Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2018 i Gripped: The Climbing Magazine

Indoor climbing isn’t just a great way to train for rock climbing, it’s a sport in itself. Wayne Merry, who was on the first ascent of The Nose on El Capitan in 1947, said this winter, “Sitting around the campfire at Camp 4 in the 1950s, we couldn’t even have conceived the possibility that climbing would evolve to this.” And what it’s evolved to be is a multi-discipline sport with tens of thousands of participants who travel to climb, compete, train and explore. There were no climbing gyms in the 1950s, the first indoor artificial wall was built in 1964 by Don Robinson at Leeds University in the U.K. Climbers had no idea that in 2018 there would be hundreds of gyms in North America with countless climbers scaling walls…

Last Oct. 5, Americans Tyler Kempney, 26, and Ryan Kempf, 32, took advantage of a cold snap and drove from Boulder at 3 a.m. to climb the first ascent of an ice route at the base of The Diamond in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Due to a combination of low fitness and high altitude, the two were slow during the approach as they hiked up 4,000 metres to reach the climb. The last 100 metres consisted of heavy snowdrifts, further slowing the team. The sun was just starting to hit the wall when they reached the face at 7:30 a.m. and though conditions were heating up fast and the surrounding routes were disintegrating, they decided to head up anyway. Kempf asked, “Do you think this is safe?” “I told…

When Luigi Montilla started setting routes and climbing at Joe Rockhead’s in the mid-1990s, he never thought that one day he’d be a co-owner with Jean-Marc de la Plante. Those were simpler times, before Montilla started the climbing-hold company Friction, started the Tour de Bloc and went into business with de la Plante as co-owners of Up the Bloc in Mississauga. Rockhead’s opened its doors in 1990 by Bob and Brian Bergman and Bob’s wife Sharon McCrindle Bergman. Back then, there were only a handful of climbers. They split their time between the Niagara Escarpment and Toronto buildering. There were no places for Toronto climbers to gather, train and make plans. The Bergman’s built Joe Rockhead’s about one year after they started climbing. As Bob put it, “When Rockhead’s opened…

With over 300 annual days of sunshine and only a few centimetres of rain every years, Bishop has some of the best conditions for bouldering anywhere in North America. Sure, there are lots of amazing sport routes at the nearby Owens River Gorge, but most people travel to Bishop to try their luck on a few of the hundreds of boulder problems. The boulders are glacial erratics and are made of skin-tearing quartz and volcanic monzonite. The area has a history of memorable and cutting-edge ascents of a handful of the most bold and esthetic problems in the world of bouldering. The sleepy town of Bishop has a population of about 4,000 and is historically a mining, fishing and ranching community. The town is in Owens River Valley between the…

PAD Organic Climbing and Mystery Ranch Pad System $345 We can’t say enough good things about Organic Climbing’s products, from their pads to chalk bags, we recommend checking them out. Their partnership with Mystery Ranch Backpacks has produced a heavy-duty go-anywhere pad system with an amazing carrying system. You can adjust the system for your size to help take the weight from some places and shift it to others. If you’re humping around heavy loads to boulders, you want this pad. PANTS Looking for Wild Technical Pants $139 The Looking for Wild pants, both men’s and women’s, offered more freedom of movement than almost any other pants we’ve tried. They use a durable elastane cotton base which makes them high performance, but also makes them fashionable for the rest day…

HELMET Black Diamond Women’s Half Dome $67 The women’s Half Dome is a ponytail friendly version of the Half Dome, which is one of the best helmets on the market for trad climbing. There’s also slick new streamlined suspension that is easy to operate with one hand. A great new feature is the low profile chin strap, which makes it less intrusive. A good option for anyone with long hair who’s heading out to plug cams. PANTS Patagonia Gritstone $140 These pants are the best for you climbers who spend your days touring crags and living in your van. Patagonia holds true to their mantra of environmentally friendly clothing by using a burly organic cotton/ polyester blend which helps with mobility. The gusseted crotch gives more comfort and enhanced movement…

A Mountaineer’s Life Allen Steck Patagonia Books Allen Steck is an important figure in climbing, but one whose influence has never received as much recognition as he perhaps deserves not only for the many significant ascents he orchestrated or was a part of, but also for his role in expanding the literary conversations about climbing. Having started climbing in the Sierras when he was 16 and now in his nineties, we are fortunate to have an autobiography finally released. Steck’s climbing resume includes the first ascents of some iconic lines, including the classic Steck-Salathe on Sentinel Rock, in 1950 and the monstrous Hummingbird Ridge on Mount Logan in 1965, which still awaits a complete second ascent in its original form. But he also ascended classic steep routes in the Dolomites…

Gyms Quebec Allez-Up 1339 rue Shearer Montreal, QC 514.989.9656 allezup.com Escalade Horizon Roc 2350 Dickson Montreal, QC 514.899.5000 horizonroc.com Ontario Ajax Rock Oasis Ajax Community Centre 75 Centennial Rd. Ajax, ON 905.231.3434 905.231.9934 fax infoajax@rockoasis.com rockoasis.com Climber’s Rock 5155 Harvester Rd., Burlington, ON 905.633.7625 info@climbersrock.com climbersrock.com 40 min. from Toronto Climate controlled! 12,000 square feet 100 + toprope routes 108 feet of continuous top-out bouldering! The Guelph Grotto Indoor Climbing Gym 199 Victoria Rd. S Guelph, ON 800.454.0456 519.767.0838 519.767.2408 fax info@guelphgrotto.com guelphgrotto.com Joe Rockhead’s Climbing Gym 29 Fraser Ave. Toronto, ON 416.538.7670 joerockheads.com “Eating glazed doughtnut bracelets off the right arm of Jesus.” Of Rock & Chalk 482 Ontario St. Newmarket, ON 888.248.7625 rockandchalk@hotmail.com rockandchalk.com The Rock Oasis Toronto, ON 416.703.3434 infotoronto@rockoasis.com rockoasis.com Manitoba Vertical Adventures Climbing Gym 77…

Quebec climber Audrey Larochelle has competed for Team Canada and ticked a number of hard and steep outdoor boulder problems. We touched base with her before she went on to make Semis at the Open Bouldering Nationals at Up the Bloc in Ontario. 1 What’s your favourite part about competing? There are many things I like about competitions, having done them for the past 10 years. Although my vision of competing has changed a lot over the years. Currently, what I like about competitions is the need to have to apply and test my knowledge and skills at 100 per cent of the time. It’s a now or never thing. I see competitions as a social event where I can learn and share with others about climbing. 2 Is Montreal…

Second Ascent of The Theft Marc-Andre Leclerc, Brette Harrington and Steve Janes made the second ascent of The Theft, a 140 m M7 WI6+X that was first climbed in 1996, located at Bridge River in B.C. First Winter Ascent of West Coast Face Brette Harrington and Marc-Andre Leclerc made the first winter ascent of the north face of Ledge Mountain on Canada’s West Coast in February. This is a significant climb and Leclerc said after, “It was our second attempt after only making it two pitches up in December. This is the best alpine route I’ve been on in the Sea to Sky by a large margin, hard well-protected mixed climbing and Scottish style ice gullies, interspersed with wild moments like campusing through an overhanging snow wave with my tools…

Beyond the thrills and exposure of climbing, grades are a good way to keep track of your progress, if that’s something you’re into. Climbing grades apply to indoors and out, even though there are a number of difference between rock and plastic. This list of 10 tips to climb 5.10 is meant for indoor and outdoor climbers. Grades like 5.10 are sort of arbitrary numbers, but consider them signposts that indicates what a climb will feel like when you’re on it. If you can’t climb 5.10, but you’ve tried, then 5.10 is your project grade. Whether it’s a 5.10a or 5.10d, they’re all projecting grades. Traditionally, a climber would start at “a” and work up to “d,” but sometimes climbers skip the “a” and go for a harder grade because…

Savannah Cummins grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and recently returned from a history-making trip to Antarctica with a top team of American climbers. She moved to Bozeman, Montana a month after turning 18 and began her outdoor lifestyle. From climbing big ice routes in Canada to establishing new routes in India, Cummins is a modern-day expedition climber. She had just returned from that peak-bagging trip Antarctica when we caught up with her at her home in Utah. How did you discover climbing? What was one of your first epics? I got into climbing while working at a non-profit organization in Jackson, Wyo. There was a small limestone cliff down the road from us and on our days off we’d climb there. The company I worked for had all the gear…

HELMET Petzl Boreo $82 This highly anticipated helmet is one of the first that gives protection against front, rear and lateral impacts. Despite the extra protection, it is still considered lightweight and well ventilated. It’s a rugged and versatile helmet, which is great for new sport climbers and climbers hoping for an everything-in-one helmet. Highly recommended. JACKET Arc’teryx Kyanite Jacket $200 Shoulder season sport climbing requires you to bring multiple layers and the Kyanite is a top choice for a midlayer or a standalone. It’s one of the stretchiest jackets on the market, which makes it good for big on-route moves. The hightec fabric makes it durable for long crag days and the trim fit snugs it in close to the body. PANTS Outdoor Research Wadi Rum $120 If you’re…

SLEEPING BAG The North Face Dolomite 20 -7 $170 Every van has a different sleeping set up, but most climbers like keeping a sleeping bag on their mattress or foamy for chilly nights. This rectangular new -7 °C is the perfect pick for Canadian road trips. With full-length zips it’s easy to climb in and out, or you can let it lay flat. The best part is that it’s one of the most comfortable bags out there. JACKET Arc’teryx Dually Belay $625 Even in the summer, Canadian evenings can be bone-chillingly cold. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a big puffy coat. The Dually Belay is amazing because it’s perfect for around camp or lounging on rest days, but is also one of the best jackets for actual…