Gripped: The Climbing Magazine October/November 2017

Ever since my folks took me skating, I’ve known that helmets are a part of hockey. Growing up in Ontario, I played outside whenever I could, whether it was baseball, skiing or riding a bike. I was taught that when you move fast or have hard things coming towards you, the best thing to do is to wear a helmet. So why isn’t it the same for climbing? At one point, climbing was viewed by many as a soulful pursuit of the social outcasts. And while it sort of still is, there are more rules in 2018 than there were in 1988. Some areas require you to register and pay for the day. Some have strict where-to-park guidelines and you can’t just sleep in your van wherever you want. Campfires…

Black Diamond Momentum $109 This new shoe is one of the best on the market for indoor climbers. With a knit upper that will help shed the heat, keeping your shoes on at the gym won’t be so bad. Good for small edges and smearing. Two tabs and a roomy heel make them easy to slip on and off. Mountain Hardwear StretchDown $190 The new-for-2016 top-performing jacket was improved slightly for this fall with stretch-welded panels that better trap heat and keep bulk down which improves stretch. Arc’teryx Cerium LT Vest $340 Vests are one of the best layer options for cool and dry conditions in the fall. The Cerium is 185 g and has Premium 850 fill down. Great for rock and mixed climbing. Petzl Boreo $TBA The helmet…

Bernadette McDonald has written 10 books on climbing and mountaineering. Her work has garnered literary prizes from around the world and has been translated into 10 languages. She is an active rock climber and mountaineer based out of Banff and Naramata B.C., where she dabbles in winemaking. As if this record wasn’t enough, McDonald worked at the Banff Centre for 20 years, much of the time as a director. It isn’t surprising that she was selected as Canada’s representative at the United Nations to launch the International Year of Mountains. Naturally, her views on the mountain world are much in demand. Recently, she made time in her busy schedule of climbing, travelling and writing to speak to us. 1. When did you decide to write about mountaineering and why? I…

Adam Ondra Sends First 5.15d Ever Adam Ondra wrapped up is multi-year project, Silence, in the Hanshelleren Cave at Flatanger, Norway in September. He made the first free ascent of Silence and graded it 5.15d, the first ever of the difficulty. He said afterwards that it “felt like another ordinary day on the project. It was hot, but the air was crystal clear and dry. I felt very little pressure and a lot of psych. Key ingredients for sending the world’s first 9c [5.15d].” The crux is 10 moves with a V15 boulder, which Ondra said is one of the hardest boulder problems in the world on its own. John Lauchlan Award Success East Coast climbers Max Fisher and Fred Giroux were awarded the 2017 John Lauchlan Award to climb…

Honour and Glory is Canada’s Second 5.15 Evan Hau became the first Canadian to climb 5.15a with his first ascent of Honour and Glory in Echo Canyon in Alberta. See more on p.40. Anak Verhoeven's Big 5.15 Anak Verhoeven made the first ascent of Sweet neuf 5.15a in France, becoming the first female to make a first ascent of the grade. Kim McGrenere Sends Her First 5.14a West Coaster Kim McGrenere sent her first 5.14a with a tick of Galactic Emperor in Ten Sleep, Wyo. She said, “My favourite climbing style is a combination of powerful and technical.” Summit or Plummet on Vancouver Island Karsten Klawitter and Hunter Lee climbed a new 13-pitch alpine route up Victoria Peak on Vancouver Island at 5.10 A1 and called it Summit or Plummet.…

Presumably, you haven’t heard much about this guy. He doesn’t have a large Instagram following, a consistent Facebook presence or a Twitter handle. However, in his home province of New Brunswick, he is on his way to becoming a powerhouse in the way of elite climbing. Sebastian Pacey-Smith first joined a climbing gym in his early 20s and now sits on seven years of climbing experience. Professionally, he is a clinical psychology doctoral student at the University of New Brunswick. Before climbing, he was an accomplished competitive ski racer from Crabbe Mountain. Although he continues to coach, he has put his competitive skiing days behind him to pursue his indoor and outdoor climbing ambitions. His most recent goal? Repeat all of Nova Scotia’s toughest boulder problems. “Tough” is obviously relative,…