Splitter Choss

Feature Article #1

Climbing Ethics vs Climbing Fun

As climbing becomes more popular, will old, dangerous routes be upgraded with modern hardware to provide more user friendly, safe climbing for the masses? Or will the old guard defend these testaments to climbing’s past to the death?

BJ Sbarra | March 4th, 2010 | Continued

Feature Article #2

Osprey Mutant 38 Pack Review

It seems that a lot of packs aren’t all that great, instead marketed to the masses who don’t really know better and will buy whatever the sales rep at the local gear shop tells them to. Every now and then, however, you come across a great pack that actually does what it’s supposed to, and in that category I would put the Osprey Mutant 38, loaded with features designed specifically for climbers.

BJ Sbarra | February 19th, 2010 | Continued

Feature Article #3

Snap, Crackle, Pop – Now What?

So you’re out on a climb, and something goes wrong. Maybe its a crunch in your shoulder, maybe its a loud pop in your hand (so loud in fact your partner thinks you broke some rock off), or maybe it’s more subtle, something you notice at the end of the day. What should you do?

BJ Sbarra | February 16th, 2010 | Continued

Feature Article #4

Winterfest Fun in Redstone

This past weekend marked the first Redstone Winterfest, a celebration of winter that included ice climbing demos and clinics. My friend Ya and I decided to check it out, and we met up Saturday morning at a casual 10:30am, thanks in no small part to the groovy disco beats of Sparkle Motion in Carbondale the [...]

BJ Sbarra | February 8th, 2010 | Continued

Feature Article #5

The End of Outdoor Climbing?

Sunday afternoon in Boulder. We could have gone to Eldo, and climbed a couple of cold, chossy pitches, but it was much easier instead  to head over to the new Movement Climbing + Fitness gym.  My third day in a row there, I couldn’t help but wonder if this ultra-modern facility signals the end of [...]

BJ Sbarra | January 19th, 2010 | Continued

Feature Article #6

Sport Climbing: From Top Rope to Redpoint

I love climbing, in all it’s varieties: Sport, Trad, Ice, Bouldering, Aid. It’s all fun, and you can learn valuable things from each. I always laugh when I see people calling themselves “Trad” or “Sport” climbers, haven’t they gotten it yet? It’s all climbing, it’s all great. That being said, I learned to climb on [...]

BJ Sbarra | December 29th, 2009 | Continued

Feature Article #7

Colorado National Monument

Ah November. That magical time of year when the sun is low in the sky, the day’s are short, and the weather is fickle. One day it’s 60 and sunny, the next it dumps a foot of snow. It can make road tripping a little cruxy, as it’s typical to have a weekend with one [...]

BJ Sbarra | November 12th, 2009 | Continued

Feature Article #8

Sand Booting

I recently partook in a humorous event that led me to coin a new term: “sand booting.” So what are we dealing with here? Well, take your standard sandbag, but mix in the possibility of finding booty and you’ve got sand booting. Here’s how it plays out:
A confident looking party asks for your input on [...]

BJ Sbarra | August 28th, 2009 | Continued

Feature Article #9

My Day in the Life of a Woman Climber

As a member of the male species, I’ve always wondered what really goes on in the world of women, especially at the cliff. How do they approach hard climbs? What do they talk about? And what happens at the end of the day after the climbing is done? I decided to take my investigative skills [...]

BJ Sbarra | August 5th, 2009 | Continued

Feature Article #10

Interview with Rock & Ice Editor Jeff Jackson

We’ve been hoping to get these out on a regular basis, but time sure does fly sometimes! Anyway, here’s an interview with one of the most motivated local climbers we know, Jeff Jackson. Kick back with your cup of coffee on this fine Friday morning and enjoy!
How long have you been in the Roaring Fork [...]

BJ Sbarra | July 31st, 2009 | Continued

About this Site

The Origins of Splitter Choss
“Splitter choss is like a fine wine, or rather more like a PBR – an acquired taste to be savored. Typically, a fine pitch of SC is the most memorable of the route or the day. The term originated in the Black Canyon, a bastion, or should I say THE Holy [...]