Words by: Carlo Nasisse
I grew up rock climbing in the Southeast. As a native of Athens, GA, I spent weekends exploring the sandstone and granite boulder fields carved from hillsides in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
The rock in the Southeast is beautiful, abundant, and well-featured. I now live in Austin, TX, and often miss weekends spent flailing on the slopers of Horse Pens 40, summers at Rocktown attempting to climb in 91% humidity, springtime in Highlands climbing the massive granite slabs of White Sides Mountain in North Carolina with my dad. Because of my history with that region I was thrilled when Andrew Kornylak, a Chapel Hill based photographer and filmmaker, asked me to photograph The Triple Crown Bouldering Series.
The Triple Crown is a four part climbing competition that takes place every fall at four of the premier bouldering destinations in the Southeast. The Triple Crown feels less like a competition and more like a collaborative gathering of new and old friends. Money from the event supports organizations like The Southeastern Climbers' Coalition and The Carolina Climbers' Coalition, which are dedicated to opening up and maintaining access to climbing areas.
I had grown up competing in the Triple Crown so it was a pleasure to return to an event that was so formative for me as a kid. It was exciting to re-visit the places that first ignited my enduring passion for rock climbing and to work with an organization whose vision I respect so much. With these images, I sought to capture the unique community of the Triple Crown and my love for southern bouldering.
18 Photos of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series by Carlo Nasisse
1. Lisa Rands, the overall Woman’s Champion, pulls down on Blacksmith (V9) at Stone Fort, Tennessee.
2. Nate Charles samples Horse Pens 40’s famous night bouldering on the V9 mantle, Stingray.
3. Mohssen Fathi climbing a problem at Stone Fort, Tennessee.
4. Sarah Rennich on the Ditto Traverse (V6) at Stone Fort, Tennessee.
5. Maley Wagner on Latin For Dagger (V5) at Stone Fort, Tennessee.
6. Daniel Woods on Five-O (V9) at Horse Pens 40, Alabama.
7. Ryan Copeland (right) holds the swing on Fuc Yo (V9) at Hound Ears, North Carolina.
8. Nate Charles climbs the arête of Great White (V7) at Horse Pens 40, Alabama.
9. Will Pair throws for the sloping jug on Castaway (V7) at Stone Fort, Tennessee.
10. Jack Heberton on the infamous Bum Boy (V3) at Horse Pens 40, Alabama.
11. Juliet Hammer balances on the delicate arête problem, Mortal Combat (V3) at Horse Pens 40, Alabama.
12. A climber tops out at Hound Ears, North Carolina.
13. A challenging sit-start at Stone Fort, Tennessee.
14. Kevin Bokyo on Mortal Combat (V3) at Horse Pens 40 Alabama.
15. Alex Fiorenza pulls the roof on Queen Cobra (V8).
16. Will Pair pulls down on Oral Resume (V10) at Hound Ears, North Carolina.
17. Sarah Rennich takes a fall on Mortal Combat (V3) at Horse Pens 40, Alabama.
18. Kids gather on a boulder overlooking the golf course at Stone Fort after a long day of climbing.
Feel free to get in touch via my website or follow me on Instagram . Also be sure to check out Andrew's amazing portrait series of Triple Crown climbers.