Videos

Really?

14 climbing clips, all free on the internet, all funny.

“Upside-down double-heel hook” is not in our mixed-climbing vocabulary. Maybe that’s for a reason.

It’s all fun and games until you start ruining narrative flow.

“I let the feeling of being done take over, and I forgot to use my feet.”

Be wary of clipping above your head while close to the ground.

“I put myself off-route, on the far end of an unprotected traverse, and climbed up moves I could not protect nor easily reverse.”

The climber would have knocked his teeth into the roof had he placed a cam a bit higher.

Although staying upright would be nice.

This climber totally mismanaged his rope’s position.

“I guess the lesson learned is: Can never be too careful on runout slab.”

“Looking back, it was a big mistake to not wear a helmet. I totally overestimated the steepness of the wall.”

You don’t see this everyday.

On short climbs, maybe don’t run it out.

This climber’s takeaway? Don’t change shoes between attempts.

Well, this is sobering.

Has a climb ever refused to let you fail?

The new Netflix documentary highlights the “rivalry” between solo alpinists Dani Arnold and the late Ueli Steck.

“It was probably too big of a grade jump!”

Because big differences in weight—surprise!—make a difference.

“This was my first time ever falling while clipping. A huge but very safe fall.”

Our new weekly discussion program covers outdoor recreation and adventure

“I’ll be back for you, 'Prime Directive.' Hopefully with someone who will hang the draws for me.”

Sometimes, at hanging belays, there’s nowhere to hide.

This week’s whippee went for a pretty massive ride. 

A magazine can dream.

We would have done a few things differently here.

“The belayer and I were aware of his left leg under the rope but we let him focus on his climb.”

A quick, attentive belay prevented a gnarly ground fall.

We’d want this belayer at the end of our rope.

Yikes.

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

“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.

Ruana's 17-day battle with "The Ice Knife Stand" (V15) is a great reminder of why I don't siege nemesis boulders... and some other things too.

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.

Will Bosi has dropped the video of his send of Alphane—and Lattice has dropped a longer video about Bosi’s training history.

Laybacking cracks works well—until it doesn’t.

It’s Friday, it’s June, and if you’re anything like me, that means it’s time to watch all the week’s new climbing videos. Here are some that I thought were especially worth your time.

‘Both & Neither’ profiles two Mexican American climbers who have spent their lives attempting to bridge their two cultures, trying to find a space that feels like home.

By repurposing old climbing-media tropes, Barr, Bisharat, and Rosen reveal a core truth about our sport, while also bringing our attention to one of the world’s most marginalized communities.

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.

“I’ve always said I want to climb 5.15, and I do, but I think I want to be a mom more.”—Paige Claassen in 'LOVE'

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

‘Letting Go’ profiles Julie Hwang, a Taiwanese American climber, who leaned on her community, Chinese medicine, and climbing to work through a traumatic divorce.

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.

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.

“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.”

We haven’t heard this one before.

TM Herbert made the first ascent of the Muir Wall with Yvon Chouinard in 1965. His son followed in his footsteps 55 years later, setting a blistering speed record.

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.”

Bouin FA’d the route, “Nordic Marathon,” earlier this year. It ascends through the steepest part of the Hanshelleren Cave and gives a new definition to the word long.

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