Climbing Staff

Yikes.

Sometimes you just have to climb on the route to see if you've cleaned it enough.

Nearly every move a climber makes is based around the center of the body, the core. The stronger the core, the easier climbing becomes.

Organize your spraywall! Structure your hangboard sessions! Navigate through heinous terrain! Meet partners (and PARTNERS)!

“I knew the crimp was a bit suspect, but it made the first crux flow better, so I just went for it.”

Seriously. It’s not pleasant.

There’s a lot to learn from this video.

“I got the pitch dialed but my arms were so pumped that I couldn’t quite put it together.”

The fall is safe, at least, if a bit exciting.

Sometimes it’s better to stay on-edge.

Faced with a serious pump, this climber tried to clip in a very strenuous position.

Projecting is intimidating—especially if you’re working this airy route.

Their commitment, at least, deserves high praise.

Stick-clipping can be a safe way to start your route. But only if you do it right.

Climbing falls can be disorienting and unexpected. Why not wear a bucket?

This one will make your palms sweat.

So close…

What was once grippy, clean stone can devolve to a soapy mess.

There’s plenty to learn from this one.

Laybacking cracks works well—until it doesn’t.

Critiques are tough—but so is belaying. Here’s to approaching both with caution.

He was feeling good but the rock was not—it had rained the day before and the water-streaked wall still held plenty of moisture.

We’ll concede: the climber did some things right. But it didn’t matter in the end.

He lined up for the famous move and launched with gumption, only to latch the edge’s chalky outer rim and face the music of his momentum.

Just moments before, the climber had been cruising along a section of mellow terrain and hadn’t felt the need to place much pro at all.

The climber logged nothing but air miles thanks to the cave’s steepness, and called her whip “the craziest air I’ve ever had.”

This week’s whipper is a reminder that geologic time includes now.

Bouin had one of the greatest years of sport climbing on record last year, making the first ascent of DNA (5.15d), Nordic Marathon (5.15b/c), and Suprême Jumbo Love (5.15c), and repeating Change (5.15c), Jumbo Love (5.15b), and Iron Curtain (5.15a).

This climber knew “the fall would be clean” so committed to running out the crux. He almost made it.

Patagonia’s new film, ‘Ascend’, follows three women who escaped from the Taliban and rediscovered climbing and community in Yosemite

A Goldilocks catch: soft, airy, and just right.

How did he get away with that?

An incomplete (but very long) list of the best films streaming online right now, organized by streaming service. Updated March 22, 2023.

We’ve endeavored to recognize the climbers who lost their lives in the war effort

“He was completely fine, in a shock to us all.”

Lesson learned: “Clip the rope as soon as possible and don't do a figure four with the rope between the legs.”

Here are the coolest new lines (and repeats) of late.

We haven’t heard this one before.

Here are the coolest new routes (and repeats) of late.

The video picks up as Pearson half-crimps some miserable sandstone divots, trying to punch it to the arête.

No hate on the belayer here—just a cautionary tale.

“Neither of us anticipated that I would fall to the height her head was … and absolutely boot her into the edge of a flake.”

Just because the rock is bomber doesn’t mean the fixed gear is. 

One very real concern, the filmer said, was the climber’s rope cutting over the sharp ironstone edge.

Second Choice (5.11) is a striking splitter with its steepest moves near the top.

“Woo was pretty pumped and fixated on the final hard sequence. He forgot to clip the bolt, did the moves, and then slipped off.”

Many sport pitches can be fallen from with abandon. Not this one.

The climber, miraculously, walks away without a scratch.

Even if caves and steep routes aren't your thing, one can never have enough core strength.

“The movement was fun—until it wasn't anymore.”

Most whippees are on their way up before they hurtle down. But that’s not always the case.

The “Dodo’s Delight” crew is back for more sail-to-climb adventures, this time on the east coast of Greenland.

A proper warmup will help you make the most of your climbing session and prevent long- and short-term injuries. Here's how to get started.

“I realized there was no foothold to move across to the bolt and I took a 30-foot whip, face down, one-foot from the ground.”

From the archive: an incomplete list of classic routes climbed by our sport's wealthiest (at least until he gave his fortune away) and second most famous (though actually he may rival the Honnold in overall name recognition) dirtbag.

“Needless to say I lowered off to check if any icing was taken off the cake.”

"What Beth did in 2008... was way ahead of the times"

Return of the Jedi is found in an abandoned gritstone quarry in the Peak District and is an unmistakable line: a sharpened prow that is intimidatingly tall and “that requires quite a few pads to make safe.”

Sport climbing trip coming up? Dreams of long trad routes? Here are 9 tips to help you achieve your rope-stretching, enduro-climbing goals.

The filmer breaks down exactly what happened—and what went wrong.

'Love as a Weapon' is a stiff new route in Squamish, BC.

Those “easy sends” can still leave a mark. 

“I personally felt that ‘Honey Badger’ (V16) was more of a challenge for me.”

Some say the most dangerous section of a sport climb is between the second and third bolts.

Surprise, surprise, France has yet another barely-touched limestone mecca.

In not wearing her hijab, Elnaz Rekabi has become a symbol for the anti-regime movement. We hope she is safe and that her wellbeing is unthreatened, but we fear the worst. 

That could have been a lot worse.

New goodies are coming to the market soon!

"The [route] description ironically says something like 'Don't blow the mantle at the top...' "

This one's got to hurt.

About as clean as any gear-ripper can be, anyway.

"It took me a few attempts of climbing higher and higher above the last two pieces to eventually feel confident to commit to the final runout."

Did anyone else feel their ankle snap just watching that? No? Just us? No matter—the climber, Maissa, is A-OK.

This belayer had the best of intentions. At least the only victim was himself—and his lawn chair.

"Other than almost decking this is a phenomenal route."

Steep, sandy jugs—what could be better?

A small cam provided a secure catch for five sessions. The #0.2 was bomber, until it wasn't.

The Scottish climber has just opened what may be one of three V16s in the UK.

Who said sport climbers can't take gear rippers?

Climbing is a jargon-filled sport. And sometimes the jargon isn't even a complete word—it's an abbreviation.