Gripped: The Climbing Magazine August/September 2017

Free-soloing is always full commitment. While Alex Honnold’s first free-solo of El Capitan has been called the most dangerous free-solo ever, it wasn’t. It might be, as Adam Ondra said, “Definitely the biggest thing that ever happened in the world of free-solo climbing, it’s simply unbelievable.” But every freesolo is dangerous because any mistake will likely result in death. The great free-soloist John Bachar (who died in a free-solo fall in 2009 in California) once said, “Soloing is serious business, because you can be seriously dead.” In 1981, he offered a $10,000 reward for anyone who could follow him for one full day. No one took the offer. Since the dawn of technical climbing, there have been free-soloists, many who’ve died falling off a climb. In 1913, Paul Preuss fell…

1 Where are you from, where are you based now and how long have you been climbing? I started climbing in the Okanagan 10 years ago. After trying ice and mixed climbing, I wanted to be closer to big mountains and now I’m based in Calgary. 2 What was your first alpine climb? The South Ridge of Gimli. I wore aggressive sport climbing shoes and left my approach shoes at the base of the route not realizing the descent was a walk off. 3Any crazy stories about being benighted? 3 Any crazy stories about being benighted? No I’ve had a few big pushes up to 27 hours but have not yet been benighted. 4 What’s been your goal in climbing the past few years? I’ve been working on diversifying my…

The North Face Summit Alpine 50 $309 The North Face Alpine 50 has a clean look and uses the FuseForm technology combined with varying denier threads to maximize strength and reduce weight. It’s another great alpine pack for this fall and winter. Wild Country Revo Belay US$129 The Revo is an innovative device that makes belaying safe. The wheel inside locks when the rope spins it at a high number of revolutions per second, like a seatbelt. It’s easy to handle and a great choice. Black Diamond Technician $100 For fall 2017, the new Black Diamond Technician is a four-season harness with adjustable leg loops, new ice clipper slots, durable fabric, big gear loops and a haul line. One of the best all-round harnesses to hit the market for the…

Alex Honnold El Cap Free Solo On June 3, Alex Honnold made the first free-solo of El Capitan via the 1,000-metre Freerider 5.13a. His ascent took three hours and 56 minutes and is considered by many to be the greatest solo ever. After his climb, he said, “So stoked to realize a life dream today.” The climb was filmed by Jimmy Chin for an upcoming documentary. Ontario Climber Pete Zabrok’s 57th El Cap Lap Pete Zabrok from Ontario was 57 when he climbed his 57th route on El Cap this spring. He was with Sean Warren for the second ascent of Adrift (VI 5.11 A3+). After their climb, which wasn’t the last of the season for Zabrok, he had spent 717 nights on El Cap. Alex Honnold hiked to the…

New 21-Pitch Rockies 5.11 On Goat Mountain, Tyler Kirkland and Mark Carlson developed the new Fluffy Goat Butt-Face, a 605-metre 5.11 that is fixed with bolts. Kim McGrenere Sends 5.14 B.C.-based Kim McGrenere sent her first 5.14 with a lap of Galactic Emperor in Ten Sleep, Wy. Steve McClure Climbs Britain’s First 5.15b Steve McClure sent a long-time project at Malham Cove he calls Rainman, it’s the U.K.’s first 5.15b. Colin Haley Solos Mount Hunter Colin Haley soloed the North Buttress of Begguya (also known as Mount Hunter) in 17 hours and 13 minutes camp to camp for the route’s first solo ascent. The full grade is AK Grade-6 5.8 A2 M5 AI6. Seb Lazure at Vail World Cup Quebec-based Seb Lazure was the only Canadian to advance to Semis…

Final results for Canadian Males Seb Lazure in 13, Jason Holowach in 27, Jesse Taplin in 33, Sean McColl in 39, Jj Mah in 43, Julien Bourassa-Moreau in 57. Final results for Canadian Females Bronwen Karnis in 25, Eva Thompson in 29, Alannah Yip in 33, Allison Vest in 39, Elise Sethna in 49, Em Pellerin in 55.…