Rocktoberfest

 The Rocktoberfest is an amazing celebration at an equally amazing climbing area held to raise funds to purchase crags.  There was a great turnout with many psyched climbers all sharing there love for the sport.  Black Diamod and Sterling were out representing and showing there support to help keep the Red open for us all to enjoy.   The activities were endless with movies, jousting, slideshows, clinics, food and my favorite beer.  Here are a few pics of the fun that was had!!!

 Me and litte Mark Ventura (not so little) enjoying the jousting

 Plenty of delicious Avery beer on tap!!!!!!

 Grip that hold NINJA!!! The dyno comp

 Black Diamond booth got raped and pillaged jk they cleaned it out to stop the supper stealth stealing missions

 Sterling with their incredible Rope Recycling Program getting taken advantage of by many people check it out at http://www.sterlingrope.com/recycle

Ping Pong session getting serious, psych!! Not really its all fun at the Rocktoberfest

I will leave you with a shot of one of the most b-e-a-utiful walls at the Red being Gold Coast

The Red

I have been in Kentucky for about 2 weeks now.  The weather started out very hot with highs in the 90's, however, the last few days have been very nice and it looks like the heat has past.  This place is incredible with perfect rock, perfect grips, and perfect movement.  I dont know how it could get any better than this.  The last week I started working at Miguels, which has been great the people are all super nice and motivated.  It seems like everyone is psyched and it is instilling a vibe that can only push everyone to climb there best.

At first I tried to just keep to the Undertow wall which is so stacked with classics it is unbelievable.  I figured that would be the best way to get fit and help me stay psyched while waiting for the better temps.  I feel good now and have done a few of the cave routes and some fun onsights at the Undertow.  The problem now is that I need to make the next step in fitness to do my project and I hope I have the juice.   Well I am out got to do some climbing and the psych is supa high(I hope it is not all coffee buzz).  I will leave ya with a few pics from the trip so far enjoy. 

The classic OW area I have not been to Vedauwoo.  Another day I hope

Nebraska is the most HEINOUS drive ever.  One road and zero hills=boring 

There are a bunch of weird lakes by the road though??

The first hotel room I have ever bought but 15 hours of driving warrants a room

Cool bridge over the M-i-s-s-i-s-s-i-p-p-i or I think this is the one

Fall foliage already coming in

YAAAA I am here finally and look at the size of that sign 

So stoked to be climbing at the load

Dan enjoying his mid day almond snack

Birdie being silly with the "stick bug" 

Classic Kentucky all I can do is laugh HAHAHA

Working at Miguels 

Lone Peak

I went to Lone Peak for the first time and it was great. The whole time i was up there I could not stop wondering why I had not made the journey up there before. The rock is top notch, climbing is great, and last but not least the hang is about as good as it gets. Plop your tent down in the middle of the the meadow and it will be perfectly flat and being in the middle of a gorgeous cirque is not bad either.

The Question Mark route

A pretty fun 11a R that packs a bit of spiccceeee

High Performance 5.12+ PG13 

I was fortunate enough to get the second ascent of this rig.  Props to Noah Bigwood for putting this great seam up for us all to enjoy.

After the crux of High Performance and I am jazzed to get that bomb finger lock.  

More good seam climbing on HP

Some amazing climbing on the Center Thumb 5.9+.  This section has giant patina jugs every where. 

Another shot of The Question Mark Route

I got to finish off the day with a solo of the Low Route 5.8 that is one of the best few pitch 5.8's I have ever done.  My friend Perter was just ahead of me so we got to bull shit the whole way, which made it fun.  When we got back to camp the crew had steaks that were just getting done with jalapeno's, garlic, PBR, and whiskey.  I dont think it gets much better than that in the alpine.  Thank you everyone for the great time up there and I hope it is not the last time we do that.  

Salathe Check, all Yosemite goals Check

Our plan to tackle the Salathe was to get a alpine start in hopes of getting to the boulder problem in the shade because the valley was heating up quick. 90 degrees is not sending temps so we had to do what we could to make the climbing easier. We started climbing at about 3:3-4 A.M. We simuled up to the Monster in 2 blocs Cody Sims leading Freeblast and I took it to the Alcove. The Monster seems to feel every time I do it so maybe one day I will be able to do it like a man and leave the wrecking-ball 6 Camelot behind. We made good time and Cody was able to give the boulder problem a few goes before the sun hit but we both ended up sending in the sun but the wind was a blowin so it was fine. We made it to the bloc by 1:30 so we got a nice nap. Once we began going through our stuff we found what I first thought was piss. I knew Kate and Madeline had just done Freerider with Mikey Schaefer Shooting them so I was thinking they fucked with us by leaving this behind real funny. Then i opened it up, smelled, and my eyes blasted open "Fuck Ya" I said to Cody its whiskey. As it turned out Mikey hooked it up. Thank you soooooo much Mikey you are The Man. We spent the rest of the day eating and drinking for we had a ridiculous amount of food. I think we could have spent a week up there and still gained weight on the wall. The next day was a rest day and we just jammed out to tunes and chilled or should I say sizzled(it was hot as hell). The 3rd day we woke up at 5 packed up and got climbing the corners where wet as ever but we got through them and the roof and were standing at the base of the headwall. I could really feel the pressure for the reason that it was so warm we knew each of us only had one go before the pitch went into the sun and then it would be unclimbable. We would have to wait a full day just to try the thing again. The lower 13a part felt relatively easy so i was stoked on that and i did feel a little pump but nothing major through the easier section. As I started to climb through the flared fingers to hands i still felt good. The bulge has always felt like the crux for me so i rested and went. I felt like i was going to fall out of every jam. The heat made it greasy as shit but i sum how got through it to upper finger splitter and that felt supper easy and then i got the bad ass bat hang and de pumped. the upper part went easily except for me being retarded and putting my foot too low and almost not being able to reach the pin scar but i barley snagged the hold and sent. I was sooo psyched. I then rapped down and belayed Cody as he sent the headwall Ledge to Ledge too. This is the first team free with both parties leading the headwall ledge to ledge and we are very happy and grateful to have done it. We then had to haul a full 600ft. up to Long Ledge so shitty that is why I dont haul but i did do some innovative hauling techniques. The 12a sport pitch is sick and is so fun after the stressful headwall. Once on top we ate a excessive amount of trail mix that was amazing because all the chocolate melted and made it into clumpy goodness. Going down sucked with massive pack but all is good when you just sent the Salathe ledge to ledge.


Poaching the Marriott internet


Driving home in Blue( my van) your my boy Blue


Chilling on the ledge


Team Free of Salathe ledge to ledge summit shot!!!!!!


Hauling ze shit down


Me sending the headwall such a good pitch


Our Pad. Nothin but luxury for us


Pouring the whiskey Mikey left use into Tweety THANKS MIKEY!!!!

Untitled from Nik Berry on Vimeo.

Check out my sweet hauling technique( I have no idea how to haul so this was some mandatory improvisation) and the Rock Paper Scissors match for who carries the poo.

Salathe-Ledge to Ledge

Last year after doing Freerider we had to rap the route to get all of our stashed goodies on the route and we went down the Salathe headwall. Rapping this pitch sparked a psych for a route that I have never had before so this pitch as been in the back of my head for over a year now. When I got out to the Valley this season I began working this route right away and it was not easy. I had to slog my 200 meter cord up to the top with all my other sleeping stuff but it was all well worth the work. After numerous working sessions I put it down first go on lead and was amazingly stoked. The more work you put into a route the greater the reward and this was no exception to that rule. Luckily for Miah and myself he came out to shoot the send and here are some pics of me on the headwall and the sick roof pitch below. Now Cody Sims and I are heading up on Saturday to go from the ground and I just hope the weather is not too hot for us but it should be ok.

P.S. one shot is of the A5 traverse

Freerider in a day

Doing Freerider in a day has been on my mind since I sent the route last year. I think almost everyone that frees an El Cap line thinks of doing it in a day after they send. Finding someone that is psyched to give up 2 days (the support day and a rest day) to support you seems to be difficult. On a rest day on El Cap Bridge I was talking to Mason about how i was supper psyched to try Freerider in a day and he expressed interest in doing it as well. So we pounded fists and just like that we both had our jugging bitches to give freeing El Cap in a day a shot. Last Monday 6/7 I worked the headwall and then the next day Mason and Clay came up to the top to rap the Freerider to get the pitches dialed. The upper corner was still a little wet but after this extremely wet spring the wetness does not affect me because it is almost expected. The boulder problem is completely dry and there is a new "aggressively cleaned" undercling/pocket. I still used the double dyno beta but the pocket makes it a bit easier to set up. Ideally I would have liked to take two rest days before I went for the rig but my friend Miah is coming into town on the 12th and he is amped to shoot at the top of the Captain so I just took one rest day. On Thursday Mason and I woke up at 2 A.M. and started climbing at 3:30 for some reason it always takes longer than you think to get started. This was going to be my first time having someone jugging for me and being my full on supporter as well as being my first time short fixing. We ran up Freeblast in 2 hours or less and were at the Alcove in 4.5 hours. I was psyched for the reason that i was hoping for 5-6 hours to the Alcove and I thought that was ambitious. We took a 20 min. break and eat some food and pizzed some stashed water but little did we know there was a cluster of all clusters on the Spire. I got to the Spire and no one had started climbing but they would not let me pass. Another party started climbing and took there time leading the OW and i got antsy and just started climbing behind him. There where 7 ropes going up this pitch at the same time WTF. After this we where out in front and ready to keep up out pace. At The Boulder Problem i could feel my core was a bit week and made the technical part more difficult but I redialed it in and sent 3rd try. The Sewer pitch was dripping like made so I made the choice to go shirtless to keep my shirts dry. At parts i would reach up for a hand jam and water would be streaming down my arm and the rest of my body. I got more pumped on this pitch than any so far. At the top i shivered and shook all my energy away. The climbing after felt much harder. The corner pitches went well and I had to hang out a while on the 12a traverse at the end and try to figure out what to do but I sent. It was an amazing day and I finished in 12:30 so i was supper stoked on that since I was estimating that 15 hours would be good for me. We made it down in plenty of time for ice cream, Cobras, and Pizza. Thank you so much Mason for being such a bad ass jugger and supporter you killed it and busted your ass for me and I really appreciate it. I will do the same for you in a few day when you CRUSH IT.

Golden Gate is GRRRRRRRRReat!

So me and joe did Golden Gate at it was amazing to do the route with conditions the way they were. We rapped in and checked out the Golden Desert pitch and the A5 but we left the rest up to chance. This was for the reason that Joe did not have much time and it was fun having some unknown in the route. The first day we climbed up to the 12c down climb and fixed our lines. Day 2 we sent the down climb once we abandoned some horrible beta of double thumb pressing. We finished off the day by running up some scary 5.10 pitches and fixing to the top of The Move pitch. Day three was a planned rest day and it would have been anyway because it dumped rain. The forecast called for 80% chance of rain and it turned out to be raining the whole day. I used a BD tripod tent and did not set up the poles like a true DUMB ASS. The result was me getting soaking wet. Just as i was really wanting to bail I went into the alcove cave and it was dry so i was able to warm up and that really helped the psych. Joe and i made some nice hot coffee and felt much better. The next day it was clear but cold so we hung out a while and had 2 french presses of coffee and 2 breakfasts YUM! We jugged to the top of the move and it stumped me at first then Joe figured out the trick. You have to use the meat of your palm and pinch with a index finger wrapped around the top of the hold and it felt very bizarre but not too hard. After we both sent this pitch it started raining again so we chilled on the ledge for a while and luckily it passed and we where able to get some more pitches in. We made it up the the Tower to the People and fixed down. The following day was more draining than we expected. We got up at 5:30 and got are shit together and started jugging to The Tower to the People. This took some time and due to the how steep this part of the wall is it was much more taxing than we expected as well. I lead the Golden Desert pitch and the A5 traverse with wet holds and all. We had to chalk the hell out of them and it felt much harder than it should have if it was dry but we maned up and sent. The following pitch is a 12a traverse that felt kind of hard and then it was the incredible razor-blade pitches to a kind of scary and strange 11b ending. We got to the top and tried to hurry for we wanted to make the pizza deck before it closed so we started reapping and thanks to Stanley and Eric it went faster than expected at 3:30 min. Not bad. Overall it was an amazing route with lots of traversing but also fun climbing on mostly great rock.





A frog at The Alcove how it got there i have no idea but with the excessive amounts of rain staying alive is not problem.



Our pre climb grub



Me on The Monster

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The aftermath of The Monster OW



Enjoying our Mountain House dinners that Joe brought after our first day. 23 pitches makes a man hungry.



The 12c slab down climb that is actually pretty cool even though it sounds retarded. The crux hold has a rad thumb catch with a two finger micro crimp on top.



Almost ready to throw in the towel due to being soaked and the rain showing no signs of stopping.



We had to retreat to the Alcove Cave where it smelled like shit because some Euro trash party was dropping bombs off the side. Even though it smelled bad Joe and i were stoked just to be dry after 5 hours of hellish rain.



Finally Blue sky and a 12 hour weather window to put the route down



Summit shot SO HAPPY!



after rapping and getting our shit. Feeling a little on the beat side.



Red Point Amber Ales after an amazing day



Pizza and Beer never tasted so good