"That Would've Killed You"

When not flipping burgers or talking shop at the Whitney Portal Store, Myles Moser and Amy Ness are busy forging a strong, free path on the neglected big walls of the Whitney cirque. Their 'Blood of the Monkey' now stands as one of the longest, highest, all-free lines in the Sierra.



This video really captures their personalities and passions.



¡mas cumbres a ustedes!

Cobra Crack, Squamish

(re-posted from Mason Earle's blog)

Falling off the Cobra from Mason Earle on Vimeo.

... damn!

Venturi Effect, Incredible Hulk

The Hulk inspires. Period. As summer gloom settles in here in SF and it feels more and more like winter elsewhere, it's good to remember the warmth of late day light on the East Side after a long, intense day on the high lonesome.

Croft and Nettle's Venturi Effect has become the backcountry test piece, and with good reason. Rapping down the upper headwall reveals some of the most pristine rock anywhere. It feels light years away from where I'm sitting now, but these videos give all the more reason to keep training and dreaming big.

BD athletes Kate Rutherford and Brittany Griffith attempt Venturi Effect (IV 5.12) on the Incredible Hulk, High Sierras, CA from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

Lotus Flower Tower via Packraft (!)

From the YogaSlackers site

I came across this trip report a while back and am continually amazed at what these ¨slackers¨ pulled off. Their adventure takes the ¨rope, rack, and the shirt on your back¨ dictum just a bit further. Read more here.

Fitzroy '68

The definitive Fitzroy epic: the funhogs' "California Route" as retold by Chris Jones. I tried uploading the scans but couldn't. Do yourself a favor and enlarge the slides to read the account. The mind boggles.

Beyond Driven

Don't get me wrong, I'm as stoked as the next guy to see dirtbags getting after it, going big in their chosen domain. But I also love finding out about the "everyman" unsung heroes--those who hold down normal jobs, are in functional relationships, and belong to actual communities--who also manage to push the fun meter to 11.

These videos have kept me pretty psyched since returning from Patagonia. Enjoy.

Andrew Skurka, reigning king of the long distance solo walk:

Rafael Slawinski: academic and all around master of those things frozen:

As I come across other inspiring stories, photos, and videos, I'll post them under the "beyond driven" moniker. Stay tuned.

*Neither a direct nor indirect reference to Pantera