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Climbing, Adventure, Gear & Choss
Featured
A Route By Any Other Name
I have to admit, there’s a trend in climbing these days that is really getting under my skin. No, it’s not boomboxes at the cliff or permadraws, it’s referring to climbs by their grade instead of their name.
The (Ice Climbing) Thrill is Gone (Or Is It?)
Ice climbing seems to have a major impact your first time around, and it certainly has its appeal. It’s a fun activity you can pursue in the winter, when most crags are sitting under a couple feet of snow, and the climbs are beautiful, like crystal castles you get to explore.
The State of the Climbing Gear
Looking back on things like the camming device, harnesses with leg loops, GriGri’s and leashless ice tools, it makes you wonder, what, if anything, is coming next that will be a true game changer?
What Your Training Program Says About You
There are a number of excellent books on the topic of how to get better at climbing, and each tackles the subject in a unique way. Here’s our distilled version of the popular training programs out there, and what you can expect from each.
The Only Rule: Don’t Be An @$$hole
When it comes to climbing ethics, there’s really only one rule: don’t be an @$$hole!
Featured Road Trip: Las Vegas
Featured Road Trips is a new column intended to give detailed beta on the drives to popular climbing destinations outside Colorado. Knowing the best places to get gas, good food, camp, and climb along the way can make all the difference on a long drive. We hope others will add to this info and we can create a comprehensive community resource for all the road warriors out there.
5 Best 5.9 Trad Routes in the US
There is a treasure trove of 5.9 routes established in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70s’ that is within reach of average climbers like me. They combine the perfect combination of “hard enough to be interesting/ easy enough to get the free climbing flow.” Herewith a tribute to my Personal Top Five 5.9 Trad Climbs.
The Best Of Mountain Project
Every now and then a thread pops up on Mountain Project that is especially entertaining, and this is our collection of the top forum posts we could find. You’ll probably laugh, might cry and definitely shake your head a few times. Enjoy.
First Ascent: The Series Box Set Review
Overall, this box set is a complete package that I feel is perhaps the best collection of climbing films ever assembled. The storytelling is top notch, the cinematography excellent, and I think the folks at Sender Films have raised the bar yet again for what we should expect from the climbing film genre.
The Frying Pan – Featured Crag
Ah the F-Pan, where do I begin? This is easily my favorite crag in the Roaring Fork valley region. The rock is excellent (and unusually not chossy for this area). The climbing is thoughtful, technical and powerful all at the same time. The aesthetics are top notch, and the views from the upper cliffs are some of the best anywhere.
9 Tips For Climbing & Camping With a Kid
Your wife just announced she is pregnant and your family is about to grow by plus one, but all you can think about is what happened to our summer of climbing, camping, and road trips? Yes, your life is about to change, but getting out and pulling down doesn’t have to grind to a halt.
Massive Bolt Removal Reported Across the Country
Climber’s across the United States woke up today to a nightmare situation: it appears that every bolt ever placed has disappeared. Reports are streaming in from sport and trad areas alike, the Red, Eldo, City of Rocks, the Gunks, and the news is all the same: no more bolts!
The Eight Unfortunate Truths of Route Development
Ultimately it comes down to what matters more in the end, the style of the FA or the end product? The problem is that the “quality” of the end product means different things to different people. Some of my favorite routes scared the crap out of me because of runouts or bad gear. Those same things that added to the overall quality of my experience would ruin it for others, because they don’t climb to have a heady experience where they could get hurt or die, they climb because they like the movement and safety of it all.
Wall Street
There is a place near Moab, Utah, where the rock is not good, the road is six inches away and the smell of urine assaults your nostrils on warm sunny days. Somehow, this is one of the most popular crags in Moab. Just goes to show, if you build it, they will come. So what is it with Wall Street, why is it so popular despite all it’s shortcomings?
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?
Vail & Redstone Ice Featured in North Face Athlete Videos
It’s mid winter, might as well keep the ice climbing stoke going! The North Face just released two new videos profiling their athletes Emily Harrington and Sam Elias, with some sweet footage shot at Vail and Redstone. It’s also cool to get some insight into how each of them approaches the sport, as they are [...]
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