Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2021 Vol. 23 Issue 2 i Gripped: The Climbing Magazine

Road trips are both the best way to explore your local area and venture far from home to have the epic of a lifetime. All you need is a vehicle, some food money and climbing gear, and there’s no telling what kind of memories that you’ll make, or shenanigans that you’ll get up to. There are a few ways to take a road trip, one being the impulsive toss-everything-in-the-car and figure it out on the way style; and then there’s the plan-before-you-go approach. More than once, I’ve gone from having no weekend plans to driving for a few hours to climb at a new crag in a matter of minutes. That works fine for short trips, but if you’re going for a few weeks, then you’ll want to be prepared.…

Stacey Weldon has played a leading role in Canadian climbing for nearly two decades, from winning comps, to sending hard boulders and sport climbs up to 5.13+, to representing Canada on the world stage. This winter, Weldon was selected to represent the International Federation of Sport Climbing (ifsc) as a part of the Women in Leadership Program for this year’s summer Olympics. As a member of the Climbing Escalade Canada’s (cec) board of directors, Weldon is the first elected athlete representative from Canada. With career highlights reaching to a 12th place finish at the 2015 Chongqing World Cup, and two seventh place positions at Youth Worlds in 2002 and 2004, Weldon is a strong representative. As busy as she is with the world of climbing, her full-time job is an…

Who knew that in less than eight years, the West Kootenays would be a world-class bouldering destination? I certainly thought there was potential back when I started combing the shores of Arrow Lake for boulders, but not to this extent. When we think that we have found the last big boulder or area another one seems to present itself. It really has been a wild ride, and it just keeps on giving. With over 1,200 problems located in 16 different areas, the high-quality rock, diversity and excellent climbing make the region a spectacular place to visit and a premier Canadian bouldering destination. Due to the expansive efforts of a few major developers, the potential of this incredible area has really come to fruition over the last few years. With 150…

DMM Edge Boulder Chalk Bag $46 dmm is known for making some of the best hardware, such as cams and carabiners, on the market, but they quickly became a leading chalk bag maker when they introduced the Edge Chalk Bay. It has a zip pocket for secure storage, a Velcro pocket and four brush holders for all your essentials, a soft pile lining for effective chalking, a chalk-proof closure and a stable base to prevent spillage. Some would argue that it’s a perfect chalk bag for boulder sessions. It’s durable and can store everything from your tape to your phone. Scarpa Drago LV $220 The Drago LV is the ultimate all-rounder, with 3.5 mm of Vibram XS Grip 2 rubber, a relatively narrow heel, and a simple closure system. The…

New Squamish WI6R/X In 1993, a cold snap froze a number of tall ice lines in the Squamish Valley. The wall has likely frozen in the past 27 years, but little information about it can be found. A new 120-metre WI6R/X was just added to the area. According to local legend Don Serl, the late Guy Edwards attempted a big line but backed off due to conditions. That line is the one that Paul McSorley, Sam Eastman and Tim Emmett climbed and called Wild West in February, with pitches at: WI5+, WI6, WI6R/X. The Squamish ice season this winter lasted about 10 days, which was more than enough time for locals to dust their tools off and repeat many of the classics. John Lauchlan Award Recipients Two teams will receive…

Arc’teryx AR 395A $200 Arc’teryx has been providing excellent harnesses for trad climbers for nearly 30 years. The AR-395a uses their proven technology to disperse pressure and provide flexibility for freedom and comfort on flowy, thin crack lines and wedged in a chimney. A big plus is the adjustable leg loops and four big gear loops. The rear haul loop comes in hand on those multi-pitch rope stretchers to unload the pack and haul it up with a tag-line. Grivel Duetto $180 The Duetto is not only one of the coolest looking helmets on the market, it’s also one of the top choices for trad climbing up wild routes. The multi-faceted shape is made from expanded polypropylene, a foam that comes in at only 215 grams. It gives protection for top,…

The 1960s ushered in a whole new dimension of high-alpine hut building, thanks to exciting new helicopter technology. And it was in the popular Moraine Lake area of Banff National Park, where the Valley of the Ten Peaks is guarded by a wall of rocky summits, that an informal race played out as the Calgary Mountain Club and the Alpine Club of Canada (acc) jockeyed to be the first to build a prefabricated climbers’ hut high into the cloud zone. The cmc’s chosen site was a small notch overlooking the lake at the top of a steep, narrow couloir cleaved between peaks three and four – Yamnee (renamed Bowlen after an Alberta lieutenant governor) and Tonsa in the native Stoney language. The other location was a rocky saddle resting above…

Keen Ridge Flex Hiking Boots $170 Soon, the muddy spring trails to the rocks will be open and your sneakers just won’t be a match for the mud and water. Keen’s Ridge Flex boots, however, include its waterproof, breathable insert and aggressive, non-directional lug soles for stability, even on muddy uphill trails. Ever felt pinched by your boot at the flex point of your foot? Most of us have given up wondering whether our normal stride could ever be free of this discomfort, but Keen tries to fix it with bellow-flex inserts on the upper, beneath the laces and on the heel for the Achilles. The bellows expand and compress naturally with every step. Keen is also a leader in environmentally friendly technologies, like pfc-free, durable, water-repellant and environmentally preferred…

The Howe Sound is a big body of water that runs from Vancouver’s Straight of Georgia northeast for 42 kilometres to its head at Squamish. The three largest islands are Cha7élkwnech (aka Gambier), Nexwlélexm (aka Bowen) and Lhaxwm (aka Anvil Island). Lhaxwm is the northernmost of the three and can be seen when driving south of Porteau Cove north of Vancouver. The Indigenous Squamish name for the island is Lhaxwm, and in mythology, a serpent resided on the top of the island. On June 14, 1792, Captain George Vancouver, wrote in his journal: “The sun shining at this time for a few minutes afforded an island which, from the shape of the mountain that composes it, obtained the name of Anvil Island.” Over the past few years, Tim Emmett, Trevor…

The Stanley Headwall is justifiably world famous for very demanding multi-pitch winter climbing. It’s demanded everything from the best climbers in the world, but only one person has ever climbed all the major lines on it, a 53-year-old bespectacled physics professor who trains for alpine climbing by bouldering in the gym: Raphael Slawinski from from Calgary. In February, he finished a 25-year journey and climbed the final route of the 20-plus major and numerous variation lines he hadn’t yet done. Every one of those lines would be a career highlight for most people; nobody else is close to his list. In typical understated fashion Slawinski says, “I might have missed a few obscure pitches or single-pitch things, but I think I did all the major lines and significant variations. It…

Keen Women’s Howser Slide $95 Sometimes the flip-flops just don’t cut it after a long day with your feet crammed into your climbing shoes. You just need to let them relax and unwind in a plush pair of outdoor slippers. That’s where the Howser Slide come in, as they’re the perfect pair of fleece-lined, dirt-ground friendly slippers that you might ever wear. They provide warmth and support, and have enough grip that you can wear them around camp. Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 2 $370 Sometimes when you’re living in the van, nothing beats a night at a campground in a tent. Having one stashed away is essential for long road trips. The Mineral King 2 fits the bill for months-long trips, as its spacious for car camping but is light…