Climbers’ Pine Mountain Pulldown Press Release

Whatever you’re doing the weekend of October 8-10^th, cancel it. If you’re into remote locations, awesome and beautiful bouldering, meeting good peeps, watching awesome movies and dancing to live bands, get yourself to the third annual Pine Mountain Pulldown.

Situated about an hour north of Ojai and just about close to nothing lies the hidden bouldering jewel of California’s central coast. Quality sandstone routes offer plenty of variety and fun climbing for all levels – not to mention sweeping views of the surrounding valley and ocean. Set against a competition backdrop – you’re poised to do the best climbing of the year at this event with friends old and new cheering you on, getting inspired by established climbers and the up-and-coming.

But if the climbing’s not enough to get you here, how about free on-site camping at a venue filled with climbing-related companies hocking their wares and demoing their products, a free showing of the Reel Rock Tour projected onto a campy stage with a premium sound system, great eats, free beer, great swag, dyno comp, and the baddest of the bad rockabilly band on the Central Coast, the Cadillac Angels!

Stick around on Sunday and help us clean up the mountain for an Access Fund Adopt a Crag event – we do so well ever year the park service not only invites up back but allows for growth of the event by inviting more and more participants – but that number is still low: sign up now to make sure you’re able to come to this awesome event.

Feeling guilty about having such a good time? Don’t – we’re committed to making the event completely sustainable: we run on biodiesel, pack in everything we pack out, are committed to being a low-waste an event as possible, and work closely with the forest service to ensure a low footprint on the mountain during and after the event. In addition, event proceeds benefit the Allied Climbers of San Diego, a non-profit organization dedicated to climber advocacy for the San Diego area.

Entry into the competition costs $65, including camping and festival entry. Skip the competition and join the festival for $25. Day-of registration jumps to $75 for the competition and $30 for the festival. Food is available for purchase at the venue.

For additional information on the Pine Mountain Pulldown, contact All Out Events 805.541-0401 or visit www.pinemountaincomp.com.

Tech Tips from Kristin Tara McNamara, head clinician at SLO Op Climbing

Bouldering can be pretty tough on your tendons, and with the Pine Mountain Pulldown coming up, naturally you want to take extra care that you don't blow them out prior to comp time! Here's some tips on making the best of the time you have left to get in the best shape possible and have fun no matter what level you are:

• Follow a basic format of Eric Vorst's 4-3-2-1 training program:
  • Four weeks of endurance-only training while trying not to get pumped. This means laps on routes and hours put in.
  • 3 weeks of maximum power and strength (so you're working those hard problems the way you love and systematic training like training boards, weights, and complex training). 
  • 2 weeks of anaerobic exercise: think of this as climbing interval training - you are going to climb at a moderately high intensity with only brief rests between pumps. It should WORK YOU!
  • 1 week of total rest - let your body heal and watch the progress on the stone!
• Don't get intimidated by the concept of a "comp." No matter what you're doing, you're climbing, and nobody but your friends will be watching you. Comps, no matter your current level, work to push you in ways you didn't imagine - you try harder, you last longer, and when it's over you have left it all behind. You'll be sore and satisfied and had one of the best climbing days of your life! 
• Counter train! According to Dan Millman, of Way of the Peaceful Warrior, injury happens when we're not paying attention. I know you're paying attention on the rock, but are you paying attention to your body? Do you have that characteristic shoulder roll-forward? Stop that! Life is not all about pulling, and if you let those push muscles get atrophied, that's when pain's coming your way. Don't forget to do bodyweight exercises, stretch, eat well, and take care of yourself in all the other important ways.

Use these tips to show up on October 8th and have the best time possible!

California's Only Outdoor Climbing Competition & Festival Returns October 8-10, 2010

Event producer Yishai Horowitz and his company All Out Events brings their love of climbing to the community through the Pine Mountain Pulldown, a three-day festival held in Los Padres National Forest for a third year. We moved it back a month for cooler weather, and this year’s festival promises to be the West Coast’s greenest climbing event.

A combination of the unmatched views that contrast the rippling Los Padres range, high altitude pines, and ocean horizon and the quality of the climbing inspired Horowitz to put on the event. “I am just so excited to share the experience with the climbing community for a third year,” he said, “This promises to be the highest attended yet, both by festival attendees and sponsors – there’ll be plenty to see and do.”

There’s something for everyone at the Pulldown, but bouldering is the main attraction. Boulder, the scaling of smaller rock faces that usually don’t necessitate ropes for safety and requiring only a pair rubber-soled climbing shoes, is quickly becoming popular worldwide for the community atmosphere, constant challenge, and variety of locations.

Friday night will welcome climbers and vendors with an exclusive showing of the Reel Rock Tour – a collection of climbing video vignettes projected onto the stage.

On Saturday, registrants are bused up to the all-day bouldering competition set on the top of Pine Mountain; the event has many competition levels and plenty of beginner “problems” – what boulders call prescribed routes up the rock face – making it great for first-timers. In addition, big-name professional climbers and teams will be competing at the top levels, and it remains to see whether an out-of-area pro or a local, who intimately knows the mountain, takes home the top award.

Evening activities include tug-of -war, crash pad sumo (competitors strap themselves into padding used on the ground for impact protection), and a dyno competition sponsored by Ventura’s Vertical Heaven climbing gym. Dyno comps are spectacular events in which climbers, fueled with adrenaline and enthusiastic audience cheering, attempt to launch themselves ten or more feet in the air to reach a hold. We’ll finish out the evening with a live show from ever-entertaining Rockabilly masters, the Cadillac Angels.

Sunday wraps things up with a volunteer thank-you pancake feed and an Access Fund Adopt-A-Crag clean-up to remove inadvertent trash left behind and restore the area to its original state via land work and cleaning off of chalk (which climbers use to keep their hands dry) from the rocks.

Entry into the competition costs $65, including camping and festival entry. Skip the competition and join the festival for $25. Day-of registration jumps to $75 for the competition and $30 for the festival. Food is available for purchase at the venue.

For additional information on the Pine Mountain Pulldown, contact All Out Events 805.541-0401 or visit www.pinemountaincomp.com.

Photos by Adam Kimmerly – this is the general media press release