Innholdsfortegnelse for October & November / Vol 21 issue 5 i Gripped: The Climbing Magazine

New 22-Pitch Alpine Route on Vancouver Island Ahren Rankin, James Rode and Garner Bergeron made the first ascent of a 22-pitch route on Vancouver Island’s Rugged Mountain that goes at V 5.10 A0. Rankin said after, “The intention of establishing the route the way we did was to leave behind a large and safe alpine climbing route which could be attempted by climbers of various ability levels, with the bolted belays allowing for rapid retreat back down the route if necessary. The initial 13 pitches may become a popular climb unto themselves with about 600 metres of climbing to only 5.8 and a comfy bivy site at the top, before entering the more challenging climbing through the upper buttress. On the upper wall, we climbed more exciting pitches on very…

Emilie Pellerin started climbing when she was 18, and over the past 11 years she’s built one of the most impressive climbing resumes of any strong Canadian. Originally from Repentigny, Que., she became the sixth Canadian woman to send 5.14 in 2016 with her tick of Tom et je Ris in France. We touched base with Pellerin before she visited Squamish for the Arc’teryx Climbing Academy in August. What was your first day of climbing like? I was a totally different person back then with blue hair and I played guitar in a metal band. One day, my buddy Matt decided to take me to Val-David and I’m ashamed to admit it, but I had no clue what climbing was all about. On the way, we stopped by mec to…

Why not just rent a camper van and drive around the southern states climbing in some of the most iconic locations is what I suggested to my wife, Rachel, when we were trying to brainstorm vacation ideas to escape Toronto’s frigid winter. We had been climbing in the gym for a while now, steadily improving our skills and fitness in the hopes of someday transferring what we learned pulling on plastic to the great outdoors and real rock. I come from Toronto where we have excellent indoor climbing facilities, which kept us busy through the winter months, but there is only so much chalk one can breathe in before the allure of climbing outside can’t be ignored. After days of contemplating locations and logistics and with climbing videos playing on…

Arc’teryx Granville 16 Courier Bag $270 While it comes with a big price tag, the Granville 16 is a stylish, durable and simple urban bag that you can bring to work and the gym. Big enough for a lap top, lightweight harness and some shoes, you can zip from work to the gym with all of the essentials. It’s extremely water-resistant and carries nice. The two exterior pockets are water-tight, big and in good locations. MEC Outpost 25 $95 The Outpost pack has long been a go-to for hikers, gym-goers and climbers and has been redesigned. It’s waterproof, has water-resistant zippers and is very rugged. The ventilated back panel will keep you comfortable and dry in all seasons. Like many of MEC’s products, the colours can’t be beat, especially the…

Dexter Sends Shining Dexter Bateman sent The Shining 5.13+ on Mount Louis in August. It took him over 10 trips over a few years to piece the 15-pitch route together. South Howser Rockfall In mid-August, the South Howser Tower suffered a massive rockfall next to The Beckey/Chouinard. Although no one was injured, the collapse was a reminder that alpine peaks are constantly crumbling away. Sean McColl Olympics Sean McColl finished tenth overall at the world championships in August and secured his position on the Canadian Olympic Team heading to Tokyo in 2020. Combined World Champions Tomoa Narasaki and Janja Garnbret won gold at the 2019 world championships. Garnbret is also this year’s world champion in bouldering and lead climbing. New Everest Rules Nepali officials proposed new safety rules that will…

The Storm Creek Headwall is an impressive band of north-facing limestone cliffs, on the jagged ridge between Storm Mountain (3,158 m) and Stanley Peak (3,153 m). Like its famous neighbour “the Stanley Headwall,” which is only about two kilometres away as the crow flies, the Storm Headwall is the lesser known twin of the two, but oozes adventurous multi-pitch ice and mixed lines in very much the same way. There are a few subtle differences, though. Compared to Stanley, it’s harder to see from the road. At about 2,200 metres above sea level it’s slightly higher and is slightly longer to approach. The route information is much newer, and therefore less documented in printed guidebooks. Although its route info is mostly on the internet, it’s not well organized or easy…

Standing in the post office line, I realized the extent to which climbing has transformed our lives. Five years ago, we built a small home-wall to entertain the boys. That decision led to gym memberships, team dues, crash pads, tents, a library of guidebooks, and now – passports. Lured by beautiful pictures of the bouldered rainforest, we prepared to visit Squamish, B.C. My wife, Heidi, and I work as teachers and are fortunate to have summers off with our three boys: Keegan (9), Killian (7), and Lochlann (6). The 4,000-kilometre journey promised cool weather, granite boulders, spectacular hikes and stunning vistas. We left Ohio with high expectations and returned with even higher appreciation for the destination and community. It would be a month of boulders, scrambles, lakes, and people that…

Scarpa Vapor V $185 The updated Vapor V has a slightly stiffer midsole, giving you more support for those micro-edges you can find on vertical roped walls. The tensioning system pulls power to the back of the foot to provide more power, which is key for hard problems. These are a great option for the climber heading to the gym for both wall and boulder sessions. La Sportiva Skwama $190 The Skwama is many climbers favourite high-performance shoe. Whether you need to smear to get power on steep moves or stand on small holds on less-than-vertical climbs, they have you covered. The S-Heel helps with those tricky heel hooks and the sticky toe patch helps for toeing-in. They don’t stretch as much as many shoes, so keep that in mind.…

Grivel X Monster $155 The X Monster is a highly specialized tool designed for climbers hoping to push their grades on steep climbs. Although they’re not made for levering or torqueing (you’ll bend the shaft), the forged steel pick takes a long time to wear down. They’re shorter than most tools, but the weight distribution is nearly perfect. They perform is all conditions and on all terrain. These are the best option for an affordable, durable and powerful tool. And they look radical. Camp X Dream $290 The Camp X Dream is a master tool for drytooling and steep ice routes. It has an adjustable ergonomic handle (which can be changed by five degrees) and the shaft give a lot of clearance. It handles nicely and gives you precise pick…