Chris Brown's Blog » rock climbing

New Online Catalog

chris_brown — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 06:29:47 +0000

The High Exposures image database is now online and fully searchable – no small feat. All images on the site are available electronically or as prints. The catalog contains many images not found in the regular portfolio section of the site, and more are consistently being added.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Get in touch with me.

Browse the online image catalog.

Search the online image catalog.

grain – climbing in Zion

chris_brown — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 17:43:31 +0000

Click the pic to launch the show.

One From Memorial Day

chris_brown — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 21:22:49 +0000

Got out to Egmont Key to shoot a sunset piece over the holiday weekend. Birds were everywhere, and the weather was even nice enough to build a few clouds for the shot.

Rain in the Desert aka The Experience of Being There…

chris_brown — Tue, 04 May 2010 23:30:38 +0000

Pat and Josh looking out onto the encroaching city from their bivy below The Rainbow Wall.

We often hear about the latest 5.TEEN or V-TEEN crushed by some ‘hard person’ from a magical land full of the best rock, the best routes and the best climbers. Flip the page or click next and then you get to read about someone doing it FASTER or in less tries or with only one shoe on. Is this what inspires you to climb? Sure its great to be inspired by amazing achievements, but what’s the point? The experience.

Experiences are more valuable than any material possessions. Experiences make us who we are – they form our thinking processes and our vision of the world. Through pursuits such as climbing, we’re able to create our own experiences – sure they’ll always be affected by outside unforseen influences, but that’s the point. So if we can create our own experiences, we can create our own reality.

The following footage was captured deep in the Vegas desert during total immersion on a trip up The Rainbow Wall. We did not have Josh Lowell filming. We did not do it car to car in a day. The climbing was not rushed. We did not get up before sunrise. We fell numerous times. We had fun. We were scared. We created our reality.

Vertical Ventures A.B.S. Competition

chris_brown — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:24:57 +0000

I shot over 4000 stills at Vertical Ventures‘ Halloween Bouldering Competition. Check the video below…

Music: ‘Turn Me Loose’ by Madcon

Creekin’ Out

chris_brown — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:47:54 +0000

Egmont Video

chris_brown — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:03:18 +0000

The crew headed to Egmont to enjoy the first cold front of the season. Video pieced together from over 800 stills.

Tampa Bay Area Online Buildering Guide

chris_brown — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:44:33 +0000

Much thanks to Ard over at buildering.net for pioneering the groundwork necessary for this online guide.

Check it out: Bay Area Buildering Guide.

Paradise

chris_brown — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:49:37 +0000

Egmont Key – Fort Desoto’s hot sister, is home to not only thousands of nesting shore birds, but also some of Florida’s finest bouldering. Battery Bigelow at Fort Dade on Egmont Key was destroyed by hurricanes in 1932 leaving behind gently overhung walls right at the waters edge. While its no Virgin Gorda, the beach front bouldering on Egmont Key never the less provides an idyllic setting for the adventurous flatlander.

Use your preferred mode of water transport to reach Egmont.

Launching from the fishing pier at Fort Desoto, it takes about 2 hours to reach Egmont by kayak or canoe while dodging the huge freighters and cruise ships that run the channel between the islands.

Hand crack at Egmont.

Topo of bouldering at Egmont. Click for larger version.

Storming the fort.

chris_brown — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:13:28 +0000

Climbing is where you find it. Some people have marvelous crags a mere stone’s throw from their homes, while others (namely us Floridians) may not be so fortunate. Those not blessed with the presence of rocks nearby have taken to the streets in search of human creations upon which to feed their hunger. Skyscrapers, freeway overpasses, and municipal buildings all lead second lives as virtual El Caps, Columbia Boulders, and Endless Walls for those with the vision. Here in St. Petersburg, we have Fort Desoto.

Bouldering at Fort Desoto.

Climbing is dangerous!

In 1898 construction began on Fort Desoto. Made from a shell, stone and concrete mixture, the walls of this fort have weathered many storms almost flawlessly. Those few flaws that do exist provide a perfect playground for climbers trapped in Florida. Small crimps and thin cracks have been pieced together by locals to create a handful of surprisingly quality boulder problems.

The Iron Seagull.

The Trash Can Arete.

Fort Desoto has a sibling named Fort Dade, located on Egmont Key.