Latest
Huge 5.13+ Added to Mt. Whitney; Beckett Hsin Boulders His Age (14); Winter Ascent of Aguja Standhardt; Plus Finland’s Stunning Blocks
The weekly roundup: Niky Ceria taps Finland's unbelievable bouldering potential; Patagonia's Aguja Standhardt is climbed in winter; Beckett Hsin (14) climbs stout V14; Connor Herson and Fan Yang add 2,000-foot 5.13+ to Mt. Whitney's East Face.
A Brief (Caffeinated) History of my Favorite Climbing Word
Plus a few modern variations of the word...
Earth Treks Founder Becomes the Second American to Summit Every 8,000-Meter Peak
Chris Warner stitched the mountains together using various styles over 24 years—climbing “just for the fun of it”
Climber Dies in Rappelling Accident on Goat Wall
The climber fell 130 feet due to “equipment failure”
Japan and China Close Out World Cup Season with Strong Performances
The 2023 World Cup season came to a close this weekend with a Lead and Speed event in Wujiang, China.
Weekend Whipper: Ripping Big Holds On His 70th Birthday
Sometimes you just have to climb on the route to see if you've cleaned it enough.
Gym and Auto Belay Manufacturer to Pay $6M in Settlement for Auto Belay Accident
Vertical World and Perfect Descent manufacture settle with climber who sustained 30-foot fall
Six Proven Exercises to Chisel Your Core
Nearly every move a climber makes is based around the center of the body, the core. The stronger the core, the easier climbing becomes.
The Best Climbing Apps of 2023
Organize your spraywall! Structure your hangboard sessions! Navigate through heinous terrain! Meet partners (and PARTNERS)!
Jakob Schubert Sends ‘Project Big’ on Livestream in Flatanger
Schubert hasn’t commented on the grade or the final name for the new climb—but by all accounts it’s at least 5.15c
Training

The Training Bible: A Complete One-Year Training Plan
This eight-phase (12-month) training series will present specific workouts based on the principles of periodization. Each six-week segment will build upon the previous one.
Technique

Moving Fast Means Climbing More: Alex Honnold’s Favorite Efficiency Tricks
Honnold is famous for (among other things) cramming as much climbing as he can into each day. To do so, he's developed some efficiency tricks that the rest of us can imitate.
Longreads

Ripcord: A Story of Fame, Love, and Tragedy
The void swallowed him alive, his streaking form more easily imagined than described. The air froze in my chest.
Weekend Whippers

Weekend Whipper: Ice Soloist Lets Go of Both Axes and Decks. (He Lives.)
There are two miracles in this week's whipper: 1) He survived. 2) He caught the fall on video.
Gear

How To Choose, Fit, And Break In Rock Shoes
Stop wasting your money on shoes that don't fit or are painful or fail you. Don't be disappointed again. Here's how to buy what' just right, just for you.
People

What Ever Happened to Mason Earle?
When one of the world’s best crack climbers was grounded by chronic fatigue syndrome, his life became an uphill struggle just to feel human again.
Our Most Popular Article
They Climbed On a Home Depot Rope—Thought A Real Rope Was Too Expensive
They figured they knew enough about climbing to wing it, but took a dangerous risk that could have cost them.
During my senior year of high school, my friends and I were bored. We decided we collectively knew enough about climbing for it to be safe. We went to the local outfitter and bought harnesses, carabiners, and belay devices, but we scoffed at the price of a rope. It was way outside our budget. Instead, we went to Home Depot and bought 100 feet of poly cord that was rated for 200 pounds. We climbed on that rope all day, just easy 5.3 climbing on toprope. I’ve included a couple photos. It wasn’t until I was lowering at the end of the day that I realized what a mistake I’d made. The 100-foot rope had stretched to about 200 feet, shrinking to the size of 8mm cord. I bought a real climbing rope the following week. Wanted to share because we are all new at some point and even with the best intentions mistakes are made. We should collectively work together to improve safety across the sport. I wish someone would have stopped us from climbing on that poly rope.
—Kyle Harris, via email
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LESSON: Modern climbing ropes include a number of climber-friendly features. They can hold thousands of pounds of force. They have durable sheaths that prevent abrasion and cutting. They have the ideal amount of stretch to catch a fall softly, and then bounce back to their original length and diameter. They’re supple and easy to tie and untie. They’re tested to meet rigorous safety standards. And they work great with modern belay devices. A random hardware store rope is not designed with any of these goals in mind, and can’t be expected to meet them. Always use proper climbing gear designed and rated for climbing.
These Kids Used Parachute Cord For Slings …. Said They Learned It From The Boy Scouts