Gripped: The Climbing Magazine February/March 2024 Vol. 26 Issue 1

We’re on the doorstep of another rock climbing season, which will probably be the busiest one since Pierre Allain introduced the first climbing shoe, the PA Boot, to the market in 1930. With the popularity of climbing at an all-time high, it’s more important than ever to join local access groups, practise good climbing etiquette and to be a positive mentor. There’s no room in climbing for negativity about how popular the sport is because that bad energy can be passed on to newer climbers. And it’s important to remember that our shared love of climbing is why we need to support each other, both at the crag and online. If there are situations that require conversations about ethics or access, it’s better to resolve them in private conversations or…

Camp Rocket Plus Ice Screw $90 Made from chromoly steel, this light screw cranks into the ice smoothly every time. The teeth are designed to grip and rip any density of ice so you don’t have to fight for a placement on those Arctic-temp days. A great option for ice and alpine climbers. Metolius Big Nuts $26 Every trad climber needs a few big pieces of protection on their harness, whether its active or passive protection. Coming in four sizes, the Metolius Big Nuts are some of the best options on the market for wider features where only a larger nut will work. Arc’teryx Kyanite Pullover Hoody $180 This nearly perfect mid-layer will keep you comfortable when on an ice climb or at the crag. It’s a stretchy fleece that’s…

Yamnuska is one of North America’s most iconic peaks, with over 120 routes, a history of epics and some of the best pitches at the grade in the Canadian Rockies. The best way to learn how to climb on Yamnuska is to start on the easier routes and progress up through the grades and styles. And one of the best climbs to start on is Easy Street. Before you try it or any other route on Yamnuska, however, you want to be a proficient trad climber, good at route finding and have your multi-pitch and rescue skills dialled. If you’re a competent limestone trad climber, then we recommend trying a few moderates, like Easy Street. Despite it being graded 5.6, there are run outs up to 50 feet and sections…

Wyoming is home to some of the best ice climbs in America, from single-pitch test-pieces to multi-pitch classics. Many of those must-climb routes are found in Shoshone Canyon, west of Cody. In summer, the canyon is home to popular sandstone boulders and limestone crags, but climbers from all around visit in winter for the world class ice climbs, including Ovisight. The three-pitch line is visible from the South Fork Road as a tiered-out route that forms on vertical walls separated by slopes. It dominated an area far up the Legg Creek drainage. It was first climbed in 1991 by Alex Lowe and Stan Price. It’s a coveted test-piece for any ice climber. The approach follows potentially deep snow to a few short ice bulges and a 30-metre WI4 pitch called…

Antarctica is home to several research stations that are populated year-round, and two of them are home to climbing gyms. The gyms were built for and by the people living at stations and popular training spaces. At the Amundsen-Scott Station is a small bouldering cave, and at the McMurdo Station is a taller wall with a handful of top-rope routes. Nathan Cannon, who works at the Amundsen-Scott Station as a mechanical engineer from time to time, said that there are a handful of climbers who work there. The bouldering gym is found in a shed in an area called the Summer Camp a few hundred metres from the main station. The cave itself is found in a small shed-like building and has several walls with problems that range from easy…

The Dolomites offer every type of climbing imaginable, including drytooling. The landscape is a balance of both expansive mountain vista and human existence. Unlike the backcountry of the U.S. or Canada, in northern Italy, you’ll see little ski chalets and tiny churches peppered throughout even the least likely of landscapes, then chairlifts and gondolas traveling great distances to even the tallest of peaks. Autumn in the Dolomites has its definite advantages as the prime time for a climbing trip. Since it’s the shoulder season, tourism chaos has dwindled such that car rentals and hotel/Airbnb stays are much more affordable. Roads and construction are less busy, reducing backups along the winding switchbacks. The view is always inspiring as the season changes in the mountains. This transition time in the Dolomites delivers…