On our last trip to Colorado we had the honor of going to Neptune Mountaineering to hear Pat Ament speak and put on a slideshow. To say the least he is a bouldering legend and to hear him was very much a thrill. After the show I got a chance to meet and talk to another bouldering legend, Jim Holloway. These pics are pretty poor, but out of respect, I didn't want to bother them too much so I hurried.

Isaac with Pat Ament

Me with the ever towering Jim Halloway. BTW, I am 5'6" tall, evident here.

     For those that don't know, bouldering is climbing that is nearer to the ground and ropes are not needed. About 50 years ago a man named John Gill decided to hang up his trad climbing gear and just work on acrobatic, short routes. He became known as the grandfather of modern bouldering. By the mid to late 1950's he was doing problems that today would be rated around V9 and V10. (The "V" scale, named after John "The Verm" Sherman, who was also at this slide show, is a way of grading difficulty on a boulder problem-V0, easy-V10+, very hard. Some super humans today are calling out grades like V15 and V16!)
After him came gentlemen like Pat Ament, who, among others, were responsible for putting up large amounts of problems in the Eldorado Canyon area, as well as all over Colorado. Jim Halloway came later in the 1970's and put up more, harder problems all over Colorado, as well-some of which are STILL unrepeated. Amazing!

     Anyway, it was cool to be able to chat with these gentlemen, and I thought you might like a bouldering history lesson. 

Can't wait to get out and pull on some REAL ROCK!!

It will happen soon, my friends!

Cheers