Technically, my first time climbing was around 14 years old. My family was living in the DC area and my brother returned from college for Christmas. He was in school in Los Angeles and came home to tell me about his trips out to Joshua Tree, where he said he frequently donned a harness and a rope, and climbed to the top of some big rocks. He took me to a gym in Baltimore, with my rented shoes and cheap harness. (These were the days when you bought your first ATC and thought you were a total badass.) Fast-forward 10 years and I haven’t climbed since that time in Baltimore. I dabbled again after college, but the gym was a long drive and my harness quickly found a permanent home in the garage.
In November of 2007, my buddy Lars invited me to go to Joshua Tree with him. I met him at Indian Cove where we spent the next two days wandering around, not a soul in sight, and realizing how out of shape we were. The first time I realized I wanted to climb was really instigated by three things: 1) being outdoors, 2) being secluded, and 3) gear. I’ll admit it — I loved the idea that a cam could hold me during a fall. I actually went home, disassembled my home theater system (and Xbox 360), sold it all and bought a full rack of gear — most of which I didn’t know how to use.
Over the next few months, I joined up with my buddy Dave and he and I learned to climb together. I joined a gym near my office and began heading there twice a week, with an outdoor session on the weekend. It was the gym that turned me from trad climber to boulderer. I’d show up to the gym without a partner and — like the forefathers of bouldering — decided to “mess around” on these short walls as practice for the “real deal.” I got a few lessons from the regulars and within a year I’d climbed my first v4. I still remember every move of my first v1 and my first v4 — and how good it felt to reach the top, after days/weeks of struggle.
From there on out, I left the rope at home. I frequently made trips to Joshua Tree alone — wandering around looking for climbs. I got involved with “SoCal Bouldering” — a website founded by the author of the Joshua Tree Boudlering Guide, Robert Miramontes. I decided I’d help out with the site by filming some of my favorite climbs in Joshua Tree. Most of my early “videos” were simply shot on a little Canon point-and-shoot, propped up on a nearby rock. My big upgrade during this period was a small Gorillapod, so I’d get some more level shots.
2008 brought a baby to my house — and the opportunity to convince my wife we needed an HD camera…for the baby, of course. From then on out, the camera became a staple in my climbing pack: 2 pairs of shoes, chalk bag, Cliff bar, brush, tape, and HD camera.
This is just a hobby of mine, though. No plans to do anything with it quite yet. Maybe after I make my first million, I’ll set out to make some self-financed films … maybe purchase some better gear. But for now, I hope you like what you see. I make these films because I love the movement, scenery, frustrations, and successes of climbing. I hope the films that I make take you there — make your hands sweat and make you start watching the clock on Friday, thinking of your next climbing trip.
See you on the rocks…
-Jon
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