A Climber We Lost: David Coombs
Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.
Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.
Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.
Kathryn Perkinson, a 5.10 climber, set herself a goal: climb her first 5.12 in just seven months. And she achieved it. Here's how.
Scary (and true!) tales from a crag near you
I can’t deny that I’ve laughed (silently, of course) at climbers wearing watches on the wall before. But this new release, on both the hardware and software side of things, speaks straight to climbers.
Many sport pitches can be fallen from with abandon. Not this one.
You always choose what you risk. But sometimes, with all the odds stacked against you, it’s difficult to act appropriately.
“At a certain point, your muscles can only produce the strength they use when you’re doing a weighted hang when in the presence of that extra weight.”
Our language seems to be richer and more dynamic than ever, but some climbing terms have gotta go.
Uncovering approachable routes for the everyday climber in South Patagonia.
Red-tagging designates a route as under construction/still unclimbed by its “owner.” The practice, though logical, rubs people various ways.
The “rodeo clip” is simple enough in theory and very stylish, but if this is your first rodeo, I advise practicing when no one else is around.
Rifle Mountain Park has a history, reaching back to the canyon’s first sport climbs from the late 1980s and early 1990s, that played a critical role in the modern explosion of difficulty in American sport climbing, especially on overhanging stone.
Trigger Warning, dear reader: the following is a humor piece on everyone's favorite topic—chipping.
This new memoir by Ryan Waters, who in 2014 became the first American to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam, focuses more on the adventurer than on his adventures.
How moving sideways has pushed me up.
Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of climbing physiology and then discuss training takeaways. This is Part I of a science-based series on how to train smarter to climb better.
The day that nearly did our intrepid explorer in. He wrote it up as soon as he could use his hands again.
It's cold out, but that doesn't mean you can't get out. Here are six crags where the sun always shines... or it's at least warm enough to get out on cloudy days.
A classic case of miscommunication could have spelled disaster.
The climber, miraculously, walks away without a scratch.
"Lucho shouldn’t be up here. Not because this particular situation is dangerous (it is), but because it’s a miracle that he isn’t in prison."
Everyone knows about MoonBoards and Gripmasters… Here are a few under-the-radar, low-cost training products that the pros and I have used for years to get jacked. (Warning: humor column)
Even if caves and steep routes aren't your thing, one can never have enough core strength.
Don't know how far it is to the next rappel anchor, and/or your rope is too short to make it?
Check out Bennett Slavsky's author page.
R.P. The initials are iconic. For climbers they conjure up all kinds of memories: tiny brass wires sitting new on your rack, shiny and angular and coated in a light sheen of oil...
No chalk, no people, no waits: The 5 best Yosemite moderates off the beaten track.
How you hold the rope is just one aspect of the belay—no more or less important than vigilance, rope management, how and where you stand, and communication.
Why risk a severe road rash by climbing slabs? Simple: it will make you a better climber.
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.
A new route on Minaret Peak led to an even great find with an ascent of Alam-Kuh (15,906 feet) in a country that for now is too dangerous to visit.
Two lifelong friends face rockfall and the life-altering aspects of sudden Injury.
For "conquistadors of the useless," climbers sure love getting into bitter disputes about how we enjoy ourselves.
Projecting climbing routes isn’t widely taught, so how do you learn this complicated art?
Getting started in the Alps can be intimidating, and picking your first climb can mean the difference between a rude awakening and happiness. The Balmhorn in the Bernese Alps practically guarantees a soft landing.
Check out Delaney Miller's author page.
This article was originally published in Climbing No. 380 under the title "Circuit Court."
Climb long enough and you’ll have a close encounter ... or several. Of the myriad ways to kill yourself climbing, rappelling is the quickest, but also the easiest to safeguard.
Alpinist, Ridgeway, Colorado.
When a climber dies, friends, family and editors reconstruct a life now gone.
Climbing exists in a weird middle zone between solo and team sport. Sometimes climbing alone is the best way to go.
Learn to simul-climb and short-fix for faster ascents
“The movement was fun—until it wasn't anymore.”
Matt Samet describes his experience in using the MoonBoard to train for his multi-year project in Colorado.
The projecting process is hard enough. Here are five mistakes I’ve personally made on more than one occasion. Do as I say and not as I do.
Climbing Pioneer, BASE jumper (BASE #39), Businessman, Kite Surfer, Big-wave Surfer.
Branched-chain amino acids are popular in weight rooms, but are they for climbers?
Even the most dedicated of rock climbers can lose their outdoor-stoke mid winter. Learning to ice climb is a great way to climb outside, but making the jump to the sharp end is a big decision. Here’s how to know if you're ready.
The Rock, right in San Diego, was like no other.
On Thursday, February 12, Wes Walker and Jason Grubb loaded up and drove 11 hours to Cody, Wyoming, for the annual South Fork Ice Festival. The two climbers, from Florida and Texas respectively, were enjoying their first season of ice climbing while living and working in the mountain town of Carbondale, Colorado.
Build long-term finger strength with structured hangboarding
The roof crack has a V10 lip encounter, overcome with a double drop knee and crystalline crimps.
“One of my strengths, I think, is that I have good grace for myself. When I regress, or if I’m not climbing how I feel like I should be, I’m able to step back and look at it a little more objectively.”
Twin brothers Damian and Willie Benegas, world-class Argentine alpine guides and mountaineering phenoms, sent this spectacular ice line on the North Face of Nuptse in 2003.
Climbing is hard and so is training. Here's how to exert minimal effort and still succeed.
The Canadian Rockies boast some of the best long ice routes in the world. With the borders newly reopened, it’s time to sharpen the tools and gas up the car for your dream winter road trip.
In his “Forgotten First Ascents” series for Rock and Ice, Owen Clarke dug up cool climbs from the past and talked to the climbers who made them happen. This one: Malaria, Rhumsiki Tower, Cameroon, 2007.
Your Virgin Island itinerary is simple: send, rinse, repeat.
There’s a price tag on “The Yosemite of South America.” Is there anything we can do about it?
Many climbers struggle to know what to do during downtime, especially on vacations when they’re away from their usual training facilities. Here's how to keep the ball rolling.
“Should I tie in through my hard points or through my belay loop?” she said. “Tie in through your belay loop,” a boy climber responded with conviction.
Good footwork is a skill that must be carefully cultivated. While it’s not always the most fun or flashy technique to develop, it is arguably the most helpful to upping your climbing game.
He spent 20+ days on the climb and says "Alphane" and "Soudain Seul" feel comparable
After losing her life partner, Gisely “Gi” Ferraz learned how to regain her strength as a climber and a person while spreading his ashes from his favorite summits. On Fitz Roy, she confronted death.
Most whippees are on their way up before they hurtle down. But that’s not always the case.
Unbelievable save on Astroman. A once-in-a-lifetime lucky moment of bad luck.
In a press release, HBO said it would be an “exploration of the human spirit.” Cheesy? You betcha. Imma stock up on popcorn now.
This excellent film by Cameron Maier captures the moody soul of the Fortress of Solitude
Studies point to stress itself as the culprit for accelerated fatigue; not how hard you grip.
The rappeller's ropes were too short, and, in a scenario all too common in climbing, he fell to the ground.
The “Dodo’s Delight” crew is back for more sail-to-climb adventures, this time on the east coast of Greenland.
Because good friction and warm weather have very little in common.
Too much of a good thing won’t do your climbing any favors. Slow down this winter so you can speed back up in the spring.
Memories of youth, temptation and trying to out climb the long arm of the law.
For sale: Offwidth rack, used once.
On December 5, 2011, in Pinnacles National Park, California, Lars Johnson found his legs crushed by a 2-ton boulder. His fast-acting partners saved his life.
If reaching the summit isn't the most important thing in the world, then why do it? This climbing satirist thinks he knows.
With the right type of supportive weight-lifting routine climbers can work to avoid injury and in many cases climb harder, too.
Turns out that the land of cafes and croissants has some pretty wild rock formations.