OpenBeta Forums

“He always called me James instead of Jimmie.” Jimmie Dunn told me these words each time I’ve had a conversation with him about his dear friend, the late Ed Webster, over these last few months. Jimmie has thousands of climbing stories and has climbed with hundreds of people, but it’s not hard to tell that… https://climbingzine.com/james-and-ed-by-luke-mehall/

The Zine will be celebrating the release of our new issue, Volume 26 with a “Zine Thing” at Maria’s Bookshop here in Durango, Colorado. The event is free to attend, and we’ll also be hosting an after party at Carver Brewing Co. just down the street. (banner photo of Luke Mehall and Jimmie Dunn at… https://climbingzine.com/zine-thing-for-volume-26-at-marias-bookshop-on-april-2nd/

This cartoon is based on a memorable descent from Triassic Sands in the Black Velvet Canyon. We were climbing with two parties close behind us, party number two hot on our tails and party number three howling, screaming, and crying their way up the crux pitch. With all the commotion and yells echoing through the… https://climbingzine.com/off-route-by-kate-otte-from-volume-15/

We’ve got three new designs of the Send Your Face shirt, now available for pre-order. Art by Mike Handzlik. Order here: https://shop.climbingzine.com/collections/new-dirtbag-clothing-lines Shop: https://shop.climbingzine.com/collections/new-dirtbag-clothing-lines https://climbingzine.com/send-your-face-tie-dyes/

Revisiting this “Dirtbag Classic” with Alex Honnold. Subscribe to The Zine: https://shop.climbingzine.com/ Check out our new Send Your Face shirts: https://shop.climbingzine.com/collections/new-dirtbag-clothing-lines https://climbingzine.com/untroubled-with-alex-honnold-dirtbag-classic/

My friends are gettin’ older, So I guess I must be too. Without their loving kindness, I don’t know what I would do.   —Greg Brown, “Spring Wind”   This story can only begin in one way, and that is with tears. Whether they were the tears from heartbreak, loss, or just from when John… https://climbingzine.com/spring-cracks-by-luke-mehall/

Please join us for the first “Zine Thing” of 2026. Details below. Banner photo of Felipe Garcia by Ivan Iozza, which will be the back cover of Volume 26. https://climbingzine.com/first-zine-thing-of-2026-january-29th-in-potrero-chico-mexico/

My path as a climber had to face a most real enemy: pure unadulterated fear. This fear manifested itself in the biggest baddest canyon, nearby, the most intimidating chasm in Colorado, and even the entire United States, The Black Canyon. Excerpt from American Climber, a memoir by Luke Mehall “The Black” as we called it,… https://climbingzine.com/benightedonthecruise/

Part 2 of our conversation with Sonnie Trotter, author of the new book “Uplifted” and host of the podcast “Stronger Than You Think”. Our sponsors for Season 7:  Kilter: http://settercloset.com (email holds@kiltergrips.com for more information) Osprey: https://www.osprey.com/ Scarpa. Use this link to shop Scarpa products, and The Zine will get a portion of the sale: https://alnk.to/3ye6GT2 Subscribe/… https://climbingzine.com/in-love-with-climbing-part-2-with-sonnie-trotter/

We are psyched to announce our story list for Volume 26! This will be our first ever “El Cap sized” issue – with more stories, photos, poetry, and art than ever before. Here’s a look at the list. Link here to subscribe/preorder. Cover photo by Tom Evans, back cover by Ivan Iozza   A Shadow… https://climbingzine.com/volume-26-story-list-released/

Shop our redesigned Dirtbag State of Mind design in hoodies, shirts, and stickers. Design by Mallory Logan. https://climbingzine.com/new-dirtbag-state-of-mind-hoodies-shirts-stickers/

Luke Mehall reads his essay “Creeksgiving” originally published in The Alpinist, issue 48. Our sponsors for Season 7:  Kilter: http://settercloset.com (email holds@kiltergrips.com for more information) Osprey: https://www.osprey.com/ Scarpa. Use this link to shop Scarpa products, and The Zine will get a portion of the sale: https://alnk.to/3ye6GT2 Subscribe/ score some books/clothes/stickers: https://shop.climbingzine.com/ Photo of Uncle Samson and Tim Foulkes… https://climbingzine.com/creeksgiving-by-luke-mehall-dirtbag-classic/

Note: this poem is published in Volume 20 of The Zine. Photo by the author.  we take climbing as medicine: you insist, but your pill bottles shrink four… three… two and you’re gone lost as the gear we bailed on during solemn retreat after groveling, questing up & up & up until our callused hands… https://climbingzine.com/we-take-climbing-as-medicine-by-fallon-rowe-2/

The night was cold, and where the moon and stars shone around patches of clouds, they were incredibly bright. There was no ambient light out here. I was standing on a half-finished patio attached to a half-finished house in an otherwise empty summer-herding village. It was early March, months before the village would be occupied.… https://climbingzine.com/going-come-home-stacy-bare/

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the first route at Cave Wall, a story read by Luke Mehall Our sponsors for Season 7:  Kilter: http://settercloset.com (email holds@kiltergrips.com for more information) Osprey: https://www.osprey.com/ Scarpa. Use this link to shop Scarpa products, and The Zine will get a portion of the sale: https://alnk.to/3ye6GT2 Subscribe/ score some books/clothes/stickers: https://shop.climbingzine.com/ Photo… https://climbingzine.com/help-on-the-way-at-cave-wall-west/

My father taught me how to climb, just as he taught me how to play guitar and ski—badly, I could say. But that isn’t quite right. Perhaps impatiently or unevenly. As a teacher, he managed to combine a sense of high expectations with a stunning lack of actual instruction. I would follow his skin track… https://climbingzine.com/suicide-pirates-andrew-allport/

You know you’re getting old when they start replacing the bolts you used for a first ascent. That was my first thought when I heard that an anchor I’d placed, over in my old stomping grounds of Gunnison, Colorado, was getting an update. Story by Luke Mehall. This piece is published in Volume 15, now… https://climbingzine.com/the-art-of-the-first-ascent-by-luke-mehall/

shooshing v. 1. Acting cowardly while climbing for no tangible reason.   Note this piece is published in Volume 18 of The Climbing Zine   fingers gripping, slipping soft grains of sand against rubber a brief slide of foot down rock   breath tightens, body clenches doubt seeps in   it’s all too much I… https://climbingzine.com/on-shooshing-and-experience/

Part 1 of our conversation with Sonnie Trotter, author of the new book “Uplifted”. Our sponsors for Season 7:  Kilter: http://settercloset.com (email holds@kiltergrips.com for more information) Osprey: https://www.osprey.com/ Scarpa. Use this link to shop Scarpa products, and The Zine will get a portion of the sale: https://alnk.to/3ye6GT2 Subscribe/ score some books/clothes/stickers: https://shop.climbingzine.com/ Photo of Sonnie on Cobra Crack… https://climbingzine.com/in-love-with-climbing-with-sonnie-trotter-part-1/

The granite escarpments of Castle Crags silhouetted the western skyway, massive gargoyles hunched and staring. I thought of my mother’s words: “Don’t do that. You’ll get hurt. Be safe. You’re going to die.” Sentences that salted every conversation I had with her. I revved the engine and accelerated. I’d intended to get on the road… https://climbingzine.com/where-the-winds-hit-heavy-by-matt-spohn/