Culture

Head trauma is among the most feared and catastrophic injuries in climbing. So why aren't more rock climbers wearing helmets?

"We hadn’t accomplished our goal of free-climbing 'The Diagonal,' but it was one of the wildest days of my life. After that, I stopped climbing for a few months, spooked."

Are bolt-on holds ugly? Yes. But they can be easily hammered off, whereas chipped holds may be harder to fix. (Of course, it’s best to do neither!)

This painstakingly researched new book collects the forgotten histories of mountaineerings often-overlooked high-altitude workers

In 'A Light Through The Cracks,' Rodden is unflinching in her portrait of herself, freely and viscerally putting her raw emotions on display.

Sam Lawson's Wedge Climbing is is one of the most artful climbing channels on YouTube. But he worries that relying his passion for his livelihood “would potentially ruin it for me.” We asked why.

In a sport that basically invented the phrase “inherent risk,” death is common. Yet for all the stories about lives lost to climbing, there are many, many more lives that have been saved by climbs.

You loved the mountains, you taught us how to enjoy them, and you always made us laugh. The world needed more of you.

Most climbers know their ape index, but do you know how to calculate your sloth index? And what about your snake index?

For Tom Bolger, being a pro climber also means being an Airbnb host and an offshore oil rigger. His philosophy: being a pro is about doing whatever you can to climb as much as you can.

Sidelined by an ignoble injury, Dave Pagel contemplates his return to a sport that has moved on without him—or is it the other way around?

You, me, and everyone else reading this article could go full caveman and it still wouldn’t have a measurable effect on the pace at which our climate is changing. But it’s important to walk the walk.

In an online world showcasing young, impossibly fit climbers, Jeremy Arntz—heavyset, middle aged—is proving that the sport is accessible to all body types.

Famed mountaineer, filmmaker, and Everest pioneer David Breashears died on March 14. Those who knew him best share memories of the legendary alpinist.

Roughly from 1986 to 1993, Armando Menocal was one of the founders and de facto leader of the nascent Access Fund. It is hard to imagine where climbing would be today without him. He fought for climbers’ rights, and though he wasn’t a fan of bolts he believed the government shouldn’t dictate how or where climbers place them. When government agencies tried to ban bolts, Armando stood in their way.

Watch Swiss climber and paragliding pilot Mario Heller team up with Argentina’s Pablo Pontoriero and Switzerland’s Roger Schäli to climb up and fly off Cerro Torre.

Allison Vest is a three-time Canadian Bouldering Champion. Here, in the form of a poem, she offers a mantra for other female climbers.

Establishing new routes is tons of work and takes a vision and drive (and lots of free time), but it's also a selfish pursuit, done to make the FAer happy.

Not everyone has a smooth entry point into climbing, and not everyone starts in a friendly, supportive community. Let’s change that.

It’s easy to think that we can look after our pets’ needs at the cliff, but, in reality, we can’t.

In 2023, Catalina Shirley took a life-threatening fall and questioned whether she’d ever lead again. This year, she returned to the site—and became the first American to podium in an Ice Climbing Lead World Cup.

The trial will be followed by a sentencing hearing, scheduled for May 21. Barrett faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Our weirdness also makes us odd dating material, both within our community and with the non-climbing normies, baffled by our filthy, impoverished, obsessive ways

We chatted with Kai Lightner about diversity in the climbing world; misconceptions about how accessible climbing is for people of color; his nonprofit Climbing For Change; and—of course—his current climbing and training goals

Federal prosecutors allege that Charles Barrett—a prominent member of the Northern California climbing community who goes to trial for sexual assault next week—is a serial offender with a shocking history of violence, harassment, and intimidation. An exclusive investigation into his life and alleged actions raises troubling questions about the dangers women continue to face in the outdoors.

Picture a climber in your head. What does that person look like? The institutions that caused this gap in the first place are deeply entrenched and won’t just go away.

A retired physician's efforts to mitigate his Parkinson’s symptoms catalyzed a program that would turn a climbing gym into a research facility.

Kitty Calhoun has climbed hard alpine faces around the world, but her biggest struggles have come at home: dealing with death, identity, and a complex family history.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

“Climbers We Lost” is an annual tribute to community members we've lost in the past year.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

Each January we post a farewell tribute to those members of our community lost in the year just past. Some of the people you may have heard of, some not. All are part of our community and contributed to climbing.

You've heard of Alex Honnold and all of his groundbreaking ropeless ascents. But here are a few things you may not have known about Honnold, many of which are also quite impressive.

This is not a list of 2023's most viewed stories or greatest ascents; instead, we compiled these pieces because you, our readers, spent serious time reading them. 

Most climbing clinics have boring agendas of played-out rope skills. Here are the clinics we actually need.

The second ascent of the world’s first V17 // The world’s third 5.15d gets sent on livestream // James Pearson announces (for a second time) that he’s just done the world’s first E12 // And one of the Himalaya’s most intense North Faces finally see a first ascent.

Historically, climbers cut their teeth with the help of guides or mentors. Now, a new climber can follow, scroll, and like their way towards proficiency. Or can they?

After months of consideration, James Pearson has decided to call 'Bon Voyage' the world’s first E12—fifteen years after first proposing the same grade

Dating a mountain guide can sound sexy, but there’s a lot of fine print. Here’s a primer.

Closures of famous crags are encouraging new development further afield, and widening the often-insular route-development community.

One of the biggest trends of late is that of celebrities getting into climbing. This got me to thinking about how I might jump on the bandwagon and polish my own brand.

These climbers—many of which are women of color—are claiming space in climbing media by showcasing their vulnerability.

Alex Honnold has done quite a bit more than just boulder El Cap. Here’s what you didn’t know about climbing’s biggest celebrity

New to climbing? Gym bro, the shirtless dude who's constantly filming himself and campusing, can help.

It’s a question that’s more pressing than ever.

As good as Roper was at writing and editing, he was also one heck of a climber whose résumé during the Golden Age of Yosemite put him amongst the best of his generation.

The Brutemaker 5000 wasn't a fingerboard, it was a way of life.

I’ve finally figured it out (I think)….

It's officially time reconcile your desire to send with reality of the shifting seasons.

Or, why you shouldn't get angry at your climbing partner, stalk off across a remote Alaskan glacier alone, and fall unseen into a crevasse.

"Most people go to the climbing gym for training. I simply train outdoors on my projects."