Opinions

"Notice I didn’t mention aesthetics. I’m not climbing a painting. The only aesthetics I worry about are the graphs of my sends on 8a.nu and the topography of my chiseled back muscles."

For "conquistadors of the useless," climbers sure love getting into bitter disputes about how we enjoy ourselves.

During the storied 1968 ascent of Cerro Chaltén, five climbers spent 30 days sheltered in two different 10' by 10' ice caves on the mountain.

After climbing every bolted route below 5.9 in Boulder Canyon, Kevin Corrigan learns an essential truth about rock climbing.

It’s easy to think that we can look after our pets’ needs at the cliff, but, in reality, we can’t.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Competitions, even the ones that go horribly, can teach you more about climbing than outdoor projects ever could.

Check out Anna LaSusa's author page.

Check out Bernd Zangerl's author page.

Check out Dakota Walz's author page.

Check out Alex Honnold's author page.

Check out Josh Laskin's author page.

Escaping the trap of outdated ethics

It may be time to rethink the mythology of dirtbagging.

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

This list, compiled in the early days of quarantine, looks past the big films (Free Solo, the Alpinist) and instead suggests a few excellent but lesser-known films. Climbers Steve Bosque and Jim Disney suggested a few for this list. The ultimate selection was mine. At the time of compiling, all the films were available for free (somewhere) on the internet.

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

Check out Corey Buhay's author page.

Check out Corey Buhay's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Do you? Really?

Remedying the teaching and leadership gap for women climbers

Recent events indicate a longing for a bygone era, but that is not necessarily a bad thing

Check out John Burgman's author page.

Check out John Burgman's author page.

How the internet became a climbing-anger machine

How resisting change holds back the sport—and puts lives at risk

Check out Kathy Karlo's author page.

Confronting the knotty issue of fixed ropes

Check out Hannah Gartner's author page.

Check out Kathy Karlo's author page.

Check out John Burgman's author page.

With the World Cup season in the books and the Olympics looming on the horizon, national squads are more compelling than their individual members

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

The impact of a 60-foot free soloing fall on Boulder's Second Flatiron

Why our sport—despite appearances—isn’t in fact selfish.

How surfing’s present could help improve climbing’s future

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

Climbing travel with social awareness

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

How the new school trains to train

Check out Esq.'s author page.

Life lessons from a fermented peach

"But it's not real climbing..."

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out John Burgman's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out John Burgman's author page.

Commentary and analysis from the weekend’s Open National Championship in Salt Lake City, Utah.

As new media allows us to see more of climbers’ daily routines, our expectations are becoming conversely more outlandish.

Polo’s latest scent claims to “ignite the thrill-seeker in every man.” To climbers, it adds to an already complicated history of branding.

Check out Noël Phillips's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Jens Holsten's author page.