Gripped: The Climbing Magazine April/May 2017

When I opened my first issue of Gripped magazine in 1999, I read the term “gripped” described as, “A colloquialism in climbing meaning in a state of fear.” I didn’t know it at the time, but over the next nearly two decades, I would find out first-hand what gripped meant. You never know when you’ll be gripped, but being run out, exposed high on a wall or negotiating a difficult traverse can all lead to its sudden onset. Below are a some gripping moments that I will never forget. One time I was on a 12-metre crack at the Centennial Bluffs in Thunder Bay, Ont. I was 20 and had teamed up with a partner who was much stronger. We forgot a rope, so my partner suggested we solo the…

Petzl Actik Core Headlamp $56 The Actik offers 350 lumens of power, comes with a USB rechargeable battery (and is compatible with standard batteries) and doesn’t blind people at night. It has a reflective headband and a whistle for emergencies. A must-have for road trips, alpine climbs and more. Metolius Shortstop $49 The newest addition to Metolius’s amazing lineup of bouldering must-haves. The Shortstop pad is made to cover those dangerous gaps between full pads or to act as a spotting shield. Slides into the other pads you carry to the boulders. Keen Terradora Mid $175 Keen’s new women’s specific Terradora is a step in the right direction for those looking for top technical hiking/approach shoe. It’s stylish and features all-terrain performance action with a nimble fit. With lots of…

1 How long have you been climbing? I am originally from Ottawa, but moved to Hamilton in 2007. I started climbing in 2009 at my university climbing gym. 2 Have you ever competed? I started too late to compete at a youth level, but I did do a few Tour de Blocs in my first few years of climbing. Since then I’ve been much more focused on outdoor goals, but I’m trying to get back into competitions again this year. 3 How did you get into setting? I started setting at my university gym about a year after I began working there as a desk and belay staff. One of the guys was kind enough to show me the ropes, so I started experimenting and I loved it! I was…

Nasty Habit: Field, B.C.’s New Beer Climb Jon Walsh established the four-pitch Nasty Habit M6 WI5 over two days. It climbs ice and rock to the right of Twisted WI5 near Field in B.C. The first three pitches were climbed with Michelle Kadatz, Tim Banfield joined for two. A new first pitch and the fourth mixed pitch was climbed with Sebastian Taborszky. The beer climbs are a collection of routes on Mount Stephen and Mount Dennis that are all named after beer. A few days later, Raphael Slawinski and Sarah Hueniken climbed a new route to the left called Blob Blob Blob M6+. First Ice Ascent of the Chief The colder-than-usual winter froze many old classic ice routes and many new ones. On the Chief, Jian Condon, Jason Kruk, Paul…

New Newfoundland Routes Will Mayo and Anna Pfaff climbed two new ice routes in Newfoundland: Psycho Killer M9 WI7 150 m and Dreamline WI6+ (with Joe Terravecchia) next to Pissing Mare Falls. Olympic Climbing Calgary The Calgary Climbing Centre has started building a new facility that will train future Olympic climbers. And it will be one of the most state of the art climbing gyms in Canada. Monkman Cascades Climbed The 10 Monkman Cascades were climbed by Ryan Bowie, Matt Dawes and Ben Brochu. The remote northern B.C. ice routes range from 10 metres to 30 and from WI2 to WI4. New Squamish 5.13d British climber Jacob Cook climbed a new 5.13d in Squamish called The Magician. The short route is at Crag X and has one bolt. First Ascent…

Max Fisher is from New Brunswick, but over the past decade has been exploring remote alpine lines in Canada and beyond. He and fellow East Coaster Fred Giroux received the 2017 John Lauchlan Award for a trip to the Homathko Icefield, B.C. to attempt an unclimbed peak. We touched base with Fisher between climbs in B.C. with Giroux. How long have you been climbing? When I was 19, I come to the West Coast to do an outdoor leadership course known as Canadian outdoor leadership training (COLT) on Vancouver Island. That was about 14 years ago. During the course I learned to rock and ice climb and travel through the mountains. What do you do to support yourself? I have been a full-time outdoor educator for the past 13 years.…