Local Climber Brings Nothing But Toothbrush and Crippling Self-Reliance on Weeklong Bouldering Trip

BISHOP, CA Local climber and self-described movement purist Greg Flinn has completed a weeklong solo bouldering trip in the Buttermilks with no food, no tent, no crashpad, and only one toothbrush to meet both his dental and route-cleaning needs. Its about shedding distractions, said Flinn, visibly shivering in shorts and a tank top made from what appeared to be a retired buff. Climbing isnt about gear. Its about humility. Suffering. And brushing holds just enough to justify not sending. Over the seven-day trip, Flinn reportedly climbed a total of 0 problems but almost flashed like seven or eight V9s in what he referred to as a deep meditative onsight rehearsal. He slept under his crashpad-alternativea yoga mat bearing motivational quotes in fading Sanskritand subsisted mostly on chalk inhalation and what he described as the nutrients of exposure. Witnesses report seeing him each morning crouched beside the same boulder, brushing holds and muttering about microbeta while declining offers of Clif bars. Every time we offered him food, hed whisper feeding the ego and sprint barefoot into the sagebrush, said fellow boulderer Emily Kang, who described Flinns demeanor as somewhere between visionary and cold-induced delirium. His crashpad situation, in particular, has drawn both admiration and alarm. While many climbers lug multiple pads with taco-fold technology and reinforced seams, Flinn insists that gravity is a mindset. The yoga mat, which he referred to as Padme, was last seen flapping in the wind like a discarded prayer flag near the Iron Man Traverse. I trust the Earth to catch me, he said, before awkwardly downclimbing a slab and apologizing to the rock for stepping on it. Flinn is currently working on a new 12-step philosophy called Crashless Climbing, which he hopes to share through a zine made entirely of hand-scratched leaves. The first volume is rumored to include titles like Harnessing the Humility of Falling and Lichen Is Just Beta You Havent Understood Yet. Despite frostbite in three toes and an ongoing upper respiratory infection, Flinn called the trip a success. Did I send anything? No. But I shed my dependence on foam. I became the pad. When asked if he would consider packing a sleeping bag or food next time, Flinn shook his head solemnly. Then it wouldnt be climbing. It would be camping.