Crack Climbing

The line that cemented new tactics, new gear, and a new grade

Crack gloves may be all the rage. But there's still value in knowing how to tape up like a pro.

Most of us learn to feel comfortable on finger and hand jams relatively quickly. But off-hands? Fists? Corners? Those techniques don't come quite as easily.

Vedauwoo’s crack boulders are just as quality as its soaring splitters, yet their low height and minimal rack make them far more accessible.

A meditation on the cracks that divide the walls, yet draw us—wiser, more grown, hopeful—together.

No so long ago, hand jamming seemed a trad-only skill. But now jams play a crucial role in World Cup Comps and on America's first 5.15c sport route. Is it time you learned?

The story so far of Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker's journey to send The Recovery Drink (5.14c) in Jøssingfjord, Norway.

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.

The alpine knee isn’t always the move. Here’s what happens when it goes wrong.

How to get started climbing cracks, from finger-size to the wide stuff, and the sizes in between. Also: How to use your feet in cracks.

One of the world's best (and least developed) sandstone trad areas is in Liming, in China's Yunnan province. It's a pretty special place.

Crack climbing wizard JP “Peewee” Ouellet shares how to use rubber, tape, and glue to climb off-size splitters without destroying your skin.

Pulling the lip is widely considered to be the crux, but it's only until you've nailed the sneaky right-to-left crack switch that you are in the clear.

Thou shalt read this and do as I sayeth

Whether you’re seeking out pods and pin scars in Yosemite, tackling the blissful parallels of Indian Creek, or just trying not to blow your chances in your next bouldering comp, we’ve compiled tricks of the trade that will open up a whole new world of crack climbing.

Take a look at some of the best hand-sized crack climbs across the country, from Nevada to West Virginia.

Instructions on how to build a home crack training system for all your crack climbing training needs.

Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker have completed what the former called “one of the best bits of crack climbing” of his entire life. The climb is slated to appear in Reel Rock 16.

Check out Pete Whittaker's author page.

Check out Laura Snider's author page.

Learn the tricks for dialing in finger cracks from expert Pete Whittaker.

Didier Berthod is a crack climbing legend and was an inspiration to us and many back in the early 2000s.

Bronwyn Hodgins and Julien Bourassa-Moreau get creative on "Master Blaster," a devious roof crack in in Zion, Utah.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

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Check out Kevin Riley's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

The adjustable, interchangeable, and versatile volumes are available to order.

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Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

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Check out Dakota Walz's author page.

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Just a few bits of wood and expert know-how are all you need to master the art of hand jamming.

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

Check out Levi Harrell's author page.

Born and raised in Yosemite Valley, Ahwahneechee Tribe member—and pro climber/snowboarder—Lonnie Kosuko Kauk is taking Valley climbing to the next level, with 5.14 cracks, 5.14+ projects, and beyond.

Check out Hannah Gartner's author page.

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

Check out Hannah Gartner's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

The exquisite finger crack that inspired the author’s trad-climbing career

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Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Adam Nawrot's author page.

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Check out Peter Brown Hoffmeister's author page.

Finding—much less sending—the hardest crack in the world isn’t easy. Then add in the hazards of spiders, scorpions, and snakes.

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Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Scarface is a photographic rite of passage for Indian Creek climbers

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Check out James Lucas's author page.

For trad climbers, Old Rag is an East Coast heaven, but with long hikes, bushwhacking, and hard rock, you've got to want it.

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Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall, Sheffield, England

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Check out Kel Rossiter's author page.

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Learn to climb upside down for steep, wide cracks.

Check out Molly Mitchell's author page.

Check out James Lucas's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

How to handle big, cumbersome pro for wide cracks.

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Check out Climbing Staff's author page.