Gripped: The Climbing Magazine August & September 2020 / Vol 21 Issue 4

This spring, nearly every climber in the world stopped climbing. Their bags were packed, their fitness was up and their stoke was high, but it didn’t matter because the COVID-19 outbreak forced everyone to stay home. Access to many crags in Canada was closed, such as Mount Nemo and Val-David, while in other areas it was strongly discouraged. Not long after the lockdown, social media forums lit up with people in desperate search of at-home climbing equipment. Holds, hangboards and T-nuts were shipped out across Canada. As a result of COVID-19, many serious and not-so-serious climbers now have home walls, where friends and family will gather around for years to come. Many climbers are healthcare professionals who worked (and might still be working) long hours through the covid-19 outbreak. For…

Arc’teryx C Quence Women’s $190 Arc’teryx has been building some of the best harnesses for over two decades, and the C Quence is one of the most refined ever constructed. The rise between the waist and leg loops will allow the harness to sit comfortably on your wait and legs. And the gear loops are placed in near-perfect locations for racking. Keen Newport H2 Sandal $120 Having hot feet on approaches is never fun, and that’s why using a sandal designed for hiking is recommended. The Newport H2 lets your feet breathe, while providing toe protection and great traction for rough trails. The washable webbing upper is excellent for crossing creeks or for wet-weather days. The North Face North Dome Rope Bag $119 Made from fully recycled and durable materials,…

Evan Hau’s road to becoming Canada’s first 5.15 climber started years ago when he made the first ascent of Honour and Glory and suggested 5.15. With so many 5.14+ lines under his belt, it seemed like the grade would stick, but Adam Ondra’s second ascent lowered the official grade to 5.14d. Ondra then opened one of Hau’s neighbouring projects at 5.15a, leaving Hau an opportunity to seize the title once and for all. We touched base with him after his second ascent of Sacrifice 5.15a in Echo Canyon. What was the first thing that went through your mind when you clipped the chains? This is a two-part answer because there is a good rest lower down on the route following the main hard section after which the difficulty eases off…

European Women Crush Post-COVID-19 Melissa Le Nevé Makes History with Action Directe 5.14d Melissa Le Nevé became the first woman to climb Action Directe 5.14d in Frankenjura this spring. In 2014, she became the first woman to send Wallstreet 5.14c, also in Frankenjura. The classic 5.14d was first climbed by Wolfgang Gullich in 1991 as the first of its grade. It’s been repeated over 20 times, but still stands as one of the hardest 5.14d routes in the world. Le Nevé, 30, is one of the best climbers with 5.14 multi-pitches and V14s to her name. She grew up in the Vosges, France, and began climbing at age 15 at a gym near Bordeaux. She was the French women’s bouldering champion in 2010 and 2013, placed fourth in the Bouldering…

The Short Tour de Bloc 17 Tour de Bloc 17 took place in Victoria just before the coronavirus lockdown. It was good comp with some difficult boulders, but no audience. In the end, Sophie Buitendyk and Ivan Luo took the top spots. Becca Frangos Sends 5.13+ Canmore crusher Becca Frangos started her year with Buffet Royale 5.13c on Atlantis Wall in Echo Canyon. Frangos has climbed a number of 5.13d, including Fudge and Endless Summer. Théo Blass Becomes Youngest to Climb 5.14b Théo Blass has climbed Souvenirs du pic 5.14b in Saint Guilhem le Desertin, France, and has become the youngest climber to send the grade at only 10 years old. It took him less than 10 sessions this year to get the redpoint. Charlotte André Flashes V12 in Font…

Dominic Caron grew up in New Brunswick and started climbing in 2006 in Welsford. Over a decade, he accumulated a guidebook’s worth of knowledge about the climbing in the Maritime province and decided to put all of his beta into a new book. We touched base with Caron shortly after his highly anticipated A Rock Climber’s Guide to New Brunswick was published. In the fall 2006, he moved to Sherbrooke, Que., for university and started to visit famous Quebec crags like Orford and Kamouraska. In 2009, he completed his last semester at university by living abroad in the French Alps in Grenoble. “There are nearly 2,000 routes in the city,” he said, which allowed him to climb almost every day of the week. “I came back to New Brunswick in…