StoneNudes with Dean Fidelman

Dean, "Bullwinkle" Fidelman has been a fixture in the Yosemite climbing scene for nearly forty years.  Through his black and white photographs he has documented several generations of Yosemite Climbers.  From the StoneMasters to the RockMonkeys Dean has been there to photograph Yosemite history being made.  In 1999 Dean began work on his "StoneNudes" project, one of the most unique Art projects the Climbing Community has ever scene.  Since then Dean has traveled around the country and the world photographing real rock climbers (both male and female) bouldering naked.  Dean believes that both the rock and the human body are sculptures, and that we look both beautiful and natural climbing.
Pleas visit The Stone Nudes Website to learn more. 

PASSION TO PURPOSE

This year I had the privilege and pleasure of attending several Outdoor Nation events to represent the North Face as a proud advocate of the movement to get more youth outside. I told my story of finding passion and direction through climbing in Yosemite, to hundreds of young people who are committed to turning the tide on the sad reality that at no time in human history have kids spent less time outdoors.

I spoke alongside Juan Martinez who is an Outdoor Participation ambassador for The North Face’s initiative to inspire more people everywhere to explore and push their personal limits in the outdoors.  His story of growing up surrounded by the negativity, gangs, and crime in South Central LA and then having his life changed by getting the opportunity to camp out and see stars for the first time was truly inspirational.  Juan’s journey reinforced what I have always believed; that these programs are invaluable for creating a bridge from the hustle and bustle of urban life to the quiet magic of Mother Nature. 

The North Face works with thousands of bikers, climbers, runners, backpackers, explorers and adventurers who are passionate about the outdoors. From the mail room, to the athlete team, we are PSYCHED on getting out there!  I can attest first hand that The North Face commitment to outdoor participation is sizeable and heart felt.  I am proud to say that each year The North Face Explore Fund gives hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations like the one that transformed Juan’s life path.

Last year one of the recipients of the Explore Fund was Big City Mountaineers an organization that is committed to enhancing the lives of under-resourced teens through transformative outdoor experiences.  Their vision is to achieve a lasting presence in America’s major metro areas.  They help 10,000 kids a year, who would otherwise never receive such a fun and inspiring experience, participate in wilderness expeditions.

I love organizations like B.C.M. and am excited to have put together a fundraiser through their awesome“Summit for Someone” program.  Along with an old college friend Bennet Barthelemy, I’ll be attempting a first ascent on the little climbed Dragon’s Horn, one of the largest granite walls in South East Asia.  We’re putting the “fun” in fundraiser!!

This October begins our Journey to Tioman Island, the biggest of 64 islands in a volcanic chain just off of the coast of Malaysia.  The island is filled with armies of voracious biting ants, red giant flying squirrels, binturongs, massive monitor lizards, macaques, slow loris, and the Tioman walking catfish… oh, and 25 species of snakes including king cobras. Tioman is also notorious for insanely fierce thunderstorms and man-eating clouds of super mosquitoes.  It should be a good time!!!   

Our hope is that the climb will not only raise funds and awareness for Big City Mountaineers, but for the greater cause of connecting people to the outdoors.  Climbing and a life spent outdoors, has transformed and improved my life immeasurably and I hope that our wild adventure in Malaysia can help raise awareness and create transformational opportunities for kids that desperately need them.

Every $250 to the B.C.M. sponsors a day of outdoor activities for five teens… Bennett and I will be documenting the adventure through photo/video/words so you can safely and vicariously enjoy the quest summit the Dragons Horn and to help keep kids from suffering wilderness deficit disorder!

Please follow our progress here at neverstopexploring.com, and if you feel the love, Please donate to B.C.M. in the name of our climb at http://www.summitforsomeone.org/main.php?page=4&climber=8058. The North Face is generously donating $4,000 in matching grants.

Thanks and stay tuned for video dispatches of what promises to be a Wild, Beautiful and Arduous Adventure.

Much Love,

Cedar Wright.

 

MINI DAWGZ_THE MOVIE_TENSLEEP_2011

I had the pleasure of spending a week in Ten Sleep Wyoming with young up and coming climber Stefan Lavender.  He brought his two mini-dogs Wentworth, and Nemo, and I brought along my pug Gus.  I also brought along the new GH2 camera and the Noktor ƒ0.95 Lens to test them out.  Still love the 5d, but I like the GH2 a lot too.  As usual, the music is mine... if you like this song, available here!

TEN SLEEP SUMMER

Here is a great video shot and edited by John Dickey for Black Diamond, that captures my two week trip to Ten Sleep Canyon, one of the best summer sport climbing destinations in the country!!! 

"Shed Some Light" My New Album

 So, after a year of tweaking in my humble home studio I have put together a new album.  The last three years and three albums has been a huge learning process with lots of setbacks, breakthroughs and moments of pure joy.  I'm proud of this album... it's far and away my best work.  All the songs are completely original from the Vocals to the Guitar to the beats to random Mbira licks and Synth embellishments.  This is truly a labor of lover and has been my most cherished creative outlet of late...so I  really hope you guys like it!  The Album features 20 songs and is optimized for  itunes.  To everyone who bought one of my last two albums... thanks a lot... if you liked that you'll love this...Cheers!!!  You can Buy it right HERE>

NEPAL IS A MAGICAL PLACE

I had the good fortune to visit Nepal twice in the last few months. On my first trip I headed to Nepal in the winter to help instruct at the Khumbu Climbing School While I was there I lined up several filming projects. I shot a short piece which I am currently editing follows Emily Harrington, and Matt Segal on their first trip to the climbing school where they are exposed to the life altering magic of the Himalayas. During this time I also shot and have now produced a short film about Pete Athans for The North Face. This will be premiering soon on The North Face Website. Finally I was Director of Photography on a shoot for Camp Four Collective where I followed the legendary Conrad Anker on an adventure to the basecamps of Pumori, Ama Dablam and Everest to retrieve memory cards from Timelapse Cameras for the Extreme Ice Survey. Last year Conrad set up several timelapse cameras to observe the glaciers and hopefully bring awareness to Global Climate Change. Camp Four will be producing a film next year about Conrad and his relationship with the Extreme Ice Survey. Hiking through the Himalays to three iconic high altitude basecamps, was an exhausting but extremely inspiring experience in Run and Gun Filmmaking.

After a month and half in Nepal I was excited to head home for a bit and spend some time with my beloved Fiance Nellie, and our Pug Gus. After a week home, Pete Athans called me up with a hard to turn down opportunity. He asked me if I'd be interested in shooting second camera on a National Geographic special about his work exploring the wild caves of the Mustang Region of Nepal. Pete has been working with Archeologists from both Nepal and the States to explore and document the wild caves in this region which house ancient pre-buddhist art and sometimes mysterious human remains. These caves are highly unique because they are often over eighty feet of the ground and only reached by technical climbing. Filming with D.P. Lincoln Else was a great learning experience gateway into my budding career as a professional camera man and filmmaker. Tragically at the end of the trip Lincoln was hit in the head by a falling rock while not wearing a helmet, and I had one of the most stark experience of recent memory, holding Lincoln in C-Spine with blood everywhere waiting for a helicopter rescue. Thankfully, though Lincoln seemed like he was a goner for sure, he has made a full recovery!!!  So to finish off this quick blog and test of my new blogging set up... let me leave you with this valuable lesson.  Wear your HELMET!!!

Cheers.  Cedar.

Recent Nepal Pics...Mostly Iphone Photos.