Dean Fidelman: Stone Masters, Stone Monkeys and Stone Nudes

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, Feb 7th, 2012 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)

Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

At the young age of 15, Dean Fidelman began climbing and taking photographs. Dean grew up in southern California and was given a high school photography assignment to take photos of rock climbers at Stoney Point, a bouldering area in the San Fernando Valley. Dean rode his bike the ten miles from his house and saw a shapley girl bouldering. His first thought was, “she’d look good climbing nude”. It would be another 30 years before Dean started his Stone Nudes project.

Dean fell in with a group of young climbers, which included John Long, John Bachar, Yabo and Lynn Hill, the Stone Masters. He began to document this period of climbing in California, the people and the lifestyle. In 2009, The Stonemasters book won the grand prize at the Banff Book Competition and has become an important addition to climbing history.

In the late 90’s, another group of talented climbers arrived in Yosemite Valley. They included Alex and Tomas Huber, Dean Potter, Tommy Caldwell, Steph Davis, Leo Houlding and a host of others. This group, known as the Stone Monkeys, has been Dean’s focus for the last ten years and is included in Stonemasters Press – The Valley Climbers.

Join the Rock Ice & Mountain Club, as Dean presents beautiful photos and shares stories from Stone Masters, Stone Monkeys and Stone Nudes.

Gregory Crouch

Gregory Crouch

Gregory Crouch

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Gregory Crouch – First Winter Ascent of Cerro Torre’s West Face, Patagonia

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)

Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Patagonia is a land trapped between angry torrents of sea and sky. It is a place that has fascinated explorers and writers for centuries, discouraging all but the most devoted pilgrims. Gregory Crouch is one such pilgrim. With vivid narrative detail and National Geographic caliber photography, Gregory will be telling the tale of the first winter ascent of Cerro Torre’s West Face in Patagonia in 1999 with three Swiss climbers: Thomas Ulrich, Stefan Siegrist and David Fasel.

During this expedition, four peripherally acquainted people were able to overcome hugely different individual motivations and an immense language barrier and coalesce into a unified team. After several difficult weeks and one nearly-crushing failure, they found success and survival in the face of some of the most outrageous natural obstacles on earth.

Gregory Crouch is an author from the San Francisco Bay Area who specializes in adventurous and historic subjects. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, where he studied military history. He completed U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger Schools, and led his infantry platoon in combat in Panama, where he earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. Crouch left the Army in the post-Gulf War downsizing in order to pursue his passions for rock, ice and alpine climbing, with a particular fascination with the majestic peaks of Patagonia.

His work has appeared in National Geographic (“Stone Cold Ascent,” March of 2000, and “The Caves of Oman,” April of 2003), National Geographic Adventure, American History, Outside, Climbing (where he has been a senior contributing editor) and many others. Crouch’s book, Enduring Patagonia (Random House, 2001) was selected for the Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” program, and his upcoming China’s Wings: War, Intrigue, Romance, and Adventure in the Middle Kingdom During the Golden Age of Flight will be published by Bantam in March 2012.

Gregory Crouch

Gregory Crouch

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Fred Beckey – 100 Favorite North American Climbs

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)

Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Join the Rock Ice & Mountian Club for a special presentation by the one and only Fred Beckey. Fred’s latest book “Beckey’s 100 Favorite North American Climbs” will hit the bookshelves any day now. Come see Fred share his climbing and travelling tales along with new and old photos from his favorite climbs in North America. Fred is by far the most prolific climber and first ascentionist in North American history. Fred lives in Seattle, Washington but still hits the road to climb, explore and make new friends and see old ones. Although Fred isn’t a spring chicken, he is still getting after it and should be an inspiration to us all.

Fred Beckey

Fred Beckey

Fred Beckey

Photos by Corey Rich.

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Mike Libecki

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa

Time & Date: Tuesday, November 1st, 2011 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)

Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Join the R.I.M. Club for a special presentation by accomplished solo big wall first ascentionist Mike Libecki. At our November meeting Mike will show a series of short films from his big wall expeditions to Greenland, Antarctica, China, Venezuela, Yemen and more. His sponsors (Black Diamond, Mountain Hardwear, MSR, Lowe Pro, and others) have donated a stack of killer gear for a raffle you shouldn’t miss!
Our social hour starts at 6:30 and the meeting starts at 7:30. Bring a friend!

Mike will be showing a series of short films from his big wall explorations, some solo, some with partners. Destinations may include Antarctica, Greenland, Yemen, China, Venezuela and more.

mikelibecki.com

Mike was born near the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California where he grew up hunting, fishing, and camping with his family, as well as excelling in speed mathematics from grammar school through high school. His childhood life planted the seed for his obsession with an utterly adventurous lifestyle that has taken him to all of the continents several times. He is constantly making it very clear that: Death and/or old age is coming… we must live sweet. After all, it is not only life, but the quality of this life.

Now in his adult life, Mike spends most of his time as a father to his angel-daughter Lilliana, and traveling to the most remote, exotic and untouched locations on the planet to pursue his passion of big wall and alpine first ascents, traverses, and other offbeat adventures, many of them completely alone. Libecki has been on expeditions and established multiple first ascents in such areas as Africa, Baffin Island, Greenland, China, Madagascar, Kyrgysztan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Venezuela, Yemen, and Antarctica. He made the first west-east traverse across the Taklamakan Desert in Western China, also known as the “Sea of Death” by the local people.

He’s spent months at a time Soloing first ascents in Greenland, Baffin Island, Antarctica, Africa, Papua New Guinea and China. He and a partner spent 8o days completing a major ski and big wall climbing expedition in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. He is currently reconnoitering such virgin lands such as Franz Josef Land, Russia, restricted Africa, Afghanistan and remote islands in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans , some other areas are top secret at the moment due to government regulations.

Mike Libecki

Mike Libecki

Mike Libecki

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Ben Hatchett: Mountain Weather for High Altitude Gravity Enthusiasts

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa
Time & Date: Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)
Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Ben Hatchett is a homegrown Californian who has been a disciple of the mountain lifestyle for 16 years. Ben relocated to Nevada to complete his Ph.D in atmospheric science from the University of Nevada, Reno. Ben’s goal in life is to never stop having fun, to experience the best of the Sierra alpine environs in all seasons and to travel to mountain ranges that test his limits.

Ben will be showing photos from a variety of his mountain activities, mostly in California, but also Europe and Alaska, and will share insight about forecasting techniques and mountain weather phenomena that can be readily used to enhance your own backcountry adventures. Check out his website at www.powdiction.com for sierra weather updates and skiing, snowboarding and climbing outings.

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Alex Biale and Drew LaPlante

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa
Time & Date: Tuesday, September 6th, 2011 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)
Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Alex Biale and Drew LaPlante will present their 3 month rock climbing trip, spreading their love of climbing and love of life! Crossing through many popular areas, photos and stories of climbing and love and life through Tahoe, Smith Rock, Portland, Leavenworth, Seattle, Squamish, City of Rocks, Joe’s Valley, Rocky Mountain National Park, Boulder, Mt. Evans, and Malibu Creek will be shared. The journey of many miles was that of an unforgettable adventure of meeting new people, sharing in life-changing experiences, exploring the beauties of nature, cities, and the endless amount of climbing!

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Steve Curtis: Highlights from the Elbsandstein, Germany; Climbing With Knots.

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa
Time & Date: Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)
Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Steve Curtis will present his recent 11 day trip to Elbstandstein, Germany. Elbstandstein hosts over 14,000 climbing routes on over 1,100 rock pinnacles and is where the Saxon rules for rock climbing, considered to be one of the origins of free climbing, were established at the beginning of the 20th century. Steve says “For me, the climbing was extremely rewarding. I did things in reverse, figuring that climbing above slings with knots was just soloing”. Join Steve as he shows amazing photos and tells great stories about this unforgettable climbing and cultural experience.

Steve Curtis was born and raised in Petaluma, California and after a long time abroad, including 6 years in Germany, he has returned to the area and has not let up on his life long passion for climbing. Curtis is a retired air force prosthodontist with 27 years of service, board certified in 1994 and elected to the American Board of Prosthodontists in 2007. Steve’s notable climbs include the Nose in 16 hours, the Half Dome Regular route in 7 hours, plus long hard speed rope solos in Europe.

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Quaint Bouldering and Hidden Sport Crags of California

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa
Time & Date: Tuesday, July 5th, 2011 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)
Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Anthony Lapomardo is originally from the Central Valley. In the winter of 2008, he picked up a camera and has been unable to put it down, even when it hinders his climbing. Anthony’s interest is in reviving old areas and shooting boulder lines/sport climbs that have not seen the light of day in a publication. Currently, he is a contributor to Dead Point Magazine (DPM) and his photos and videos can be seen within the pages and on the website. Anthony’s show in July will be a mixed media presentation with three short (10min) films and lots of photos from small crags highlighting the enormity of California’s climbing potential. Come out and enjoy images of quaint bouldering areas and hidden sport crags throughout California.

Posted in Events

Amber Taxiera

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa
Time & Date: Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)
Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Amber Taxiera is originally form Davis, CA, where she grew up climbing at the Rocknasium. She began climbing more seriously when she went to college at Sonoma State University and began working at the Vertex Climbing Center in Santa Rosa in 2006. In Decemeber 2009, Amber departed on a 17 month tour of Asia hitting 8 different countries and climbing as much as possible along the way. She placed in International Climbing competitions and worked for an international guiding company in Southern China. Amber has a degree in Environmental Studies and City Planning from SSU and has guided for people of all ages and abilities in wilderness rafting, climbing, and trekking. She hopes to inspire more people to climb and visit climbing destinations throughout Asia and beyond.

Posted in Events

Charlie Barrett

Location: Round Table Pizza, 2065 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa
Time & Date: Tuesday, April 5th, 2011 @ 7:30 PM (Social hours and free beer for members at 6:30)
Directions: From Highway 101 at Santa Rosa go west on Highway 12 to Stony Point Road Exit. Go straight from the middle lane at the light onto Occidental Road. The Round Table Pizza is on the right just down the road.

Santa Rosa Hardcore Boulderer. This show is going to be gritty and awe inspiring. Join us for a killer show by our own Charlie Barrett.

Posted in Events

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"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn."
— John Muir