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  4. Everybody Climbs in Indian Creek with Tim Foulkes

Everybody Climbs in Indian Creek with Tim Foulkes

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  • American Alpine ClubA

    The Line: A Wild and Crazy First Ascent in Idaho

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    American Alpine ClubA
    First ascents are as much about imagination as they are about strength and skill: They require seeing a possibility where few had imagined one before. River guide and climber Matt Ward had seen the Redside Wall above Idaho’s Salmon River many times, and he dreamed of making the first ascent. The wall looked climbable, but how to get there? The wild story of how he and Ky Hart solved that problem is published below. Matt’s story appears in AAJ 2025, which is now starting to arrive in AAC members’ mailboxes. But not everyone reads the AAJ cover to cover, and we didn’t want anyone to miss this unique tale of adventure. “Beavers!” Ky Hart yelled over his shoulder. “No! Bears!” I yelled back. Actually, it was three bears. Two small black bear cubs were timidly swimming on an eddy line in the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. The large mama bear was waiting for her cubs to follow her across, and she stood up tall when she saw Ky and me about to swim between her and her babies. “I’m gonna touch one!” Ky yelled out. My instinct was to do the exact opposite—swim away from them. But the swift current was quickly moving us both directly at the cubs. Fortunately, our appearance shocked them into action. The cubs swam hard for mama, and the current shot us past them. Looking back on the experience later that day, it occurred to me that the fact that Ky’s first thought was to swim over and touch a wild bear cub while its mother watched was one of many things that made him the perfect partner for this trip. Unhinged, yes. But our plan to hike 22 miles, swim three and a half miles of whitewater, and climb a new route on a backcountry big wall would require more than a little madness. Impassable Canyon on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, deep in the heart of Idaho’s massive Frank Church Wilderness, is legendary among river runners and all but unknown to climbers. River permits for the Middle Fork can only be won through a lucky pick in the annual lottery. Once a trip has launched, numerous necessary rules regulate the way that boaters can use the wilderness. One of these prohibits any river trip from camping more than one night in Impassable Canyon. Over three commercial seasons as a raft guide on the Middle Fork, I had become obsessed with what appeared to be the tallest wall in Impassable Canyon. It’s a landmark for the famous Redside Rapid, and because of this, I’ve always called it the Redside Wall. The Redside Wall is 82 river miles from the Boundary Creek boat ramp. The nearest trail to the wall crosses the river 3.5 miles upstream, but only after a 22-mile hike down Waterfall Creek. Over years of dreaming about trying to climb Redside, that seemed like the best option—except that those 3.5 downstream miles aren’t walkable at water level; the river often runs against steep impassable walls. Hitchhiking downstream on river trips would also be illegal, since we wouldn’t be listed on the boat’s permit. During one of many conversations with river and forest administrators on how to access the area legally, I finally asked the right question. “I don’t need a permit to swim in the river, do I?” The answer was no, I didn’t, delivered with a sideways glance and a chuckle. At that moment, I hatched a plan. Ky and I would hike the Waterfall Creek Trail into Middle Fork Canyon, descending over 5,500’ in 22 miles. Then we would swim with our backpacks down 3.5 miles of whitewater, including numerous Class III rapids. Then we would spend three days making the first ascent of a dramatically overhanging wall. Then we would join a friend’s river trip (for which we were listed on the permit) and paddle out. On August 29, 2024, we began the hike. After eight hours on the move, we reached the Middle Fork and made camp near the confluence with Big Creek, where a charred hillside across the river was still smoking from a wildfire. We were awoken repeatedly that night by the sound of trees falling and rockfall. The next morning, we walked until Cutthroat Cove Rapid, where the bank cliffed out. It was time to swim. We eased into the river wearing our PFDs, gasped at the chill of the water, and began the most ridiculous stage of the plan. The bear sighting happened within the first mile. Soon after, our lips were blue, our teeth chattering. Ky found driftwood logs and lashed them to his backpack, which kept him... https://americanalpineclub.org/news/2025/9/25/the-line-a-wild-and-crazy-climb-in-idaho
  • GrippedG

    Colin Haley Solos the Ragni Route on Cerro Torre in Winter

    General News climbing
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    GrippedG
    "To say that the stars aligned is figurative, but to say that the Sun, Earth, and Moon aligned is in this case literal, and the gorgeous terrain of the Chaltén Massif was illuminated by a brilliantly bright full moon," said Colin Haley The post Colin Haley Solos the Ragni Route on Cerro Torre in Winter appeared first on Gripped Magazine. https://gripped.com/news/colin-haley-solos-the-ragni-route-on-cerro-torre-in-winter/
  • American Alpine ClubA

    Guidebook XV—AAC Updates

    General News climbing
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    American Alpine ClubA
    Dear AAC Community, It’s easy to think that, as climbers, all of our success stories are individual. After all, when it comes down to executing that final crux on your project, it’s you alone that reaches the top. But one of the things I love about the AAC, and the stories in this edition of The Guidebook, is how individual success is supported by community. The summit is not a vacuum; when we reach the top, our accomplishments are because of ourselves and also those whom we’ve leaned on and learned from. In these pages, you’ll see that support unfold. In our Member Spotlight, “The Quiet Stories the Land Can Tell,” Rob Mahedy, normally a solo adventurer, learns through a battle with cancer what it means to accept support from his community in order to pursue the summit of Mt. Hayes in Alaska. In our Rewind the Climb story, “A World of Appalling Grandeur,” we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first ascent of Mt. Logan—a joint expedition between the Alpine Club of Canada and the American Alpine Club that made a huge splash in the newspaper headlines of 1925, in a world that was just imagining that humanity could stand atop Everest. In a splendid deep-dive into corrosion in bolts, called “A Little Rust is All it Takes,” Stephen Gladieux illuminates the importance and impact of the UIAA Safety Commission, for which he is a representative for the AAC. Through SafeComm, the AAC is able to join forces with representatives from nations across the world and work together to formalize standards for climbing equipment and safety practices. Our final story, “Balance,” is a feature about Brooke Raboutou, who will receive the Robert Hicks Bates Award this year for exceptional accomplishments by a young climber. It’s in her story that I see this interweaving of community so clearly. Brooke’s accomplishments do stand by themselves—silver medalist in the 2024 Olympics for bouldering & lead, an ascent of Box Therapy (V15) in addition to multiple V14’s, and now the first woman to climb 5.15c with her recent send of Excalibur. I have seen Brooke grow from a bright, curious team kid into the warm, determined athlete she is now. The seed of Brooke’s success grew and flourished under the sunshine of overwhelming support from her family, coaches, fellow athletes, and friends, who push and encourage her. She has developed her incredible strength and talent in part because of her environment. As a result, Brooke’s spirit is so vivid that she inspires her community— myself included—to cultivate that same spirit in themselves. An interesting note: Brooke was nominated for the Bates Award before she sent Excalibur (5.15c) and became the first woman to climb the grade. Excalibur, then, is simply another example of her momentum. There are still frontiers for women to face and break in climbing, but as a community, we are no longer asking whether a woman can climb a given grade. We are just asking—when? I bouldered with Brooke recently in Bishop, and we made a day of touring the classics. No need to prove anything; we weren’t chasing the most difficult climbs. Instead, we focused on climbing for sheer beauty and joy. What I see in these stories of perseverance and adversity, of pouring one’s life into climbing safety and education, and in Brooke’s story, is that beautiful impulse of climbing for the soul. I see that same impulse bring so many AAC members together. I hope you enjoy these stories of your fellow members and that they inspire you to shine brightly, connect with others, and pursue your climbing aspirations this summer. Nina Williams AAC Board President Advocacy Member Services Operations and Governance https://americanalpineclub.org/news/2025/8/14/guidebook-xv
  • IFSCI

    đŸ„‡From 51st to 1st - Toby Roberts took gold again at the IFSC Boulder World Cup Innsbruck #shorts

    Videos climbing ifsc
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    IFSCI
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0-97eGpRVY
  • GrippedG

    Sponsers Back Out, World Cup Event Cancelled

    General News climbing
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    GrippedG
    The IFSC is looking for a replacement host for the final Speed World Cup of the year The post Sponsers Back Out, World Cup Event Cancelled appeared first on Gripped Magazine. https://gripped.com/indoor-climbing/sponsers-back-out-world-cup-event-cancelled/
  • Lumi AkimovaL

    Today for the first time tried climbing over 90° overhang, with partial success

    General Climbing climbing
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    Lumi AkimovaL
    Today for the first time tried climbing over 90° overhang, with partial successIt took 3 attempts to grab the first hold above the overhang with both hands and place my body horizontallyThis first part turned out to be way easier than expected. So for me the focus of the first week of training in 2025 would be practicing raising straight legs while hanging (instead of raising knees)It feels like completing this overhang with my current shape would be very hard, but still possible and worth trying#climbing
  • AlpineSavvyA

    Descend by self-lowering

    General News climbing alpinesavvy
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    AlpineSavvyA
    Rappelling isn’t the only way to get down a cliff; another option is the self-lower. There are a few considerations, pros and cons, learn ‘em here. Premium Article available https://www.alpinesavvy.com/blog/descend-by-self-lowering
  • GrippedG

    Heard of Gio Placci? He Just Climbed 5.15b

    General News climbing
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    GrippedG
    The Italian champion has climbed his hardest route to date after recovering from a year-long injury The post Heard of Gio Placci? He Just Climbed 5.15b appeared first on Gripped Magazine. https://gripped.com/news/heard-of-gio-placci-he-just-climbed-5-15b/