VVV - Viral Vixen Video

Yes, it's been super quiet here at the Upskill blog. I actually never posted in 2014. Is that bad?

On a positive note, I have been doing heaps of climbing. The 2013 and 2014 seasons are some of the most fun climbing I've had in the SE Queensland region, ever. You know I love new routing. For those two years, all my energy outside work was funneled into developing three major new cliffs in the Urbenville region of northern NSW: Vesuvius, Spot X and Crossroads. 

Between the three crags, we established 71 routes. 20+ of these were over 40m in length. It was epic.

All this action is a mere two hour drive from Brisbane. I put lots of k's on the car. But so, so worth it. All info for all three crags is now available on theCrag.com, and the season is just starting. If you live in Brisbane, 2015 could be your Urbenville year. It's the Catalunya of Queensland.

I capped off both prolific seasons with a hard first ascent. The second of these was Vixen 32. I was really pleased to vision, and then eventually climb this extremely overhanging, blank looking wall. The movement on it is super good - one of the most fun routes I've done. Erik filmed on it using his ingenious RopeClimber camera, and EpicTV ended up picking up the video. 200,000+ views later, and lots of people have now seen Spot X, even if they'll never climb there. Watch the vid.

Queensland Climbing feature in Ascent Magazine 2013

Kaly cover shot. Not
SEQ, but still nice :)

Wow! I was amazed when issue #210 of my R&I subscription arrived and I discovered that there was a Queensland climbing photo-feature article "The Wild Walls Down Under". R&I has a circulation of 30,000 and is one of the most recognisable climbing magazines in the world.

Simon Carter's photo article really showcases some of the variety our region offers, which is now being admired worldwide.

Stoked to see some of my first ascents as well as my best mates John J O'Brien and Duncan Steel up in lights.

A couple of my Glasshouse first ascents. Pitiless (left) remains Glasshouses' hardest, while Stainless (Anti)climb is historic, being the first time these aid pitches have been freed.

Duncan cranking our hard trad at Frog Buttress.

Sabina (left) scored the cover of Simon and my guidebook to the region with this ascent of Aphelion 22 on Tibro, while Alex Straw (right) is hanging upside down on the top of my unrepeated route Bite The Hand That Feeds 31, which the project Taking Care of Business joins at Mt Coolum.

JJ O'Brien climbing the route we established Black Leather Dungarees 26, Mt Coolum. And a picture of a grater.

Video: Frederick Peak

Townsville, located in North Queensland strikes fear into the hearts of hipsters and the trendy southern yuppie, but it holds a special place in my heart as I began my climbing career in Townsville while at University.

The most well-known crag Mount Stuart occupied most of my time, and though Frederick Peak was visible to the north west of the city, gates and 4WD access kept it out of my cross-hairs. Another 10 years, and these minor inconveniences have been overcome, and a new generation of climbers have been blessed with a greenfields playground for establishing new routes in almost every style.

It's true, the remote location and slightly tricky access will ensure this crag never be crowded, but for the climbers of the region, Frederick Peak is a major drawcard. Based on number of routes, uniqueness and quality, it's probably Australia's most significant new crag "discovery" in the last 10 years.

I've been back a couple of times (read about the first here), hosted by the Three Monkeys, who are a triple-barbed missile of bad heavy-metal music and new routing enthusiasm. On both trips I was able to put up some great routes, and repeat some great routes too.

On the last trip, we also teamed up with the indomitable Gareth Llewellin who was keen to use his new camera to capture some pics and video. The video he put together was an introduction to the area, and contains a rather lengthy and somewhat embarrassing monologue by me. This was featured in Vertical Life magazine issue 4. Scroll down for the video, and grab issue #4 of Vertical Life while you're at it. Good stuff, and free. How do they do it?

Download PDF of issue 4

Profiled on the Vertical Life site
Me repeating Monty's terrific 'White Gold' extension 27, Frederick Peak (c) Gareth Llewellin

Climbing in Townsville - Winter 2012 from Gareth Llewellin on Vimeo.

And if that's got you Frederick-frothing, check out the guidebook:

Download PDF

Ask The Coach #8: Training Series 3/3: The Seven Deadly Sins

In ROCK #91, you'll find my final article in my three-part training series entitled The Seven Deadly Sins. Why ROCK decided to label this article on the cover as "Just Climb It - Lee Cujes' seven awesome things" is anyone's guess.

Sidenote: With the news that Newsweek magazine will cease print at the end of the year and move to an online-only distribution, I had thoughts about the future of poor old ROCK magazine. As anyone who reads ROCK knows, it was the baby of prolific Australian climber Chris Baxter since he created the magazine in 1978. With Chris' ailing heath, the magazine was acquired by the Prime Creative Media stable in 2009. As well as producing a climbing magazine, this team also produces Global Coffee Review, Italianicious, Trailer Magazine, and many others. Initially, avid climber Ross Taylor was put in charge of producing ROCK, and he put in a valiant effort despite an obvious lack of resources. Eventually, Ross left ROCK and co-founded the excellent online publication Vertical Life, and editorial duties of ROCK fell to Prime Creative staffer and non-climber Aaron Flanagan. Once again, I have no doubt that Aaron is doing the best he can with the resources he has available, but I can't help but thinking that with the above-mentioned progression we're seeing the lid of ROCKs coffin being slowly nailed up. Perhaps it's inevitable. As Newsweek's editor said, “It really has not been a question of if, it was a question of when.”

Without further ado, please enjoy my final training article for ROCK magazine.

Page 1. Click to open image in viewer, then right click on it and select 'View Image'
to more easily read the full-size scanned pic.

Page 2. Click to open image in viewer, then right click on it and select 'View Image'
to more easily read the full-size scanned pic.

My interview in KORFES (Greek climbing mag)

Thanks to Aris Theodoropolous who did an interview with me for KORFES magazine. Here it is. The translation follows...

How did you start climbing?

I started climbing in 1994. I was 17, went to a climbing gym a few times and was hooked, and immediately started venturing outdoors. This was before climbing info was available on the internet. We had to work out everything ourselves, which meant rope was purchased from the hardware store, the same 8mm nylon rope you use on your trailer. We made harnesses out of the same rope using a soldering iron. The exceedingly painful G-string configuration we came up with led to some seriously bruised kidneys. We used D-shackles to belay. It's amazing none of us got badly injured.

Which climbers have made a lasting impression on you and why?

The people who have made the biggest impression on me are the local climbing warriors who took me under their wing and acted as mentors, pushing me to improve. I'm indebted to Duncan Steel in particular who recently climbed his first 8c at the age of 50. Inspirational.

The best thing about your climbing life?

Adventure and travel. Exploring cliffs I haven't been to before, establishing new routes, training and helping other climbers.

A memorable story from your climbing life?

It was New Year’s Eve 2005 and we were chilling out at the Freedom Bar on Tonsai with a very extended dinner. I managed to talk my girlfriend Sam into doing the multipitch classic Humanality with me first thing in the morning. The alarm went off before 6am and I dragged Sam and the gear down to the beach. The party was still going at the Freedom Bar, with music blaring and people dancing around in various stages of drug-addled intoxication. We were the first ones on the route (the first party of 2006), and climbed as quick as we could to put some distance between us and the German party who’d just arrived behind us. The third pitch is amazing, stemming out from a smooth wall to a huge stalactite behind you. As Sam met me at the final semi-hanging belay she was absolutely spent, which of course was part of my plan, and I asked her to marry me. She was obviously too tired to think clearly and said yes.

Other interests (besides climbing)?

Traveling, fishing.

What’s next – short and long term?

More of the same. Life is good.

When did you first visit Kalymnos?

2007 during our honeymoon.

What did you think during that first visit?

We loved it. We were there in November and it was quite cold and many places were shut, but it still left a lasting impression.

How many times have you visited Kalymnos since?

Three more times. Nearly six months of time spent on the island so far.

What –if anything—differentiates Kalymnos from other climbing destinations?

The sheer quantity of routes within easy walking distance, and the quality of the guidebook.

As a climbing destination, where does Kalymnos get it right?

The support of climbing from locals, and from local businesses is great to see. The fact that the bolting of routes follows a set of guidelines to ensure consistency and quality is a smart move for a 'holiday cliff'.

And where does it go wrong? Any suggestions for improvement?

I feel more support (and money) needs to be thrown behind people doing rebolting and maintenance, and the scale of this program expanded. When routes are rebolted, they should be equipped with glue-in bolts rather than expansion bolts. This will increase the lifespan of the fixtures, and eliminate problems of nuts loosening and hangers falling off.
 

Most recently you stayed in Kalymnos for almost two months. What were the highlights of that trip?

The highlights were getting to introduce the island to another group of friends who hadn't experienced Kalymnos before. From a climbing viewpoint, I really enjoyed doing Sardonique at Odyssey and Punto Caramelo in the Grande Grotta, as well as discovering the delights of the Secret Garden.

Tell us about your climbing camps on Kalymnos. What made you choose it as the venue?

Climbing, food, accommodation, seaside setting, easy access -- it's the whole package that sets it apart. There are areas in the world which perhaps have higher quality easy and mid-grade routes, but nowhere else can tick all the boxes like Kalymnos.

As a coach, how do you help students become better climbers over the course of a climbing camp?

We do pre-work with our students to determine where their weaknesses lie before the camp, and help them with their goal-setting. Each day during the camp we all participate in a discussion module covering one key aspect of climbing performance, which helps provide a focus to the day's climbing. We constantly shoot video and conduct a video analysis session with each climber to help identify weak areas and analyse ways to improve. But mostly, it is the positive and supportive vibe of the team which sees each climber try a little harder and achieve more than they thought possible.

Most memorable routes you have climbed on Kalymnos (regardless of grade)?

    •    Axium 6c+, Ghost Kitchen
    •    Biloute 7a, Olympic Wall
    •    Aegialis 7c, Grande Grotta
    •    Zawi Nul Syndicate 7c/+, Grande Grotta
    •    Fun De Chichunne 8a, Grande Grotta
    •    Lucifer's Hammer 6c, Spartan Wall
    •    Phineas 5c, Symplegades
    •    Chameleon 8a, Spartacus
    •    And now for something completely different 5c, Arginonda
    •    Kerveros 7a, Spartacus

Some climbers may be worried about visiting Kalymnos due to the ongoing economic crisis in Greece. How did you experience Kalymnos this year? Was your stay in any way affected by the crisis compared to previous visits? What would you advise a first-time visitor to Kalymnos?

We weren't affected at all. There was some strike action during our stay but we luckily avoided it. A first time visitor should take a 70m rope and more quickdraws than they think they will need. Try every restaurant, and drink lots of frappes!

When will we see you in Kalymnos again?  

We never know for sure if we'll go again. And yet we always seem to find ourselves back in Masouri. It's beginning to feel like a second home. Who wants to help me get a Greek working visa? :)

Aris also has the interview online on his excellent ClimbKalymnos site.

Interview in Vertical Life

New online climbing mag Vertical Life has done an interview with me, basically checking in on my ascents of The Don 33 and Vicious Wishes 32.

The interview is up on their site, and you can download issue #1 for free there also.

Big ups to Simon Madden and Ross Taylor for forging ahead, sticking their necks out and essentially (virtually) self publishing something that is artistic and meaningful. It's completely congruent with the tagline of this website (look up top - my own personal mission).

I look forward to issue #2.

Ask The Coach #7: Training Series 2/3: Training finger strength

Autumn's issue of ROCK magazine is out and in it I get stuck into telling you how to go about training finger strength. Ideally suited to those who have perhaps tried before and given it up.

This is the second of a three-part training series and the content is something I'm proud of considering it's an area I have struggled with, and then really put in a singleminded, determined push to develop for the past six months. And it paid off. I've got miles to go, too.

So. Stronger fingers. Here's how.

Page 1. Click to open image in viewer, then right click on it and select 'View Image'
to more easily read the full-size scanned pic.

Page 2. Click to open image in viewer, then right click on it and select 'View Image'
to more easily read the full-size scanned pic.

The third and final installment of this training series will be coming up in July.

Ask The Coach #6: Training Series 1/3: Beating the pump!

In this quarter's issue of ROCK Magazine, I begin the first of a three-part training series on the main building blocks you need to address as part of a yearly training plan.

In this case, because it's the first one we're starting with the building blocks and that is ARC (Aerobic Restoration and Capillarity) training and PE (Power Endurance) training.

If you want to beat the pump, this is required reading.

Click to view bigger.

Stay tuned for parts two and three!

Climbkalymnos interviews Lee Cujes

Climbkalymnos.com, the premier site of all things Kalymnos just published an interview with me.

I talk about some random stuff, as well as the camps we ran in Kalymnos this year and why I reckon the place is so good.

Click this link to check it out.

Ask The Coach #5: Mental Training

So while I was in Kalymnos running our climbing camps I had ample opportunity to do weakness assessments on a stack of climbers (self included). I kept seeing the same weaknesses popping up again and again, and most of them had nothing to do with our physical selves.

I always say it. Climbing = 80% mental.

So, I thought it was high time to address some mental training. It's an area I'm very interested in, and I reckon all climbers can make good gains simply by paying attention to what's going on upstairs.

Oh yeah, go subscribe to ROCK. It's $31.95 per year.

World Climbing - Rock Odyssey, by Simon Carter

2009 was our first foray to the unknown delights of Vietnam and its limestone towers in Ha Long Bay. (You can find our 2009 trip reports and video here). We had a stack of fun and I was particularly impressed by one limestone tower which had just two routes (The Face 7b+ and License to Climb 7b). It was the most impressive and striking tower I'd seen in a bay which has over 2,000 limestone towers. After we left, I kept in the back of my mind the dream of establishing an extension to License to Climb which went all the way to the top of the diamond shaped face.

In November 2010 we took the opportunity to head back to Vietnam to climb, DWS, bolt new routes, and shoot photos with our friends Simon Carter and Monique Forestier (and a host of others). Simon was interested in profiling the climbing in Vietnam in his upcoming book and 2012 calendar, and we were happy to help out and share what we'd discovered about the climbing there.

As soon as I'd told Simon about my plans for an extension on License To Climb, he was psyched. It didn't take long before we were out there, climbing scary sharp trad to get to the top of the formation and suss out my dream line. As I gingerly rapped over the razor sharp limestone edge, I had high hopes. Within roughly 60 seconds, I was bummed out. The rock up high was crap. Flaky, friable crap. Everything that looked like a hold I managed to rip off in my hand. I was never going to get the 50m pitch I was hoping for. As I descended though, metre by metre, the rock quality improved. Suddenly my spirits lifted as I began piecing together a possible series of moves upwards from the existing chains. Upwards... but how far, and to where?

Me, approaching the anchors of the original route. My extension steps right and goes up another 10m or so to finish at a large hole/undercling at the top of the black streak right of me. Above there, the rock really craps out - unfortunately!
© Samantha Cujes 2010

The original 7b finishes at a set of double pockets the size of footballs in the middle of the face. It's an obvious place to stop. My extension however would climb rightwards for two metres, and then immediately begin more difficult climbing upwards on vertical to slightly overhung orange rock which resembles melted candle wax. The climbing itself is at times delicate, relying on very precise footwork, and at other times powerful, with some very wide pinches across tiny, finger-width tufa flows. The route builds to a stunning climax where you must make a traverse rightwards on small holds to snag a monster hole as an undercling, from which you can clip the lower-off. This comes after 32 metres of climbing.

On the day we went back to attempt the first ascent, I was apprehensive, but excited to simply get on and see how my new creation climbed. Speak to most new route developers and you'll see common threads in their motivation. It is a creative pursuit, like art. You are envisaging possibilities, imagining a reality, but the true reality only comes when you climb the route. Sometimes it goes wholly as you expect and other times it could not be more different. But that creative process, from the vision through to execution is what keeps us coming back for more.

On my first try, I linked through the 7b and into the extension. As I made my way higher I was surprised, and thought I might do the route first go. Then I got brutally pumped on the wide pinches, falling three moves shy of the anchor. Noooo! My second attempt felt better and I moved confidently through the extension to once again pump and fall, this time two moves from the anchor. I was now tired. Sun was beating on the tower. Good for Simon, who was shooting photos, not so good for me. Third try and I rested for a long time in the football pockets at the top of the 7b. I knew my best bet to avoid pumping off in the same spot was to climb with a slightly quicker cadence. So I sped up, careful to not introduce any mistakes with the small, sloping footholds. As I began the right traverse to the anchor, I stabbed my right toe on a hold and began to apply force on it only to have it crumble and fall away. I whimpered a curse, and I recall Monique shouting encouragement from below. I twisted my toe on what remained of the smear and felt the rubber bite, rocked my weight across and stabbed a hand into the finishing undercling as my body barndoored rightwards like a gate opening. Thankfully I reeled it back, pulled rope and gratefully clipped the anchors. I'd got my 'License to Climb Harder'. I think it adds a couple of grades to the original, let's say 7c/27.

Climbing on this unique, aesthetic piece of rock is something I'll remember for a long time. And in the event I do forget, someone will be able to show me the cover of Simon Carter's "World Climbing - Rock Odyssey coffee table book. The COVER! Holy crap! How cool is that?!

Cover shot!

Check out Simon's amazing new book (which also contains all the best shots from our 2010 Vietnam foray including some featuring Mrs Upskill) here as well as his World Climbing 2012 Calendar (see here).

Thanks again to SloPony for the logistical support, the bolts, the drill and the love.

Ask The Coach #4: To consolidate, or grade-hunt?

The latest issue of my Ask The Coach column is now out in ROCK Magazine Winter 2011. Grab a copy, it's worth it for the cover alone. A brilliant Simon Carter image of Lee Cossey on one of the best looking new routes Australia's seen in a decade (Sneaky Snake 33/8c, Taipan Wall, Grampians, Australia).

As for my article, well, it delves into that age old debate about whether it's best to quest after the next grade at all costs, or consolidate a base at each grade before moving up the ladder. We take a special look at Adam Ondra and riff about specialists vs generalists in climbing.

As always, I'm looking for training-related questions to answer in future installments, so please email them through (upskillclimbing AT gmail.com). The next question chosen for publishing wins a copy of the upcoming Australian climbing flick Smitten on DVD. I don't get many questions, so if you ask a good question you're in with a big chance.

While we're at it, why not bite the bullet and subscribe to ROCK? For the price of a low-end quickdraw (in Australia anyway!), four issues will just show up in your mailbox. What a nice surprise.

Ask The Coach #4. Click to enlarge like Adam's hair.

Good Morning Vietnam

Climbing in Vietnam’s spectacular Ha Long Bay
Words Monique Forestier, Photos Simon Carter

Lynn Hill and Todd Skinner bolted this line in the 90s. The sea gobbled up the stainless steel within a couple of years. After rebolting the line, Lee Cujes ascends Saigon Wall 7a. Photo: Simon Carter.

Legend has it that many centuries ago fearless dragons protected the people of northern Vietnam from invaders by spitting 2153 ungraded diamonds into the sea, thus creating a sheltered haven in the bay. Nowadays, the glistening emerald-green waters of Ha Long Bay are studded with these thousands of brilliant-cut limestone karst formations, each karst varying in quality and suitability for climbing. It’s no surprise that it is a spectacular tourist hot spot, and on many climbers’ ‘must visit’ list.

23 November 2010
Coming from a 24/7 culture can sometimes catch you unawares, when we arrived late in the evening at Hanoi’s airport everything was closed. Not having even one Viet Dong between us, I felt helpless and stupid, added to that was the fact that Simon and I were travelling with our two-year-old daughter, Coco – our situation seemed grim. Thankfully, the arrangements we had made through Slo Pony Adventures came good. We were met by a placard-holding man who whisked us off, settling us into our downtown Hanoi hotel before we could even register the traffic metamorphosis that had just occurred. Arriving in Vietnam is a rush of cold blood to the head, a full body awakening that leaves your eyes spinning in their sockets.

24 November 2010
After a deep but all too short slumber, our group assembles over an unimpressive breakfast distinctly lacking in crispy French baguettes and real coffee. Joining us are Australians, Sam and Lee Cujes, the dynamic husband and wife duo behind Upskill Climbing. They had been to Vietnam the year before, hosting their own training camp, and are now on the second last leg of a one-year round-the-world climbing odyssey. They are so psyched about being here that they literally talk the brass knobs off an ornamental monkey perched behind me. Audrey Sniezek from Seattle also joins us, a talented and highly motivated climber who has proven that dedication and hard work do pay off. Lastly, is Tamara Sepetauc, a self-proclaimed romantic who radiates warmth and is completely relaxed about her climbing.

You can read the rest of this story in ROCK no 86…

Ask The Coach #3: Training for non-trainers!

My third installment of Ask The Coach is now out in ROCK Magazine Autumn 2011. Go get yourself a copy - it's a good issue.

It's all about training for people who don't want to train. We're all busy. Some of us don't have time choose not to make time for more training. So, if you want to get better without devoting any more time, I give you some ideas on how to do it.

My lovely wife Sam scored her first photo (in front of the lens) in a climbing magazine as the background for the article -- happy!

As always, I'm looking for training-related questions to answer in future installments, so please email them through (upskillclimbing AT gmail.com). The next question chosen for publishing wins The Pinnacle DVD.

Strong chicks: Kalymnos guidebook-worthy!

Come to Kalymnos with us and who knows what will happen? End up in the guidebook perhaps?

We shot these pics on the first Upskill Climbing Camp back in 2008.

The camera just loves the girls, wouldn't you agree? So too did Kalymnos guidebook author Aris Theodoropolous who chose to include these pics in the latest 2010 edition. By the way, the 2010 Kalymnos guidebook is the best freakin' guidebook in the world. 360 pages, chock full of pics (maybe 1000+ pics?), good descriptions to get you psyched, accurate topos, sexy layout. All the beta for your holiday. It's awesome. You can buy it at climbkalymnos.com.

Susy G-Star Goldner - full page spread on Macabi at Summertime.

This was an unknown crushing chick on Kalydna

Goldner again, this time on Joggel & Toggle, Panorama.

Mrs Upskill (Sam) crushing Ammochohostos Vaselivousa at Summertime

ROCK Magazine - Ask The Coach column #2

My second installment of Ask The Coach is now out in ROCK Magazine Summer 2011.

If you've wondered why some climbers seem to get really good really fast, take a look.

And as always, I'm looking for training-related questions to answer in future installments, so please fire them through :)

Click to enlarge

Ethan Pringle - Spicy Dumpling 5.14d Photoshoot

I've just this minute returned to Hong Kong after a whirlwind four day trip to Yangshou, China. John O'Brien (JJ) and I headed here with our crew to just get a taste of the limestone on offer. We weren't dissapointed.

We were also pleased to have the opportunity to shoot pics of Ethan Pringle cleaning up an old Chris Sharma project (Dumpling of all Evil) at White Mountain which has now been dubbed Spicy Dumpling. At 5.14d, 9a, 35 whatever you want to call it, it's haaard and impressive, and clocks in as China's hardest climb.

After watching Ethan break a hold two moves from success two days earlier (see the falling shot below), I knew thre route was going to be in the bag. The best shots we've reserved for print, but here's some of the B-roll shots from JJ and I...

Tiny holds and very steep

Huge moves

A broken hold two moves from success

Hanging from one foot for a rest - nice!

The one foot hang

So far, the news of Ethan's ascent is out on:

• Ethan's blog - read the whole story here
• 8a.nu Global homepage
• UKClimbing
• Petzl's Facebook page to 45,376 fans
• Deadpoint Magazine
• Climbing Narc
• Climbing.com
• Klettern (German climbing site)

I also shot a stack of HD video of Keller Rinuado battling the wicked China Climb 8c and clocking up some serious airtime! Seriously! The edit of this will be out soon [edit: it's here!].

ROCK Magazine - Ask The Coach column

The good people over at ROCK magazine have asked me to contribute in the form of a regular column - Ask The Coach.  The issue with my first installment is out now (issue #84) and should be of interest to those climbers who are wrestling with the decision: Am I just climbing, or should I start training to climb?  And if so - where the hell should I start?

I hope you'll enjoy reading my perspective on these training-related topics.  It comes from compulsively reading everything I can on the subject over the last 10+ years, using myself as a crash test dummy and - over the last few years - having the opportunity to coach a lot of climbers of various body types and abilities.

Click to enlarge and read.
Pic is me on the FA of My Way or The Railway (8a/29), Butterfly Valley,
Cat Ba Island, Vietnam (c) Jason Piper.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks to those who submitted questions on Facebook a while ago, and I'll be chasing more questions to answer for upcoming issues in the coming months.

Lee Cujes interview by Whipper Magazine

Whipper Online Climbing Magazine just published an interview with me on their site. I talk a little about my background in climbing and also about some of the climbing camps Upskill has been doing over the past few years, our upcoming camps and our plans for the future. Check it out!

Lee Cujes - Interview on Whipper Magazine (http://whipper.com.au)
(Edit: Whipper is unfortunately no longer operating)

Interview reproduced below:

Whipper tracked down Queenslander Lee Cujes who just won the lotto and is doing what everyone is dreaming about… sort of….

Whipper: Lee Cujes. Who are you? What do you do? And why?

I am a 32 year old climber from Brisbane in Queensland. I’ve been climbing for about 15 years and about four years ago my wife Sam and I started our own very small part-time business Upskill Climbing which is involved in training and coaching climbers, as well as running climbing camps. As for the why – hmm – good question! I seem to have boundless energy when it comes to climbing and I love sharing this and seeing others improve. I also love spending time with people who enjoy climbing as much as I do. I’ve been told I have a very natural teaching style, so I suppose a climbing coach is a good fit for me.

Whipper: How did you start climbing? Looking on the map you come from one of the hottest places in Australia, where the normal people do water sports.

Yeah. I even quit climbing a while back to focus on wakeboarding. It didn’t take though. The time off made me come back hungrier than ever for climbing. Queenslanders are lucky because in the last few years we’ve managed to find some spots in the shade that are climbable in summer. It might not always be pleasant, but it’s still climbing!

Whipper: Word on the street is that you just quit your job… did you win the lotto?

Lotto – I wish! Yeah, I saw the Five Ten ‘Quit Your Job’ ad and just went with it. I guess the whole “travel for a year as a climbing bum thing” is something that most climbers fantasise about. Being married, having mortgages to pay and a stable job, I had just assumed it would never happen for me; and to be honest, I was content as a weekend warrior with a perpetual annual leave balance of zero. Then Sam and I discussed what was really stopping us from taking a trip like this. Of course, all the barriers were in our heads, so we resolved to make it happen. We’re in month number two of 12 and we’re loving it!

Lee kicking the 9-5 for the read deal. Vietnam climbing at its best.
 Photo: Chris Glastonbury

Whipper: You seem to do a lot of sport climbing. Do you do much bouldering? And are you keen for any mountain stuff?

I grew up on trad (we didn’t have any sport routes in SE QLD when I started). I then developed a passion for doing new routes, both on trad, and later with a drill. Traveling to Europe as well as Nowra and the Blue Mountains really opened my eyes to the enjoyment of sport climbing and I’ve been pursuing this for years now. I still love new routes and am always looking for the next big thing. The only bouldering I do is on my home woody for training. I can’t seem to get psyched for boulders like I can for routes. But maybe one day that will change? I think I have a lot in common with dedicated boulderers. They’re seeking out purity of movement and sick hard sequences, and I’m doing the same, just on routes. As for mountains, I’ve done a few aid routes in Yosemite, but nothing alpine. I figure if I’m going to be cold, I might as well have a snowboard strapped to my feet. But, never say never! A lot of that alpine rock is super inspiring.

Whipper: Over the last few years it seems your climbing level has stepped up to the next level. What do you consider your best performance?

Mate, I’m a battler! My improvement since I started climbing has been very slow but very steady. In fact, each year for the last 10 years I have managed to incrementally improve. I will try hard to continue this for as long as I can. There was a time about five years ago when I changed my entire approach to training, and that made a big difference. I used to train on and off (perhaps going to the local gym once per week or something like that) and sure, I was seeing some improvements. But then I decided to add some structure to my training and put some rigor around my routine. Since then, I have noticed a significant improvement on the rock. I’m fascinated by training and I get almost as much joy out of the training and experimenting as I do from the climbing. I spend a lot of my spare time researching developments in training and working out ways I can apply them to my routine. My best performances so far have been first ascents and they are all unrepeated so who knows about the proposed grades, but things like Schadenfreude 31, Bite The Hand That Feeds 31, Below The Belt 31 and The Singularity 32 are routes that took lots of effort for me and are therefore the ones which are close to my heart. It seems the more effort I put in, the more rewarding the eventual send.

Whipper: Does Upskill Climbing Camps take people up Everest?

That would be scary! We stick to what we know, and that’s sport climbing. Did you see Everest was just summitted by a 13 year old? Can’t be that hard then, surely?

An Upskill Climbing Camp hanging out in the best training venue in the world. Kalymnos.

Whipper: I noticed on your web site http://www.upskillclimbing.com that you offer climbing camps with “Delicious breakfasts and dinners; packed lunches on climbing days”. Does that mean I get 2 minute noodles? Or roast beef for dinner? And as much beer as I can drink?

Lol! We do things pretty deluxe on the camps. We’re always joking that things have to be “world class” which is tongue in cheek, but also not. Team members can pretty much choose whatever they like, so mate if you want roast beef – you got it! May we also suggest the stuffed calamari, fresh fish of the day and the moussaka. And if you can still climb 100% the next day after drinking as much beer as you can drink, I doff my cap to you good sir.

Whipper: You have been around the world a couple of times or maybe more. Do you have any stand out cliffs that you could marry or have an affair with?

How good is Céüse? I’ve only been there once but that taste was unforgettable. I resolve here and now to go back there ASAP! You probably know I love Kalymnos (Greece) as I’m doing this interview from there and this is my third trip to this location. There’s still oodles to do here, and the whole Greek experience really appeals to me. And then there’s our very own Taipan Wall in the Grampians which is still the scene of some of my fondest climbs and memories.

Whipper: So Lee you have a climbing camp coming up at Maple Canyon in the USA. Can you give us a little beta on it?

Sure. Maple Canyon is one of the primo summer destinations in the USA for sport climbing and in August this is the place to be. It’s a really unusual conglomerate rock; you’re climbing almost exclusively on cobblestones. Every angle imaginable and a wide range of grades and shade! So we’re going a couple of weeks ahead of time to learn the area inside out, and then doing a sportclimbing camp for two weeks on location. If you enjoy camping, this is probably a good one to attend as it will be cheaper than normal (no fancy hotels), and there are some sub-$900 flights to the US available currently. Our camps essentially have the focus of getting a great group of people together, getting each other on the best routes at our level, sharing our collective knowledge and hopefully working through some of the weaknesses we all have in our climbing. We handle all the transport, food, logistics and admin. You just relax, socialise and climb lots. People can check out more about the camps on the website. There’s trip reports, picture galleries and videos from all the previous camps too.

Lee passing on his knowledge during a Upskill Climbing Camp.

Whipper: You seem to be doing a lot of these training camps. Do you do them in Australia? And where will they be after Maple Canyon?

Yeah this will be the sixth one we’ve done so far. We’ve done one based on a houseboat on the Hawkesbury River in NSW which was super good fun, and I’m sure we’ll look at other unusual Aussie options in 2011 and beyond. I’m most keen to deliver things that are perhaps not so easy for someone to just organise themselves; something a bit special or uncommon, or something where the group really makes the difference (like deep water soloing in Vietnam which we did last year). After Maple in August, we have a camp in Spain’s amazing sportclimbing area of Rodellar in late September which we already have people signed up for (with spaces available). Rodellar is one of the world’s top rated sport areas, so I’m pretty psyched!

Whipper: Upskill Climbing camps seem to be getting bigger and better. Where will Upskill Climbing camps be in five years?

Yeah, things have ramped up this year for sure. I can’t imagine doing this full time, but in a couple of years I can envisage running perhaps four camps per year to various destinations. We are slowly growing our pool of dedicated trip participants, and I look forward to meeting and climbing with more people as word slowly gets around. We’ve been extremely lucky thus far to have participants who have been super psyched, safe, solid individuals and we’re good friends with all of them now. This model seems to be serving us well.

Whipper: Most people are in the rat race or a stuck in it. What advice would you give someone that is in that situation?

I don’t necessarily think the rat race or a full time job is a bad thing. Working five days a week makes you hungry for climbing and you can use this passion to your advantage. Just don’t make excuses. Own your life; your situation. Don’t say you don’t have time to train or climb. You have chosen to prioritise something over training or climbing. Own that decision. If something is truly important to you, you will make time. Do you actually need to work five days a week or could you get by on four? Negotiate flexible working arrangements or extra holidays at half pay. And if you want to do a big trip, save some money, pack your stuff in boxes, put it in a storage shed, rent your house and get on a plane. It really is that easy. Life’s short, so you better do what you want to do now and don’t put it off.

Whipper: Anyone you would like to thank?

I would like to thank my regular climbing partner of many years Duncan Steel who mentored me and taught me a lot of the things I now take for granted about climbing hard routes. I’d also like to thank my amazing clients who give me at least as much psyche as I give them. And finally Sam who is not only the logistical brains behind our business but also the catalyst behind this whole crazy adventure when she asked me, “Why don’t we just do it?”. I’m thankful every day.

__________________________

Whipper: Thanks heaps Lee! Whipper wishes you and Sam all the best and is so psyched that you are trying to help Australian climbing go forward!


If you haven’t checked out Lee’s site you should! If you have any questions about the climbing camps I am sure Lee will be more than happy to answer them.

http://www.upskillclimbing.com