Gripped: The Climbing Magazine February/March 2017

There have never been more young climbers in Canada than right now. There are new gyms opening in big cities and small towns. Dozens of youth programs are helping novice climbers learn how to train. There is a big chance that some of the hundreds of climbers aged five to 15 will head outdoors and focus on pushing the grades. Last fall, B.C.-based Elan Jonas McRae, 20, sent a 5.14d/15a in Spain, proving that the young competition climbers will be shaping the future of Canada’s climbing scene. The number of Canadians who climb hard routes is about to skyrocket. Access is a hot issue around many of Canada’s top climbing areas, and nowhere more so than in southern Ontario. While access to some crags along the Niagara Escarpment seems to…

In 2016, Daniel Martian established a new 5.14b at Lion’s Head called Tour de Lion. The new hard Ontario route links Maxi Pista 5.13c and Lion’s Head Express 5.14a. Martian is one of Ontario’s leading climbers and developers. Some of his new routes include Hotel Bennell 5.14a, Mini Me 5.13c, Lion’s Head Express 5.14a and Atlas Shrugged 5.14a. 1. How long had the line of Tour de Lion been an idea or project? Around five years ago but I really committed to it the last two seasons. I got the idea from my friend Mark Smith. Some of the best steep rock and movement at Lion’s Head. Tentatively rated 5.14b but it will need to be confirmed. Lots and lots of tries until I brought this beautiful stone down to…

Arc’teryx Bora AR 50 MSRP TBA The Arc’teryx Bora AR 50 has a unique hip belt that fits into the frame with a three-dimensional ball joint. The new design allows it to pivot left, right, up and down. It gives the user great freedom of movement. A great pack. Grivel Tau MSRP TBA The Grivel Tau wire lock features two gates, one key lock and one wire that open in the same direction. When closed, the wire gate holds the keylock gate in place to make a simple and easy to use auto locker. Another top design from Grivel. DMM Mantis $30 A featherweight belay device similar to the Pivot that performs well for all climbing types. With good grip on ropes from 7.3 mm to 11 mm, it feeds…

Second Free Ascent of Dawn Wall by Adam Ondra Adam Ondra made the second free ascent of Dawn Wall 5.14d on El Cap in Yosemite. The first ascent was in 2015 by Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson. Ondra is the first climber to lead and free every pitch. Belayed by partner Pavel Blazek, Ondra projected Dawn Wall for a few weeks before making an all-free eight-day push. On the same trip, he climbed The Nose 5.14a in 18 hours with his dad and sent all but the crux pitches. After his trip, he wrote, “Yosemite climbing is hard. Like really hard. The Free Nose is even harder. Lynn Hill’s achievement is one the most radical achievements in climbing history, in my opinion, still not fully appreciated. The Dawn Wall is…

Stuart Macdonald and Matt Helliker climbed a new six-pitch M6+ up the northwest face of Tour Ronde near Chamonix called Rotatornator. Anna Liina Laitinen of Finland sent Southern Smoke 5.14c in Red River Gorge, her first of the grade. Israeli climber Alex Khazanov made the third flash of Mandala V12 in Bishop. Leading Korean comp climber Jain Kim, 28, flashed China Climb 5.14b in Yangshou. Sebastien Berthe makes second free ascent of Heart Route 5.13b in Yosemite. Barbara Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher sent Free Zodiac 5.13d on El Cap for the third free ascent with both leading every pitch harder than 5.12. Robbie Phillips sent the 30-pitch Pre Muir 5.13d on El Cap with partner Ryan Richardson in just three days. Jernej Kruder made the second ascent of Chris Sharma’s…

Jean Marc de la Plante is involved with four climbing gyms in four provinces in Canada. From the East to West Coast, his efforts have helped create fun indoor climbing spaces for thousands of Canadians. He has long been involved with Allez Up in Montreal and his second gym was Seven Bays Bouldering in Halifax. In 2016, he became co-owner of BoulderHouse Climbing in Victoria and in January of this year and with Tour de Bloc’s Luigi Montilla, Up the Bloc in Mississauga, Ont. opened. We touched base with de la Plante at his home in Montreal. What was the first climbing gym you climbed in? I first tried climbing in 1998, I was 16 years old. My neighbour who was a few years younger than me convinced me to…