The Real Secret to Effective Power Training
You can train long or you can train hard, but not both—which is probably why so many of us train power so incorrectly.
Flood in the Desert: How Tidal Wave of Climbers is Reshaping Bishop, California
“It only takes a few people a year to really do some damage.”
Lessons Learned from an Unhitched Climber
If I'd hopped off the ledge or tried to weight the sling, I would've fallen a few hundred feet to the ground. I felt sick to my stomach for a couple weeks after that one.
Inside the FA of ‘Passage to Freedom’: El Cap 5.13d
The route features hard slab, 5.13+ seams, and a 5.13c finger crack of such high quality that the climbers named the ropelength "As Good as It Gets."
A Look at One of America’s Hardest, Thinnest Sport Crags
From the archive: James Lucas finds his way (and our history) at the Virgin River Gorge.
Cedar Wright: “It’s Bad Style to be Careless With Your Life”
In 2007 Cedar Wright and Renan Ozturk made an alpine-style FA of the 2,500-foot Northern Cat’s Ear Spire, the last unclimbed spire in the Great Trango Group. In the process he realized a thing or two about "style."
Studies Show Women Under-acknowledge Accomplishments. It Can Impact Their Climbing
"Female climbers are often less confident than their male counterparts, but it’s nurture, not nature. And that’s something we can beat."
Complacency Kills! Here’s a Checklist for Staying Safe
Casual cragging is anything but—the law of gravity still applies. Use this four-part checklist to beat complacency and prevent accidents.
How the World’s Boldest Climbing Area Got that Way
How headpointing became a legitimate, go-to tactic on Peak District gritstone.
The Despondency Point: When Hopelessness Helps You Send
"In a sport that prizes youth and energy and boldness and good health, it is, I realize, anathema to confess to any sort of weakness..." But sometimes embracing your weakness can help.
Want to Get Better at Trad Climbing? Go Aid Climbing
Aid climbing is the one sure-fire way to accelerate the trad climbing learning curve
What Makes a Climb Newsworthy?
"How do you decide what climbs to write about? What makes a route newsworthy in the first place, and why are the fifth or tenth ascents of a route sometimes newsworthy and sometimes not?"
Do Climbers Have Expiration Dates? A Lifer Contemplates His Old Age
Most walls will stand the test of time. We as climbers will not.
Is it Time to Cut Your Rope? Here’s How to Tell.
Although the correct process to cut a rope is very simple, there are two things to keep in mind when you’re done.
The Horror: Accidentally Used A Not-For-Climbing Carabiner For Belay Anchor
This climber was experienced, too. Just shows that you can't be too careful when you climb.
ABT—Always Be Training (Seriously Never Ever Stop)
Us 9-5ers want to climb 5.16, but we don’t have the time to get there because of our jobs. Well, let me let you in on a little secret: You can train for climbing all day every day with these simple exercises.
Fred Nicole on Top-end Bouldering and the Art of Shoe Design
Though he’s stepped out of the climbing spotlight in recent years and has always been a reclusive, enigmatic figure—a soft-spoken “man of the forest”—he has something new to offer the community.
10 Crucial Stretches to Include in Your Warm Up and Cool Down
Heidi Wirtz describes how to use stretches to warm up for and recover from a climbing session.
He Used a Human As the Belay Anchor. Really? (Yes, Really)
This anchorless belay relied on bodyweight and broke all the rules in the book, including some that weren't even in there.
Do You Really Need That Gym Membership? Here are 6 Real Rock Workouts
Gyms are great and all. But you can get just as strong by consciously training during your outdoor sessions.
The Top 5 Honest, Ironclad Excuses for Climbing Poorly at the Gym
These are the kinds of excellent excuses we’d make if we were really being honest about our climbing performance.
What It Looks Like To Get Too Old To Climb
At 78, climber, hall-of-fame skier, and former mountain guide Dick Dorworth had to make a difficult decision.
Learn to Control Your Fear… It Might Save Your Life
After a near-death climbing experience, I was inspired to dig deeper into the psychology of fear and learn about its effect on performance, how it wells up in the first place, and what we can do to deal with it. What I found will take your climbing to the next level—and could save your life.
Learn to Take Advantage of Your (Lack of) Height
Each climb presents different challenges for different bodies. The unique challenges you and your body face are also your best opportunities for growth.
Hangboarding For Everyone
Five ways to customize hangboard training to make it easier or harder.
First Time Going Outside? Here are Tips for Safety (and Etiquette)
Here are 23 tips from veteran climbers for going outside. Whether you're new to the scene or a pro, they still apply.
Can You Really Use An Ascender As A Belay Device? These Guys Did.
Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.
10 Interesting Facts I Doubt You Know About Knots
Knots were also used for record keeping in ancient China, and the Chinese Book of Changes, almost 2,500 years old, associates knots with contract and agreement.
Why You Should Commit to Celibacy to Send the Gnar
Hold on, I know what you’re thinking! Celibacy solves nothing. But here's where you're wrong.
A Seer Reveals the Mysterious Future of Climbing
An ice climber, a trad climber, a boulderer, and a sport climbing visit a fortune teller and learn their fates.
Used A Skinny Rope To Belay Kids—Bad Idea
Kids may be lighter than adults, but that doesn't mean you can skimp on safety thinking that your rig is "strong enough."
How to Not Train for Climbing
Follow these five simple, experience-driven not-training tips and in just six weeks you will be no better of a climber than you are today—and possibly worse.
How the Legendary School Room Gym Helped Ben Moon and Jerry Moffatt Push 5.14
Sheffield's legendary training facility changed the history (and future) of our sport.
How to Train for Climbing in a Non-Climbing Gym
If you live far from the crags or a climbing gym—or find yourself marooned in a “climbing desert”—you need not lose sight of your climbing goals.
I Have No Idea How Hard I Climb
After climbing every bolted route below 5.9 in Boulder Canyon, Kevin Corrigan learns an essential truth about rock climbing.
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Dynos
The first dyno? The longest dyno? A system for grading dynos?
How To Overcome Your Fear Of Falling: Part 1—Introduction
Falling is as integral to climbing as climbing itself, yet it creates fear that you must address correctly—and you must learn proper falling technique in order to fall safely.
Heavy Climbers Who Embraced Their Bodies to Send
Climbing’s yesteryear has a couple great examples of big dudes who climbed harder than most of us ever will.
Want to Get into Alpine Climbing? Here’s How to Get Started.
"Alpine climbing seems like a great way to escape the crowds, but a little intimidating. What’s a good progression?"
How to Plan a Long-Term Climbing Road Trip
It's easy to fantasize about climbing road trip, but hard work to make it happen. Here are some tips to make the prep a little easier.
Climb Because It’s Hard, And Four Other Tips For Success
Warrior's Way pioneer Arno Ilgner lays out the specifics for why we often fail on a climb, and how to push past the barriers.
How to Win Friends and Influence at the Crag
Climbing partners can be poor substitutes for real friends, but they don't have to be.
How Climbing Gear Has Evolved Over the Past 50 Years
Jim Erickson looks back on the past half century to chronicle how the gear we rely on has changed and improved over the years.
A Consolidated History of Women’s Climbing Achievements
From the first women recorded in mountaineering in the late eighteenth century, to the first 5.15 female ascent by Margo Hayes in 2017.
Two Blank Walls Make a Jug. Learn To Stem!
Ascend blank corners with this handbook on stemming.
Why Pets Don’t Belong at the Crag—Ever
It’s easy to think that we can look after our pets’ needs at the cliff, but, in reality, we can’t.
Expert Advice for Advanced Resting Tactics
Terminally pumped? Follow these tips to achieve a restful stance on vertical rock, steep caves, corners, and more.
Rappellers Threw Themselves Face First Off Cliff With One-Nut Anchor
The Australian style of rappel might be fine if you are being shot at, but for climbing it's a very unnecessary risk.
One-Star Yelp Reviews of Classic Climbs
Everyone’s a critic.
“I Tried to Do More With Less”: A Chat With Famed Free Soloist Henry Barber
From the archive: In Henry Barber's 2008 interview with Mark Synnott, he discusses his philosophy of minimalism and tolerance: "Let’s make sure that we allow these people to be themselves, and not try to make them all the same. This sport has to be different for everybody—it has to be."
Oh No, Not Another Dangerous Idea: They Used Webbing Instead Of A Rope
Webbing may cost less than climbing rope, but it doesn't stretch and belay devices aren't designed for it. It seems self apparent that you should only climb on an actual climbing rope, but not everyone has gotten the message.
Prevent Wrist and Finger Injuries with these Stretches
A proper warm-up will target mobility and stability in both the wrists and fingers. Here's how to do it right.
How Josh Wharton Climbs Multi-pitches Faster and With Less Energy
Progress capture devices can be used to save energy and climb harder on big alpine routes.
How to Stop Taking Butt Shots
Follow these simple guidelines for better climbing photography. Includes advice for getting the most out of light, how to visualize, use a zoom, and even posing down and how to learn from others' photos.
A Grappling Hook From Amazon. For Rock Climbing?
John Q Public always imagined that we climb by throwing grappling hooks up the cliff. Turns out they were right.
Spare Those Ankles! How to Boulder Safely
Bad landings, bad spotters, a fear of falling that makes you more likely to fall—don't make bouldering more dangerous than necessary.
Six Near-death Climbing Accidents Analyzed and Explained
These famous climbing accidents are equal parts gripping and inspiring. If any reader should someday find themself in such a desperate situation, we hope they too will remember how others endured, living to climb another day.
The Scummer’s Manifesto: How to Use Seven Neglected Body Parts
Climbers often neglect limbs that can be especially useful for climbing, like the head, shoulder, knee, and hip. These seven tips show the importance of keeping an open mind and using any body part, no matter how ignoble a figure you cut.
Too Pumped to Send? Cheat With “Discrete Tension” Hack.
Sick of being the weakling and the buffoon? Forget excuses. “Discrete tension,” aka DT, can earn you credit for routes significantly harder than you actually redpoint.
Dropped Your Belay Device? Forget Your Harness? Here’s How to Make Do.
Dropped, forgotten, or mysteriously vanished gear can ruin a climbing day. Worst case, it can be life-threatening. But with a little know-how, you can recover from bone-headed mistakes and keep climbing—and also impress friends with your savvy.
9 Ways to Make Multipitch Climbs Safer, Faster, and More Fun
There's something magical about doing big routes in faraway places. But on these walls it's important to have your systems and tactics totally ironed out.
Lowered Off Gear Loop And Other Dangerous Behavior
More risky behavior, as if climbing the proper way isn't dangerous enough.
Think You Know Your Climbing Terms? Take This Quiz and Find Out.
Climbing is a jargon-filled sport. And sometimes the jargon isn't even a complete word—it's an abbreviation.
What You Need to Know About Nuts
Racking them, placing them, threading them, stacking them, trusting them. Here's what you need to know about using nuts.
No Belay Anchor, Only One Nut On Lead, And He Fell
Not only was the belayer unanchored, another climber sharing the ledge wasn't roped in. If the nut had pulled ...
His Rancid Shoes Are Ruining His Relationship. That Stinks.
Climbing stinks, really stinks. Knowing this is the first step toward doing something about it.
How Climbing Holds are Made
A photo by photo look at how the grips we love are made.
Kelly Cordes Recounts a Deranged Trip Up Cerro Torre
In 2007, Kelly Cordes and Colin Haley linked two monster routes to climb Cerro Torre base-to-summit in 32 hours. And you know what? It's all good, brah. ...
Jonathan Siegrist: Embrace What You’re Bad at to Become a Better Climber
"The bottom line is that climbing your best and pushing yourself are sometimes uncomfortable."
Our Favorite High-Elevation Crags to Beat Summer’s Heat
Get this high elevation rock while you can!
Sick of the heat? Check out These Five Alpine Bouldering Destinations
Is America’s best bouldering is above 9,000 feet? Some of us think so. Here’s what you need to know to hit the country’s finest alpine areas.
8 Common Climbing Diseases and Their Cures
If you observe any of these symptoms in your friends or in yourself, don’t delay. Consult your crag doctor as soon as possible. Together, we can beat common climbing diseases.
Learn Climbing’s Most Used Knot: The Figure Eight Follow-Through
Master the standard knot for tying in to the rope
Boulder Harder With Nina Williams
Understanding how to climb a boulder before stepping on is crucial to (a) maximizing the usefulness of each effort and (b) sending fast. Nina Williams shares tips for how to visualize a boulder problem and break it down into small, easily digestible parts.
The Art of Polite Hangdogging
Ask before you flail, communicate, and know when to call it quits: here's how to hangdog without wearing down your belayer.
He Made A Big Rappelling Mistake And Luckily Survived
It was a double-rope rappel, but he only clipped his rap device to one rope.
Forget Sendtember—It’s All About Surviving “Don’t-Try July”
The hippest new month is “Don’t-Try July,” when your best bet is to do as little as possible so you’re not a burned-out strip of human beef jerky come August.
“Old” Guy Thought A Hip Belay Was Fine
Three more instances of climbers taking unnecessary, foolish risks.
This Multi-Pitch Belay Mistake Could Have Spelled Disaster
"On arriving at the belay, I saw that my partner had tried to put the tube-style belay device in guide mode, but failed."