Chris McNamara.com

New SuperTopo Gear Review Site Launched

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 05:14:00 +0000

Randy and I just launched a new gear review section of SuperTopo. We are setting out to create the most detailed and informative gear reviews out there climbing and outdoor products. We choose a product category use the gear on El Capitan, falling off big cliffs and in our gear lab. Then we post up what gear is the best. Check it out and let us know what you think!

We also launched an article section where we post buying advice. How do you select the best belay device or helmet? We tell you here.

Finally, we launched a Pricefinder. This scours the web for the best deal on outdoor gear. Give it a shot before you buy something.

Public Service Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:26:00 +0000

Public Service Announcement

Corey Rich and Chris McNamara support "Leave No Trace" ethics in outdoor activities and want to emphasize to the BASE jumping community that BASE jumping in national parks violates these ethics. The first principle of "Leave No Trace" ethics includes knowing the regulations and special concerns of outdoor areas that one intends to enjoy. In national parks, this includes prohibitions against BASE jumping. We believe that our responsibility as outdoor athletes includes respecting the laws that govern the use of our national parks, including the prohibition of BASE jumping. We also want to point out that such violations are prosecuted by the U.S. government and can result in a criminal conviction, jail time, hefty fines and restitution. Additionally, you can lose the privilege of recreating on the federal lands. We encourage you all to respect the principles of "Leave No Trace" ethics and refrain from BASE jumping in our national parks.

Just did an interview with Spadout.com

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:07:00 +0000

Here is an interview with Spadout Mag

http://www.spadout.com/a/a-conversation-with-mr-supertopo/

Tommy Caldwell working on free climbg Mescalito on El Capitan

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:59:00 +0000

Below is a link to movie and photos where i belay Tommy Caldwell working on free climbg Mescalito on El Capitan. Shot by Corey Rich and Cooper Roberts for Nikon and Big UP Productions new movie Progression. http://tinyurl.com/pgskrf

Wingsuit Footage - History Channel Modern Marvels

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:43:00 +0000

I was on History Channel Modern Marvels a few weeks ago doing that wingsuit base jump thing again. My segment is at the very end.

Stunt Double on Prison Break

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:11:00 +0000

Check out the post on JustJared.com

Got to double the lead character in Prison Break for some climbing scenes.

I think it is one of the last episodes of Season 4

Cool Paragliding Photo in Marin

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:11:00 +0000

David Safanda took some cool photos of me learning to paraglide. I got to land on the Upper School Field of Marin Country Day School where I attended Grades 5-8. I didn't hit even one student on landing!

Reel Rock Tour and The Sharp End

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:37:00 +0000

The Reel Rock Film Tour is in Full Swing. I have appearances in two of the movies: Canyon Walls and Sharp End

- Click here for more info on the tour
- Click here for the tour trailer
- You can see the Sharp End Trailer Here
- Buy the Sharp End movie here

Seven Gables Trip Report on 3 Climbs

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:04:00 +0000

I have ignored the western approach to the High Sierra. The eastern approach is just more dramatic and easy for most peaks. When I got an invite to climb Seven Gables, i got my first glimpse of the high western slopes.

The initial drive isn't that exciting. Mammoth and Lee Vining on the East side have dramatic views. Madera and Prather on the west side have Pizza Factory's "we toss em, they're awesome!". But once you start gaining elevation up "the famous four lane" the drive gets cool fast. The last hour of driving to the Vermillion Lakes resort is staggering: a skinny road with big drop offs and views that winds through blasted granite.

Dan Duane, lead journalist, is smart. So smart he hired mules to carry our gear while we hiked with day packs. I highly recommend this if you can get someone else to pay the $700 for it. Jimmy Chin was team photographer and Ivo Ninov was team story teller. Everyone was a pro at their job. Including me: team dork as I was the only one to bring a giant sun hat, trekking poles and a solar panel so i could listen to books on tape the whole time.

We spent the first night at Vermillion Valley Resort. Great spot and their web site has great directions for how to get there: http://edisonlake.com/site/content/blogcategory/29/54/

OK, its business time. Direct your attention to the map below.

Read More

Flying Close to Cliffs in Brento Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:57:00 +0000

I am currently in Italy working filming for the new Sender Films movie The Sharp End. Its going to be mostly heady climbing but they let me sneek in a little wingsuit BASE into their movie.

After 2 days of rain, we finally got some sun. Here is the second jump of the day of an awesome 4000' cliff. Damien Dykman was right behind me and ill post some of his footage tomorrow.

View The First Flight
View The Second Flight

Grand Canyon and Men's Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:01:00 +0000

The May issue of Men's Journal has an article about Tommy Caldwell and Beth Rodden going down the Grand Canyon written by my friend Dan Duane. Some very cool shots by Corey Rich of the climbing possibilities there. I was mostly a belayer on the trip but got the chance to lead a few pitches on the Grapevine Buttress in preparation for Tommy and Beth's free ascent. Check it out on the newstand.

Favorite Books read in 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:55:00 +0000

Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt
Omnivores Dilemna by Michael Pollan
The Beatles by Hunter Davies
I am America by Stphen Colbert
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Innocent Man by John Grisham
Into the Wild by John Krakauer
Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright
Measure of a Man by Sydney Poitier
On Writing by Stephen King
Takedown by Rick Cowan
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

Raising money for non-profits on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 05:49:00 +0000

just raised some $1050 for three cool non-profits by selling new/used climbing gear and clothing from my closet.

Read more about this

Great climbing story: second ascent of a Zion big wall

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:39:00 +0000

My friend Ryan Frost wrote the most hilarious trip report i have ever read. (I am a little biased because it mentions me a few times.) Its about the second ascent of Drop Zone, a big wall in Zion National Park i made the first ascent of 10 years ago with Dougald MacDonald.

Check the story

Best of Adventure: Audacious Acts

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 17:15:00 +0000

National Geographic Adventure gave me an "Audacious Acts" award for 2007

Best of Adventure: Audacious Acts
The wildest deeds of 2007—we salute to the bold, daring, innovative, and occasionally insane feats of the year. Text by Steve Casimiro

Chris Mcnamara
Made the Wildest BASE Jump Known
In May Chris McNamara leaped into a cleft in a 3,000-foot (914-meter) face above the polar desert of Baffin Island. Using a nylon "wingsuit," the 28-year-old Californian flew horizontally out of the crevasse, then down the side of the face until he pulled his chute some 200 feet (61 meters) above ground. He landed a mere 100 feet (30 meters) from his tent.

Check the story

Top 10 Adventure Vid by Nat Geo Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:58:00 +0000

National Geographic Adventure just awarded me with one of the "Top 10 Adventure Flicks" of the year (just eeked in there are number 10).

Here is the text:
10. BASE Jumping: Chris McNamara, Titan
BASE jumper and speed climber Chris McNamara knows that the quickest way to the bottom is straight down. His latest leap finds him and partner, Miles Daisher, scrambling up the Titan, a mud tower in Utah. Watch the video >>

link to Nat Geo

Check the video at Alpinist.com

18 Days in the Grand Canyon - A climbing Trip Report

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:54:00 +0000

Good friends are the best. Especially when your friend Corey Rich invites you on a 18 day climbing trip down the Grand Canyon!

The Team
Corey and Blaine Deutsch from Corey Rich Photography organized the trip. Corey was team photojournalist and all photos below are his. Tommy Caldwell and Beth Rodden were the stars. I was the aerial reconaisance specialist. Peter Mortimer from Sender Films and Josh Lowell from Big Up Productions were the filmmakers. Bert Jones, Orea Roussis, Matt Duperrault and Kevin Thompson were the guides from Outdoors Unlimited.

Day 1 - 10/31/07

Glen Canyon Dam is a faucet that turns the Colorado River up and down every day based on when they need to generate power and how much water they can use. I always laugh at the October Yosemite Tourists who ask "When do they turn the waterfalls on?" But in the Grand Canyon its not a joke. They really DO turn the water up and down. Because this was a drought time, the river was low and slow. Perfect for our crew who probably had a combined experience of a dozen days rafting.

Mile 4.5 - we passed under Navajo Bridge which is 480 feet tall.

Read the whole story here

BASE jumping the Titan near Moab, UT

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 18:15:00 +0000

Sean Leary climbed to the top of the Titan so that myself and Miles Daisher could jump off.

check the video

Climbing.com Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 23:09:00 +0000

Climbing.com just did a short ten question interview with me: Read the interview

BASE Jumping Movies.com

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:04:00 +0000

I just created a new web site: BASEJumpingMovies.com Right now it is mostly just my personal BASE movies but I will be adding stuff from other people, too.

basejumpingmovies.com

Zion, Disco Inferno

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 03:37:00 +0000

It was my last day in Zion and Chris and I had one more route before I left for some Nevada mining. The Legendary Joe French suggested Disco Inferno as our final bigwall crag’n route. Joe is a talented and very adventurous climber with a wealth of information about the local faces and peaks.

View full story and photos here

Gone Sufferin', Zion's Rodeo Queen

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 03:39:00 +0000

When the haulbags were almost packed, Ammon turned to me holding a piece of plywood wrapped in an ensolite pad with duct tape. Always looking like the merry pirate, he flashed a big grin. It was a look that implied we should be psyched he was bringing such a comfy belay seat.

Instead, I looked back at him and said, “We don’t really NEED that, do we?” After all, we had never done a speed wall together that would take so long that you would need a belay seat.

“Are you kidding?” he shot back, looking a little confused.

Suddenly I got it. “Whoa. Its going to be one of THOSE walls?”

“Yeah man. You have no idea the suffering you are getting into.”

View full story and photos

Zion, Cosmic Egg Trip Report

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 03:35:00 +0000

It was 11:30am and Chris and I were still sitting around drinking coffee. The aches and pain of the Streaked Wall still lingered with my muscles in my neck and back. The thought of putting on my harness on my bruised and raw hips made me wince. I sucked it up, gave Chris a smile and said, “Let’s send it”.

View full trip report and photos here

Onsight hot air balloon flying

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Mon, 13 Feb 2006 22:53:00 +0000

So, anyone here flown a hot air balloon before?

Miles D.: Nope.
Mark Ridley.: Nope
Chris Mac: Nope

but really, how complicated can it be?

Minutes later, the envelope was smoking as the flame singed a 2 x 2 foot patch. no holes, no fire... no problem.

Miles D. on the first flight. Mark Ridley tries to keep the balloon from flying onto the neighbors house.

With a little ice farming, Twin Falls could be an ice climbing mecca.

Nevada does have its moments.

A REALLY big snowboard jump

noreply@blogger.com (Chris McNamara) — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 23:47:00 +0000

I had it all worked out in my mind. Lots of speed. Front grab with left hand. Pilot chute with right hand. Spin 90 left to get square on-heading opening.

It didn't quite work out that way.

I rotated 90 degrees when i pulled... just 90 the wrong direction. So. Uh. The good news is I had an on heading opening. Uh. The bad news is that i was heading into the wall. Fortunately, I had launched away from the cliff enough to get it turned around in time.

Shane McConkey graded the jump a D+ and added: "Don't worry, a D+ is almost as good as an A"

Later, while studying the video he changed his mind. "Sorry, man, you corrected your heading too fast. I have to give you a C- "

That sucks. D+ is almost as good as A. C- is just C-.

Ill be back to work on my GPA.