Innholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2018 i Gripped: The Climbing Magazine

Adam Ondra visited the Canadian Rockies this summer and helped to put things in perspective for locals, just as he’s done in climbing areas around the world. When he was old enough to compete in the lead and bouldering world cups, he became the first climber ever to have won both disciplines. He was climbing’s first multidisciplinary world champion. The following year, he visited Spain and became the second climber to onsight 5.14c after Alex Megos. He went on to onsight five more within a few days. The following year, he visited a crag called Flatanger in Norway and climbed the first-ever proposed 5.15c with Change. In 2012, he flashed one of the Red River Gorge’s hardest routes called Southern Smoke Direct 5.15a and downgraded it to 5.14d. He then…

Wild Country Revo $175 When the Revo Belay Device by Wild Country arrived in our office, it was met with some excitement. After all, its path from conception to execution has been long and given rise to numerous speculations as to what it would do and how it would compare to existing belay device options. Out of the box, the Revo appears to be unique in the world of belay devices. It comprises a metal body which splits to loop the rope around a wheel and locks closed with a carabiner that attaches the device to the belay loop of your harness. Projecting from the top of the wheel, on either side, are two friction ‘tubers.’ It’s an impressive piece of climbing engineering. Just putting the rope through for the…

Dreamcatcher James Webb made the sixth ascent of Dreamcatcher 5.14d in Squamish at the start of September. Algorithm Paige Claassen made the second ascent of Algorithm 5.14d, the hardest route in Idaho. Evan Hau’s New 5.14 Evan Hau made the first ascent of Neanderthal at Christie Falls in B.C., it’s the first 5.14b at the crag. Sonnie Trotter’s 5.14s Sonnie Trotter made the second ascent of Atlas 5.14a at Lion’s Head. It’s his 70th 5.14 route to date. The Bachar/Yerian Sent in 2018 John Bolte climbed The Bachar/ Yerian 5.11cR/X in California. There hadn’t been a recorded ascent since late 2016.…

First Ascent: Jasmin Caton, Steve Ogle, Vince Hempsall on July 26, 2017. Gear: One full set of cams from 0.2" to 3" plus doubles of a #1 and #2. Two 60-metre ropes and webbing necessary for rappels. P1: Low angle slab to large ledge (5.7 45 m). P2: Head up slab and discontinuous cracks (5.5 60 m). P3: More slab and fun cracks (5.5 60 m). P4: Up and right on the steep wall near the arch (5.7 60 m). P5: Some loose blocks to the triangle-shaped horn on the north side of the arch (5.7 20 m). P6: Step right, then down-climb three metres before traversing right and into a dihedral. Place gear then continue up and right to another fist-sized corner crack. Follow this to its termination then…

For the second year, the Arc’teryx Climbing Academy has organized an event called Squamish Exposed. The event gives six teams, each with a pro photographer, an athlete and a member of the public, two days to capture what Squamish means to them. It culminates in a head-to-head slideshow presentation in front of 600 climbers in downtown Squamish. The teams were: Tara Kerzhner (first place) with Kinley Aitken and Paul Greenwood; Savannah Cummins (second place) with Vikki Weldon and Heather Lightfoot; Drew Smith (third place) with Mina Leslie-Wujastyk and Caitlin McNulty; Chris Christie with Will Gadd and Alyssia Jebb; John Price (2017 winner) with Paul McSorely and Jurga Prakapaite; local Thomas Burden with Matteo Agnoloni and Rob Pizem. There were some amazing images captured and some of the best are included…

2011 La Capella, Siurana, Spain 5.15B, FIRST ASCENT 2011 Chaxi Raxi, Oliana, Spain 5.15B, FIRST ASCENT 2011 Chilam Balam, Villanueva del Rosario, Spain 5.15B, REPEAT 2011 La Planta de Shiva, Villanueva del Rosario, Spain 5.15B, FIRST ASCENT 2012 Change, Flatanger/ Hanshallaren, Norway 5.15B+, FIRST ASCENT 2013 Fight or Flight, Oliana, Spain 5.15B, REPEAT 2013 Dura Dura, Oliana, Spain 5.15B+, FIRST ASCENT 2013 Iron Curtain, Flatanger/ Hanshallaren, Norway 5.15B, FIRST ASCENT 2013 Move, Flatanger/ Hanshallaren, Norway 5.15B, FIRST ASCENT 2013 Vasil Vasil, Sloup, Czech Republic 5.15B+, FIRST ASCENT 2014 First Round First Minute, Margalef, Spain 5.15B, REPEAT 2015 C.R.S., Mollans, France 5.15B, FIRST ASCENT 2016 Stoking the Fire, Santa Linya, Spain 5.15B, REPEAT 2016 Robin Úd, Alternativna stena, Slovakia 5.15B, FIRST ASCENT 2017 Mamichula, Oliana, Spain 5.15B, FIRST ASCENT 2017 Queen…

The Ouray Ice Park is a human-made ice climbing area located in a natural gorge within a few minutes’ walk of downtown Ouray. There are more than 200 named mixed and ice climbs, most within a 10-minute walk of the entrance. The ownership of the park’s infrastructure is divided between the city of Ouray, the non-profit Ouray Ice Park, Inc. and public landowners. Ice climbing in Colorado started back in 1974, when Jeff Lowe and Mike Weiss climbed Telluride’s Bridal Veil Falls. The TV show Wide World of Sports broadcasted the climb, which led the Idarado Mining Company, which owned the land, to post guards. Lowe had to sneak past security to reach the ice for repeat ascents. It was back in the 1980s when James Burwick was out for…

Petzl Ergonomic $444 Petzl’s new Ergonomic is one of the hottest tools of the year for drytooling and mixed climbing. Everything about it is made for advanced winter climbing, from the angle of the handle designed for long hangs to the new dry pick created with inverted placements in mind. The hammer is small, but protects the head if you need to bang a piton in. As a modular tool, you can customize it to whatever fall or winter climbing you’re doing. Highly recommended. Grivel G20 Plus $180 Grivel has long been an industry leader in crampon manufacturing and in the new G20 Plus, the Italian company has integrated a mono point in the longer centre bar under the arch of the foot. There are also new central points that…

Arc’teryx Alpha MX $100 The Alpha MX are a tight, next-to-skin glove allow you to function at your best with precise control and freedom of movement. Amazing for mixed climbs where you’re switching from drytooling to free climbing. There’s extra protection at the knuckles but they’re not bulky and won’t build that nasty forearm pump. Highly recommended. Outdoor Research Gripper Sensor $60 These are tried-and-true fleece workhorses with updated sensor-enabled fingers for cold weather Instagram posts. They have a tight fit and are comfortable for all-day use. Good for dry fall days. A top choice for you climbers on moderate drytool routes or just out for a rest-day hike. RAB M14 $85 An amazing made-fordrytooling glove that acts more like a second skin than noticeable layer. The softshell fabric is…

Aidas Odonelis has been photographing indoor climbing competitions for over a decade. He’s travelled around eastern Canada in search for the perfect action photo, which has resulted in countless frame-worthy images. He owns and operates Ruby Photo Studios in Ontario and spends much of his winter working with the Toronto Maple Leafs. We caught up with him on assignment at the summer Psicobloc Open Series in Montreal. 1 How long have you been shooting? I’ve been interested in photography since 2000. But I didn’t start photographing professionally around 2008. 2 How many comps have you covered? Not sure, but definitely more than fifty. 3 What was one of the best comps you’ve worked at? Tour de bloc nationals 2009 will always be a memorable one. The Psicobloc comp was pretty…

The cliffs of Suesca lean over a still used but aging train track. The compact sandstone, a mixture of steep burly cracks and slippery crimps is surrounded by green and yellow fields peppered with roaming cattle that seem to stretch the entire hour long trip East back to Bogota. It was here in 1938 that a young German by the name of Erwin Kraus imported the European “Eiger dreams” and set out to climb Mount Huila – Colombia’s highest volcano – with his partners Enrique Drees and Heriberto Hublitz. While training for this objective, the three men inadvertently introduced technical climbing to Colombia, establishing the first three routes at Suesca. Despite the early transplant, it has taken a while for climbing to really hit its stride. In a country whose…

Ontario climber Nathan Kutcher (right) won the 2018 competition. He said this after the win: “Last year Ryan Vachon beat me by 10 seconds. This year I won by only four seconds. Two years ago I came to Ouray and was in the best shape of my life. That year the ice I was hooking broke and I came in almost last. In competition, anything can happen. This year I didn’t feel like I was in the best shape but I climbed with commitment and pushed myself right to the line of falling off without crossing it. I could have topped out and been proud of that. It’s a tough field.”…

Arc’teryx Cerium SL Hoody $430 One of the best pieces of the year that can act as a mid-layer or outer layer. The SL stands for superlight, so be careful around sharp rock. This is a quality jacket that is surprisingly warm considering its weight. It’s not bulky and has a handy stuff sack. There’s a slick hood adjustment and the elastic cuffs help keep the elements out. Highly recommended. RAB Continuum $425 RAB, the new main sponsor of The Banff Mountain Film Festival, has been bringing us amazing made-for-Canada layers for a generation. The Continuum is a favourite among alpinists and climbers moving fast and light. In the fall, it’s perfect for you climbers training at the crag and running laps in the alpine. The weight to warmth ratio…

In the first pages of Searching for Tao Canyon, there is an allusion to the dilemma of wild places. Do we document them in descriptions, words and images, showing them to the world but inviting too much use? Or do we keep these discoveries private and anonymous, and thereby attempt to protect them? It is a theme touched on directly or indirectly throughout this wonderful new book, which contains a blend of thoughtful text by writer Jeremy Schmidt, and spectacular images by legendary climber and photographer Pat Morrow, and the late Art Twomey, an accomplished climber, geologist, and environmentalist. It was Twomey, starting in the early ’70s, whose passion for the mysterious world of desert slot canyons led to the trio’s regular adventures and explorations over the years. Slot canyon…