Editors note: This is the second in a series of three entries on trad climbing basics. The other entries can be found here and here. You’re racked up and ready to go. Now comes the tricky part: climbing the route. Managing pro on a climb can make or break a send. But more importantly, wisely [continue reading]
Oct 062010
Sep 212010
*Editors Note: This is the first in a series of three installments of tips for trad climbing. I don’t intend to teach the very basics such as how to place gear. Instead, I want to provide the aspiring trad leader with some common sense techniques that may not be obvious at first. The other two [continue reading]
Back in November, Tim Kemple posted an excellent five part series(first one here) “Behind the Scenes” of a commercial photo shoot in Yosemite. Although it was really interesting, the scope was beyond what most everyday climbers can plan for. And yet, you still want to take nice photos of your friends while climbing. Fear not, [continue reading]
Last weekend, struggling at the crux of her first 5.13X, Dahlia Oviatt stretched her 18 inch frame to the max to clip the “thank God” bolt 50 feet off the deck. Her first and only piece was a bomber #6 cam sitting snugly 30 feet below. The only match for the focus in her eyes [continue reading]
Feb 102010
The most recent issue of Climbing magazine included a short article by Justin Roth devoted to the effects gyms have on the world of outdoor climbing. Supported by quotes from old-school trad climbers and modern-day gym owners, Roth presented the following points: 1. Gyms lead to an increased number of climbers who are not as [continue reading]
Sep 132009
The Petzl Gri Gri is a versatile auto locking belay device that can also be used to ascend or descend a rope. One widely touted disadvantage of the Gri Gri is that it can’t be used to double rope rappel. This is true, but as I’ll discuss, a Gri Gri can still be used to [continue reading]
Talk