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An eight-part questionnaire

Brace yourself for the half-mad rantings of the world’s saltiest, crustiest, least-patient-ever climbing partner.

Thinking they were using rope tugs for commands, this beginner belayer took their climber off belay minutes before the climber had finished climbing.

This article was originally published in Climbing No 371. It's appearing now in front of the paywall for the first time.

"I used to be a bit of a rock climber myself. Now I haven't so much as touched a hold in—gosh, how long has it been?—four or five weeks."

In the Elbe River Valley they were climbing 5.9+ by 1905 and 5.10+/5.11 by 1922. And they were doing this with knotted slings as pro.

Back in 1979, tower trips could be serious business. Spring-loaded cams had yet to debut. Falls were rare, but potential air was huge.

Ever.

“It only takes a few people a year to really do some damage.”

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."

Peter Habeler and Reinhold Messner took alpine tactics to the Himalaya, blowing minds and redefining the sport itself. Over 40 years later, they speak about the first oxygenless ascent of Everest, and the rift that broke up the greatest climbing partnership of all time.

Kettlebells are among the best supplemental workouts for targeting climbing fitness. They're also convenient and fast.

You can climb even harder when you get older, but you need to follow a specific training plan that balances endurance, strength, and power equally—emphasis on plan.

The science behind fear and how to overcome it to achieve your climbing goals.

From better boinking to a cleaner way to fill your chalk bag, savor these tips from climbers like you.

Gyms have a lot of rules and some of them might irritate you, but speed lowering is never a good idea

Doesn't seem like a big deal, your dog is behaved, right? Problem is, not everyone loves Fido.

A routine climb in the Canadian Rockies turns nightmarish when a grizzly bear has two climbers scrambling for their lives.

Looking for a partner on Facebook, one climber ends up with "Bob" who proceeds to hit the hippie lettuce before climbing.

Dakota Walz set out in 2019 to climb 5,280 vertical feet of first ascents in the American Southwest. Along the way, he faced uncertainty, fear, doubt, loose rock, and runouts—and many times wondered: Is the project even worth it? In the end, he learned it was the process that mattered—not just the summits.

Accidents happen. Every climber should be able to troubleshoot difficult rappel situations, and one of the best ways is by mastering the buddy rappel.

One climber’s quest for the promised land

Check out Jonathan Vickers's author page.

Check out Jonathan Vickers's author page.

Check out Jonathan Vickers's author page.

Check out Jonathan Vickers's author page.

Climbing and Rock and Ice Have Merged—Now What?

Paul Robinson details his 17-year journey to send 1,000 8a-or-harder boulder problems.

In Kenya’s far north, the semi-nomadic Samburu tribesmen are exploring their ancestral landscape in a radical new direction—vertically.

Adventuring on the sea cliffs of southern Wales

What you should know about relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S)

Check out Bernd Zangerl's author page.

Make climbing great again

V16 boulderer, 5.15b route climber, former East Coast prodigy. FAs of ~700 boulders V11 and up, including a dozen V15s. Age 39, lives in Spain, Switzerland, and Colorado.

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.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Michael Levy's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Review: Trango Agility 9.1 (70m)

Check out Dakota Walz's author page.

We both know you’re not going to use that hangboard. Try these 8 ideas instead.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Corey Buhay's author page.

Molly Mitchell shares her journey to climb China Doll (5.14 R) while navigating generalized anxiety disorder.

The Utah visionary opens up about his four decades on the rock, a return to his nemesis climb, the craft of photography, and the search for the next great thing.

Check out Aaron Gerry's author page.

Understand, manage, and channel your anger to climb your hardest

The ties that bind

Check out Hannah Gartner's author page.

Check out Tanager's author page.

Check out Shelma Jun's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Ula Chrobak's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Kristin Bjornsen's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Kristin Bjornsen's author page.

Check out Kristoffer Schmarr's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

After several personal losses, our columnist reexamines her relationship to speed.

Check out Matt Samet's author page.

What to do when your hair gets hopelessly stuck in your rappel device.

The price of freedom on the East Face of Washington’s Liberty Bell

The steep, wild, multipitch conglomerate of Los Mallos de Riglos in the hills of Northern Spain

Jimmy Webb would be the last person to tell you that he’s sent more V16s than almost any other American. Credit that humility—and the work ethic that earned him those ticks—to his Tennessee roots.

Check out Ari Schneider's author page.

Check out Corey Buhay's author page.

Escaping the trap of outdated ethics

Check out Alyssa Neill, RDN's author page.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out Michael Pronzato's author page.