James and José expertly scaled Guadalupe Rock, a giant rock-climbing boulder hidden in the forests south of Almaden, CA, while modeling some of their favorite gear from The North Face. Trying not to slip on the algae-covered rocks in the shallow stream below made belaying a real challenge.

Silvino showed me his slackline skills one day, including some impressive tricks like sitting cross legged and standing on one leg, all while suspended four feet above the ground.