Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2023 Vol. 25 Issue 4 i Gripped: The Climbing Magazine

Squamish is always the scene of some of North America’s most impressive climbing, however, this year it seemed especially noteworthy. Over the past few months, there have been some historic sends and a handful of new routes that quickly became classics. There were sport routes climbed trad and hard boulders downgraded. It seemed that every day was full of action. To some, the crystally granite of Squamish is one of the easier rock types to climb. So, it’s no wonder that we saw so much world-class sending early in the year. From Trevor McDonald opening a new 5.13a on Anvil Island, which has been praised as one of the best climbs at the grade in B.C., to Didier Berthod sending one of The Chief’s longstanding crack projects at 5.14, it…

The first ascent of Mount Kenya’s highest peak, Batian, at 5,199 metres, was in 1899 by a team led by Sir Halford John Mackinder. The climbers in the group included six Europeans, 66 Swahilis, two Maasai guides and 96 Kikuyu. They experienced many setbacks along the way but managed to reach the top on Sept. 13. Gerry Kearns, the author of Geopolitics and Empire: The legacy of Halford Mackinder, points out in his book that Mackinder killed eight of the 90 African porters he had bought from a slave owner to carry his supplies; saying that they were shot at his command. Mackinder and the first ascent of Africa’s second highest mountain is forever marred by his racism. The other major peak on Mount Kenya is Punta Nelion at 5,188…

Gros Bras has long been one of Quebec’s main climbing attractions. With dozens of routes up to 250 metres and ranging from 5.4 to 5.12, there is something for everyone. The granite is hard and has long crack systems. One of the first routes was climbed in 1970. The scenery in the valley helps make this location one of the best remote walls in eastern Canada. The base of the wall is over a kilometre wide and has a rough trail. The routes on this wall are adventurous and feel exposed. Hals Und Beinbruch (the German equivalent of the English saying “break a leg!”) has gained a reputation for having the best solid rock on the mountain. It climbs dihedrals, cracks, and slabs. The stone is coarse with positive features…

The Canadian Rockies have some of the best alpine faces in North America. Moving through big terrain far above the valley below as the sun rises is one of the best ways to experience the mountains. The climbs can lead to unforgettable experiences and can create lifelong partnerships. Alpine ice faces are complex and require patience and time to understand. Despite being formed of glacier ice, no two climbs are the same. There are dozens of world-class alpine ice faces in Banff and Jasper National Parks. The approaches range from a few hours to a full day and the descents from the summits are often dangerous and riddled with objective hazards. You want to gain experience moving on glaciers and up steep glacier ice before committing to any of these…

Cambodia is famous for ancient temples, like those in Khmer Kingdom, and over the past few years it’s even become popular for rock climbers. The country opened to tourism around 20 years ago, so it’s no wonder climbing is still in its early stages. There are some amazing crags in lush forests with well-protected routes. Japanese route developer Tadao Ito, also known as Chu San, was one of the first to realize the potential in Cambodia. At the start of the 2000s, he founded Angkor Climbers Net to introduce the sport to young climbers. After his death, his wife, Akiko Ito, and partner Seam Rorn took over Ito’s group. The first climbing gym was opened by Mary and Kristoph Luthy. And the first guidebook, called Rock Climbing in Cambodia, was…

Arc’teryx Aerios Aura Shoe $180 A new breathable shoe that’s made to help you move fast. It can handle steep and technical trails that take you from valley bottom to the base of the ridge. It has an upper mesh that keeps you cool on hot days and feels comfortable all day once broken in. The Vibram sole gives you confidence when moving up ground, where friction helps. La Sportiva TX4 R Approach Shoes $225 A retro look combined with a great approach shoe. It has a nubuck leather upper and a sturdy toecap that will let you rest easy knowing your feet will be safe on rugged, rocky ground. The lacing is borrowed from the amazing Mythos rock shoe, which locks your foot in. The sole gives solid edging…

The North Face Base Camp Mules  $114 From weeks-long road trips to overnighters at your favourite crag, this warm between-activity lounge shoe is a must have. They’re simple, warm, durable and can be returned to The North Face to be used in a recycling program called Circular Design. Arc’teryx Calidum 5 Panel Cap  $50 The brand that brings you some of the highest-end technical apparel for the mountains also has their finger on the style pulse. This five-panel hat has the same mesh fabric Arc’teryx uses in their amazing Konseal harness, which makes it a perfect breathable cap for warm days. Petzl Spirit Express Quickdraw  $32 This is still one of the best all-round quickdraws on the market and we’re happy that they’re still available at climbing stores everywhere. If…

Sydney Daniels started climbing in his hometown of Nairobi, Kenya, before moving to Canada. He’s now based in Calgary where he’s photographed climbers in local competitions and in the nearby Canadian Rockies. We touched base with him at the start of summer. How did you get into climbing? I got into climbing through a combination of curiosity and a desire for adventure. During primary school, we’d have the occasional hiking and backpacking trips to different mountains in the Rift Valley, namely Hell’s Gate and Mount Kenya. On one of these trips, I decided to give climbing a try. I started at a local crag near Nairobi to learn the basics and to get a feel for the sport. The more I climbed, the more I fell in love with the…

Squamish is home to some of Canada’s best multi-pitch rock climbs, some of which were first ascended back in the 1950s, like Angel’s Crest. Despite over 70 years of development, climbers are still finding new terrain to explore and open as previously unclimbed lines. One section of cliffs that’s been getting increased attention over the past 15 years is called The Barbarian Walls, found east of Slhanay. Among The Barbarian Walls are several sub sections: New Delhi, The Troglodyte Wall, Lantern Wall, Barbarian Wall and The Ruins—the newest wall. This area has hard climbing, with most climbs coming in at 5.11 and 5.12. Many of the routes have become classics at the grade, including the five-pitch Delhi Belly 5.12b, the four-pitch The Ganges 5.11c and The Barbarian’s Blade, a seven-pitch…

There’s no other wall quite like it. The south-facing wall stretches for over two kilometres above steep slopes. The arching summit ridge resembles the pointy back of a prehistoric reptile, and the rock is so vertical that you almost always have hundreds of feet of air beneath you. The quality of the limestone ranges from as good as it gets to the worst you can imagine. There are pitons from 70 years ago welded in upside down cracks and bolts driven through shafts of hockey sticks. Old tat hangs from homemade 1970s hangers not far from modern expansion bolts. Since the 1950s, Yamnuska has been where up-and-coming climbers test themselves on climbs from generations ago. For 70 years, it’s been the heartbeat of Rockies multi-pitch trad and mixed climbing. The…

The Aiguille de Midi is one of Europe’s most famous mountains, thanks, in part, to the popular cable car. At 3,842 metres, the entire mountain is a climber’s playground, with dozens of classic routes from 5.5 to 5.13, with one of the best long alpine climbs being the Frendo Spur. It’s considered a rite of passage for young alpinists. If you’ve never been to Chamonix, then you might not know just how accessible the alpine is. From downtown, you can walk from your accommodations to the cable car’s lowest station and board it for a 20-minute ride that takes you from 1,035 to 3,842 metres—it still holds the record for the world’s highest vertical ascent cable car. The ride is broken into two sections, from Chamonix to Plan de l’Aiguille…

Calgary already had some of Canada’s best indoor climbing facilities before the opening of Bolder’s newest location, so it’s easy to understand why stoke is at an all time high in Alberta’s biggest city. Owners Josh Muller and Regan Kennedy spent years building their new dream gym, which is called Bolder Climbing Elevated. Muller and Kennedy already owned Bolder Climbing Community, an all-bouldering space in southeast Calgary, and they’re part owners of several other gyms. Muller announced after the doors opened at Bolder Climbing Elevated, “We faced many challenges along the way but with me and my incredible team working together we were able to complete this project and make it the incredible space it is today.” He gave a special thanks to Sebastian Powell, director of operations. The main…

Vedauwoo is one of Wyoming’s best hard trad climbing areas, but it’s also home to some of America’s best crack bouldering. Dozens of classic problems, some of which were established by the best in the world, are scattered around between off-width test-piece routes. There are several climbers who’ve helped in the development of the boulders, including Justin Edl, who’s considered one of the strongest locals. “These boulders are hard,” said local photographer and climber Parker James about Edl’s lines. “They are painful. You will be so pumped that your entire body will feel like it’s going to explode, and so frustrated from slipping out yet again that you will want to quit climbing altogether. You will end up limping back to the car, and a nice family will ask what…

Scarpa Zodiac Tech GTX $439 Scarpa took the Zodiac Plus and added some technical features to make it a fantastic alpine climbing boot. Whether you’re climbing through icy mountain passes, up technical ice faces or on moderate rock, you’ll find these are well-suited for them all. They have a tacky Vibram outsole, a tough rubber rand, a strong leather construction and are waterproof. They’re more of a hybrid hiker/mountaineering boot, which makes them perfect for those remote routes that require a long approach. Arc’teryx Acrux LT GTX Boot $530 These three-season boots have gone through minor improvements over the years and now come in a brighter colour. They’re light, offer amazing precision and maintain their waterproofness. From crossing streams to hiking up deep scree, to post-holing up snow, to climbing…

Anvil Island is Becoming a Must-Visit Squamish Crag Anvil Island has been seeing a lot of action this year. Found in the middle of the Howe Sound between Vancouver and Squamish, and only accessible by water, the island has some steep granite walls. Development began a few years ago, and in late May, Tim Emmett sent his hard project called Archimedes Principle 5.14b. In early June, Sonnie Trotter made the third ascent of Emmett’s other mega line at the crag called Apnea 5.13d/14a. On June 14, Ben Harnden made the first repeat of Archimedes Principle and confirmed the grade. Emilie Pellerin then also repeated Apnea. One of the most exciting sends was by Trevor McDonald, who established one of the Sea-to-Sky region’s most epic-looking 5.13a sport routes, which he’s named…

When Michelle Dvorak felt herself going for a “long sideways ride,” she wasn’t completely surprised. Into their second day climbing the storied Greenwood-Locke route on the looming north face of 3954-metre Mount Temple, she and her climbing partner, Kurt Ross, had encountered lots of loose rock that the Canadian Rockies are notorious for. What did surprise her was how much it hurt when her body hit the rock, breaking a few small bones. “I think I fell about 20 feet,” she said from her Seattle-area home, where she was comfortably recovering two weeks after the March 23 accident. “Although I try not to make a habit of falling on gear—especially while wearing crampons—it would not have been the first whipper that had me awkwardly swinging and hitting my side on…