Speed Demons

A few years ago, I went over to my good friend and climbing mentor Kelly Rich's Yosemite West Cabin for one of the first times. When we walked in there was already a group of people gathered around the dining room table talking and cooking, a regular occurrence at his place I have since found out. At the table, three guys who were fit and strong and clearly climbers, were enthusiastically talking with animated hand gestures. I walked up and listened a minute before they turned to me, introducing myself to all three, I had no idea who I was talking to. I remember wondering "who are these euro guys?" as I listened to them talking about (what I later realized) was spotting the Free Rider line while freeing the Salathe.

So a few months later as I thumbed through Kelly's awesome Climbing Magazine collection I came across issue 254 with Ivo on the cover and the headline article "Speed Demons - Take a visual sprint up El Cap with two big-wall masters." I was intrigued because I just met this guy and had no clue who he was; in fact, I hadn't even really known who the Hubers were. The cover photo looks fast, Ivo's hand is reaching high over head, stretched out, reaching for something, a grim look on his face. Despite the obvious daylight hours of the photo, Ivo's headlamp on his helmet, implying that it is still morning. Below him Ammon McNeely is hanging in his harness, out of focus but clearly busy and in motion, perhaps stacking the rope...


It continues here...




Also... Drawing The Shortest Straw