Grand Canyon and Men's Journal

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

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

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

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

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

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

BASE jumping the Titan near Moab, UT

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

check the video

Climbing.com Interview

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