The Ark Hive

07/01/2017

Stoked Face.

Rock and Ice Photo of the Year - 2016

El Corazon (8B/V13). The photographer happened upon Patrik Aufdenblatten in the Sassies of Rocklands, South Africa. The Swiss climber quickly dispatched nine 8a’s, including flashes of Pendragon and, shown here, El Corazon. Aufdenblatten, however, is better known for his sends on slightly larger rocks. He holds the speed record (7 hours 14 minutes) for the Bonatti Direct on the North Face of the Matterhorn, and, at 19, was the youngest person to free climb Free Rider on El Cap. In 2013, with Ines Papert and Lisi Steurer, Aufdenblatten opened Azazar (8a/5.13b, 1,400 feet) in the Taghia Gorge, Morocco.

Photo: Jacques van Zyl.

19/09/2016

Here is Oliver doing business as usual. Shot at TheArkHive office Cederberg branch.

18/08/2016

Looking forward to seeing Mary and Fred back in Rocklands. Here revisited the impressive and super classic Shosholoza 📸.

25/07/2016

One of my favourite captures of the Western Cape paragliding comp. Perfect weather made for unbelievable flying conditions with tasks over 100 km's long! 😵 Psyched for the next one! Here Florence Sexton takes off on another picture perfect day 👌🏼

18/07/2016

Sadly the most prized hike in our country 'The Drakensberg Grand Traverse' is now threatened to be closed after the recent violent attacks on hikers in the Southern Drakensberg by Basotho shepherds. and I recently hiked the northern half of the traverse. Although being very vigilant as not to camp too close to their huts our interactions were pleasant and very friendly. They were sweet toothed and loved being photographed.

18/07/2016

It's a real pleasure photographing someone doing something, it could be anything, they are truly passionate about. Matt happens to LOVE free soloing. It's great to see him light up with excitement when we go out on missions like these. Here above the clouds Matt soloed his project on Lions Head. Thx Matt its always a pleasure.

13/07/2016

It's not everyday that I'm shown a new bouldering area in my own country as good as this. Especially not by a foreigner. showed us around a new area he has been developing for years already. Evading the crowds at Rocklands he has put up hundreds of problems on perfect rock. After our session and I stayed out to shoot this beautiful rock pillar under a red sky. This one makes me happy.

13/07/2016

Patrik Aufdenblatten sending El Corazon (8b) meaning ‘the Heart’.

A couple of weeks ago while climbing in Rocklands we headed out to Sassies on a perfectly cool and dry day. We got there with the place all to ourselves save meeting two Swiss, Bertrand and Patrik. I gave them a quick tour of the area and Patrick decided to try the sit start of Pinotage, a classic 7C+ opened by Lisa Rands. He sat down and proceeded to do the line without any hesitation and in complete control. But Patrik tells me he is no boulderer. I later learned that he was predominantly a ice and mixed climber with several world cup podium finishes while studying and working a day job. Not bad.
At 19 he became the youngest person in the world to free climb ‘Free Rider’ in Yosemite.
He also holds several of the speed records on the Matterhorn in Switzerland including North Face of the Matterhorn via the Bonatti Diretissima (ED+ 1200m) in 7 hours 14 minutes.
Besides not being much of a boulderer Patrik climbed 9 problems graded 8a and harder including a flash of Pendragon and sending El Corazon at 8b topping his efforts. Not a bad way to end your first bouldering trip. Thanks for the crash pads Patrik I’m going to try a little harder from now on.

07/07/2016

Yesterday I had the pleasure of interviewing bouldering icon Paul Robinson. We discussed his recent first ascent of 'The Dragons Guardian 8C/V15', his upcoming film 'Uncharted Lines', and grading at the high end of bouldering. Stay in touch because it's coming soon!
The Ark Hive

05/07/2016

So this just happened! 'The Dragons Guardian 8C / V15 ' first ascent by 💥. An amazing effort! Stoked I got the opportunity to photograph it 📸!!!!! This is what Paul had to say about the send: "I can clearly remember seeing this boulder for the first time out in the distance. It was 2014, and my first time exploring this valley in the cederberg. I ran over excited, not knowing what I would find underneath the roof. I quickly spied an easier line that would later become, "dragon's eye," but to the left remained a nearly blank section of perfect stone that almost begged to be climbed. That year, I could not visualize the line so I left without trying it. I came back this year with a fresh perspective and sat there trying to figure out a sequence through the roof. I eventually decided it could be feasible and I began to give the project efforts. Days went by on it, some good, some bad, but each day I learned and broke down the sequences one by one. After, a big storm, I woke up to perfect conditions. I marched up the hill and straight to this roof. After a short warm up and a quick refresher on some of the moves, I took a few deep breaths, chalked up, and sent the line that I once thought could never be climbed! The process of it all really was just as amazing as standing atop of what I am now naming, "The Dragon's Guardian, 8C/V15. No words can describe what it is like for me to find and climb all of these first ascents; I just feel extremely lucky and grateful for the opportunity that I have been given 😀."
Much respect Paul.

29/06/2016

I feel flattered and pretty surprised to have been selected as one of South Africa's best Adventure photographers in the latest Red Bulletin. Thanks guys my ego is doing great. 🙌🏼