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If a fixed rope is loaded over an edge, it might get damaged. Here's a simple technique to save your rope: the rebelay.

Protect a fixed rope with a rebelay — Alpinesavvy

If a fixed rope is loaded over an edge, it might get damaged. Here's a simple technique to save your rope: the rebelay.

Alpinesavvy (www.alpinesavvy.com)

Sean Bailey has made the sixth ascent of Shawn Raboutou’s bouldering testpiece Alphane in Switzerland

https://www.climber.co.uk/news/sean-bailey-adds-alphane-font-9a-to-cv/

#climbing auto-belay devices tested, courtesy of HowNOT2.

Amazed with that centrifugal brake design. It's really clever, simple and effective. Centrifugal clutches on motorbikes operate pretty much with the exact same principle using brake pad materials and rotation speed. I've always wondered how some of those auto-belay things worked internally.

I also think that centrifugal design is more serviceable if needed.

“Mountain solutions for a sustainable future – innovation, adaptation and youth.”
The post The 2024 International Mountain Day Theme appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

https://gripped.com/news/the-2024-international-mountain-day-theme/

Watch Evan Wisheropp and Mary Eden tackle the three-pitch desert crack
The post Burly 5.12 Offwidth First Ascent in Utah appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

https://gripped.com/news/burly-5-12-offwidth-first-ascent-in-utah/

In 2012, accomplished ice/mixed climber Gord McArthur wrote this article for Gripped. The 10 routes he selected as Canada's best have stood the test of time. Nobody has ever climbed them all in one season
The post 10 of Canada’s Best Winter Mixed Climbs appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

https://gripped.com/profiles/10-of-canadas-best-winter-mixed-climbs/

Me and my higher self, We often would speak Somehow we lost the connection, Might meet at Joshua Tree —Nas, “Nobody”   Banner photo of Hobo Greg by Emmie Snead   My greatest fear as a climber is becoming crusty. Not the good kind of crusty but the bad kind of crusty. The crust that…

https://climbingzine.com/the-art-of-being-crusty-by-luke-mehall/

For experienced ice climbers looking for a challenge, here's a list of routes that will push your limits in the Canadian Rockies
The post Five WI6+ Ice Climbs That Will Test Your Skills appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Five WI6+ Ice Climbs That Will Test You - Gripped Magazine

For experienced ice climbers looking for a challenge, here's a list of routes that will push your limits in the Canadian Rockies

Gripped Magazine (gripped.com)

Massive celebration of outdoor culture returns to Denver with an all-star musical lineup, a bigger footprint, and an energetic mix of speakers, gear, films, food and fun

https://www.climbing.com/news/outside-festival-2025-headliners-khruangbin-lord-huron/

Sean Bailey has made the sixth ascent of Shawn Raboutou’s bouldering testpiece Alphane.

https://www.climber.co.uk/news/sean-bailey-adds-alphane-font-9a-to-resume/

His highlights include a repeat of The Singularity V15, a flash of Fool Me Once V14, and an FA of Life Is Limbo V13
The post Mind-Blowing Squamish Sending Spree for Olympic Finalist Hamish McArthur appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

https://gripped.com/news/mind-blowing-squamish-sending-spree-for-olympic-finalist-hamish-mcarthur/

The alleged killer of the CEO of a company spent time at HiClimb in Honolulu
The post Luigi Mangione Climbed at This Hawaii Gym appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

https://gripped.com/news/luigi-mangione-climbed-at-this-hawaii-gym/

A new trend sees young men hiring themselves out to be a "climbing buddy" to strangers
The post Attractive Climbing Buddies Make More Money in China appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

https://gripped.com/news/attractive-climbing-buddies-make-more-money-in-china/

We caught up with Harrington about her recent ascent of The Nexus, aka the Niels Tietze Memorial Route.

https://www.climbing.com/people/emily-harrington-interview-yosemite-multi-pitch-return/

#Karstmas day 9

Settle in for a technical post about Single Rope Technique!

I already talked about the most widely known, and perhaps widely used systems worldwide: the Frog system.

Today the subject is *my own invention* of a climbing system, to suit the needs of those with, erm, "chests". As a bonus, it also solves a lot of back pain problems so I've noticed over the decade-plus of showing people this option that many others have adapted it as well (including my own partner!).

Where I live and cave a lot, there are deep pits, as you may have figured out. In addition, these pits are well suited to one long rope without rebelays or deviations (sometimes called "alpine style SRT"), since pits here bell out from the top edge meaning quickly you are far from a wall. There's no point in chasing the wall and putting in rebelays, you don't want the rope to touch it anyway! [Some international cavers like to tease cavers here saying we don't SRT, we "IRT" - Indestructible Rope Technique - because of how we just "rig, throw, n go"! But really, our rope just usually doesn't have a chance to touch the rock in the firstplace! ]

Why is that important to know? Well, this means that different techniques are developed to make it easier to climb such long stretches in freehanging space. Many systems were invented over the years but the three that stuck around are:
1) Mitchell
2) Single Bungee Ropewalker
3) Double Bungee Ropewalker

Ropewalkers work as they sound...you literally just take little steps and walk your way right up the rope. You only sit to rest, and many people can "run" up the rope as quickly as they can rappel!

We're ignoring poor Mitchell for now, it has a small but fervent user base...smaller that I've converted some diehards to my invented system...Bungee and a Half Ropewalker!

I invented the Bungee and a Half Ropewalker back in 2012. As I did longer and longer climbs, I learned by 400 feet my ankle was hurting from how a Single Bungee Ropewalker twist it, getting worse under more rope weight as you get higher. Sadly, Double Bungee Ropewalker was not for me either, as it pulled the chestroller plate over my, erm, "chest" meaning I could not breathe under the pressure. Not to mention the painfulness of it! So I combined elements of both, alleviating both of each system's issues, with my creation, the Bungee and a Half Ropewalker. It was somewhat based on a system Miriam Cuddington had played with (if the last name is familiar, yes, wife of "Vertical Bill" Cuddington who I've mentioned before).

One of the really neat things about this system I invented is not only does it have the speed and smoothness of a ropewalker for long climbs, it also has flexibility of use. Because unlike the other ropewalkers, each ascender is easy to use individually, which allows it to excel at "alpine style SRT" as well. It handles rebelays and deviations as smoothly as a frog system can.

In the end, all joking aside about preferred systems and techniques, the gear you train with, the system you know inside and out, that's the one that will get you up the rope safely. If you've studied it well, you can handle the obstacles with ease.

If you'd like to see a video of how this system works, here is a quick two minute video! https://youtu.be/o57-c_zIkT8

#cave #caves #caving #karst #pit #geology #waterfall #adventure #nature #photography #summer #climbing

Don’t you put any more stress on yourself It’s one day at a time —Mac Miller, “Circles” Part of me always thought I’d die young. I had this feeling even before I was a climber, long before I took the risks with our lives that we climbers take. It was probably related to the depression…

The Dirtbags Aren’t Dead, They’re Just In Mexico by Luke Mehall (full story)

The Climbing Zine (climbingzine.com)

Officially given 5.15c, Bouin recently discussed the nuance of his grade assessment
The post Seb Bouin Says Latest FA is Hard 5.15c or Soft 5.15d appeared first on Gripped Magazine.

Seb Bouin Says Latest FA Is Hard 5.15c or Soft 5.15d - Gripped Magazine

Officially given 5.15c, Bouin recently discussed the nuance of his grade assessment

Gripped Magazine (gripped.com)