Innehållsförteckning för August/ September 2024 Vol. 26 Issue 4 från Gripped: The Climbing Magazine

On April 18, the B.C. Court of Appeal upheld a decision of the B.C. Supreme Court from 2023 finding that a waiver signed by a client for a day of rock climbing at Begbie Bluffs near Revelstoke wasn’t enforceable, in a case where he fell and got injured while being guided on a mountain climb on Mount Roger in Glacier National Park a month later. The effect of the decision in Manson v. Mitchell is that the case can proceed to determine if the guide and the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) were at fault. Now, neither defendant can rely on the waiver as a defence. This is a significant turn because it means the client needs only to show that the guide was negligent—or failed to act as…

Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming includes several famous peaks along the 64-kilometre Teton Range. Climbers have been ascending the walls and ridges here for over 100 years, and there are now dozens of classic rock and couloir routes. Fixed protection is sparse, so you need to be proficient at placing trad gear. To get to the park, travel to Jackson Hole and drive north for around 20 kilometres. Before leaving town, be sure to take in some of the local culture, from the museums to the eateries. “I’ve been looking at them for 46 years, but I’ve never known a moment when the Tetons didn’t stir my soul,” said the late Josiah “Uncle Si” Ferrin, an early Jackson Hole homesteader. While the climbs in the Teton Range are…

The east coast of the U.S. isn’t the first place climbers think about when the topic of alpine rock climbing comes up, but it’s home to a classic American alpine line: the Whitney-Gilman Ridge. The route follows the most obvious ridge of granite near the left side of Cannon in New Hampshire. First climbed in summer 1929 before the era of sticky rubber and dynamic ropes, this esthetic line was climbed ahead of its time. The first ascent team climbed it in 17 pitches, but it’s now climbed in four to six with the crux being 5.7 and most of the route coming in around 5.5. The fourth pitch is famously called the Pipe Pitch because of a fixed piece of pipe in a crack after an exposed section. The…

As the east coast of Canada and most of North America experiences an extended heat dome, the summer is off to a slow start in the Canadian Rockies, and record-low temperatures are being set. As we approach the beginning of July, ice tools are being swung, and alpine lines are being skied. The alpine ice lines that have melted away the past couple of summers into gravel choss are, for the time being, still climbable. If climbing moderate snow and ice routes in the Canadian Rockies is on your list of things to do, this is one of the better summers in a while to tick off a couple of classics. Considering the recent track record on some of these alpine lines, you should bump them up higher on your…

Arc’teryx Kragg $190 This is the footwear you never knew you needed. It replaces flip-flops and approach shoes as an in-between-climb shoe. It protects your feet, breathes well and is easy to slip on. Metolius Vegan Brush $14 Metolius has released a vegan version that uses synthetic materials instead of boar hair. It has a large handle and the tapered bristles are a durable alternative to non-vegan options. Petzl Neox $210 The most highly anticipated belay device hit the market this spring, and we love it. It’s similar to a GriGri but gives a smoother lead belay. A great option for sport and gym climbers. Wild Country Mosquito Pro $160 This is one of the best new harnesses for multi-pitch and trad climbing objectives. It has big gear loops, a…

Considered by many to be the best 5.8 alpine routes in the Cascades, the Southwest Rib is one of the most popular climbs in Washington and deservedly so. It follows solid rock, has stout but manageable cruxes and is found in a picturesque range. It was first climbed in 1964 by Donald Anderson and Larry Scott. It’s considered a more difficult and more enjoyable climb than the South Arête, which was first climbed in 1942 by the great Fred Beckey and his brother Helmy Beckey. South Early Winters Spire is one of several peaks in the Washington Pass range, which extends from Liberty Bell to the Wine Spires. The best season to visit is July to September after the ice and snow from the previous winter have melted. The views…

When Tobin Sorenson died in a fall on Oct. 5, 1980, during an attempt to solo the north face of Mount Alberta, the world lost its finest all-around climber and alpinist of that generation. As the climbing world mourned Sorenson’s death, Rick Accomazzo mourned the loss of a dear friend. “If he was leading some new route and there was a choice to either go up into dangerous territory, or back down, Tobin would always just go. There was no doubt about it,” Accomazzo tells me from a rainy day at his home in Boulder, Colo. In a league of his own—and 45 years ago when gear was more primitive—Sorenson could flash 5.12 trad in Yosemite, excel on big-wall alpine routes, and send hard ice. Some could outclimb him in…

Arc’teryx Vertex Alpine $300 As part of Arc’teryx’s new-for-2024 line of footwear, this made-for-the-mountains option is called the Vertex Alpine. The grippy tread of these slick-looking shoes grab onto slick rock and slushy terrain with eash, ensuring you keep your momentum going. These are designed for climbers on the move in above-treeline areas, as they edge well on steep rock steps and don’t squish your toes when running down steep slopes. An ideal shoe for alpine climbers. Black Diamond Mission Leather Mid $230 If you’re in the market for an ankle-protecting approach shoe then look no further than the Mission Leather. They use weather-resistant material to keep your feet safe on all sorts of trails. They have high traction lugs which excel on muddy trails and in scree. The midfoot…

In the heat of the summer, reddening fingertips dance and shred over small edges, the exposure to the razor’s edge, I mean the comfortable hand holds, invites a slew of damage to the sensitive bits of skin that contact the impeccable stone. Attempting to triage critically cut fingers from sweat induced warfare, I spend time super-gluing bits of tape to my pointer finger, ring finger, maybe my middle finger and on especially gruesome battles: my thumbs. Fights with the swassy temps rage on and I always do my best to mummify my 10 lacerated crimpers: anything for another chance at tying in. But the tape doesn’t always work and sometimes jugs and mingers eggshell-white with chalky residue grow chicken pox of bright red blotches of blood. Mine? Someone else’s? I’m…

A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber’s Story By Beth Rodden Little A, 2024 Throughout her career as a professional rock climber, Beth Rodden has accomplished so much. In her book, she gives a backstage look at what it takes to climb hard, be in relationships, and survive a harrowing kidnapping. Alongside the goals to climb a higher grade or get the FA, Rodden became the most authentic version of herself—showing herself grace through honesty, reflection, and hard work—as she navigated the waters of being a professional female athlete, wife, and eventually a mother. Famously, Rodden and Tommy Caldwell were involved in a relationship that became cemented after their capture during a climbing trip in Kyrgyzstan. Reading a first-hand account of such a terrible circumstance was tense and emotional. The…

Hard Yosemite Aid Spree British climber Oliver Tippett climbed several test-piece Yosemite aid climbs this spring and summer. In no particular order, he climbed Zenyatta Mondatta (VI A4), Atlantis (VI 5.9 A4), Tempest (VI 5.8 A4), The Reticent Wall (VI A4+) and Sea of Dreams (VI A4+). About Sea of Dreams, he said, “I spent seven days climbing the route, most of that time I had the whole South East face to myself. Since I was soloing I frequently linked pitches to avoid gear belays, but I couldn’t avoid belaying at the Expanding Anchor, nor would I have wanted to with how infamous it is. I am thankful that the RURP belay has been fully bolted, though. I found the sketchiest pitch to be the Hook or Book, which was…