Submission Guidelines
We work with writers and photographers across the climbing community. Do you have a compelling climbing story to tell?
A few general guidelines for pitching Climbing:
- We’re open for submissions in a range of categories (see below).
- All submissions must be previously unpublished.
- All pitches should be submitted using this form.
Ascents and Trip Reports
Did you just get the FA of the Southwest Ridge of Unnamed Peak in Unknown Land? Did you just return from an under-the-radar climbing area we should know about? From adventure recaps to destination guides, tell us about your recent epic. For trip reports, ideally we’d love to know about your idea before you go on your trip so we can give you some guidance on photography and the angle before you go.
Safety Analysis
Did you witness something unbelievable or dangerous at your local gym or crag? Send a short description (100-250 words) and we’ll do an analysis of the event outlining what was weird or wrong and what could have been done to fix it. If you’re an expert climber or guide, let us know if you’d like to do the analysis of the situation.
Features
We don’t accept many feature pitches from freelance writers, so make it a strong one. We’re interested in investigations into key issues facing the climbing community, and stories that give deep insight into people, bold ascents, or climbing destinations. Topics can range from area histories, to profiles of notable or unknown climbers, to controversial opinion pieces. Our feature stories generally run 1,500 to 4,000 words.
News
Heard about a big send, access issue, political event, accident, or other occurrence the world should know about? Send a short, but thorough pitch summarizing the story, its importance, and why you’re the person to write it. Also let us know how quickly you could turn the story around.
Skills
Got a tip to climb harder, safer, smarter, or with greater enjoyment? Send a short pitch explaining why climbers need this advice and how you plan on giving it to them. If you’re the expert in question, let us know. If not, please include which expert(s) or sources you’ll be leveraging for the story.
Culture and Lifestyle
Do you have the inside scoop on a well-known climber’s skincare routine? Just watched a climbing film we haven’t reviewed yet and have a hot take? Got a funny listicle to share with the world? Send your idea our way.
Weekend Whipper
Have you taken a massive whipper and caught it on camera? Did you film someone else’s whip and convince them of the value of internet stardom? Please submit your video with a description of the route, why you fell, and any lessons you learned.
Photo Essays
We don’t accept a high volume of photo essays–we’ll save those for the domain of ink and paper—but we do consider compelling photo essays from time to time. We cannot accept photos alone, so please be sure to share the theme of the essay and what the written component would be, from in-depth captions about what’s pictured, a behind-the-scenes story of how you got each shot, quotes from the subject, etc.
Got a Tip?
If you have an anonymous (or otherwise) tip we should know about, you can drop it here.