Banff Mountain Film Festival

The Banff Mountain Film Festival last night was awesome!

Here in London they showed not one but TWO climbing films. Both films were taken from a climbing video called Return2Sender which I fully intend to purchase when I find it.

The first film was called Bug Out. It was about a 10 year old climber named Cicada Jenerik.

I never thought I'd look 'up' to a 10 year old...literally....

This girl was climbing boulder problems I couldn't even imagine touching in this lifetime! She was cranking up on the tiniest ledges and two-finger pockets. She was throwing for the slopiest holds. She was even climbing up 25-foot boulders!

The Second climbing film was called Parallelojams and was about crack climbing. This film gave a great lesson on how to climb a crack in the rock face. It even explained the different ways you could place your fingers, hands, feet, even your elbows and knees to hold yourself inside the crack. Hand jams and chicken wings would be an example of this. (see below)

Hmmm...I wonder what other body parts could get jammed in a crack....haha....

Watching this video made me realize that I really need to try trad climbing.

I could seriously see myself getting highly addicted to 'crack'! Haha...

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For all you non-climbers out there...again taken from Roclimbing.com

Chicken Wing - n. A type of arm bar useful in off widths and tight chimneys. Bend arm at elbow so that hand touches shoulder. Insert in crack and push against opposite sides. Works especially well vertically in squeeze chimneys, with elbow pointing up and pressing against one side of chimney, and heel of hand against the other side. 2.(v.) To Chicken Wing: bad climbing form on a face climb where the climber's elbows point out and back at an awkward angle.

Crack - n. An inwards split or break in a rock face.

Crack climbing - n. the act of climbing continuous cracks in the rock often requiring specific techniques and protection methods.

Hand jam - n./v. Using your hand to gain purchase in a crack by twisting the hand, squeezing or spreading the palm, pulling the thumb down, making a fist, stacking both hands, etc. . .

Sloper - n. a downward sloping hold.

Traditional/ trad / trad climbing - n/adj Climbing that emphasizes longer routes and removable protection.

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Here are some more pictures from the festival. I highly recommend this film festival for those of you who haven't experienced it yet. The festival shows films about outdoor adventure, extreme sports, culture, and much more. It's opened my eyes to what this world has to offer and I'm sure it would do the same for you!

'Balancing Point' - Click to watch this video...very cool!