The Gunks are considered one of the most iconic and well preserved trad climbing destinations in the United States. Join us for Part 4 of our series as we discuss the Gunks climbing ethics and land stewardship you should be aware of when planning your next Gunks climbing trip!
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Welcome to Climbing in the Gunks – Gear & Logistics
The Gunks are considered one of the most iconic and well preserved trad climbing destinations in the United States. Join us for Part 2 of our article series as we discuss the necessary Gunks gear, logistics and area beta to make your visit enjoyable and run a bit smoother.
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The Spirit of Aloha: Climbing in Hawaii
Written by Alex Kahn
A series of mountainous islands make up the small arcing shape of America’s Hawaiian islands. While technically a state, Hawai’i is vastly different from the rest of America’s culture and is remarkably similar to the Polynesian culture: the people who initially discovered and developed Hawai’i. While I have traveled to Hawai’i before as a tourist, during 2017 and 2018, I decided to spend significant amounts of time living there. With this additional time, I delved deeper into the natural beauty that formed legends, the history that shaped culture, and a state-of-mind that influenced attitudes. While each island has a unique geography and vibe, they share the Hawaiian pride and the spirit of “Aloha.”
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Dirtbags Climbing: Giving Old Gear a Second Life
Written by Aaron Gerry
The climber’s paradox
The equipment that keeps us safe has an expiration date for its usefulness and eventually has to be retired. What to do with the gear?
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Parenting and Climbing: Reflecting on Identity
Written by Laura Schmidt
What happens when you want to spend your life climbing, but how you actually spend your days consists of parenting a young child? This is exactly the dilemma I was faced with since having my daughter.
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Makings of a Well-Rounded Climber – Recovery
To go along with a healthy diet and cross training, active recovery is something often forgotten but equally as important. As athletes, we are hard on our bodies, and as climbers, we endlessly work the same parts of our body until fatigue, often leaving us sore, tight or injured. Simply resting on the couch for a day in between climbing days does not do that much to help the body heal. True, it can reboot your energy and give your muscles time to relax, but if you are unusually sore, feeling pinched or uncomfortable in certain areas, feeling a tightness that won’t go away, or feeling pain in joints or muscles that is abnormal, there are other ways to help your body heal more effectively than simply sitting still.
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An Inside Look at Daniel Woods
Written by Alex Kahn
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Makings of a Well-Rounded Climber: Cross-Training
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Your Guide to Hiring a Rock Climbing Guide
Written by Cristin Knowlton of Fox Mountain Guides
Trying to hire a rock climbing guide? The process can be tricky and confusing. Why? The term “guide” itself is very loaded. Depending on the industry, it can have a variety of meanings the typical consumer might know nothing about but should. Fundamentally, a guide is a person who shares their knowledge/skills about a particular topic with another, presumably less-informed person; at their essence, they are teachers. We seek them out for expertise we don’t have or for experiences we can’t have without them. Regardless of type, be it a city tour guide, rafting guide, hiking guide, climbing guide, fishing guide, mountain biking guide, dance or jujitsu instructor, they have some skill we are willing to pay for.
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Bouldering Rimrock Overlook in Allegheny National Forest
Written by Dana Harrington
I’ve been climbing for almost two decades now and somewhere along the line I figured out that you don’t have to go to Bishop, Hueco, or any other recognized destination to boulder world-class lines. Some of my favorite climbs have been off the beaten path on some unknown or forgotten rock in the middle of Podunk. And as much as I’ve traveled, I am still drawn to Rimrock in the Allegheny National Forest. There’s nothing like grappling gritstone high on the hillsides above the river valley, with the wind in the trees and the ethereal sound of wood thrushes trilling in the air.
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