was that of a day out bouldering with A LOT of friends.

As the day progressed, I was psyched to see some of the hard climbs the area had to offer, in particular, The Shield. This beautiful wall is made possible by an intricate series of seams and edges up an otherwise blank sandstone wall. Despite my finger, I could not resist a few attempts. I did all the moves pretty quickly, but in the end did not link it all together. After not bouldering for over two months, it felt good to try really hard again. Here is a picture of my friend Max coming close.

Moving on from this line, I returned to a nice 30' wall that we had walked past on the way to The Shield. What makes Stone Fort so unique is the features the rock provides. Sandstone is typically blank in nature, with sloping features dominating the landscape. At Stone Fort however, you see the features typical of volcanic rock (pockets, knobs, and perfect edges) but with the texture of sandstone. This wall in particular was riddled with knobs, creating a puzzle of holds to sort through from start to finish.

Overall, the 2008 Triple Crown Bouldering Series was a great success, raising over $20,000 for local access initiatives. A big thank you goes out to Rock/Creek as the driving force behind the event, Marmot as the title sponsor, the SCC, the CCC, and all the companies that supported these events. Access to climbing is a privilege, not a right, and the work done in the South has set a great example for how to approach, negotiate, secure and respect land for climbing on.

Marmot has been a long-time supporter of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series and 2008 marked Marmot's second year as Title Sponsor. Kevin Jorgeson has been a Marmot Athlete for several years and has climbed at the Triple Crown, Yosemite, England and more in the past year. Learn more about him on marmotpro.com.

Watch Heart of Stone, a new film by Andrew Kornylak celebrating rock climbing in the Southeastern United States which debuted at the 2008 Triple Crown during a special event hosted by Rock/Creek Outfitters.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:13 PM | Comments (0)

January 14, 2009

Urban Rocks Climbing Gym Grand Opening Saturday

Urban Rocks Gym, the city's first indoor climbing gym, will celebrate its grand opening on January 17 at 1007 Appling Street.

The grand opening will feature raffles, outdoor vendor booths, and refreshments. Free belay lessons will be available all day offering a great chance to learn the skills necessary to rock climb. Special introductory membership rates will also be available.

A ribbon cutting, which is being arranged by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, will begin at 2 p.m.

Urban Rocks is providing Chattanooga residents with a world-class climbing facility with 10,000 square feet of indoor climbing built by the country's leading wall designer and builder, Rockwerx Inc.

The facility offers lead climbing, top rope and top out bouldering, with over 100 routes and an unlimited number of bouldering challenges. With rock-like structures soaring 35 feet to the ceiling peak and multi-colored holds littering the wall's surface, the gym is a unique addition to Chattanooga's fitness and outdoor oriented lifestyles.

Owner Chris Gibson says he hopes the gym will foster a positive atmosphere that is welcoming to newcomers and energizing for its members. Urban Rocks will also offer programs for children, a wide range of classes, birthday parties and a training area. With a helpful and knowledgeable staff as well as a full rental gear shop Urban Rocks provides all the tools necessary for a fun day on the ropes.

Mr. Gibson has been climbing for over 20 years and is proficient in all types of climbing, including traditional climbing, sport climbing and bouldering. "One of climbing's addictive elements is the personal sense of accomplishment attained after succeeding on a route that has been thwarting your previous attempts," said Gibson. "It also creates an insatiable drive to travel to new places to climb. While Chattanooga has always been my home base, climbing has been a wonderful opportunity for me to travel and see new places - something that many traditional sports don't provide."

Gibson and co-owner Rebecca Robran spent three years traveling and working to save the funds for the gym. "It was a long process of scrimping and saving, finding a location for the gym and getting a bank to realize this was a viable business." said Robran.

"We feel we're bringing something special to Chattanooga. The gym will provide a chance for everyone to experience rock climbing in a safe and non-threatening environment. It's an amazing sport and we are very excited to share our passion with the area's residents."

Urban Rocks will employ eight to ten employees and rock climbing instructors. Hours of operation will range from noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information contact Rebecca Robran at 423 475-6578 or send an email to contact@urbanrocksgym.com.

Join the Urban Rocks Gym Facebook group >

Visit the Urban Rocks Gym Web site for more videos and information >

Directions to the gym from Rock/Creek at Two North Shore:

View Larger Map

Posted by Mark McKnight at 11:55 AM | Comments (0)

December 11, 2008

"Heart of Stone" Climbing Access Film (Watch the Full Version!)

This is the full, high-def version of Andrew Kornylak & Josh Fowler's new movie. As Climbing magazine noted, "Heart of Stone debuted at Rock/Creek in Chattanooga, TN, during the Triple Crown - Stone Fort Finale on December 5th and 6th, 2008 to crowd of close to four hundred and the crowd response was nothing short of amazing." Word has it the film will also be picked up by a rock climbing film series, so it might show on the big screen in a town near you soon. We'll post details here as we have them.

Heart of Stone - HD from Andrew Kornylak on Vimeo.

It's no secret that the Southeastern US has some of the best rock climbing in the country. Grassroots organizations like the Southeastern Climbers Coalition and the Carolina Climbers Coalition are gaining and preserving access to this treasure in a unique way - by buying it. the annual Triple Crown Bouldering Competition - the largest outdoor climbing competition in the world - is at the center of this access revolution. This new film celebrates what many are calling a Golden Age of discovery and stewardship in the South. It's a look at the miraculous mix of activism, generosity and respect for tradition, in the Heart of Stone.

"Heart of Stone is the first film that takes the focus away from superstars, grades and the glory and puts it back where it belongs, on the local community, retailers and climbers that work tirelessly to keep the crags open and open the ones closed. Rock/Creek needs to take some of the credit here even though they won't ask for it; because it's the local businesses that make it happen in each of these SE communities.

Jim Horton and Chad Wykle have created a competition series that is the pride of the industry and one that needs to be taken to the rest of the nation so that others may carry the torch in their region. It blows me away at each of these comps, just how many people will open their wallets in order to open more crags and protect the ones we have here in the SE. I had a 10 year old boy empty his piggy bank at this last comp to buy raffle tickets for Yellow Bluff. The rest of the nation needs to learn what is happening here and how to duplicate the banding together of community, local business and land managers/private land owners for the sake of preserving our open spaces for all to use.

Access is the holy grail of climbing and the SCC, CCC, NRAC and Access Fund have done a tremendous job over the last 10 years to secure more new climbing here in the SE than anywhere in the US."

--Kurt Smith

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:01 PM | Comments (2)

November 25, 2008

Heart of Stone Climbing Film Premieres at Rock/Creek

Heart of Stone Climbing Film Premieres at Rock/Creek Friday December 5th

November 25, 2008 (Chattanooga, TN) - Rock/Creek and The Triple Crown Bouldering Series proudly present an exclusive premiere showing of the highly anticipated climbing access film-- Heart of Stone-- a film by Andrew Kornylak and Josh Fowler. Rock/Creek invites the general public to their retail location at Two North Shore in Chattanooga, TN for the premiere. The store will close at 7:00 pm on Friday, December 5th and doors will open at 7:15. The show will start promptly at 7:30 PM EST.

Heart of Stone investigates a critical point in rock climbing history in the southeast, while celebrating the many fantastic rock climbing resources that the Southeast has to offer.

As Kornylak explains, "the film celebrates what I think is the beginning of a golden age of discovery and stewardship of the amazing treasure of rock we have in the Southeast. The grassroots climbing community here is a miraculous mix of activism, generosity and respect for tradition: the Heart of Stone."

After the presentation of the film, acclaimed climbing athletes/activists Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden-Caldwell, Lisa Rands, and Kevin Jorgeson will speak with the audience about the current state of climbing access in the southeast and across the country.

It's no mystery that the Southeast holds some of the best rock climbing in the country. From uncountable fields of immaculate sandstone, granite, gneiss and quartzite boulders, to fantastic buttresses of steep, single pitch crags, to valleys filled with giant multi-pitch granite domes, the South simply has it all for the rock climber.

However, unlike the Western United States, most of the land of the Southeast is privately owned, with much of the remaining property being managed by State and National Parks. Rock climbing in the Southeast has become a matter of relationships between the climbing community and land managers.

Historically, climbers as a group have been known to the general public as conservationists...and simply excellent stewards of land. The number of rock climbers participating in the sport has increased dramatically over the last ten years, however. This increase in the number of climbers and the popularity of some of the rock climbing resources has placed a strain on some of the natural environments where climbers recreate, and as a result have placed the relationship between climber and land manager at risk.

Active local non-profit climbing organizations like the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition, the Carolina Climbers' Coalition, and regional activists are struggling to find a common voice for the entire climbing community--a voice that is steeped in the historical tradition of respect for the environment and the private landowner, but also one that advocates a spirit of adventure.

Please join us at the debut of this film at Rock/Creek's Two North Shore location. For directions and more information on our stores, visit: http://www.rockcreek.com/customer_service/locations.asp

A trailer for the film can be viewed online:
http://blog.rockcreek.com/archives/heart_of_stone_a_film_about_climbing_access_in_the_southeast.html

If the link is broken, try:
http://tinyurl.com/5eu24k

For more information on the Triple Crown Bouldering Series, visit:
http://triplecrownbouldering.org/

High-res photography available upon request.

Contact:
Mark McKnight
423.643.1528
mark@rockcreek.com

About Rock/Creek:

Rock/Creek, member of the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, is an independent specialty outdoor retailer with over two decades of experience in the Southeast. Along with its online shops, RockCreek.com and ClimbingGear.com, Rock/Creek provides quality outdoor clothing and gear for a host of activities including kayaking, rock climbing, camping, hiking, trail running, and adventure racing. Rock/Creek is committed to enacting positive change in the community and for our environment. For this reason, it uses outdoor retail as a platform to encourage outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship and to improve public access to the backcountry. Rock/Creek supports worthy nonprofits such as the Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and the Wilderness Trail Running Association.

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Posted by Mark McKnight at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)

November 6, 2008

Chris Sharma Photos and Slideshow Report

Chris Sharma made it to Rock/Creek last night for the final stop of his southeast slideshow tour. Beginning with his early ascent into climbing at the ripe age of 14, Chris talked about his life as a full time rock climber with incredible photos and videos of his proudest and most memorable achievements. The crowd was audibly amazed while watching Chris on some of the hardest boulder problems and sport routes which Chris climbed with amazing ease and grace.

With ascents like Mandala (v12) in the Buttermilks, or a young ascent of Necessary Evil (5.14a) where he easily stops mid send to take off his sweatshirt, Chris shows us that we are far from his caliber of climbing. Chris is nothing but humble and soft spoken about his achievements, a fact which made each climb he showed us more inspiring, and even tangible. The audience was in awe of the beautiful pictures taken by some of the best photographers in the world. The photography and video clips portrayed Chris in some exceptionally beautiful places- deep water soloing in Mallorca, Spain, hard sport climbing in Ceuse, France, and the first ascent of a new route at the amazing Clark Mountain, California.

The highlight of the slideshow was towards the end. Chris showed us his new route, Jumbo Love, located in Clark Mountain, CA. This new, super long, intimidating route in the Mohave Desert is now more than likely the hardest route in the world (5.15a) and after seeing the pics, believably so. Jumbo Love is a monster of a pitch, climbing 250 feet up a sweeping, blank wall of limestone with numerous hard cruxes along the way. Sharma explained that for a number of bolts, stopping to clip was too difficult, so he would skip them while routinely taking 60-100 foot falls.

Chris finished with shots of climbing in his new home in Spain and photos of his girlfriend Dila who climbs 5.14a consistently, and is a sweet and very strong woman climber. The slideshow was great, the photos were world class, and Chris did a great job taking us through his amazing life as a sponsored climber.

Chris recently signed on with Evolv to be a part of their shoe development and to create his own series of shoes, and just signed on with Sterling Rope as a new member of their team. Chris is an absolute climbing ambassador with his quiet demeanor, humble attitude and of course his incredible talent that inspired us all while we watched the show. Rock/Creek is proud to have had Chris here and we look forward to the next time he will be back in town.

See the photos from the Chris Sharma Slideshow >

Posted by Mark McKnight at 1:18 PM | Comments (0)

October 24, 2008

"Heart of Stone" a film about Climbing Access in the Southeast

Heart of Stone, a film about Climbing Access in the Southeast from Rock/Creek on Vimeo.

Check out the 'Heart of Stone' trailer....a production from Andrew Kornylak and Josh Fowler. See the full feature release at the Triple Crown finale at The Stone Fort/LRC. The focus of the film is Climbing Access in the Southeast. In addition to the release, attendees will have an opportunity to listen to discussions lead by top climber/activists Lisa Rands, Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden-Caldwell, Kevin Jorgeson, and other regional activists regarding the state of rock climbing access. Come join us for a full viewing of the film and candid discussions about the future of climbing access.

Posted by Mark McKnight at 3:06 PM | Comments (0)