Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2022 i Vertical Life

“Wonderful to see the effort that went into giving space to new voices and such great acknowledgment of the diversity of the climbing community.” “It’s a more accurate reflection of the climbing community” “Congratulations on a really different mag. I normally get bored reading climbing mags, but I was really absorbed with this edition.” Since starting this wild ride that’s been the VL co-editorship, it’s been overwhelming to hear from so many different types of climbers who have seen themselves reflected in the magazine for the first time. Conversations like this have served as testament to our decision to open the doors of Vertical Life a little wider - to reflect the vast, deep and diverse community we see both in our gyms and at the crag. This decision hasn’t…

It’s not often you can say that two hours went by in the blink of an eye, but Niall Grimes’ interview with the talented Taylor Parsons for Jam Crack podcast does just that. Those who have been in the bouldering community for a while (and even those who haven’t) are almost certainly aware of the incredible climbing achievements Taylor Parsons has under her belt. In this interview, Taylor offers raw, genuine and engaging insight into her past as an elite athlete, and her tumultuous journey to realising her true identity. If you’re looking for a climbing highlights reel, this isn’t where you’ll get it. What you will get is a refreshingly honest reflection of one person’s journey to finding peace and their place in a community. Taylor really leaves no…

Patagonia is a land of contrasts. Turquoise green lakes almost glow amongst grey glacial moraines, as dense ice grinds away at gigantic granite monoliths, sculpting valleys and lakes, the landscape remains in a state of continuous transformation. The human eye has marveled at these ranges for thousands of years, and as the lichen and beech forests have crept on such inhospitable and storm ridden terrain, so has the curious climber. Going further than just admiration, and attempting to scale the vertical towers that rise up between the flat pampas and erratic Patagonian Archipelago. As I read Alan Kearney’s ‘Mountaineering in Patagonia’, tales of incredible first ascents makes me dream of having been here during the late 50s and 60s - climbing in what Renowned Slovenian alpinist Silvo Karo would call,…

Go to pre-comp meal: Something pretty basic honestly, like rice and tofu with veggies. All-time climbing idol: Jain Kim (Korea) Would you rather compete without shoes or without chalk? Without shoes, I’d say. I’m too sweaty to compete without chalk. Favourite location on the IFSC calendar: Probably Chamonix, France. Cracks in comps…yay or nay? Sparingly! Textured cracks can leave a lot of blood behind, which is a huge technical incident for a competitor, so I’m not sure they really make a lot of sense in competition. Favourite thing to train: Board Climbing What’s your secret weapon? My thumbs (more specifically my pinch strength). Tell us about your first comp I’d done a few social comps here and there, but my first sanctioned event was the 2011 State Lead Title. I…

If there’s one thing we know climbers love, it’s food. Whether it’s fresh pasta at camp, a much-needed crag snack, or even a melted Clifbar halfway up a multi-pitch…we’re here for it. Food plays a larger role than just fueling our bodies and driving performance - food is language. Through food, we share stories, emotions, and small bits of chalk (that’s right, we know you didn’t wash your hands ya filthy dirtbag). Food is also culture. For centuries people have passed stories between generations over bowls of soup (or in Coz’ case, Gulyásleves) - not too dissimilar to climbers of yore sharing their tales of woah with young frothers, over campfire delicacies in the Pines. So here o’ hungry climbers, you’ll find recipes and the stories behind them that bring…

If you’re a climber who has dreamed of ascending the gorgeous granite of Yosemite and haven’t yet, read this book. Just know you’ll finish it with a serious case of adventure envy. The first compilation that celebrates the women who were and are at the heart of Yosemite climbing, Valley of Giants has assembled stories from quite the cast list. From Bea Vogel who forged her own pitons to Molly Higgins who participated in the first all-female ascent of the Nose on El Capitan to Liz Robbins who established routes in Yosemite Valley during the Golden Age. Pioneering Stonemasters like Lynn Hill, as well as many other notable climbers, including Steph Davis, Kate Rutherford, Beth Rodden, Chelsea Griffie, Libby Sauter, and more share their stories and medley of emotions felt…

Often when we think about professional athletes we think of indestructible, infallible humanoids who execute their goals with cyborg-like precision. They’re masters of everything and students of nothing - all-knowing and forever succeeding. In reality, athletes are just as fallible as the rest of us. Learning new skills involves hard-won lessons, no matter who you are. It takes courage to throw yourself into something new, I’d argue that it takes some serious grit to do that with the world watching you - expecting immediate perfection because your profession usually demands it. We’re familiar with the stories of accomplished climbers transitioning out of climbing (paragliding, anyone?), but what’s it like to break in? In this reflective piece, professional skier, boundary breaker, and passionate advocate for women in snow sports - Janina…

My trusted The North Face Nuptse down jacket was an aquamarine(ish) marvel. Pre-greased and pre-stained a shiny brown from it’s previous owner who’d lived more than a few seasons in the Pines, Arapiles. He’d palmed it off to me for twenty bucks and thought he’d ripped me off but I knew I’d come away from the transaction the better. I knew right away that I had myself a new life partner. It was a thing of beauty and the first of my forays into the world of down jackets. Apparently, they had feathers in them, which helped keep you warm. I didn’t understand it, “Who makes jackets with feathers?” - but I rolled with it. After all, I’d seen Herman Buhl and Wolfgang Gullich wearing similar jackets during their heroic…

Issue #38 brought us ‘Growing Pains’ by Angie Scarth-Johnson. She dug deep into what it felt like to move from child prodigy to Australia’s strongest female climber. Her insights and hardwon lessons had us especially reflective over here at VL HQ, as Coz was turning 30 and roping everyone into their age-induced existential crisis… No matter the catalyst for reflection, aging begs us to ask the question “What’s next?”. It draws us deeper into self-questioning and commands contemplation in a way little else can. While pop culture would have us believe that aging is something we should fear, stories like Ian’s remind us that growing old and doing what we love is a privilege - and that the best really is yet to come. An old man shoulders a pack…

As an infamously late riser, there are only 2 things that’ll get me up early; coffee or a stonkingly good multi (alpine starts and multis go together like coffee and more coffee). And for maximum efficiency on such mornings you and your climbing partner must work together like a well-oiled machine…except the oil is coffee. If one person is on breakfast, then the other is on packing ‘n’ racking, someone readies lunch, the other snacks ‘n’ brunch. But most importantly of all, someone’s gotta make the damn coffee! This recipe is for those kinds of mornings, use it for maximum efficiency or maximum laziness, either way, it’ll buy you about 10 minutes. BEST FOR: » Alpine starts» Lazy bastards» Snoozing under false pretences YOU’LL NEED: » Aeropress and 3-5 paper…

Both my parents have a fear of heights, or at least they claim to. They have never tried climbing before and they have no desire to try. Climbing wasn’t on their radar at all, so when a 13 year old me comes home excited to share my first experience climbing at the school gymnasium they weren’t exactly impressed. Nevertheless, they drove me to the local climbing wall every Monday night for years. Here is where my journey as a climber started. I wouldn’t say I had natural climbing talent. But I did excel at athletics, running, and swimming. I favoured individual sports - which is another way of saying I liked control. The thought of winning or losing a game because someone in the team did well or made a…

Not only does subscribing to VL give you that same buzz of scoring some free crag booty, minus the 20 minutes spent hammering your nut tool with a hex - it also helps support the climbing community. We love our contributors and photographers here at VL (almost as much as we love free gear), which is why all those subscriber dollarydoos go towards getting more funds into their chalky hands, and more quality content into yours. SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS ✔ NEVER MISS AN ISSUE ✔ FREE DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR ✔ GREAT GIFT IDEA ✔ GET THE MAG BEFORE IT HITS THE NEWSSTAND FREE MOUNTAIN PONY 20L BACKPACK VALUED RRP $59.99 PLEASE REGISTER MY VERTICAL LIFE SUBSCRIPTION FOR: IT'S EASY TO ORDER SUBSCRIBE.VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM.AU 08 2887 6486 ADVENTURE ENTERTAINMENT, PO BOX 161 HORNSBY NSW 1630…