The Western Canada-based Rocky Mountain Books (RMB) has announced that author Bernadette McDonald’s new book Art of Freedom: The Life and Climbs of Voytek Kurtyka has completed the Triple Crown of mountain literature writing.

It has been awarded three major literary awards in the past three weeks for her latest book for her latest book.

It’s the winner of Mountain Literature – Non-Fiction at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, an award from the the National Outdoor Book Awards and one from Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature.

Art of Freedom: The Life and Climbs of Voytek Kurtyka is a profound and moving biography of one of the international climbing world’s most respected, complicated and reclusive mountaineers.

Voytek Kurtyka remains one of the greatest alpinists of all time. Born in 1947, he was one of the leading lights of the Polish golden age of Himalayan climbing.

His visionary approach to climbing resulted in many renowned ascents, including the alpine-style ascent of the West Face of Gasherbrum IV. Dubbed the “climb of the century,” his route on G IV, as of 2016, has yet to be repeated.

Voytek Kurtyka

After repeated requests to accept the Piolet d’Or lifetime achievement award (the Academy Award of the climbing world), Kurtyka finally accepted the honour in the spring of 2016.

A fiercely private individual, he continues to decline countless invitations for interviews, lectures and festival appearances, but has agreed to co-operate with internationally renowned and award winning Canadian author Bernadette McDonald on this long-awaited biography.

Bernadette McDonald is the author of 10 books on mountaineering and mountain culture, including Alpine Warriors (RMB 2015), Freedom Climbers (RMB 2011) and Art of Freedom (RMB 2017).

She has received numerous mountain writing awards, including Italy’s ITAS Prize (2010), and is a two-time winner of India’s Kekoo Naoroji Award for mountain literature (2008 and 2009). In 2011, Bernadette’s first book with RMB, Freedom Climbers, won the Grand Prize at the Banff Mountain Book Festival (Canada), the Boardman Tasker Prize (UK) and the American Alpine Club’s H. Adams Carter Literary Award (USA).

Bernadette splits her time between Banff, Alberta, and Naramata, British Columbia.

John Porter, Alex MacIntyre and Voytek Kurtyka at Bandaka base camp Photo John Porter

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In this short film we meet Fery Rodriguez, who made history by becoming the first Mexican woman to climb 5.14a.

Watch Fery climb Dante’s Inferno Extension 5.14a in El Salto, a popular winter destination for Canadians heading south.

This film was done by Beka Peralta based in Mexico City. She was recently at the Banff Mountain Film Festival with a number of short films.

El Salto is in northeastern Mexico in the state of Nuevo León with hundreds of climbs.

It has seep limestone walls that extend out of the canyons in the Sierra Madre Oriental range. They offer techy faces to steep tufas to roof climbing.

There are hundreds of climbs, they are mostly found at Las Animas Wall, The Tecolote Cave, La Boca and Cumbia Cave.

Five Must Climb Routes
Culo de Merlin 5.10d: Big tufas through a steep roof with a cave finish
Alien Tufa 5.11c: A long and technical climb considered the area warm up
Culo de Negra 5.12a: Stem the tufas, find the no hands rests
Tufaluna 5.13a: Pinch and pull your way up a long tufa
Dante’s Inferno 5.13d: One of the area classics, spaced bolts

Where to Stay
El Salto is about a 45-minute drive from the mountain town Cienega de Gonzalez. The cheapest camping is at Dona Kika’s. You can park a van or pitch a tent in the yard. There’s bathrooms, water and a kitchen area. You can also rent a house or cabana from Kika or in town. Beware of online price gouging.

Kim McGrenere on Camino de Chino 5.13 Photo Graham McGrenere

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Cala Goloritze, also known as the Aguglia or Punta Caroddi, is one of Italy’s most well-known limestone needles. The aesthetic spire draws countless climbers to Sardinia every year.

It rises 143 metres above the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Orosei inside the Supramonte di Baunei and overlooks the white beach of Cala Goloritzè in the Mediterranean Sea.

Thank god for strong Polish girls… John Price really wanted to climb and shoot Cala Goloritze today and, sadly, my climbing skills are not strong enough for the route. Luckily we met some Polish girls at dinner the other night and they were keen. I brought my big lens into the valley and scrambled to the highest point in order to get level with the final pitch. Super fun day and stoked with some of the images that came out of it. The sunrise and sunset were pretty epic also…

A post shared by Sherri Castiglione (@canmoregirls) on Nov 19, 2017 at 12:35pm PST

The easiest climb on the Aguglia is Easy Gymnopedie, a five-pitch 140-metre line that is fully bolted at 5.10.

It was first climbed in 1981 by Alessandro Gogna and Maurizio Zanolla “Manolo” on a windy day. They named it Sinfonia dei Mulini a Vento (Symphony of Windmills).

There are a number of ways to get there: by boat, walking the long Il Selvaggio Blu trail or by walking downhill for an hour from il Golgo, above the town of Baunei.

Sardinia, Italy, keeps on giving… Ever since we thought of coming here, I’d been obsessed with climbing and shooting ‘Aguglia’ in Cala Goloritze. While the sun/light/timing/route didn’t lend itself to what I had envisioned, I made the most of what I had to work with. Huge thanks to @ntmagda and Eva, the strong polish girls, who I enjoyed this climb with and who were up for a day of climbing & shooting, despite having only met the night before!!

A post shared by John Price (@johnpricephotography) on Nov 19, 2017 at 11:49am PST

The last trail goes past limestone crags and big oak trees. The hike out takes much longer because the hill is steep and never lets up. But it’s worth the approach.

The Main Routes
Sinfonia dei Mulini a Vento: Up the north face at 5.10
Sole incantatore: Fully bolted north face 5.10
L’Orsetto lavatore e il suo compare: A west face 5.11 all bolted
Itu Damagoni (Il mio Veleno): A popular east face bolted 5.11
Dolce Stil Novo: Another east face line at 5.10 that is all bolted
Spigolo Turchese: A 100-metre 5.10 up the east face
Easy Gymnopedie: A 1988 bolted route up the northwest face

You can climb year-round as the Mediterranean climate is often sunny with mild temperatures and little rainfall. The south face is too hot in the summer.

Watch this short film of unknown climbers heading up Aguglia di Goloritzè.

The post The Route: Cala Goloritze, Wild Spire in Sardinia appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Alberta will get two big and new climbing gyms in 2018, one that we knew about in Calgary and now one in Edmonton.

The new bouldering-only gym in Edmonton will be called Blocs and will be open for summer. This follows the news from earlier this year that the Calgary Climbing Centre is opening an Olympic-worthy gym on the western edge of Calgary.

Get psyched Edmonton! We can't wait to show you what's coming. Stay tuned. #climbingblocs #yegclimbing

A post shared by BLOCS (@climbingblocs) on Nov 20, 2017 at 2:01pm PST

The news comes from the founders of Blocs: Selena Wong, Kristine Mckay, Terry Paholek and Peter Toth.

As it states on their Facebook page: “We are very excited to announce the opening of Alberta’s largest indoor bouldering gym.

“We’ve been working hard to create a comprehensive, welcoming facility for all climbers to enjoy.” Blocs will be opening summer 2018 on the south side of Edmonton.

Earlier this year, Calgary got its biggest bouldering gym called Bolder. For more on the new Calgary climbing gym visit here.

Calgary Climbing Centre at Olympic Park.

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What is one of Europe’s most environmentally friendly companies doing to develop eco-friendly products?

Edelrid has been making major efforts to improve their environmental impact and we sat down with them to understand why they are making the effort and what challenges they continue to face.

Visit Edelrid here to see their selection of ropes and gear.

Lifespan of a climbing rope: Ropes deteriorate even when they are not used. At the very latest they should be replaced after ten years as synthetic fibres deteriorate over time.

A rope that is only used occasionally and stored carefully can provide three to six years of service.

If you use your rope on a very regular basis and it takes lots of falls, we advise you to downgrade it to top-rope use only after one year.

It’s not possible to provide exact values for rope lifespan. In particular, difficult handling or a worn sheath should make it clear to the safety-conscious user that it’s time to replace a rope.

It’s important to replace a rope if it has been subjected to extreme forces or if it is damaged. For example if:

– The sheath is damaged and the core is visible
– There are significant axial and/or radial bulges and deformations (e.g. stiff sections, nicks, sponginess)
– The sheath slips significantly
– The sheath is extremely worn (e.g. abrasion or furring)
– Heat, abrasion, or friction burns have melted or visibly damaged the rope
– The rope has come in contact with chemicals, in particular acids.

The strong women from the Expedkader in Chamonix #edelrid #team_edelrid #edelridclimbing #creativetechnology #sport #climbing #nature #winter #snow #rockclimbing #strong #woman #adventure

A post shared by EDELRID (@team_edelrid) on Nov 9, 2017 at 3:50am PST

The post How Edelrid is Making Rope Treatments Sustainable appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

This fall has seen a number of attempts and summits in the Himalayas, two being new routes.

For one week in October, from the 14th to the 21st, Benjamin Guigonnet, Frederic Degoulet and Helias Millerioux climbed a new route up the south face of Nuptse. Their new route is over two kilometres long.

17 octobre 2017, 6800m Living camp 3. Si près, si loin. So close, so far. #truestorytruepeople #dolomite1897 #blueicequest #mokenvision #noshortcuts #icerock #garmin #outdoorresearch #NomadicTribesofSea #khumbu #namche #himalaya #everest #lhotse #nuptse #nepal #chukkung #alpinism #ice

A post shared by helias millerioux (@helias_millerioux) on Nov 1, 2017 at 4:17am PDT

Canadians Ian Welsted and Jason Kruk attempted a new route up the face in 2014. And Jim Elzinga and Peter Arbic made an alpine-style attempt in 1989.

In 2014, Guigonnet, Millerioux and Degoulet made the first ascent, with climber Robin Revest, of Looking for the Void M7 WI6R up the west face of Siula Chico in Peru.

In the Indian Himalaya, Alan Rousseau and Tino Villanueva spent five days making the likely first ascent of Rungofarka (6,495m).

They climbed the north ridge up a grade-six WI4+ M6 for 1,200 metres. The two climbers shared their story on Instagram over a number of posts.

One read: “The second day on route we were on the North Ridge proper and the terrain looked really steep above. To get started, there was a vertical step in the first 700ft of the ridge which we weren’t sure was going to provide a reasonable passage or decent rock.

“The climbing was difficult and sustained, and progress was slow, but we were moving upward. In the afternoon clouds rolled through and brought with them snow showers. We climbed only around 8 or 9 pitches before it was time to find a place to spend the night.” Visit Rousseau here and Villanueva below for more of their story.

@rousseaualan and I are sharing stories and photos this week from our climb of 6495m Rungofarka in the Zanskar Range of the Indian Himalaya. · Our primary line of ascent involved tackling a direct line up the North Face. With a short weather window appearing halfway through the expedition we decided to go for it. · We moved up 5000ft (to nearly 18000ft) from our basecamp to a bivy in the bergschrund below the face, enduring some pretty brutal trailbreaking along the way. The next morning started cloudy and it snowed lightly much of the day. · Still, we pressed on, climbing continually steeper and steeper terrain. A long ramp led into a series of ice runnels, much more sustained than we had imagined. As the day grew late, we had climbed up to 6000m, nearly half of the 1000m vertical face. However, the sustained nature of the climbing did not lend itself to bivy options. · Exhausted, calves and forearms blown, sky darkening, and no ledge options in sight, we made the decision to start rappelling into the night. · PC : @rousseaualan

A post shared by Tino Villanueva (@tinovillanueva) on Oct 10, 2017 at 1:22pm PDT

The post New Alpine Routes on Nuptse and Rungofarka appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

At least two teams of top climbers are heading to Antarctica for some big wall climbing this austral summer season

One team consists of Anna Pfaff, Savannah Cummins, Conrad Anker, Cedar Wright, Jimmy Chin, Alex Honnold with assistance from Pablo Durana and Tay Keating.

Their exact objective isn’t known, but Wright posted on Instagram about the late 1990s expedition by Alex Lowe and Anker. Surely Anker has a number or possible objectives he took note of from his earlier trip.

When I first paged through this 1998 edition of @natgeo featuring @conrad_anker and legend Alex Lowe climbing a big wall first ascent in Antarctica, I had just started climbing, and I remember turning each page with amazement and wonder. Gordon Wiltsie's photographs sparked my imagination. The landscape was otherworldly to me, and Conrad and Alex seemed like astronauts. For years now, going to Queen Maudland Antarctica to climb these wild granite big walls that leap improbably out of the barren icy landscape has been on my climbing bucket list. Antarctica is the last continent I haven't climbed a big route on, but it's hard and expensive to get to, and it was in serious doubt whether I would ever be able to finagle a way to get there. Today, thanks to @thenorthface I leave for Antarctica with a crazy badass team including @jimmy_chin @pfaff_anna @alexhonnold @sav.cummins …and…. this is surreal to say… @conrad_anker …the guy who sparked this crazy dream of mine in the first place!!! With the mega assist from @pablo_durana and @tay.keating, I will be directing a short film about the adventure! I'm so excited!!!

A post shared by Cedar Wright (@cedarwright) on Nov 18, 2017 at 10:05am PST

Another Antarctica returnee is Leo Houlding, who has his eyes set on The Spectre in the Organ Pipe peaks of Gothic Range at the southern end of the trans-Antarctic mountains. As Houlding points out, it’s “probably the most remote mountain on earth.” He is going with Jean Burgun and Mark Sedon.

Houlding, 37, isn’t bringing a drill to add bolts and isn’t planning on fixing any ropes. About his decision, he said: “It greatly increases the difficulty, significantly reduces the certainty of success and makes the ascent far more complex and committing.”

They say their mission is as follows: “Antarctica will be reached aboard an Antarctic Logistics & Expeditions (ALE) flight from Punta Arenas, Chile to ALE’s logistics base, the Union Glacier Camp in the Ellsworth Mountains on 15th November 2017.

“A ski equipped Twin Otter aircraft will fly the team 600 kilometres south to ALE’s Theill Skiway fuel depot. After refuel the aircraft will fly to a drop off point at 88˚S, 110˚W, 300 kilometres towards the Gothic Mountains, the aircrafts maximum return payload range.

“For the next 69 days the team will be unsupported and self sufficient. A 20-day food & fuel depot for the return journey will be cached at the drop off point.

“Kites will be used to travel the remaining 350 kilometres to the Gothic Mountains. 20 days will be spent climbing first ascents and exploring the most remote mountains on Earth. All climbs will be made in Alpine style. No fixing rope, No drill & No bolts will be carried.

“The team will then kite 100 kms down the Scott Glacier to the Ross Ice shelf; the edge of the Antarctic continent. The return journey will require man-hauling uphill, into wind for 450 kilometres towards the South Pole back to their depot at the original drop off point.

“Favourable wind patterns can then be harnessed to kite a further 1000 kilometres to Hercules Inlet on the Ronne Ice shelf on the opposite edge of the continent. If conditions allow the team will attempt to go via the South Pole.

“A final kite / man-haul journey of 100 kms will bring the team back to the Union Glacier Camp returning from Antarctica late January 2018.” Follow along on their updated-daily website here.

The Spectre was discovered in December 1934 by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition geological party under Quin Blackburn. The name was suggested by Edmund Stump, leader of the United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP)-Arizona State University geological party in the Gothic Mountains in 1980 and 1981.

Edmund is brother to alpinist Mugs Stump, who died in 1992 falling into a crevasse on Denali. The two made the first ascent of the Spectre in the 1980/81 season.

Edmund wrote a book about the Transantarctic Mountains called The Roof At The Bottom Of The World. In it he talks about their Spectre ascent. You can read an excerpt here.

Date = 20/11/2017 Day =  1 (Expedition) – Day 6 (Antarctica) Location = middle of nowhere Coordinates – 87.9808S, 131.6591W Altitude =  2908m Temperature = -33C Wind speed / direction = 12 knot gusts to 18knot Windchill = -45C Distance travelled = 1100km by plane Distance remaining = 2000 km Part 1 We’re in the Twin Otter plane heading south. My god this is big country! The scale is overwhelming. Why do I choose to repeatedly put myself through these epic trials? We just flew past the Pirrit Hills, an impressive group of nunataks – rocky peaks protruding through the ice about 160kms from Union glacier. They were our plan B if we hadn’t managed to raise enough money for the Spectre.  The plan was to ski in from Union Glacier,  climb and kite back.  A similar trip but almost half the cost and about 10% of the distance. Right now I’m wondering if we should have just bitten off that small mouthful, it still looks pretty far. Spectre is ten times that distance and our trip will be ten times as tough. Be careful what you wish for, it may just come true! I can’t believe people walk, all that we are now flying over, to the pole. It’s so far and so featureless. It looks like an ocean, small waves of sastrugi texture the surface that is apparently completely flat although in fact it rises for 3000m in altitude. There are a fair few teams in their way from Hercules Inlet to the pole right now, including my friend Carl Alvey for the 4th time. The Ice Maidens team left Union last night and are currently on their way to the Ross Sea. They have 1700km to travel and no kites! Ben Saunders is walking solo for a similar distance in the opposite direction. Their endeavours give me confidence in our own. There’s no way I’m psychologically strong enough for such a long, monotonous walk. The part of our trip I’m most concerned about is the 350km walk. Respect to all of them and we wish them all the very best. Wind assistance will make our journey far easier and faster, which is fortunate as we have more than twice as much stuff as any of those teams, and a major climbing objective enroute! CONTINUED at www.spectreexpedition.com/my-god-what-have-we-let-ourselves-in-for

A post shared by Leo Houlding (@leo_houlding) on Nov 20, 2017 at 11:10pm PST

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Italian climber Stefano Ghisolfi has made the second ascent of One Slap, a 5.15b variation to One Punch 5.15a recently climbed by Adam Ondra.

The hard limestone climb is found at Laghel near Arco, Italy. The first 5.15b climbed there was by Ondra called Queen and was sent in April this year.

A post shared by Stefano Ghisolfi (@steghiso) on Nov 22, 2017 at 4:27am PST

“Thanks to Sara Grippo and Claudio Migliorini for the support,” said Ghisolfi. “Mauro Mabboni and Loris Manzana for bolting this line and Matteo Pavana for the amazing picture.”

Ghisolfi’s other 5.15b climbs include the first ascent of Lapsus at Andonno, Italy, and a repeat of First Round, First Minute at Margalef, Spain.

Some of his 5.15a climbs include La Rambla at Siurana, First Ley at Margelef, Jungle Boogie at Céüse and Realization in Céüse.

The 24-year-old participates in international competitions in all three disciplines: Lead, Bouldering and Speed. He was the first Italian climber to redpoint a 5.15b.

Watch Ghisolfi on Chris Sharma’s 2011 First Round, First Minute, of which he said of which he said, “It’s a short route and fun to climb, so I was not stressed about this climb.

“I had no pressure because it was always fun to try it, even when I fell.” Ghisolfi made the fourth ascent, after Ondra in 2011 and Alex Megos in 2015.

The post Stefano Ghisolfi Sends One Slap, Third 5.15b appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

German climber Jan Hojer recently repeated Quoi de Neuf V15, one of the longest roof problems at Fontainebleau.

The first ascent was by Rémy Bergasse back in 2008 and it was repeated by Sebastien Bouin and Alban Levier in 2015.

Jan Hojer on Quoi de Neuf V15

Some of Hojer’s other V15 climbs include From Dirt Grows the Flowers in Chironico, The Story of Two Worlds in Cresciano, Le Marathon de Boissy in Fontainebleau (first ascent), Trip Hop in Fontainebleau and The Big Island in Fontainebleau.

Hojer, 25, has also won one World Cup and two European Championships in Bouldering. In May, 2010, he climbed Action Directe 5.14d, which is still considered to be one of the most difficult routes in the world for the grade.

After his send of Quoi de Neuf, he said, ““Two years ago I tried it for the first time together with James Webb. We both flashed the second part of the 30-move line, which checks in at 8A+/8B by itself and did the first 7C+ish part the same session. But we couldn’t link it that day due to a lack of time and endurance.

“I had high hopes, coming off a couple months of lead training this time. It took me a while to get all the moves wired again but after some time the muscle memory kicked in. I took a long rest, going through the moves over and over again in my head before my first try from the start.

“I got through the first part efficiently and felt much better compared to my first session. I tried to stay as calm as possible and somehow kept it together throughout the second part.”

Only two days after making this send, he won the German Lead Championships. Watch below.

The post Jan Hojer Climbs Quoi de Neuf V15 appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Some may remember when Patagonia voiced their concern over Utah’s position on Bears Ears National Monument earlier this year.

The company, founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, announced they wouldn’t attend the Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City in protest of the state’s agreement with the current federal government that the size of Bears Ears be reduced.

Many companies followed, such as Arc’teryx and Metolius, forcing the organizers of the event to move Outdoor Retailer to Denver, Colorado.

Patagonia’s logo is the skyline of Cerro Fitz Roy in Argentina, but after this year it could very well be the North and South Six Shooters in Indian Creek, towers threatened by the Trump administration’s plans.

President Trump’s team wants to shrink the monument, a 1.3 million-acre piece Utah’s desert set around the Bears Ears Buttes, by as much as 90 per cent.

Protections for Valley of the Gods, Indian Creek and other important Native American heritage areas would be removed. There are hundreds of historic cliff dwellings that can be found high on the walls, some date back 3,500 years.

The Six Shooters are popular climbing objectives

“We feel very much that we have a moral and business obligation to protect these places,” says Patagonia’s director of global communications, Corley Kenna. “If the President tries to rescind Bears Ears we’ll take every step, including legal action, to see that these places are protected. We’re prepared to do that.”

Bears Ears is also home to some of the most iconic rock climbing, river rafting and mountain biking in America. Countless outdoor enthusiasts travel to the area every year.

The public found out about plans to alter Bears Ears after Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s private memo to Trump, which details the reduction in size of the monument, was leaked to the Washington Post earlier this fall. Over the summer, 27 of the 129 existing National Monuments (the ones created after 1996 that have at least 100,00 acres) were reviewed to possibly be altered.

President Obama helped create Bears Ears under the rules set out in the Antiquities Act. What is the Antiquities Act? In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt signed it into law after the act was passed by the United States Congress.

The law gives the sitting President the authority to, by presidential proclamation, create national monuments from federal lands to protect significant natural, cultural or scientific features.

A successful @patagonia media trip to Moab. We played outside but more importantly learned from the experts about #BearsEarsNationalMonument. More to come on that. Big thanks to @tsibbs @jimmyhopper @coreysimps @lindenmallory and everyone else who made it happen! Photo by @quinlananna of @chrisvanleuven, Jumbo and I after some fun in the sun. #moab #climbing #tradisrad

A post shared by Brandon Pullan (@brandonpullan) on Nov 4, 2017 at 4:21pm PDT

The act resulted from concerns about protecting mostly prehistoric Native American ruins and artifacts, collectively termed “antiquities,” on federal lands.

National monuments are different than national parks. In general, congress designates national parks and presidential proclamations establish national monuments.

A monument seeks to protect things with cultural, historical and even scientific value, such as fossil sites, ruins, military forts, buildings and wilderness areas. National parks are protected for their educational, inspirational and recreational value.

The National Parks Service oversees all parks, but not all monuments. That responsibility can go to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Forest Service, the Department of Defense, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management. It depends on the location and size.

The largest national park is the 13.2-million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska. National monuments are often much smaller than parks and only need one item of interest to be designated.

Bears Ears permits fishing, hunting, cattle grazing, mining and a number of recreational activities. There are a number of local stakeholders that are against the shrinking of Bears Ears, such as conservationists and 30 Native American tribes. In 2015, five of those tribes set aside generations-old differences to form the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition.

“The recommendations to eliminate protections are very troubling to our tribal nations who worked for decades to protect these sacred lands,” said Carleton Bowekaty, co-chair of the Bears Ears Commission of Tribes.

“The proposed reduction in size would leave thousands of sites more vulnerable to vandalism, compromise the integrity of the landscape as a whole and disrespect the unified voices of tribal nations that have consistently called for Bears Ears to be protected.”

Thank you for your continued defense of public lands.

A post shared by Patagonia (@patagonia) on Jul 17, 2017 at 10:15am PDT

Trump will be visiting Bears Ears in December and the announcement about the area’s future is expected. Until there is an official change to Bears Ears, there will be no lawsuits from the Navajo Nation, Patagonia or any groups.

“As Americans, we’re all public land owners,” says Kenna. “This is a uniquely American thing – an American heritage that we have and it’s really important to who we are … it unites us. It’s actually an issue that has support from hardcore Democrats and hardcore Republicans, Liberals and Conservatives, hunters and hikers. As Americans this is something we hold really dear.”

Patagonia is one of the leaders in the fight against Zinke’s recommendation to shrink Bears Ears. You can help fight by filling out a form here.

Visit Patagonia’s dedicated Bears Ears sit here. And for stories from locals visit here.

Another rad shot by @tradprincess of @mersendyclimberson on an Indian Creek splitter! Know the route? #tradisrad #climbing #grippedmagazine

A post shared by Gripped Magazine (@grippedmagazine) on Nov 23, 2017 at 8:25am PST

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Quebec has some of the best ice climbing in Canada, from the renowned Parc de la Chute-Montmorency to Les Palissades to Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie, there are dozens of quality routes up to 400 metres.

Some of the first ice climbs done in Canada were in Quebec. If you’ve never climbed there in winter, it’s highly recommended.

MEC cover 1996: Guy Lacelle’s First Ascent of Le Grand Delire Photo Joe Josephson

This film is a throwback to 2008 when Mathieu Maynadier, Erwan Lelann, Sam Beaugey, Simon Wadeler and Tony Lamiche visited Quebec.

They’re joined by Canadians Jen Olsen, Guy Lacelle, Audrey Gariepy and many others for some of the province’s best and steepest routes.

10 Classic Quebec Ice Routes/Areas
Montmorency Falls is a 120-metre WI3 to 5 near Quebec City
Le Gringalet is a three-pitch WI4 at Mont Pinacle
Baltique is a WI4/5 at Lac Sylvère
La Pomme d’or is a six-pitch WI5 at Hautes-Gorges
Les Diablerets is a WI4 at Shawbridge
Devil’s Tooth is a WI5 at Shawbridge
Patte folle is a WI5 at Mastigouche
L’Ogresse is a WI5 at Mastigouche
Suzie Q’ute is a two-pitch WI4 at Lac du Cap
Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook has many climbs to WI5

The post Watch Film About Quebec Ice Climbing appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Angelika Rainer has become the first woman to climb the drytool grade of D15 with her ascent of A Line Across the Sky in the Italian Dolomites.

The big roof climb follows a line of pockets and edges at the big cave above Malga Ciapela called Tomorrow’s World.

Oh yes! 'A line above the sky', D15 went down today!!! Can't tell how happy I am When I tried the route for the first time 2 years ago, some of the single moves seemed very hard, really on my limit. Today, all 40 meters of overhanging climbing went smoothly!!! Thanks so much @tom.ballard for creating such a fun project close to home and thanks @marco_serva for coming to belay me, when my feeling said me that it could be the right day . by Michael Maili. . . . #drytooling #iceclimbing #iceaxes #climbing #climbing_photos_of_instagram #climbinglife #visionofemotion #kikuapples #angelikarainer @berghausofficial @lasportivagram @grivel @visionofemotion

A post shared by Angelika Rainer (@angelika_rainer) on Nov 22, 2017 at 10:50am PST

The first ascent was in 2016 by Tom Ballard and has been repeated by Gaetan Raymond, Dariusz Sokołowski and Jeff Mercier (who is currently in Canada climbing).

D15 is the hardest confirmed grade in drytooling. Canadian Gord McArthur recently climbed Storm Giant in B.C. and proposed the grade of D16.

In a story for Planetmountain.com, Rainer said, “I decided to try the route as it had been done originally, without a hold that was created only after Tom Ballard’s first ascent and Gaetan Raymond’s first repeat. This hold makes one of the cruxes a lot easier, and having had the honour of trying the route with Tom and Gaetan, and helping Gaetan on his ascent, I wanted to repeat the original version.

“Unfortunately in dry tooling these things happen, holds improve due to the crampons or ice axes and routes consequently become easier. Sometimes the opposite happens and holds break or become smaller, making the routes harder as time passes. One needs to bear this in mind when drytooling.” Read the full article here.

Below is a video of clips and images from Mercier’s visit to Tomorrow’s World.

The post Angelika Rainer’s Historic D15 Climb in Italy appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

The Boulder Competition season is well under way in Canada with a number of successful events completed.

On the Nov. 25 and 26 weekend, there’s three competitions in Canada: November Sessions at Climb Base5 in B.C., an Alberta Youth comp at CCC Chinook and Délire Escalade Ste-Foy will be hosting an Open and Youth A comp.

The November Sessions is one of B.C.’s biggest Bouldering comps of the year. They have an all-star lineup of route setters: Simon Parton, Alannah Yip, Andrew Wilson, Kyle Murdoch, Hayden Jones, Nikki Ho, Matt Insley and Kyle Rurak.

It’s going to be a busy weekend for comp climbers across Canada. Follow along at GrippedMagazineComps on Instagram.

Remaining 2017 Calendar
Dec. 2 at True North, Toronto
Dec. 9 at Beta Crux, Chicoutimi
Dec. 9 at Boulderhouse, Victoria
Dec. 9 at Wilson Centre, Edmonton
Dec. 16 at Project, Abotsford

Clean walls! CCC Chinook is getting ready for our Youth comp on Saturday. As of now, Bouldering and training are all shut down. Ropes are still open today and will be half available Thursday and Friday. CCC members get access to all other locations during this prep. #calgaryclimbing #climbingtogether #albertaclimbing

A post shared by Calgary Climbing Centre (@calgaryclimbing) on Nov 22, 2017 at 8:05am PST

Looking forward to seeing what our route setters come up with at this weekend's Nov. Sessions. . Setters are: Simon Parton, Alannah Yip (@alannah_yip), Andrew Wilson (@head.wilson) , Kyle Murdoch (@kyle.murdoch8), Hayden Jones (@hayden_jones_10), Nikki Ho, Matt Insley (@mattie_bo), and Kyle Rurak (@kylerurakphotography) . from @danierouk @justinexleyphotography – Super fun problem set by @hayden_jones_10 #novembersessions #boulderingcomp #routesetting #routesetters #climbing

A post shared by Climb Base5 (@climbbase5gym) on Nov 22, 2017 at 12:22pm PST

The post Setters Busy for Three Canadian Comps this Weekend appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Climbers have been heading up frozen waterfalls in Canada for decades and a lot has changed. From the equipment and protection to where climbers find information on climbs and safety.

Many experienced ice climbers began when there was no internet to use as a resource. They relied on journals, clubs, hear-say and guidebooks.

The ice in Ontario is sometimes stained with colours of the earth because the water seeps from forest floors and not avalanche bowls like in the mountains. Here’s @dave.rone in the Ice Palace in Northern Ontario. Photo @outdoor_skills #grippedmagazine #climbing

A post shared by Gripped Magazine (@grippedmagazine) on Nov 20, 2017 at 8:14am PST

In 2017, with everything at your fingertip, the way ice climbing information is passed along is very different. Many new ice climbers started after the dawn of Facebook and social media, so naturally those are the places they’re accustomed to going for information.

And while Facebook and Instagram are great places to get started, in the end every climber should be familiar with the many resources available.

Avalanche Safety: This is the most important for ice climbers heading into the mountains. Whether the hazard is low or high will determine where you go that day.

Avalanche.ca is the place to go for forecasts. Read the information on what the daily updates mean. Check it every time you plan to go out.

Avalanche Conditions on Nov. 24/17

Avalanche Terrain Ratings: Parks Canada has given avalanche classifications to most popular routes in the Canadian Rockies. They break it down to Simple, Challenging and Complex.

An example would be Louise Falls is Simple and Polar Circus is Complex. There’s a print friendly version. See here for more.

Climbing Apps: Climbing apps are still sort of new in Canada and many of them are working out the kinks. Sloper Climbing is an author-based app. Guidebook authors (often the most knowledgeable about local climbing) like Chris Perry and Kevin McLane enter in their information from their best-selling guidebooks.

Will Gadd’s new Ice and Mixed app combines the ice and mixed climbing guidebooks of Western Canada into one digital version. Information is still being added, but it will soon be the go-to for winter climbing.

Ice Mixed App

Conditions Sites This might seem old-school, but conditions sites are often moderated by local climbers and can be more easily searched than social media.

In Ontario, Andriy Kolos does a good job at updating Ontario conditions here, all of out east (Ontario, Quebec, Maritime) here, in B.C. you can find them here and in Alberta here.

ACC, Guides and Guidebooks: Before you go relying on quick answers from social media, go to the experts. There are climbing guides in nearly every province in Canada and they are there to help. Your safety and knowledge about an ice climbing is worth the cost of hiring a guide for a day.

Guidebooks are still big business in Canada. There are printed guidebooks for most of the winter areas. Some of them are out of print, but can be found at the local library or by asking around town. They’re full of valuable information.

The Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) has been offering introductory courses and seminars for decades. Find your local section and touch base with them. Being a member of the club is how many ice climbers get started. More here.

Some Canadian ice/mixed guidebooks

The post Five Canadian Ice Climbing Resources appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

It was one year ago that Nalle Hukkataival climbed the world’s first V17. The steep and technical route was called the Lappnor Project but he named it Burden of Dreams after the climb.

There have been many big breakthroughs in the world of climbing, from Adam Ondra climbing 5.15d and Margo Hayes climbing two 5.15a routes to Alex Honnold free-soloing Freerider 5.13a on El Cap.

But 2017 saw fewer hard bouldering sends than 2016. Some notable climbs this year were Anna Stohr’s V14 and Alex Puccio many V13 sends, Jimmy Webb’s repeat of Black Lagoon V16 and Hukkataival’s new Finnish Line V16 (which was quickly repeated by Alex Megos).

Had an awesome climbing day in Upper Upper RMNP yesterday! I have always wanted to check out "The Shining" V13/8B and yesterday i got the chance to. I was able to send the boulder after about a couple hours of work trying to figure out a way around all the wet holds! This is such an amazing line and would have been even better to climb if there wasn't a massive pool under the Boulder. ☔️ Also psyched I managed to flash "Roundhouse" V10/7C+ , another awesome line, just before this send. Ticking more off in Upper Upper feels good, the hike is a killer! Thank you @joelzerr for the support and !!! @scarpana @petzl_official @frictionlabs @e9clothing @us_e9 #longsummerdays #climbing #bouldering #sending #loveit❤️ #gettingfitter #darkhole

A post shared by Alex Puccio (@alex_puccio89) on Jul 17, 2017 at 9:55am PDT

In Canada, Ben Harnden made the third ascent of The North Ridge V14 in Gibb’s Cave on the West Coast. In Spain, Alberto Rocasolano made the first ascent of Eternity V14/15 and Kaizen, a 5.14 traverse.

Japanese crusher Ryohei Kameyama repeated Jour de Chasse V15 and The Big Island V15, Mecanique Elementaire V14, Gecko Assis V14 or The Trap House V14. Earlier this year, Dai Koyamada made the first ascent of Yokuto V16 at Gero in Japan.

In Austria, Christof Rauch repeated Zunami V15 and Sound of Silence V15, both first climbed by Bernhard Schwaiger. In Fontainebleau, barefoot climber Charles Albert made the first ascent of the extension to La Révolutionnaire V16, the first of the grade in the area.

Adam Ondra recently made the first ascents of Drift V15 and Vrtule, which he graded V15/16 at Holštejn in Czech Republic. Also recently, Webb climbed his 14th V15 with the first ascent of The Outer Limits at Donner Summit in California.

As a quick side note, of the 20 countries with a V15 there are 13 in Europe. Click to watch Stohr’s recent climb of Penrose Step V14 at Leavenworth.

here is the video (please excuse the bad quality) of 'the penrose step' v14 in #leavenworth…. for me it's just a beautiful line and i am still freaking psyched that i climbed it!!!!! • #turndownthevolume #bestspotter @mammut_absolute_alpine @lasportivagram #raiffeisen #myinnsbruck

A post shared by Anna Stöhr (@anna_stoehr) on Nov 14, 2017 at 12:31pm PST

The post Hard International Bouldering Sends 2017 appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Is it possible to climb an 8,000-metre mountain in two weeks? What sort of acclimatization is necessary and how does it affect the body?

These are the questions Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg were asking themselves. To find the answer they set off to climb Cho Oyu (8,220m) in May using a new method of acclimatization that could revolutionize climbing.

A post shared by Kilian Jornet (@kilianjornet) on Nov 23, 2017 at 5:22am PST

As Kilian says: “Although we did reach the summit, for us that wasn’t the important thing. What interested us was to see how we felt after an acclimatization that was totally different from any we’d done before.”

In addition to the climber’s experience, the film features Dr. Daniel Brotons, a specialist in mountaineering medicine, who looks at the expedition from a scientific perspective and what this sort of acclimatization might mean for other athletes.

Meanwhile, the last film in the Summits of My Life project, which covers Kilian’s double ascent of Everest, is in production and should be completed by early 2018.

The post Kilian Jornet Explores Fast Acclimatization appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Bouldering has its hazards like any style of climbing. Falling a big distance onto bouldering pads doesn’t always end well.

Common bouldering injuries are pulled fingers, broken wrists and rolled ankles. But for the unfortunate boulderer, sometimes big pieces of the problem break off and fall in your lap.

In the video below, the climber is nearing the end of a problem in Little Rock Canyon, Provo, Utah, when a big chunck breaks off.

The climber falls from the top and lands out of view onto pads. You can see the final holds were in a crack, which fractures the block off.

“I was able to hike out and drive to care, but sustained broken fibula, laceration (six stitches), partial tear of tendon, a nasty scrape and a decent bruise.”

The post Watch Boulder Break in Climber’s Lap appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Within the Canadian climbing community there is a tradition of rebelliousness and iconoclasm. Even in these days of excessive media hype and blatant commercialism many climbers still see themselves as outsider, as somehow different. Where did this attitude come from?

Before the Second World War in Canada, climber were pillars of the community; clergymen, Major-Generals, police chiefs even. The class conscious, British style, Alpine Club of Canada was the dominant organization and conformity was the rule.

Four mountain summits of a truly alpine nature were required to be admitted to the ACC ranks. At the club’s annual camp no climbing was allowed on Sunday. Instead, a church service, often led by Major Rex Gibson, a leading alpinist of the day, was in order. What changed all this?

In 1945, much of the world was in ruins. Disillusioned Brits and Europeans found their way to Canada, bringing with them a new climbing ethic, an ethic that had flourished earlier in depression era Austria, Germany and Italy. It was one of hard living and very hard climbing. It was a working man’s ethic and most of the leading climbers of the era were tradesmen: iron workers, stone masons, gardeners, carpenters and plumbers.

This was the philosophy that drove Anderl Heckmair on the North Face of the Eiger, and Ricardo Cassin on the Walker Spur of Les Grandes Jorasses. And it was the ethic that would drive Joe Brown and Don Whillans from the Welsh crags to the Himalaya. Climbing had become a sport where the poorest of men could achieve great deeds.

Here in Canada this egalitarian approach found fertile soil. It did so first in the province of Quebec, during the 1950s, where Englishman John Turner teamed up with Quebecois Claude Lavelle to take the Club de Montagne Canadien to the leading edge of the sport. Politics and language were left behind in the searh for adventure and the joy of life.

In Calgary, the Rockies crowd joined together in 1960 to create the Calgary Mountain Club. Originally Austro-German in nature, the club eschewed outdated ACC traditions. Pitons and aid climbing were accepted, and so were the rebellious local teenagers.

Climbing Red Shirt on Yamnuska in the late 1960s. Photo Urs Kallen

There was no longer any need to go through an ACC ice school carving steps up a modest slope with and aging patriarch. Instead, the CMC encouraged young climbers like myself to take our chances on Yamnuska. “Go for it,” they said. “If you can’t get up the hard bit, you can always rap off. It’s the only way to learn.”

During the late 1960s and early 1970s climbing legend Brian Greenwood led the CMC through its most prolific era. Jon Jones, Bugs McKeith, George Homer, Rob Wood and Jack Firth, all working class Brits, set the standard for the day: hard drinking, hard climbing, little protection and no pretences. “Taking the piss” out of innocent young Canadian climbers was their favourite pastime.

The Canadian climbing revolution arrived last on the West Coast. Here it was Gordie Smaill in the late 1960s who started the Squamish Hardcore. Even to this day Squamish climbers know they are supposed to be rebels but they don’t know why.

Tim Auger, John Lauchlan, Jack Firth, Bugs McKeith and Rob Wood in 1970s

With partners like Neil Bennett, Smaill set a standard of bold and fearless climbing on routes like Grim Reaper in Yosemite and an early ascent of North America Wall. Not long after, Steve Sutton and Hugh Burton picked up the torch, climbing Magic Mushroom and Mescalito on the great wall of El Capitan, two of the most difficult climbs of the era. Their drug o choice was not alcohol however.

Today we live and climb in a different world. Sport climbing has gone mainstream and TSN regularly broadcasts ice climbing competitions. Some climbers are even seen as role models and give high-priced lectures on personal growth.

Climbers come from all walks of life and that person next to you at the climbing gym may be an executive for some major corporation or perhaps a suburban mother of three. But today’s climbers still bask in the inherited glory of our rebellious past and many of us in our own small way still try to keep the flame alive.

This piece was written by Chic Scott for the Oct/Nov 2000 issue of Gripped magazine. Scott, who is based in Banff, needs little introduction to Gripped readers. He is the author of many books, including Pushing the Limits, the History of Canadian Mountaineering.

Chic Scott in 1973. Photo Glen Boles

The post Canadian Traditions: Hard Partying and Hard Climbing appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

The second last Youth competition in Alberta for 2017 took place at the Calgary Climbing Centre Chinook on Nov. 25.

Alex Fricker, who just returned from three months of sport climbing in Europe, took first place in Junoir Boys.

Fricker said he was unsure of his bouldering strength after the extended trip, where he climbed two 5.14s.

The next Youth comp will be at the Wilson Centre on Dec. 9. For full results visit here. Category winners below.

Junior Male/Female: Alex Fricker / Lisa Van de Panne
Youth A Male/Female: Dylan Bokenfohr / Paige Boklaschuk
Youth B Male/Female: TJ Foley / Grace Wieninger
Youth C Male/Female: Adam Edwards / Alexa Vanier
Youth D Male/Feamle: Evan Lau / Oceane Gelinas

Results are coming in for today’s comp. check out our Facebook or website for links. #calgaryclimbing #climbingtogether #comp #didimakeit #makingthecut

A post shared by Calgary Climbing Centre (@calgaryclimbing) on Nov 25, 2017 at 1:22pm PST

The post Alberta Comps: CCC Chinook Hosts Youth Event appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

At Centres d’Escalade Délire in Quebec, some of the provinces top climbers took to the walls for one of the best comps of the season.

The FQME/CEC National Series was the second last of the 2017 year before the holiday break and the 2018 comps ramp up. The next event is at the new Beta Crux.

Babette Roy and Nathan Smith took top spots. Top eight Finalists are below. For full results visit here.

Finals Female/Male
1. Babette Roy / Nathan Smith
2. Olivia Wyett / Lucas Uchida
3. Veronique Gosselin / Seb Lazure
4. Jordan Skrok / Zach Richardson
5. Marie-Helene Tremblay / Falco Filotto
6. Alex Kuusela / Remi Chrusten
7. Audrey Larochelle / Fred Charron
8. Shui Yee Kuan / Jake Tiger

Big Quebec comp at @delireescalade this weekend! Here’s @zachclimbs who finished fourth. Results in profile link! #bouldering #cec #climbcanada #escaladequebec

A post shared by Gripped Magazine Comps (@grippedmagazinecomps) on Nov 27, 2017 at 8:33am PST

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