Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025/January 2026 Volume 27 Issue 6 i Gripped: The Climbing Magazine

For more than two decades, Gord McArthur has stood as one of Canada’s defining figures in the world of mixed and competition ice climbing, a driven athlete who has carried the maple leaf on the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup circuit season after season. His story, though, goes far deeper than frozen walls, steel picks, and podiums. Now, with the upcoming release of his new book, Throwing Hope, McArthur opens a window into the mental and emotional terrain that has shaped his career, one that’s as steep and unforgiving as any route in the Rockies. “I’ve lived through a lot of shit,” he says bluntly. “I’ve experienced a lot of death, trauma, grief. But I’ve also found myself in successful moments that were absolutely life-changing. I feel like the book…

In the maze of red and gray stone west of Las Vegas, a new moderate route has joined Red Rock Canyon’s growing list of must-climb bolted multi-pitches. Land Before Time climbs a weathered buttress in the remote badlands beyond Calico Hills, offering six pitches of varied face and slab climbing through chert-streaked limestone. Established in November 2023 by Sam Boyce and Lani Chapko, the route sits between Mr. Bones Wild Ride and Bone Collector, tracing a subtle line of cracks and edges that rise toward the skyline. Despite its proximity to the city—it’s less than an hour from the Strip—the wall feels more isolated than walls in Red Rocks. Access starts from Kettle Ridge Drive on the west side of the conservation area. Follow the Cleod 9 mountain bike trail…

A massive ice wall in the Rockies, virtually unseen unless you’re flying above it, has become the stage for one of the most audacious ice climbing projects of recent years. In what legendary ice climber Will Gadd describes as “the most full-on, intense, radical, complex and cool climbing zone I’ve ever experienced,” he and partner Kirk Mauthner spent three brutal winters turning what was a rumour of ice into four brand-new routes on the face of Mount Soderholm. The area is hidden behind Mount Soderholm in the remote West Rockies of Alberta, so remote that it cannot be seen from road or trail. Mauthner initially spotted the ice curtain from the air, called Gadd, and what followed was obsession. “I’ve spent a lifetime looking for stuff like that, and it…

Nestled high in Pine Creek Canyon above Bishop, Gecko Wall, sometimes called the Planetarium/Gecko Wall sector, rises from the north-facing slope as an amphitheater for climbers chasing steep, pumpy routes. Perched at roughly 2,200 metres, this compact crag delivers a concentrated dose of 5.11 and 5.12 testpieces in a creekside setting that feels worlds away from the sun-blasted walls lower in the canyon. Gecko Wall can sometimes be climbable in winter, but only if the temps are mild. The approach Simple but seasonal Reach the wall from the Scheelite/Pratt’s Crack side of Pine Creek. From Bishop, head north on Highway 395, then west on Pine Creek Road past Rovana. The crag sits upstream, tucked behind the Dihedrals formation and hugging the creek. The hike is straightforward, though spring runoff can…

Mount Mulanje, a colossal massif, rises from the plains of southern Malawi like a dream of stone. Its rock walls soar as high as 5,500 feet. Below its apex of 9,850 feet, its upper plateau is a misty realm of whorled summits, cloud forests, and grasslands. Tufts of grass shimmer down its slabs. Spiky vellozia bushes burst from cracks. The syenite rock is often smooth, and climbers sometimes find themselves clinging to plants for scarce holds or slinging them for uncertain protection. In May 2024, Malawi climber Ed Nhlane and his Serbian friend Alex Grahovac scrambled toward the start of the West Face Direct of Chambe Peak (5.10 A1), one of the longest rock routes in Africa, first climbed by British mountaineers Frank Eastwood and Ian Howell in 1977. It…

Ice and Mixed Climbing, 2nd Edition By Will Gadd Mountaineers Books, 2025 Drawing inspiration from Nordic skiing and sport climbing, the second edition of Will Gadd’s Ice and Mixed Climbing advances a movement-based philosophy—one that applies both to individual pitches and to the route as a whole. No partner, Gadd insists, should remain at a belay for more than 20 minutes. Hands should feel as warm as they do while skiing uphill. Belays must be as secure as two-bolt anchors would be. Ice and mixed terrain, meanwhile, should be read as much as climbed. Provocatively, he also argues that any gear more than five years old is likely obsolete. At its heart, Gadd’s message is that a day spent ice or mixed climbing should be as engaging and rewarding as…

The North Face Women’s Osito Fleece Jacket $150 The Women’s Osito Fleece Jacket features fleece (315 g/m²) for plush insulation and cozy softness. It includes stretch cuffs, zippered hand pockets, and a tall collar to seal out drafts. A go-to midlayer for chilly crags. Petzl Adjama Harness $115 A harness with wide load-bearing panels for comfort and excellent weight distribution. It includes five gear loops (including a rear loop for extra gear), adjustable leg loops, and durable doubleback buckles. A proven choice for trad, multi-pitch, and ice missions. Patagonia Powder Town Beanie $59 This cool hat offers itch-free softness, quick-drying performance, and warmth even when damp. A three-inch rib-knit cuff allows a secure, customizable fit. Perfect for windy ridges or cold bouldering sessions, plus it looks fantastic. Camp Photon Mixed…

Ice climbing is one of the most demanding forms of climbing, combining technical skill, endurance, and preparation. Properly packing your ice climbing bag is crucial for safety, efficiency, and comfort on a cold day. Knowing what to bring, and how to organize it, can make the difference between a thrilling day out and a stressful experience. Clothing and Layers Cold weather protection is the foundation of a successful ice climb. Start with moisture-wicking base layers to keep sweat off your skin. Insulating mid-layers, such as fleece or lightweight down, provide warmth without restricting movement. A durable, waterproof outer shell will shield you from wind, snow, and ice spray. Over all this, pack a puffy coat for belays or rest periods, it’s lightweight, compressible, and a lifesaver when temperatures drop. Don’t…

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t go bouldering outdoors—you just need to pick your days carefully and come prepared with the right gear and tactics. Cold-weather climbing can actually offer incredible friction and fewer crowds, as long as you manage the conditions well. Here are 15 essential tips to help make your next winter bouldering trip a success. 1. Choose your days and boulders wisely To state the obvious, timing is everything. The warmer and calmer the day, the better. For most people, anything colder than around -5 C (23 F) becomes difficult to manage. Wind can make conditions feel far worse, so look for areas with sun exposure and natural windbreaks. After snowfall, consider whether your chosen boulder might be damp or seeping from melting snow or…

Ice climbing stretches across North America, from the Rockies to the Adirondacks. Each winter, waterfalls, pillars, and daggers freeze into climbable routes, then vanish by spring. Sometimes, they collapse mid-season. A single axe swing or a subtle rise in temperature can send a tonne of ice down from a wall, putting everyone below at risk. Two near-misses, one in Montana, one in Alberta, show how fast it can happen. On Jan. 27, 2023, Lauren Olivia Smith and Bailey Lasko skinned two hours into Hyalite Canyon, Mont., to reach Code Red, a WI5 pillar. The approach crossed avalanche terrain; the route itself was a 20-metre free-standing column. From the approach gully, the pillar looked off kilter but possibly safe. Up close, she confirmed that the upper part of Code Red appeared…

There are places in climbing where the history of routes can make them feel intimidating yet approachable. Hyalite Canyon is one of those places, and among its many frozen amphitheatres, none embody the spirit of Montana winter climbing quite like the Unnamed Wall. Requiring the ability to lead the routes, with no top-rope options, and located just far enough up the drainage to thin some of the crowds but close enough for a morning mission, the wall offers a concentration of climbs so good that Will Gadd once proposed renaming it the “Stacked Wall.” “It should really be called something that is more representative of the treasure box that it is,” Gadd says. “There are very few areas in the world with that much good natural winter climbing in such…

Scarpa Vapor V $229 A perennial best-seller, the Scarpa Vapor V combines a lower volume fit with Vibram XS Edge rubber for excellent edging support and sensitivity. Designed for a wide range of climbing, from beginner to advanced sport/trad, it offers a balanced blend of performance and comfort. Its synthetic upper resists stretch, while dual Velcro straps ease on/off and adjustability. A strong all-around climbing shoe, especially for those who want one pair to do it all. Unparallel UP Float $220 The UP Float from Unparallel brings a vegan-friendly synthetic upper, asymmetrical outsole, and a single-piece “slingshot” rubber construction for enhanced heel-hooking and sensitivity. A hard midsole and durable 3.5 mm split rubber means this shoe handles aggressive outdoor climbing while staying comfortable enough for indoor work. It sits in…

At just 22 years old, Connor Herson stands on the leading edge of a new generation of big-wall climbers. His latest feats on the granite monolith of El Capitan in California’s Yosemite Valley have already secured him a place among the greats: the first free ascent of the storied route Triple Direct and, only days later, a no-falls, nine-and-a-half-hour free ascent of the legendary Nose. His story is part talent, part lineage, and part sheer granite confrontation. Herson was born into a climbing family, and it shows. His father, Jim Herson, is a seasoned Yosemite climber, and by the time Connor was a teenager, the pair were already sharing ropes on some of the Valley’s biggest walls. His upbringing was steeped in climbing culture. Summers were spent in Yosemite, and…

This summer me and my friend Sean Bradbury spent a week in Alberta climbing on the beautiful limestone cliffs of the Bow Valley. We had a rad time sampling different crags and routes around the Canadian Rockies, including a day at the famous Planet X crag, some multipitch climbing in Banff, and a day at McGillivray Canyon. On the last day of the trip, my friend Evan Wong reached out to me and mentioned he wanted to shoot a “life-lister photo” on a route in the Stanley Headwall named The Wolverine Petting Zoo. Confused and intrigued by both the name of the route as well as Wong’s distinct keenness for this specific climb, I looked it up. I was feeling cooked after a 17-hour day on Mount Louis a few…

Pomme d’Or is one of the most recognized ice climbs in Quebec. Located in the Hautes-gorges de la rivière Malbaie, it has been a consistent objective for ice climbers for more than four decades. The first ascent was completed by Kurt Winkler and Jim Tierney in March, 1980. Winkler and Tierney’s ascent showed that large-scale ice in Quebec could be climbed with the techniques and equipment available at the time: straight-shafted tools, rigid crampons, and minimal protection. In 1989, the late Canadian Guy Lacelle made the first solo ascent. It’s one of the classiest ice lines in Quebec, a 360-metre ribbon of blue and gold that rises in unbroken tiers above the frozen Rivière Malbaie. No snow gullies, no tedious snow plods between pitches, just pure, vertical ice from the…

At dawn, the Gore Range lies quiet beneath a deep layer of snow. The first light catches the highway and windshields heading toward the ski lifts, before it slips into the narrow side canyons of East Vail. There, beneath the spruce and fir, a different crowd gathers, climbers strapping on crampons, swinging packs over their shoulders, and heading toward the frozen lines. When the cold comes hard to the Rockies, the gullies above Vail transform into one of the world’s most iconic places for ice and mixed climbing. In the heart of winter, every seep and waterfall becomes a pillar, every shaded rock holds a new challenge. The result is an improbable contrast: delicate, ephemeral ice routes tucked just minutes from luxury hotels and ski resorts. “It’s surreal,” says a…

There are many reasons to travel to Poland. It is a country rich in history, home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Kraków’s Old Town, the Churches of Peace, Wieliczka Salt Mine, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Malbork Castle. There are over 500 castles, many of which date back to the 13th century, and over 2,000 palaces. The food is unbelievably tasty, and the country’s big cities are rich in art, music, and culture. Poland also has some breathtaking nature, and perhaps more surprisingly, a ton of rock climbs. When people think of Polish climbing, they usually think of the Polish Jura (formally known as Jura Krakowsko, Częstochowska), an expansive region of limestone crags between Kraków and Częstochowa, housing over 10,000 routes. Interestingly, according to 8a.nu, the Polish Jura is one of…

Scarpa Phantom Tech Boots $999 These boots employ a lightweight Shell Tech HD upper with PrimaLoft Gold insulation and OrthoLite O-Therm for warmth in sub-zero temperatures. A PU Tek gaiter with HDry waterproof membrane ensures full weatherproofing, while the Dynamic Tech Roll sole delivers natural walking motion and secure crampon compatibility. Weighing 1,400 grams per pair, these single boots provide precision and dexterity for steep ice and technical mixed climbing without the bulk of doubles. La Sportiva G-Tech Boots $1,000 Boots that utilize an internal core-wrap shell with heat-insulating overlap construction and a 5 mm Carbon Z-Therm insole for ultralight thermal efficiency. Featuring a BOA Fit System, weatherproof zipper, and Vibram Ice-Tech sole, each boot weighs just 630 g. With a low-profile build, glove-friendly adjustments, and shock-absorbing SpringLug heels, they…

Youngest Female Solo of El Capitan Rell Lennox, 20, rope-soloed The Nose on El Capitan in fall. She’s now the youngest female to rope-solo El Cap to date. After her send, Lennox said, “My biggest takeaway is how proud I am of all the fem/them people who climb alone, especially those who have solo ascents of El Cap. Watching friends over the last year solo walls has always inspired me, but after experiencing this style of climbing myself I feel I look up to all of my friends who embark on these adventures so much more.” Be sure to follow her below for more climbing. Lennox joins a list of strong female climbers who have rope-soloed The Nose, including Soline Kentze who did it this spring. In 2016, Miranda Oakley…