2 for 1 zines yo! mixtape style.

A lot of rappers got their start on their own, selling mixtapes and CDs out of the trunk style. That's exactly what we've been doing w/ The Climbing Zine, and now for this week, we're offering 2 for 1 on The Climbing Zine Volume 4. Order it HERE via climbingzine.com.

Climbing Out of Bed Dropping on Freedom Day

I'm proud to announce my first book, Climbing Out of Bed will be released on the Fourth of July. It will be released as an e-book first, followed by the print version. Here's a look at the cover, with design by Lisa Slagle, and photo by Braden Gunem.

The Climbing Zine Now on Gunny Love

The Climbing Zine is now part of a new website called Gunny Love. Started by Mallory Logan and Delaney Keating, this innovative site is a marketplace for Gunnison Valley related projects, making it easy to shop locally, when you're not in the G-Spot! Check it out!

www.gunnylove.com

Computer Crash, Dirtbags Part II and Mountain Film

Life has been full of awesomeness lately, despite minor technical difficulties. My computer has crashed, so I've resorted to borrowing computer time, and hanging out at the Durango Public Library. Here's some words from Part II of the Dirtbag Story, as well as a blog post on Mountain Film in Telluride. Oh, and we finally printed off Volume 4 of The Climbing Zine. There's a link below too, if you want to order a copy.

Julie, Dave and Jonathan hanging in an alley in Telluride during Mountain Film.

Dirtbags in Durango Part II, The Graduated Dirtbag

The Serindipidous Mountain Film

The print version of The Climbing Zine Volume 4, (can be ordered here) 

"Climbing Zine Thing" @t The Firebrand, Gunnison, Colo.

Official release party for the new all-color print version of Volume 4. Our publisher, Luke Mehall, will present a slideshow, and then we’ll have the first-ever “Climbing Zine Thing Storytelling Contest” Best 3 minute story will win a prize. Beer and light snacks. FREE to attend, zines will be for sale.

Thursday, May 24th at 7:00 p.m. at The Firebrand Delicatessen in Gunnison, Colorado. Located at 108 N. Main St. in Gunny!

The Climbing Zine Manifesto

(our new logo by Mallory Logan)

In the very near future The Climbing Zine will be dropping the greatest zine ever, Volume 4. This zine will be available on eReaders, as well as in a full color deluxe printed version; our goal is to offer the best of both worlds. In conjunction with this we will be launching our new website, devoted strictly to The Climbing Zine. My blog has served as the informal website for the zine, but now it's time to take things to the next level.

While reflecting on what The Climbing Zine truly is, I typed up this manifesto. It articulates who we are, and what we represent.

The Manifesto

In an age when the power has been given to the people, we have come to offer up our own outlet for what rock climbing means to us, The Climbing Zine.

We were born on the rock face, in the moment, gripped, but so focused that our fear was transcended, and channeled. We climbed. We found the essence of climbing on the rock. We found a feeling like no other, a high, one of connecting with nature.

We created The Climbing Zine because we couldn’t find a source of media that told the stories of climbing we wanted to read. The culture of rock climbing is evolving and changing. We recognize that the only constant is change. The world is changing, how we interact, and how we tell our stories. Yet as much as climbing changes, its core remains the same. We’re beautifully human on a rock climb. We face our fear, and overcome.

We care little for numbers, we care for words, and we love a great story. As Alex Lowe once so eloquently and simply said, “The best climber is the one having the most fun.”
The Climbing Zine is a collection of memories of treasured experiences. It is 2012 and we are here to represent the soul of rock climbing, and take it back to the essence.

Word.

Whatcha Gonna Do On The Planet Today?

Well, it's back to the blue bird skies up here in Durango, Colorado and I'm psyched to see them. My kind of weather. It's meant to snow in the winter, and I'm glad we got some snow on the mountains, but this blue bird weather is what does it for me. I've been spending way too much time in front of a computer lately, and I want to try and bask in the sun for a bit today. A few things first.

As I wrote yesterday I'm leaning towards self-publishing Climbing Out of Bed. The question of whether to self-publish or go the traditional route is heavy on my mind. I guess I need to meditate on it for a minute. So that's what I'll do.

In the midst of my angst of what to do with my book, a new friend reached out and shared a piece she wrote, inspired by some words that I wrote. So I wanted to share her piece, I Love, Love. Check it out.

Also, to try to boost our readership of The Climbing Zine I've been sharing stories on rockclimbing.com. If you're looking for a sneak peek into Volume 4 my piece A Climber in the Winter of his Content just went live. If you're looking to savor the entire zine together don't read it though :) The title is opposite of something I wrote a number of years back called A Climber in the Winter of his Discontent. The difference is actually climbing in the winter versus not.

Lastly, I'm trying to be grateful for what I have, and not trying to obsess about what I don't have. I've been getting some love from sponsors, and I'm especially grateful to be an ambassador for Deuter. Looking forward to blogging for them and testing out their awesome gear. Here's a link to my ambassador page.

Funny Headline, but very dope for The Climbing Zine

The Climbing Zine's start on Kindle has been pretty stellar. Good enough that we are listed on Amazon.com as a Hot New Release in Mountain Climbing. Check it out.

Hot New Releases in Mountain Climbing via amazon.com

The Climbing Zine on Kindle (Ready to Read)

Well after a couple of weeks of trail and error, The Climbing Zine Volume 3 is now available on Kindle. We priced it at $3.99, half of the cost of our printed version.

Click here to see The Climbing Zine Volume 3 on Kindle.

I hope all you Kindle readers enjoy this, and please contact me if you have any feedback on the format. lmehall@yahoo.com