Gripped: The Climbing Magazine August - September 2016

I stepped off the Cornerstone Theatre stage in Canmore after hosting the Night of Lies, an evening of multi-media presentations by climbers, when Dominic Girard introduced himself. He handed me his card and said, “Would you be interested in hosting a climbing-themed radio program on Banff Centre Radio?” It was nearly midnight and I had been drinking Bow Valley-brewed keg beer, it was no time to talk business. Nearly a week later, I found Girard’s card in my pocket. After a re-introduction and a meeting in Banff, Basecamp Radio was born. The Banff Centre hired a team of producers, most who’d worked at CBC, to create three radio stations that would broadcast to the Bow Valley. After a year, The Banff Centre cancelled Banff Centre Radio and laid off most…

Camp Titan $59 Camp’s new hardshell helmet is the Titan and it is designed to take abuse. Inside is a suspended mesh that keeps your head cool. It’s easily adjustable with the rear dial. In an era where everyone should be wearing a helmet, the Titan is a great option. Organic Spot Pad US $165 Organic has adopted the Spot Pad from Pusher/Revolution/Cordless by buying the rights for the pad/pack. Organic added their own buckles, colour options and a bigger zipper pocket. A great option for routes with dangerous starts and decking potential. Petzl Ride US $80 The Petzl Ride is a new ultralight ice axe designed for fast and light alpine missions and mountaineering. The all-steel head gives you bomber placements and the bent shaft makes it easy to…

Stacey Weldon began climbing at a young age in Calgary and has never looked back. She is a leading competition climber with a career that gives her time to train and travel. In Kingston, Ont., she helped start the bouldering co-op and over the years has coached the Canadian team. She has sent V11, 5.13s and has big projects, but this summer is focused on competing in Paris for the world championship. What is your first climbing memory? My first climbing memory was during a gymnastics class at the University of Calgary when I was about 10 years old. Our coach took us down the hall to the small ghetto bouldering wall that was simply pieces of wood with sandpaper glued to them. It was was more fun than gymnastics…

New Rockies Crag in Echo Canyon Hungry Tiger Wall has a handful of 5.11s and 5.12s that range from 25 to 35 metres. It was developed earlier this year by Matt Mueller, Hugo Daigle, Doug Fulford and Ian Perry on separate trips. The plumb line is Hungry Tiger 5.12a, which follows a steep line with reachy moves. The crag stays in the shade, so it’s perfect for hot summer days. Visit the TABVAR website for more information on access and route descriptions. New 5.12 at Washington Pass British sender Tom Wright has been based in Canada for the past few years. He teamed up with Squamish hardman Colin Moorhead for a new route at Washington Pass in the Cascade Range they called Golden Age 5.12b. Their new route that climbs…

Bolt Replacement in Ontario Climbers in Winnipeg and Kenora, Ont. raise money to replace aging hardware at Northwestern Ontario crags, including Goose Neck, the Narrows, Road Side and more. Bugaboo Highline In June, Drew Leiterman and Travis Foster rigged the first-ever highline in the Bugaboos. It was set up on Crescent Towers and spanned a gap high above the glacier. Colin Haley Solos Infinite Spur American alpinist Colin Haley made the first solo of Infinite Spur on Mount Foraker. A few days before, he climbed it in 18 hours with Rob Smith. Haley refers to Foraker by its native name, Sultana. Infinite Spur is an Alaska grade-six 5.9 M5 AI4 with only a few ascents. Lena Herrmann First German Woman to Climb 5.14c Crusher Lena Herrmann made history this spring…

Jean Sylvain started climbing in Quebec after reading a book on climbing in the mountains that his mom gave him. At first, he used hemp ropes and wooden blocks for pro. He spent time exploring remote areas in Quebec, some of which were the Palisades, Jacques-Cartier, Gros Bonnet, Grands-Jardines and Malbaie River. In the Palisades, he established and became president of the Laurentian Climbing Club, which was the first climbing club in eastern Quebec. He was known as one of the most charismatic and adventurous climbers. He went out of his way to help others and introduced many young people to the sport. He would spend his time off the rock building trails and the first hut in Quebec. In the 1960s, Sylvain climbed the first big-wall style routes up…