Gripped: The Climbing Magazine August/September Vol. 23 Issue 4

The push to change racist and sexist route names has had lasting impacts on the Canadian climbing scene. From coast to coast, guidebook authors have taken the reigns and changed dozens of offensive names. There’s been consensus throughout the world among authors, new-routers and veteran climbers that fixing the wrongs of the past is not only necessary but urgent. There’s still a long way to go to ensure the sport of climbing is accessible to everyone in the future, but steps were quickly taken to make crags a nicer place to be. The theme of the 2021 Canadian Alpine Journal is one of forgiveness and education. Sean Isaac, editor and alpine guide, used his editorial to announce the change to some racist winter route names from 20 years and to…

Keen Women’s Elle Backstrap Sandal $80 A new sporty sandal that features stretchy straps made from 100 per cent recycled bottles and an outsole that uses less rubber than other models. They’re true to size, made with quality material and built to last. Great for the crag, gym and a post-climb night on the town. Metolius Locking Anchor Draw $40 The Anchor Draw is a safe and easy-to-use personal anchor system for sport climbers. It has two screw-lock carabiners on a 178-mm sling. The captured eye carabiners prevent off-axis loading. It weighs 108 grams and can handle 22 kn. It’s quick, convenient, and ensures your safety when feeding a rope through the anchor. DMM Alpha Sport Quickdraw $36 The Alpha is one of the best sport climbing quickdraws on the…

Squamish-based Bronwyn Hodgins freed the 36-pitch Golden Gate 5.13a on El Capitan this spring. In 2018, Hodgins became the first Canadian woman to free a route on El Cap with Freerider over five days, with Jacob Cook supporting. Hodgins grew up in Perth, Ont., a small, rural town an hour east of Ottawa, and learned to climb on gritstone in England on a university exchange. Hodgins moved to Squamish in January 2017, where she now works as an Association of Canadian Mountain Guides rock climbing guide. She became the third woman to redpoint the Golden Gate after Hazel Findlay and Emily Harrington. 1 How long had you wanted to free El Cap before Freerider? It’s hard for me to pin down the exact moment that idea crept into my mind.…

New Eight-Pitch 5.8 in Squamish Over the past year, there’s been a lot of development in Squamish. Huge new bolted climbs are being added to remote areas up FSRS, and new walls are being uncovered at close-to-town crags. The Spirit of Squamish is a new eight-pitch 5.8 by Aaron Kristiansen and Cameron Hunt that took around nine months of effort to establish. It’s an extension of the classic Klahanie Crack, one of the top 100 climbs in the Sea to Sky. Kristiansen noted in his new-route report, “You may discover that this celebrated classic is not the best pitch on the route.” For gear, you need a single rack to four inches with triples in the one and two. To descend, hike down the Upper Falls Trail. Squamish A4 Repeated…

Alannah Yip’s First V12 Olympian Alannah Yip climbed the test-piece boulder problem Room Service V12 in Squamish. The first ascent was by Sean McColl in 2011, who said after his send: “Prow just left of Singularity. Start with your right hand on the rail, left hand on the arete as low as possible on the little crimp pinch.” 10-Year-Old Crusher Meini Li, 10, climbed her first 5.14 with China’s China Climb. Li is one of the top youth climbers in the country with dozens of podiums finishes at national comps in boulder, speed and lead over the past few years. She’s the youngest Chinese climber to send 5.14a and the third Chinese female after Ting Xiao and Weijun Huang. Extreme Rock James McHaffie became the first climber to complete all…

Emi Takashiba sent Pulse at Cheakamus Canyon north of Squamish, it was the first 5.14a in Canada ever climbed back in 1995 by Jim Sandford. It comes nearly four years after Alannah Yip made history and became the first woman to send it. In 2017, Takashiba became the first Youth C climber to ever be Canadian champion in lead, speed and boulder during a single season. It was the same year that Yip was the triple crown winner for open. In 2020, Takashiba climbed Division Bell 5.13d, another classic line on the Big Show where Pulse is. Other hard Squamish routes she’s repeated include Young Blood 5.13a and The Seam V9. We touched base with Takashiba about ticking her first 5.14 below. Be sure to follow her on Instagram @emi_takashiba.…