Rock Climbing
Archive
I'm short on time and cash, and stuck out here on the East Coast, but am looking for a climbing destination on this side of the Mississippi that's equivalent to Liberty Bell. In other words, a fun, multi-pitch rock with a bit of a sense of accomplishment at the summit. What can you do for me? Richard Fairfax, VA
Now more than ever, the world could use some bright ideas. Like these.
Caught in an avalanche. Mastless in the Indian Ocean. Come back alive from your worst nightmare.
I'm looking for places in the east where I can do some sport climbing and camping. Can you hook me up? –Brendan Media, PA
Presenting the best of a new generation of action films, from mountain biking and snowboarding to skiing and climbing.
The latest films and fashions from seven of the brightest stars at this year's Mountainfilm in Telluride festival.
Last year, 20-year-old climber Daniel Woods finished a disappointing second at the Teva Mountain Games' IFSC Bouldering World Cup. But after a four-month climbing tour in Europe and then solving the first V16 bouldering problem on U.S. soil, the Boulder, Colorado–based prodigy is the favorite at this June's World Cup, in Vail, which no American male has ever wo
What happens when a rock climber, gripped by the natural high of his sport, gets hooked on powerful prescription tranquilizers that help him beat back the fear and anxiety? Very nasty things. MATT SAMET bares all about a long, life-threatening addiction journey that took him from the top of the mountain to a mental and physical free fall that nearly cost him hi
Talk to me about Spain in the late summer! I'm planning my trip now and want to have a hell of a time!—LisaBoulder, CO
What are the summer's best, off-the-beaten-path adventures in Europe?—MikeFramingham, MA
Love Acadia, the Tetons, and the Grand Canyon? Wait until you meet their crazy little cousins.
I live in Las Vegas and I spend a lot of time rock scrambling at Red Rock Canyon and I need a durable backpack. It seems that most packs are designed with weight over durability in mind. Unfortunately, Red Rock Canyon presents many "tight" spots which tend to damage these lighter-weight materials when they inevitably "drag" on the sandstone. Any suggestions?—BrianLas Vegas, NV
1. FELT ZW1 BIKE It looks fast, it feels fast, and it is fasteven if you’re not. The oversize carbon-fiber tubes are dialed for female riders; they were never too stiff, never too soft. Shimano’s finest Dura-Ace components, Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels, gel grips, and Felt’s women’s carbon saddle…
1. MT. BORAH CUSTOM With seven-week turnarounds and minimum orders of just six pieces, Mt. Borah makes customcycling gear easier than ever. Jerseys from $83; mtborahcustom.com 2. VITTORIA OPEN CORSA EVO CX The handmade CX can handle pressures up to 200 psi and is…
I'm a beginning climber. My hands and forearms are relatively weak, and crp up easily. What are the best exercises to increase hand and forearm strength? The Editors Santa Fe, New Mexico
I dislocated my shoulder rock climbing. What kind of exercises should I do to reduce the risk of it happening again? Eric Las Cruces, New Mexico
At only 24, Seattle's Colin Haley has turned heads around the world with career-making alpine climbs, including an unprecedented team traverse of Patagonia's torre massif. He's driven to be the best-risky business in an era when the cutting edge leaves no margin for error.
Tommy Caldwell needed a challenge, so he decided to hoist his clanking gear rack and free-climb one of Yosemite's hardest routes—a punishing 5.14 called Magic Mushroom—in 24 hours or less. Matt Samet was there from start to finish to watch the planning, training, and performance of a superhuman athlete at the top of his game.
Want to get beyond your misconceptions of long-vilified, suddenly mourned, ever-important China? Then go.
A degenerative nerve disease is destroying the body of Jeff Lowe, one of climbing's greatest athletes and innovators. He's seen hard times before, on mountains and in life. But how do you keep going when there's no way up?
Over the winter, in Yosemite Valley, the 28-year-old superclimber from Davis, California, notched the country's hardest trad climb, meaning she used nuts and camming devices only to catch her falls. It took Rodden 40 days and more than 80 attempts to scale Meltdown, a 70-foot, overhanging, finger-width crack rated 5.14.
June 5–8, bouldering’s World Cup returns to the U.S. for the first time in two decades, at the Teva Mountain Games, in Vail, Colorado. And Chris Sharma, who’s been living in Spain of late, comes with it. The 27-year-old Californian is one of the world’s strongest technical climbers but has…
I just discovered that I love bouldering and would like to plan a vacation around it. Where are some bouldering spots for beginners? Mike Boise, ID
1. WILSON AVP REPLICA BALL You might not be able to spike like Misty May-Treanor, but you won’t be able to blame the ball. This soft, composite-leather volleyball is a facsimile of what the pros use. $15; wilson.com Women’s Beach Gear Essentials 2. LOLË…
1. SHELL MontBell's Mistral Parka is a hooded squall shield that vents well enough for sweaty runs and packs down to a softball-size bundle. $110; montbell.com Trail-Running Gear Essentials 2. SUNGLASSES The new VR50 lenses in Oakley's Flak Jackets block blue light to make trail details…
When Pete Absolon, the Rocky Mountain director of NOLS, set out for a climb in Wyoming's Wind River Range, life couldn't have been better. A deadly mistake by another man ended it all in an instant—and started a nightmare that's never going to stop.
This past summer, American climbers Cedar Wright, 32, and Renan Ozturk, 27, combined two ambitious expeditions on two continents into a novel summerlong quest they dubbed Alaskastan ’07. Starting in Alaska’s Ruth Gorge, near McKinley, on June 17, they completed four first ascents of granite big walls in 13 days.
The next milestones of adventure aren't about reaching new heights. They're about changing the game.
I’m new to climbing and have been to several stores both local and online looking for gear. I concerned with safety and see all different brands (SMC, Petzl, Omega), shapes, materials, and sizes of carabiners. Which one is best? Don Bellingh, Washington
Strange but true: It feels good to run all day. Prep yourself with this go-far gear.
Out of Bounds columnist Eric Hansen found out firsthand what it takes to be a Himalayan porter in the June feature story, "Dead Weight." Here, listen to Hansen read his story and see a gallery of his photos from the trip.
I seem to remember climbing shoes for kids being available years ago, but now that I actually have a kid I can't find them. Does anyone still make climbing shoes for children? J Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
The loss of a climbing party last winter raised a mountain of questions. Namely: What was all the fuss about?
I'm just starting to get into gym and rock climbing. Could you recommend a pair of all-purpose shoes and a harness that would serve me well in the gym and outside? Jesse Indianapolis, Indiana
You trust Outside Online’s Gear Guy to answer all of your pressing questions about buying, using, and rehabbing gear. Now get his advice on the best buys for your friends and family this holiday season.
In adventure and in life, Mike was my best friend—my stronger, wiser, wilder half. And in the end, when the last climb was over, that's all that really mattered.
Japan's got more going for it than bright lights and temples—namely, some of the best places in the world to ski, climb, kayak, bike, and surf. Bow down to the wild, wild East.
We catch up with Michael Brown on his latest film, Light of the Himalaya
Wanna live where the action is? The goal: Trails out the back door, a serious Saturday-morning peloton, whitewater just up the road, and neighbors eager to join in. Our source: The best adventure athletes in America, who tell us where they live and why. The result: 20 places where locals work, train, and play hard. Start packing now.
Why climb America's most spectacular—and controversial—natural landmark? For the same reason you shouldn't.
We're planning to take my 16- and 18-year-old kids with us to Europe this summer to watch a Tour de France stage finish in Morzine. What outdoor sports can we do there afterward? Jackie Dallas, Texas
When a study this past spring revealed that the British are significantly healthier than Americans, we went looking for the wellness benefits of warm beer. But it turns out there are plenty of more wholesome buzzes in the UK.
Since May 7th, we at Patagonia have had much discussion and debate about where the company stands on Dean’s controversial climb. Historically, we have always stood by our Ambassadors and their actions. Our Ambassadors are a part of Patagonia’s close-knit family, and we trust them to act in ways that…
Steph Davis knows the downside of being one of the world’s best women climbers: like living out of a car for seven years and having your mom suggest (frequently) that you’re out of your mind. The upside? Yosemite. The Andes. And a life in which every day is a thrilling vertical grab.
When a hallowed rock formation falls under the eye of an elite daredevil climber, anything can happen. Tim Neville ferrets out the real story behind Dean Potter's big day in Arches National Park.
Get the most out of long summer days with featherweight performance gear for running, riding, climbing, and hiking
Go-fast gear for your next adrenaline-fueled run-climb-bike-hike-paddle through the woods
Wind, waves, and siestas—just a few of the reasons to discover Tarifa, Spain
I've been picking off the summits in Outside magazine's "Mountaineering 101" and now planning the East Face of Whitney. I have several pairs of climbing shoes and hiking boots, but none of them is a good all-around shoe for an ascent and descent via the loose rocks of the couloir of the mountaineers' route. Is there an approach shoe that you would recommend? I have a wide foot and can comfortably climb mid 5.10. Eric Los Angeles, California
Is the chalk-bag crowd ready to go upscale? New York City bouldering pioneer Ivan Greene thinks so, and he wants to lead the way.
All it takes is one trip to change your life - and we've got 40 of 'em. Dreaming of close encounters with cheetahs or penguins? Want to climb a mountain in Peru? Experience an epic trek in China? One trip, one world - that's all it takes.
When it comes to adventure kingdoms, all roads eventually lead to California. Here's where to find the Golden State's secret stash.
Time to tune up that garageful of gear (we don't mean lawn chairs) and devote your next outing to full-throttle fun.
Because every second you’re not living life to the fullest is an opportunity missed—and the clock is ticking. To get you going, we’ve handpicked a no-regrets, full-throttle, see-the-world list of 50 things to do before you die—from climbing an 8,000-meter peak to making the perfect martini. Pro surfer Kelly Slater…
Name: INES PAPERT Gig: ICE CLIMBER Height: 5’6″ Weight: 123 Age: 31 WHEN ICE CLIMBER INES PARERT won the women’s division at Colorado’s Ouray Ice Festival last year, the 31-year-old German scampered up the 165-foot wall so fast, she beat the winner of the men’s event, held on the same…
In May, 2005, Ed Viesturs became the first American to summit all of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks. Here, read about his epic quest and learn more about the man himself.
As adventure goes mainstream, a new crop of youth teams takes root. Can climbing moms be far behind?
Discover Yunnan, an uncommon convergence of rushing rivers, ancient villages, and snowy peaks that's fast becoming China's premier adventure playground
From the red-rock vistas of Abiquiu to the dunes of White Sands—with a few shots of tequila mixed in—New Mexico is another world. Try these 12 perfect days in the Land of Enchantment. Horseback Riding into the Sunset Cerrillos Twenty miles south of Santa Fe, where the southern Rockies peter…
I'm headed out to do some big-wall climbs in Yosemite this summer. I was wondering if you could recommend a sturdy shoe that will suffice on my trad routes out here in the Northeast, but hold its own on a big-wall climb out West? I'd rather sink my loot into protection than different shoes for all occasions. Con Boston, Massachusetts
Chris Sharma, the 24-year-old monkey boy who in 2001 introduced the world to 5.15 climbing (the sport’s hardest grade), recently cobbled together a new boulder problem, across the roof of an Ozarks cave, that some say is one of the hardest lines ever completed. While roped climbers strive for endurance…
Three months of pure freedom. You're loving it—and we are, too. From big water to big walls, from oyster stands to dune shacks, fifty-one sunny ways to dive in when the mercury rises.
For the relentlessly adventurous, learning the deeper lessons of injury starts with a tough rule: You break it, you own it.
Four young climbers hit the road in search of big rock, girl power, and a heavenly interlude of physical bliss
Footloose Scots will tell you there's no such thing as trespassing in the Highlands. And no one is more passionate about possessing these craggy, heather-painted mountains than the "compleaters" who summit the Munros—all 284 of them.
THIS SUMMER, CLIMBERS Jared Ogden, 33, and Ryan Nelson, 25, hope to complete a new route up the 3,000-foot east face of Alaska’s Mount Barrille. Although the Durango, Colorado, residents are expecting only dry rock, they’re packing ice axes to “dry-tool” over any mirror-smooth granite pitches. Translation: They’ll use the…
I love working out, but not in a gym. Is there anything I can do to tone up and better define my muscles without stepping foot inside one? I currently run, bike, swim, and do yoga. Mary Kay Reston, VA
Read “Babes on Belay” in the April issue of Outside, including an exclusive Exposure photo gallery of cover girl Sara Carlson, then look through the lens of featured North Conway, New Hampshire-climber Anne Skidmore in our exclusive online photo gallery. Here, see Skidmore, Sheyna Button, Sarah Garlick, Janet Bergman,…
Let Cancún have the crowds. Four spots that lend style to spring debauchery.
What do you want—a printed invitation? OK, here it is: We’ve scouted the year’s coolest travel offerings—from new classics like cruising the Arctic, exploring the wild Caribbean, and journeying across Russia’s heartland to bold new frontiers like trekking Libya and tracking wildlife (and luxury lodges) in Sri Lanka. Going somewhere?…
Our adventure recon to Madagascar turns up virgin rivers, ivory beaches, and limitless possibilities.
In these grand landscapes, there's hidden vitality and subtle beauty. Find adventure and renewal—not to mention some tasty tequila—at five fine oases in the Southwest and Mexico.
