CLIMBING MAGAZINE
WINTER 2024 • ED47 • AU/NZ
TRAD ADVENTURES IN GARDENS OF STONE NATIONAL PARK
SMASHED BY FREAK WAVES: A TALE OF SEA CLIFF CLIMBING BETH RODDEN CHATS TO VL ABOUT HER NEW BOOK
RRP AU$13.95/NZ$13.95 (INC GST)
RACKING UP VERTICAL MILEAGE IN OURAY ICE PARK SARAH LARCOMBE: ADAPTIVE CLIMBING OUTDOORS
PLUS: OVERCOMING MENTAL FATIGUE | ALLIE PEPPER’S GUIDE TO CHOMOLUNGMA | BETA & BREW | GEAR REVIEWS | CRAG COOKING
Global Climbing Day 13, 2024 July
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THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE 214 EPIC PHOTOS FEATURED IN SIMON CARTER’S NEW COFFEE TABLE BOOK, THE ART OF CLIMBING—CHECK OUT VL’S REVIEW ON PAGE 14.
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WINTER 2024
WINTER 2024 VERTICAL LIFE IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY WINTER/SPRING/SUMMER/AUTUMN/ AUSTRALIAN MADE. AUSTRALIAN PRINTED. AUSTRALIAN OWNED. EDITORS
Editor: Wendy Bruere Gear and coffee editor: Sule McCraies wendy@verticallifemag.com
DESIGN
Marine Raynard marine@adventureentertainment.com
ADVERTISING
Téah Westerman +61 468 i1 681 Teah@adventureentertainment.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kate Baecher, Dave Barnes, Jacques Beaudoin, Wendy Bruere, Daniel Butler, Roger Chao, James Collins, Lewis Foster, Nell Gow, Fraser Gust, Sule McCraies, Allie Pepper, Beth Rodden, Claire Williams, Mat Young.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jared Anderson, Simon Carter, Lewis Foster, Wendy Law, Sule McCraies, Loz McQuillan, Nathan McNeil, Ryan Moon, Caitlin Schokker, Vincent Tran, Rick Warneke, Claire Williams, Mat Young.
CREDITS IMAGE
Steve McClure on Rainbow Slab, Wales, UK. Photo by Simon Carter.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IMAGE
Looking across the water from Genesis, a crag just half an hour from Hobart, Tasmania. Shot by Caitlin Schokker.
ON THE COVER Jacques Beaudoin working his way through the roof on the first free ascent of Land of the Giants, 24, Gardens of Stone National Park. Shot by Jared Anderson.
PUBLISHER
Toby Ryston-Pratt Founder & CEO Adventure Entertainment. ABN: 79 612 294 569
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COPYRIGHT
The content in this magazine is the intellectual property of Adventure Entertainment Pty Ltd. It must not be copied or reproduced without the permission of the publisher.
DISCLAIMER
Rock climbing and other activities described in this magazine can carry significant risk of injury or death. Undertake outdoor activity only with proper instruction, supervision, equipment and training. The publisher and its servants and agents have taken all reasonable care to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and the expertise of its writers. Any reader attempting any of the activities described in this publication does so at their own risk. The publisher nor its servants or agents will be held liable for any loss, injury or damage resulting from any attempt to perform any of the activities described in this publication. All descriptive and visual directions are a general guide only and not to be used as a sole source of information. Climb safe
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VerticalLifeMag
VerticalLifeMag
WINTER 2024 9
CONTENTS W I N T E R 2 0 2 4 . E D 4 7. A U / N Z
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44
IN FOCUS
44
16
LAND OF THE GIANTS
Jared Anderson photographs a new crack climb in Gardens of Stone National Park.
50
SHINING A LIGHT THROUGH THE CRACKS
56
FLAGGING EACH MOMENT
World renown climber Beth Rodden chats to VL about her new book.
Paraclimbing legend Sarah Larcombe teams up with Dave Barnes to visit his local crag.
32
56 16
LOOK OUT BELOW!
Mat Young shares a cautionary tale of sea cliffs and rogue waves.
32
RACKING UP MILEAGE ON ICE
Head to Ouray Ice Park, Colorado, to find the best place for Aussies to learn to ice climb. 10 WINTER 2024
81
PLUS
Subscribe & get a FREE passage dinnerware set from Sea to Summit! (RRP $49.99)
38
HOW I GOT THE SHOT: SPASM IN THE CHASM BY CLAIRE WILLIAMS
THE USUALS:
12. Editor’s Note 14. Read Watch Listen 66. Gallery 20. Getting To Know Fraser Gust
FEATURES: 44. Land of the Giants 50. Beth Rodden 56. Sarah Larcombe
BETA: 16. Tale of Whoa 26. Updates from Altitude 32. Local Lore: Ouray, Colorado 38. How I Got The Shot with Claire Williams 63. Mindset Reset 72. Field Tested 74. Gear 77. Beta & Brew 80. Crag Cooking 82. Poem: Feeding The Rat
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY Vertical Life acknowledges that we live, work, recreate and climb on stolen land, and that sovereignty was never ceded. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians across Australia and Aotearoa, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise the continuing connection of all First Nations peoples to Country and Culture across all lands and waterways since time immemorial, and reaffirm our commitment to reflection, reconciliation and solidarity. Issue #47 of Vertical life was printed on Wangal Country. WINTER 2024 11
EDITOR’S NOTE SEE, COLD WEATHER ISN’ T SO BAD! HERE’S A HAPPY MEMORY OF ME FLAILING AROUND WITH BORROWED ICE TOOLS ON THE WAY TO THE SUMMIT OF CASTOR, 4225M, ON THE BORDER OF ITALY AND SWITZERLAND, TWO YEARS AGO—WENDY
Brace YOURSELF
Winter is coming! And yes I know that’s become the world’s most overused line to herald the changing of the seasons. But being particularly cold blooded I tend to view sinking temperatures with a sinking feeling. The upside of winter of course is it’s the time to get psyched about ice climbing and mountaineering. In Australia you get maybe two months each year to test your ice tools at Blue Lake… But in a “Local” Lore special, Aussies Lewis Foster and James Collins take it international and give guidance on how to make the most of some focused ice climbing time in Ouray, Colorado. Allie Pepper takes a thoughtful look at how to prepare—mentally and physically—for high altitude mountaineering. And, if you’re seeking serious alpine gear this season, Sule has a Field Tested Review of Patagonia’s Super Free Alpine jacket. I’ve just received some Cotopaxi down gear to test this season too. Stay tuned for the review, but for now I can report it has kept me cozy and comfortable on several late nights as I sat up into the wee hours in my poorly insulated Sydney apartment racing to finish this very issue of our beloved Vertical Life. Down pants, I feel, are the game changer. Couple them with the down vest, and it’s the warmth of wearing a sleeping bag, without the practical constraints of actually trying to wear a sleeping bag (yeah, I know you’ve all tried that once or twice too). I cannot wait to take my new Cotopaxi down out to the snow this season, or rug up good and proper as I valiantly belay on a bitter Blue Mountains morning. (See, there’s plenty to look forward to in winter.) 12 WINTER 2024
For this issue of VL, I was thrilled to chat to Beth Rodden about her just-released memoir, A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber’s Story. Her book covers a lot of issues, but an ongoing theme is the aftermath of spending six days held hostage in Kyrgyzstan, freezing cold, hungry and terrified, when she was just 20 years old. Recovery from trauma is a long, ongoing process—and something I suspect all too many readers will relate to. Climbing, like any kind of exercise or activity in nature can be intensely therapeutic. It can also be an adrenalineseeking escape. In her memoir, Beth explores the nuance of what it meant to her, and how she grappled with finding meaning and joy in the sport she loved. We have some exciting photography to share in this issue… Jared Anderson is back with a photo feature from Gardens of Stone National Park of Jacques Beaudoin working the first free ascent of Land of the Giants. And if you flick forward to the Gallery, you’ll see Jacques’ 10 year old daughter Ayla leading a different wild crack climb. Dan Butler reviews Simon Carter’s new coffee table book, The Art of Climbing—you’ll also see a couple of shots from the book in this issue (thanks Simon!) as our Credits image and in the Gallery. We also have a feature on adaptive climber Sarah Larcombe, photography with Claire Williams, tips on overcoming mental fatigue, new gear, coffee, crag recipes, reviews, and even some poetry. So brace yourself for the cold, pop on a jumper (and the kettle), get reading, and start planning for your winter adventures.
—Wendy Bruere, VL Editor
Photo Credit: @callumjohnston22 Wild Earth Athlete Simon Ennals
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READ WATCH LISTEN With Daniel Butler
Read
THE ART OF CLIMBING BY SIMON CARTER The question “why do we climb?” is thrown around so
The chapter on intensity resonated particularly deeply for
frequently in climbing films that it has developed a satirical
me. Personally, climbing takes me to a land of deep fear and
flavour. At the end of the day, is climbing not simply a sport
(sometimes) triumph, where I find myself utterly immersed
like any other? Nobody is running around asking rugby players why they play rugby. So why do climbers have such an obsession with the reasoning for our toils? Climbing is a sport of discomfort. We carry heavy ropes and trad racks many kilometres into remote areas. We spend
in the moment. The first photo for this chapter captures this feeling with precision—Steve McClure tiptoes on credit card crimps, oblivious to the highway curving behind him, perfectly showing the simplicity and clarity of the sport.
hours hanging from tenuous crimps. We battle fear and
Despite all of the above, my favourite part of the book is a
injury in a sport that can appear dangerous. As a result of
shorter section hidden after the glossary where Simon walks
this, maybe a desire for justification is only to be expected.
through a number of selected routes from around the world.
Luckily for us, Simon makes the answer to this question
These photos are accompanied by short stories about the
quite simple in The Art of Climbing. With 215 photos from
shoots and rough route topos. The Devil’s Tower route ‘Mr
around the world, showcasing sport climbing, trad climbing
Clean’ caught my eye—I have never climbed a dihedral like
and even a flash of ice climbing, the aesthetic appeal is clear. I
that, but I found myself immediately looking up airfares to
found myself searching for the captions on almost every page
get there. This section reminded me what my goals were, and
to discover which crags or countries I needed to visit for such
gave me more to aspire to.
an experience—Madagascar, China, Czechia. Those who are familiar with Simon’s decades of work, will know the awe-inspiring vistas he is famous for capturing along with the athletic feats of the climbers. It’s no surprise
With a foreword by Adam Ondra, The Art of Climbing will make a worthy addition to any climber’s coffee table… whether to fuel your stoke from the couch, or to help explain
his fifth coffee table book (Simon also publishes guidebooks)
your hobby to bemused friends and family.
is selling fast.
Available on adventure-shop.com.au.
14 WINTER 2024
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
Watch BROAD PEAK In the last five years there has been growing discussion surrounding the place of morality and ambition in mountaineering. We are faced with the question as to how ambition and humanity interact and mountaineering seems to be a highly fertile arena for this. Broad Peak (directed by Leszek Dawid) tackles this question through the impacts of record chasing on family life. The filmis a dramatized biography of Maciej Berbeka (played by Ireneusz Czop), who in 2013 became the first climber to summit Broad Peak in winter. The deterioration of Maciej’s relationships throughout his successful and unsuccessful attempts on the peak raise questions as to whether it is possible to be the first/best whilst maintaining a healthy home life and whether these titles are overvalued?
When did they become targets, rather than simple records of history and what value are they really adding? The film also questions the basis of these records themselves. Climbers who achieve significant feats which fall short of a record on a technicality have essentially completed the record. However the binary nature of how we view these feats seemingly discredits their efforts. These titles are instead provided to those who, often with vastly improved equipment, access scenarios and technologies manage to tick all the boxes.
In the current world, these questions are far from theoretical with the Guinness World Record department stripping renowned mountaineer Reinhold Messner of a number of his world firsts following a resurveying of certain peaks in the Himalayas. Broad Peak challenges how we see our own ambitions as a climber. Unusually for a film about mountaineering, it calls viewers to revalidate the sacrifices they choose to make when pursuing large objectives. Streaming on Netflix
Listen THE ENORMOCAST: NATALIA GROSSMAN – THE TYRANNY OF EXPECTATIONS We have a tendency to explain away the abilities of our most successful athletes as having been born into the sport as if they were part of some royal family. Whilst there is no question that there is a correlation between success in climbing and starting when you are young, being part of a dynasty is not a prerequisite. Natalia Grossman is set to be America’s latest inductee into the Olympic climbing team as she took out first place in Pan American Games in October. Coming from a non-climbing family, she found the sport at an early age following participation in gymnastics. Despite the level of
dedication and training this took, Natalia has managed to maintain a degree of balance in her life. In Episode 282 of Enormocast, she reflects on her journey and how family, sacrifice and self-care played an important role. Interestingly, the path to success for Natalia wasn’t paved with climbing to failure seven days a week, but rather through carefully planned training regimes with a focus on enjoyment and the removal of preconceived expectations. When we are taking repeated shots at our project or keeping a brave face whilst getting horribly shut down on a climb you thought was in your
range, it is easy to become overly mission focussed and forget why we push ourselves in climbing. Natalia reminds us that we ultimately climb for enjoyment and it is important to keep it light and fun. This podcast episode is a good lesson in not losing sight of the important things in our pursuit of what is a highly taxing sport. Available on The Enormocast website
ABOUT THE REVIEWER: Daniel is a Sydney based outdoor enthusiast who spends his free time rock climbing, cave diving and planning mountaineering escapades. Daniel has climbed and dived across Australia and New Zealand with a particular focus on traditional climbing. Somewhat ironically, Daniel spends his weekdays working as an insurance broker. WINTER 2024 15
TALE OF WHOA
LOOK OUT BELOW! ROGUE WAVES AND SEA CLIFFS WORDS BY MAT YOUNG IMAGES BY MAT YOUNG AND RICK WARNEKE
16 WINTER 2024
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
Climbing safety is everyone’s responsibility, and it’s something our editorial team are incredibly passionate about. Our Tale of Whoa column is our continued commitment to creating a culture of safety within our community. This edition we welcome guest contributor Mat Young, who was swamped by a series of freak waves as he climbed on Bruny Island’s sea cliffs. Giant walls of water engulfed us again and again. They hit so violently that I could taste the brine as it was forced into my mouth and up my nose. In the swirling chaos I caught flashes of blue and white and darkness, as I bounced against the rock face, tangled in the rope. Amid the maelstrom, I experienced a moment of stillness and clarity as I thought to myself, “If any part of this system breaks, we’re dead.” Stories about climbing epics are usually fairly similar, they go something like this: We went here, we bit off more than we could chew, then we got hurt or lost. Well, this story isn’t like that. On a weekend climbing trip to Tasmania’s Bruny Island, the Southern Ocean taught my friend and I a valuable lesson. We were climbing on the sea cliffs at a crag called World’s End when a series of rogue waves hit us hard. Our exposed position meant it almost ended in disaster. The irony of this is not lost on me.
“IF ANY PART OF THIS SYSTEM BREAKS, WE’RE DEAD.” The southern end of Bruny Island holds a series of highly featured dolerite cliffs that have been shaped by the constant beating of huge Southern Ocean swells. These cliffs, which have been developed by local climbers, contain a high concentration of quality sport climbing. This was what my buddy Rick and I had come to sample. On this trip, the weather was grey and windy, and the cacophonous crashing of waves gave the climbing an intensity that I have never experienced before. World’s End was where we chose to climb our first pitches of the trip. Located on a narrow spit of land with routes about 20m high and a convenient slab at the bottom. When we arrived, everything was dry and clean. While we set up our rappel, and during our first few climbs, we kept a wary eye on the sea below us—the turbulent, foaming mass had a threatening presence and I knew from experience the Southern Ocean can be dangerous. Despite that, not even a splash reached us during the first 90 minutes or so that we spent climbing. Confident that the water was benign, we shifted our focus solely to the rock. It was late morning, and having each led a couple of routes to warm up, we moved on to some of the harder climbing on the left-hand side of the cliff. Balanced between the third and fourth bolts with delicate, thoughtful climbing, I was in the zone. My focus was narrow, nothing else mattered. Suddenly, I was torn from this flow state by Rick screaming, “OH F***!” I looked down in time to see him engulfed by a wall of whitewater which continued to rise and rise. All I could think was “Hold on!” as I desperately tried to cling to the wall. But it was no use. The churning water rose until it ripped me off the cliff. When the sea receded, Rick and I looked at each other. “Holy shit!” we chuckled, adrenalin pumping. “Better lower me off mate,” I said. But the receding water had taken the other end of the rope, tangling it in kelp. We were stuck. That’s when I noticed that the swell was building again. WINTER 2024 17
TALE OF WHOA LOOK OUT BELOW! ROGUE WAVES AND SEA CLIFFS.
I LOOKED DOWN IN TIME TO SEE HIM ENGULFED BY A WALL OF WHITEWATER WHICH CONTINUED TO RISE AND RISE.
WE WERE SMASHED INTO THE CLIFF BY THREE MORE GIANT WAVES BEFORE THE FINAL WAVE WAS SUCKED BACK OUT INTO THE OCEAN. Something I’ve noticed before is that I’m always strangely detached in these kinds of situations. I don’t panic, I don’t even really get scared. Instead, I get focussed. While tumbling around completely out of control in the washing machine created by tons of water, the thought occurred to me in real time: “Man, if any part of this system breaks, we’re dead.” I gripped the rope a little tighter.
Water hazards are not something climbers would generally be aware of, or even think about for that matter, but they are potentially deadly. Checking the swell height on a website like Willy Weather may have given us some clue as to the likelihood of a rogue wave being high enough to reach us. But we never even considered that—big swells are common in the area, but I’d never heard of anything that caused issues for climbers.
“Get me off the wall NOW, man!” I urged Rick.
So how else could we mitigate against this risk? One way would be to keep an end of your rope tethered like a handrail to the cliff, which will allow you to move about while secured to it. This small action will reduce the likelihood of someone being swept away in a similar incident.
The rope was still stuck and I was still hanging, helpless, five metres up the wall. Eventually, we worked the rope loose and freed ourselves from the system, taking care to remain anchored to the wall at all times in case another set came through.
Rickand I are both experienced and safe climbers, yet, on this occasion we were caught off guard by the unpredictability of Mother Nature. We survived because of luck and chance. It’s a lesson for us all and hopefully we don’t have to rely on luck in the future. Safe climbing!
Dissecting this incident in order to learn from it I have concluded that Rick and I didn’t do anything wrong this day, except for maybe not showing the ocean enough respect. Rogue waves like this are responsible for 13 deaths per year among fishermen, and we climbers are just as vulnerable in situations like this.
MAT YOUNG | Mat is a Tassie-based outdoor professional who runs, hikes, climbs and just generally froths the outdoors year round. Always in search of adventure buddies and a good story you can find him at @mcyoungy
We were smashed into the cliff by three more giant waves before the final wave was sucked back out into the ocean. Rick and I knew straight away that we needed to move, and move fast.
18 WINTER 2024
GETTING TO KNOW
Fraser GUST (THEY/THEM)
FRASER BEGAN BOULDERING OUTDOORS AT 17, USING COUCH CUSHIONS AS A CRASH PAD, BECAUSE THE CLIMBING GYMS WERE TOO HARD TO GET TO. THESE DAYS THEY’RE STILL RACKING UP BOULDERING FIRST ASCENTS, CHECKING OUT THE COMP SCENE AND EXPLORING HOW CLIMBING HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL GENDERS.
IMAGE BY VINCENT TRAN
20 WINTER 2024
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
FRASER WORKING ON AMMAGAMMA V13. IMAGE BY VINCENT TRAN.
You’re known for your bouldering first ascents. How did that become your thing? Bouldering first ascents are something I've been doing since I started climbing! I was 17 when I started climbing so I didn't have a license. The nearest gym was a while away and pretty tough to get to by public transport, so I just started wandering around the beaches near where I lived on the Mornington Peninsula and finding boulders. I bought a pair of old climbing shoes from a friend at school, stole some couch cushions from mum's house and I would go down to the beach and put up new problems after school. You can still find most of them on the crag—a lot of them are pretty rubbish, but there are a couple of gems in there. Seeing them get repeated from time to time always makes me smile. Those boulders I was just doing after school to avoid studying have had a surprisingly lasting impact on the area. I'm very grateful for that being my avenue into climbing, I feel like it gave me a slightly different perspective than a lot of people who start by solely climbing in a gym.
Do you have any FAs that stand out as meaningful to you? Last year I did two first ascents that were pretty special to me, Sound and Colour at Leanganook and Twelfth Night Sit Start at Camels Hump. I was proud of both of them for being quality, difficult climbs that I feel add a lot to the bouldering around Melbourne, but both climbs felt important for other reasons too. Sound and Colour is a beautiful granite compression line that I tried for about six days last autumn. I named it after the song by The Alabama Shakes, but also because over the course of working on it I really started to notice and fall in love with all the small details of the area. I started to appreciate the sounds of the birds and the changing colours as it approached winter. It was a welcome reminder that the areas we climb in are more than just the pieces of rock there. Twelfth Night had a whole different element that made it special for me. The day after I got my license at 18 I drove out to Camels Hump to go bouldering. It was the middle of winter and I got significantly snowed on (don't climb there in winter!), but one of the boulders I went to was the “globe boulder”, which has Twelfth Night on it. The stand start was established a while back, but the sit start was a fairly long standing project that, over the last five years, I'd looked at, touched the holds on, even tried to pull on once or twice, but genuinely thought it would never be possible for me. I visited the boulder again late last year, tried to pull on, and found myself doing the first move. Six days of falling and laughing later I found myself on top! Doing something that I had previously believed would be impossible was an amazing feeling. I was so overjoyed and proud of myself. It opened my eyes to what could be possible for me in climbing.
From beginning bouldering as a solo pursuit, is it fair to say you’ve become much more entwined in the climbing community over the years? I think climbing is a really great avenue for finding and building community. I think that trying to perform to your best in climbing almost necessitates having a strong community around you. Climbing is a vulnerable sport. You get scared, you try hard, you set goals, you fail, you try again. Going through that process while not feeling comfortable with or trying to hide parts of yourself from the people around you makes it even harder. I'm nonbinary and find that it's really important to find communities where that is respected, understood and welcomed. I've been incredibly surprised and grateful to have found that in climbing. Time and time again, meeting people through working at gyms around Melbourne, going to climbing competitions, or now having just moved out to Gariwerd, the people in climbing spaces have been some of the most open and considerate I've met anywhere. It's very empowering to feel able to be purely, openly yourself and have that be supported, while you're trying to send your proj.
IT WAS A WELCOME REMINDER THAT THE AREAS WE CLIMB IN ARE MORE THAN JUST THE PIECES OF ROCK THERE. What about comp climbing? Competitive sports are famously gender-binary. I've done a fair amount of competing in the last few years, from state level competitions to social comps around Australia, all in some sort of gender inclusive category. I started competing largely because I wanted to prove to people that the gender inclusive category in competitions should be taken seriously. I wanted to show spectators, organisers, and other would-be competitors in the category that it was worthwhile and important. I think even in the roughly three years I've been competing I've seen a big change. The number of competitors has increased, the level of the competition and route setting has gone up, and now there's a gender inclusive category at the national level of competition. There's still a way to go for it to catch up to the binary categories but it's a hopeful start. Climbing is still a fairly young sport when it comes to competition, so it has a really interesting opportunity to include gender diverse people in a way that may be more difficult for more entrenched sports like athletics or football. WINTER 2024 21
GETTING TO KNOW FRASER GUST TOP: IMAGE BY LOZ MCQUILLAN. BOTTOM: FRASER WORKING ON AMMAGAMMA V13. IMAGES BY VINCENT TRAN.
CLIMBING IS A VULNERABLE SPORT. YOU GET SCARED, YOU TRY HARD, YOU SET GOALS, YOU FAIL, YOU TRY AGAIN. Despite caring really strongly about the inclusion of gender queer people in climbing, I think I'm actually going to take a step back from it. I've found it odd competing against people that any other day of the week I'd be climbing alongside and cheering on. I like climbing for its collaborative nature, so I think I'm going to stick to climbing outdoors for a little while.
You’ve also travelled a bit for climbing… How were the climbing communities different in Japan and NZ? I'm really grateful for the experiences I've had climbing internationally. It's definitely opened my eyes to different ways to look at climbing. From the Japanese climbing community I took away looking at climbing not as a sport or hobby, but as a craft or practice. It's something to be worked on slowly and persistently over the long term. Climbing outdoors at Mt Ogawayama, there felt like there was a much smaller emphasis on sending boulders. People were always
trying something really hard for them and improving little bit by little bit, which I found very inspiring. Every moment of learning and success on the way to sending was important. In Aotearoa/NZ I learnt a lot about boldness and sharing in climbing. I climbed for a week in Kura Tawhiti/Castle Hill Basin and the boulders/boulderers there blew me away. The lines are so amazing and tall—to climb them you need to be so confident in your own ability and stay so centered and in control while you're up there. It's a headspace that is definitely helpful much more broadly—in climbing and in life—than just in the avenue of highball bouldering. On top of being incredibly brave, the climbers there were some of the most instantly warm and helpful people I've met. They were incredibly keen to share their knowledge and the ethics of the local area. I've been trying to take this away with me, and share knowledge around climbing at and taking care of the climbing areas locally.
CLIMBING IS STILL A FAIRLY YOUNG SPORT WHEN IT COMES TO COMPETITION, SO IT HAS A REALLY INTERESTING OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE GENDER DIVERSE PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT MAY BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR MORE ENTRENCHED SPORTS LIKE ATHLETICS OR FOOTBALL. 22 WINTER 2024
Fitzroy, K2, Cho Oyu, Denali, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Kosciuszko, El Capitan, Ama Dablam, Annapurna, Everest, Minto Peak... where will you take it?
Photo: Harrison Candlin
E S T. 1 9 7 5
B O R N O F T H E M O U N TA I N S
MOUNTAINDESIGNS.COM
UPDATES FROM ALTITUDE SPECIAL
SO YOU WANT TO CLIMB EVEREST? ALLIE PEPPER’S EBOOK Images supplied by Allie Pepper
Aussie mountaineer Allie Pepper is attempting to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks without supplemental oxygen in just two years. At time of writing, Allie Pepper has ticked Broad Peak, Manaslu, Annapurna 1, and Makalu. With her extensive experience in mountaineering and guiding, Allie used some of her downtime over summer (if you can call her intensive training schedule “downtime”) to produce a guide to climbing Everest. The ebook dives into the mental side of preparation, exploring motivation, mindset, principles and values. Would-be climbers are urged to consider what truly drives them, and how they might respond to critical incidents on the mountain. Allie covers the physical skills readers will 26 WINTER 2024
need to reach the summit, but goes beyond that to delve into the technical skills climbers must learn to reduce risk to their guides and others on the mountain. The focus is less about encouraging people to head to the world’s highest peak, and more about ensuring that those who do have the knowledge to do so safely and in a way that respects the mountain, the Nepalese culture and the Sherpa who guide them. So if Allie’s adventures have inspired you, read on! In this Updates From Altitude special we bring you a selection of guidance from the ebook—applicable to any mountaineering goals.
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
Allie uses three different names for the world’s greatest mountain. What are they and where are they from? Chomolungma—the Tibetan name which means “Goddess Mother of the World” or “Holy Mother”. Sagarmatha—the Nepali name which translates as “Forehead of the Sky” or “Holy Mother”. Mount Everest—this was the name given to the mountain in 1865 after Sir George Everest, a British surveyor who mapped the Himalayas in the 19th century.
The following is an edited extract from So You Want to Climb Everest? WHY I CLIMBED EVEREST I approached the Base Camp of Sagarmatha in May 2011 with my climbing partner Dawa Tenzing Sherpa, after a successful ascent of Lobuche East Peak. I was acclimatised and mentally prepared. However, I had not climbed at altitude for three years prior to that expedition, nor put crampons on during that time. It had taken me three long years of guiding to save the funds to climb Everest. I did however arrive at the mountain with a wealth of experience. I had an ascent of Cho Oyu without oxygen under my belt and I had guided around 20 high altitude expeditions. I had been climbing and teaching others to rock climb for the past 11 years. I managed to summit Everest on my first attempt, but I failed at my goal. My goal was to climb the mountain without the use of supplemental oxygen. I ended up using it because I had not spent any time at high altitude for three years. The result of that was I was not fast or strong enough to summit without the aid of oxygen.
Since then, I have learnt a phenomenal amount from undertaking twelve 8000m expeditions. On May 24th, 2023, I reached 8450m on Everest without oxygen before I turned around due to the weather. The most valuable lesson I have learnt is that it is not the mountain we conquer, it is ourselves. Perhaps that sounds familiar? The quote comes from Sir Edmund Hillary. But why did I climb Everest in the first place? To be honest, when I first began mountaineering, Everest did not interest me. I was more interested in climbing technical and remote peaks. That was until I got my first taste of thin air above 8000m on Cho Oyu in 2007. That changed my life. I found something that I was good at, that was rewarding and challenging, and brought out the best in me. It was the start of my dream to do all 14 peaks without oxygen. However, as I was working as a guide, I did not have the know-how to raise the funds to live that dream. I decided I would simply climb the highest and get on with my life—though I wanted to climb it without oxygen. Ironically, when I failed to achieve my goal, it only made me want to climb more 8000ers! WINTER 2024 27
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WHAT IS YOUR WHY? My first question for you is what is your why? There is no right or wrong answer here. But it is important to ask yourself the question. It is important to know your motivation. Because climbing Everest can take everything. It takes a certain amount of money, it takes a significant amount of your time, and it most definitely takes a lot of your energy. It can also take your life, if you are not careful—or simply unlucky.
HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE IS ENOUGH? I am going to assume that if you are reading this you don’t have a lot of experience. In that case you may consider using more support on the mountain, such as climbing with a Western company that can help you a lot more with day to day logistics. You may also choose to climb with two local guides, so you don’t have to carry so much weight in your pack on the mountain. This will help you to conserve your energy for summit day. But, perhaps you have financial constraints that don't allow you to pay the additional cost of using a Western company and the additional services they provide. Perhaps your financial constraints don’t allow you to pay the wages for two local guides. Regardless, the more experience you have before arriving to the mountain, the more chance of success you have. Because even if you have all the money and resources, go with the best, most expensive company, and have two local guides with you, no one else can climb the mountain for you. You must be able to climb it yourself. If you can’t, you become a liability. If you lack sufficient experience, it can affect all those around you. I saw an example of this in 2017 when I was heading down through the Khumbu icefall with my climbing partner Mariano. We were attempting to summit Lhotse without oxygen. It was during the middle of the day, and we were in a notoriously dangerous avalanche zone. Normally we would move super quickly when we descend through that area. However, when we arrived, we got stuck in a queue of around 30 climbers. We were waiting because there was one foreign climber who did not know how to abseil and was stuck on the rope. It was an absurd situation. I couldn’t even fathom that someone would step foot on the mountain without that essential skill. It took several guides to get them off the rope and down to the base of that ice wall. The operation took over an hour. If there had been an avalanche while we waited, there would have been 30 of us with nowhere to run. That incident, and countless others that I have witnessed, are part of the reason I am sharing my knowledge in this eBook.
TECHNICAL CLIMBING AND OUTDOOR SKILLS What I am about to say next may shock you. I have seen climbers on Everest with their helmets on back to front. I have seen climbers on Everest with their crampons on the wrong feet. I have seen climbers with no clue how to use an ascender. Most common are climbers that are so slow they hold up other climbers and porters on the mountain. They cause trouble for everyone, because the people waiting behind them get cold and are exposed to the elements for longer than they planned to be. That slowness is not only a result of their lack of physical preparation, but also a lack of technical skills. A lack of time climbing in crampons efficiently, a lack of time spent changing over at anchors efficiently, a lack of knowledge of ways of speeding up these processes safely. To become efficient at these technical skills takes practice. A surprising number of climbers turn up at Everest Base camp expecting to learn all these skills as they go. After my 2023 expedition I was shocked at how many climbers did this, to be honest. Over the years it has almost become common practice. This is not a positive change for the mountaineering industry in Nepal. It is not a positive 28 WINTER 2024
change for the workers on the mountain that are involved in rescuing these ill prepared climbers. It is also not a positive change for the climbers themselves who end up needing to be rescued. Climbers who have not taken proper responsibility for their own preparation need help during every step they take on the mountain. There are lots of skills that are important on the mountain. For example, packing and carrying your backpack efficiently, choosing clothing layers appropriate for the conditions, organising your sleep system so you are comfortable each night, putting up a tent in the wind, using a stove in the snow, and melting snow to make water. While a guide will be able to help and advise, or even do some of these things for you, what happens if they get sick? Will you be able to melt snow for water? Do you expect them to do it even though they could be the ones with the stomach illness? These types of skills for surviving and thriving in the outdoors don’t have to be gained on high altitude mountains, and yet they are highly valuable.
MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL PREPARATION In 2011 when I was climbing on the Lhotse face towards Camp 3 I came across a small group of people on a steep section. One climber, a client of my friend’s company, had a heart attack. Their guide was giving them chest compressions. Another guide that I knew from Aconcagua had brought back an adrenaline injection from Camp 3. I knew the guides had wilderness first aid training, so I wanted to help them. I took over the radio communication to the doctor at Base Camp. She had been giving instructions for the last 45 minutes since the client had collapsed. Her final instruction was to give an injection of adrenaline, the last slim hope for the client. One guide administered it and she told me to count down two minutes. If there was no change in the client’s consciousness there was no point continuing the compressions any longer. One guide did the compressions, one was monitoring for breathing and signs of life. I counted down for 2 minutes. They didn’t want to stop. I counted down another two minutes and the doctor on the radio pronounced the client dead. This is the reality of having a heart attack in such a remote location. It was the client’s first time on Everest, he had a family and children at home. It was the first time in my life that I had been in that type of situation. What would you do if you came across this situation on Everest? How would it affect you? Previously I had seen a dead body on Aconcagua. I had also been involved in multiple rescues and helped save people’s lives on other mountains. I have many friends that are paramedics and emergency doctors, so I am constantly hearing their stories. In that respect I was able to cope with the situation and be of some use at the time. Although afterwards I was deeply affected by it. It is worth mentally and emotionally preparing yourself for this sort of situation because you may face something similar. It may even be one of your team mates. During a Wilderness First Aid course you will practice responding to these types of situations, which helps to mentally prepare for them. It also enables you to help other people, not just stand there like a deer in headlights. Being able to assist at the time helped me to process the incident—I know that there was nothing more we could do for the client and I felt some peace in the fact that I was able to do something to aid the guides at the time. To have some mental preparation for this type of incident is better than to have none. Even to simply ponder how you would feel in that type of situation will help you prepare if you come across it. There are also important questions to consider about your principles. If someone needs help when you are on the way to the summit, will you stop and try to help them? Or would you simply think they are someone
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else’s problem? What if you had done all the training, everything I suggest in this eBook and you are faced with that situation, what then? Would you forfeit your summit to assist someone in need? I use the principles: Safe, Social, Summit. What does that mean? Never summit over safety or social. I learned this on my first high altitude expedition to Aconcagua in South America in the year 2000. The expedition leader Jack taught it to me. I will choose not to summit a mountain if there are safety or social concerns. Safety not only refers to my own safety, but it includes the safety of my climbing partner and all others around me. For example, I won’t step over someone who needs help on my way to the summit. What does social mean? Social is the people, the connections, and relationships. Would I destroy a relationship? A vital connection? Would I lose the trust of my team members, and others, to reach a summit? Would I force someone to be in a position that they don’t want to be in to reach the summit? The answer is simple: no. Those are my principles, they guide me on the mountain. I have not only summited Everest and other 8000ers without supplemental oxygen, but I have also lived to tell the tale. I have suffered no serious injuries, I have never had frostbite and, most importantly, I have never 30 WINTER 2024
needed a rescue. What are your principles? Think about this before you are faced with a difficult situation on the mountain. Above 8000m a wrong decision can have catastrophic consequences. That is why I adhere to the “Safe, Social, Summit” principles. You may choose to climb Sagarmatha and invest in the help of Nepali workers. You may be changing their lives by giving them that opportunity. However, you are also putting their lives in danger. Their work and their life deserves the greatest respect. You are a visitor to their mountain, their sacred mountain. Bring with you a respect for their culture, a respect for their work and a respect for their mountain. By being prepared for your climb, you honour the workers on the mountain, and you honour the mountain. You will have a greater chance of the mountain granting you safe passage and less chance of causing problems for others when you climb. Everyone wins when you arrive at Base Camp knowing that you have prepared yourself to the best of your capabilities and yet remain humble in the face of Sagarmatha.
So You Want To Climb Everest? is available on Amazon.
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Great
LOCAL INTERNATIONAL LORE
RACKING UP VERTICAL MILEAGE IN OURAY, COLORADO WORDS BY LEWIS FOSTER AND JAMES COLLINS IMAGES BY LEWIS FOSTER
WE’RE MIXING UP OUR LOCAL LORE COLUMN IN HONOUR OF WINTER. LEWIS AND JAMES, TWO AUSSIE CLIMBING LEGENDS, TAKE US ON A TRIP TO OURAY WHERE THEY HONED THEIR ICE CLIMBING SKILLS. THEY GIVE US THE BETA ON THE ENORMOUS ICE PARK—HOW TO GET THERE, WHAT TO CLIMB, AND WHY YOU SHOULD STAY AT A TINY HORSE FARM.
JAMES SHAKING OUT ON THE PUMPY FIRST PITCH OF BRIDAL VEIL FALLS (WI5)
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"Where are you guys from?" "Australia" "What are you guys in Ouray for?" "We're here for the ice climbing." "I guess there's not much ice in Australia!" This was how most conversations with locals started, followed by an explanation of how the most reliable ice climbing crag in Australia, Blue Lake, has a two to three hour approach that offers relatively short pitches of climbing for only two months of the year. James and I are both climbers and backcountry skiers looking to progress safely in the dangerous world of alpine climbing. Recent trips to Nepal and New Zealand, respectively, revealed a gap in our alpine toolkits: comfortability and confidence on steeper ice and mixed terrain. Mileage was what we needed. We considered jumping the ditch to New Zealand due to its proximity to Australia. We quickly ruled it out as the infamous maritime weather systems and lengthy approaches could severely affect our time on ice. The Canadian Rockies were also discussed, but hearing that it's common to spend two hours each morning driving to new crags out from Canmore, we started to look elsewhere. Enter Ouray, Colorado. Located in an amphitheatre of rugged mountains, Ouray is marketed as "the Switzerland of America". It's known for being home to the world's largest manufactured public ice climbing park, the Ouray Ice Park. Think about your local ski resort's snowmaking system, but all guns pointed directly down the cliffs of a steep three kilometre stretch of canyon. When all the climbers are in bed, and the temperature drops below zero, the “Ouray ice farmers” turn on the taps and the ice grows. The park makes the area unmatched in terms of the sheer amount of climbing one can do. The kicker is that the frozen waterfalls easily accessed around the town are some of the finest in the world. It’s the perfect destination for those looking to progress efficiently from ice park top ropes to backcountry leads. The ice park is open from mid-December through March, and we had a three-week window at the beginning of February. Through much searching, we found affordable accommodation at a local tiny horse farm (yes, you read that right!), rented a car, and stocked up at Walmart. All that was left to do was swing and kick. We began by focusing on top rope mileage. We soon realised that the movement patterns and techniques we learned from the rock weren’t
LOCATED IN AN AMPHITHEATRE OF RUGGED MOUNTAINS, OURAY IS MARKETED AS "THE SWITZERLAND OF AMERICA". entirely transferable to the ice. Therefore, we decided to hire a guide who could teach us the fundamental movement patterns for ice climbing. That's right, not moves, movement patterns: swing, sag, kick, stand, repeat. This helped us establish a solid technical foundation to progress quickly and feel more comfortable on steeper terrain. If you have never fallen rock climbing, people might encourage you to climb closer to your limit and get out of your comfort zone. The same is not valid for ice. To quote Canadian ice climbing legend Will Gadd, "If you fall off ice climbing, you've compounded multiple errors and seriously screwed up." There is a ratio of 2:1 for lead falls on ice that resulted in injury versus non-injury. The main reason for this is your crampon's catching while falling, leading to a broken leg, ankle or something worse. Ice screws are placed on lead to stop you from dying, not to stop you from taking a whip to the hospital. Sounds pretty scary, right? Getting used to this mentality takes time. The good news is that if you learn to swing and kick properly, you WINTER 2024 33
LOCAL INTERNATIONAL LORE OURAY, COLORADO
OUR GUIDE INTRODUCED US TO THE CONVERSATION TEST. YOU SHOULD ONLY LEAD A PITCH IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE ENOUGH WHILE CLIMBING TO HOLD A CONVERSATION. should always have jugs and solid feet. Our guide introduced us to the conversation test. You should only lead a pitch if you are comfortable enough while climbing to hold a conversation. Other mentors have recommended leading once you've climbed 100 to 150 pitches of ice. Just 10 days in Ouray had us pushing towards 100 laps on the top rope and chatting jovially while doing it. The 30 metre zones like South Park and the Schoolroom, allowed us to do laps on terrain graded WI3 to WI4 while belaying in the bottom of the gorge. Later, the more exciting zones opened up for us “between the bridges”, which involved the climber being lowered 50 metres down the narrow canyon until they were dangling just above the icy water. They would then pull onto the ice and start ascending their chosen line. As each day led to the next, our sticks and kicks began to click, and we began to feel like eloquent conversationalists climbing WI3 to WI4 terrain. 34 WINTER 2024
The Skylight area, a stretch of cliff broken up by natural ice flows down steep chimneys, was our first taste of climbing the backcountry of the San Juan Mountains. Here, we both led our first route of the trip, Chockstone Chimney (WI3), a short, fat curtain of ice perfect for building our confidence. Later, we returned to brave the mega classic chimney lines Choppo’s Chimney and Skylight, which gradually close in on you, constricting your movements and even your ability to swing an ice axe. Fortunately, savvy climbers can use the back wall of the chimneys to stem and rest, allowing for a 3D climbing experience. We were also introduced to the wonderful world of mixed climbing with an ascent of The Hardest Mixed Climb in the World (M4+) and later Senators Corner (M7). Minuscule ledges become absolute jugs using steel picks and crampon points instead of giant fleshy hands and feet. It simultaneously felt like aid and free climbing at the same time and was a joy to experience. Nearing the end of the trip, we started looking for a fitting way to finish our time in San Juans. An obvious contender emerged in Bridal Veil Falls. First climbed by Jeff Lowe and Mike Weiss in 1973, Bridal Veil Falls was the most difficult ice route in the world and is still considered a testpiece WI5/6. Fortunately for us, it was "climbing easy" during our visit, meaning the bulges that could form were not as bulgy as usual. We started to see this route as the Big Boss that we had been training towards and would ultimately become our last climb of the trip. Despite Jimmy's best efforts to sabotage the attempt by forgetting his gloves, we successfully climbed the route in two mega pitches. The pitches were long and more sustained than anything else we had encountered. After a game of scissors, paper, rock, I was in the position to tackle the first pitch, which we later agreed to be the crux. My left forearm was becoming pumped 30 metres up and I would have failed the conversation test if you asked me how to cook my favourite THIS PAGE (L-R): JAMES ON SLIPPERY WHEN WET WI4 A TIGHT CHIMNEY IN THE SKYLIGHT AREA; JAMES AT THE TOP OF WHOREHOUSE HOSES A MEGA CLASSIC WI 4-5 IN THE EUREKA AREA. RIGHT: GUIDE STEPHEN WILLIAMS DEMONSTRATING LEADING ON ABRIDGMENT WI4
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NEARING THE END OF THE TRIP, WE STARTED LOOKING FOR A FITTING WAY TO FINISH OUR TIME IN SAN JUANS. AN OBVIOUS CONTENDER EMERGED IN BRIDAL VEIL FALLS.
ICE CLIMBING GRADES “WI” stands for “water ice” and the grades denote the steepness of the pitch. WI1-2 is low-angle walking to 60 degrees, WI3-4 is 70-80 degrees, WI5 is sustained vertical, and WI6 is vertical with some overhanging bulges. This differs from a climbing grade because many other conditional factors will affect the overall difficulty of a climb. For example, A backcountry WI5 that hasn't seen traffic for weeks will require much more swinging and kicking than an ice park WI5 that gets climbed 20 times a day. Ice climbing grades are helpful information to help you assess the difficulty of a climb, but it’s not the only information you may need to decide if a lead is within your ability level.
BACKCOUNTRY ROUTE RECOMMENDATIONS:
TRAVEL TIPS:
• Dexters (WI3-4): an excellent introduction to multi-pitching in the backcountry, a fat flow of ice offering two distinct two-pitch lines.
• Getting there: look for flights into Durango and Grand Junction, CO.
• Charmin Tube (WI4-): A popular classic akin to reverse canyoning hidden in the hills above Ouray. Three pitches with the first and third being the best.
• This area is known for its hot springs, which are great for mental and physical recovery (Orvis was our favourite).
• Stairway to Heaven (WI4) is deservedly popular and aptly named. It is a 300m stepped flow of beautiful blue ice that requires stable snow conditions in the bowl above. It is often done in 5 mega pitches, with the third being the crux.
• Renting an all-wheel drive or 4WD car is essential.
• If you are still learning the fundamentals, it’s worth paying for at least a day or two with a guide. San Juan Mountain Guides and Basecamp are good options.
• Skylight (WI5+): enjoyable 3D climbing in the back of a narrow chimney. It can be thin at the top. Two Pitches
• The Ice Park is a free service, yet the $70 US Ice Park Membership allows for early access to the park (especially lovely on weekends) and various other perks/discounts from sponsors, which can easily cover the membership cost. It also supports the park, which is otherwise free.
• Bridal Veil (WI5/6) is the area's classic. It is worth being guided up, even if you are not up to leading yourself. It is usually climbed in three pitches.
• Accommodation at Moe’s Mini Horse Farm is cheaper than anything else and includes breakfast and free tiny horse therapy! Contact her through Facebook and mention Jimmy and Lew.
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gear for serious adventures
meal (spinach pie)—yet having been pumped before, I remained calm and steadied my breath. Climbing onwards, I spied a small opening between the centre curtain and a giant icicle; my trad climber brain released my right tool and found a delightful icy fist jam. This was unorthodox, yet it allowed me to shake out my left arm without further pumping my right, and soon after, I climbed through a series of small icy caverns and set up a belay. Jimmy led the second pitch in style, encountering multiple 3D bulges and a series of thin, icy windows, allowing you to witness the flowing waterfall behind the veil. Getting our rope stuck on rappel was the perfect reminder never to drop your guard in the mountains, but with some help from newly made friends we were quickly on our way again. We walked away from Bridal Veil with a sense of accomplishment, knowing that while we were still far from experts, we had gained the mileage needed to contemplate more devious mountain capers. If you are interested in heading to Ouray, the authors invite any climbers to message them on Insta for more detailed beta: James Collins @makalujames; Lewis Foster @lewfos67. LEFT PAGE TOP: JAMES SECONDING ON ABRIDGMENT IN THE OURAY ICE PARK WI4. SMALL IMAGES L-R: JAMES ON: THE FIRST PITCH OF CHARMIN TUBE WI4; ON P2 OF DEXTERS SLABS; ON SLIPPERY WHEN WET WI4 A TIGHT CHIMNEY IN THE SKYLIGHT AREA. ABOVE: WHEN YOU FORGET THE QUICKDRAWS; STEPHEN WILLIAMS LEADING UP CHOCKSTONE CHIMNEY (WI3)
BIO | Lewis and James met through the tight-knit Aus highlining community and quickly became friends due to their shared love for pushing themselves in the mountains and learning as many disciplines as possible. They both work as Australian climbing and backcountry skiing guides throughout the year and are looking to progress their skill sets to become IFMGA guides. Lewis is the Director of Operations for K7 Adventures and an Arcteryx Au Ambassador.
& MORE! Bogong Equipment 374 Little Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 (03) 9600 0599
bogong.com.au
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HOW I GOT THE SHOT
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SPASM IN THE CHASM WORDS & IMAGES BY CLAIRE WILLIAMS
Like all good climbing photographers, Claire was prepared for dangling off the end of a rope, dragging heavy camera gear up the cliff and getting all up in her climber’s personal space. Next time she reckons she might plan ahead to factor in a sketchy traverse and high wind though… Spasm in the Chasm, an epic grade 25, 3 star mixed climb at Mt Arapiles, is located in a steep and chilly tunnel. It provides all day shade on those scorching days in the Wimmera heat. Dean Bailey had made it his newest project after hearing there was a dyno move. He was determined to make some progress on linking up cruxes and I came along to capture it. It was nearing the end of the day when we first went to scope it out. We had done a few climbs, but decided to check out the route and set up my fixed line, ready for photography the following day. The best option for a fixed line was on the same anchor at the top of the climb. It would provide some great angles to capture the climber up close. Getting to the top of the cliffs was easy with only a little bit of a rock scramble. The anchors however were an awkward placement for top access, with glassy slopers and hidden feet. It was located to the left of a large boulder with a short fixed rope to use as a safety when traversing across to the anchors and the 25m drop directly below. Upon arriving Dean decided that he wanted to have a few attempts WINTER 2024 39
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that evening. This meant I would also have the opportunity to capture the climb at two different times of the day. But first I had to get up the line so I could photograph it. I put my grigri on the short rope near the anchor and began my traverse. While it made it slower to get across, it also meant it would be less of a fall if I slipped. As I made slow movements, my camera tapped against the rocks adding more discomfort to the precarious situation. Unable to see my feet as I moved, my fingers desperately tried to glue themselves to the sloped rope. “Where are the jugs?” I yelled desperately. Dean and Dave Willing (Slippy Dave) are familiar with my discomfort in traverses and basked in the moment, yelling unhelpful comments and laughing at my expense. They were at the base of the climb, 25m below me and couldn’t have helped if they wanted. Images of previous traverses like Pagoda in Moonarie and The Initiation at Mt Buffalo flashed through my head. Whilst this was an easier traverse, I had to add in the weight of a heavy static rope hanging off my harness, my camera slung over my shoulder, and a camera bag on my back. Those who know me, know that a traverse is my own personal hell. From the moment I reached the top access point I knew it wasn’t going to be fun. I could feel my emotions heighten and my eyes started welling up. “Suck it up Claire, it’s only a few metres,” I told myself sternly, trying push the tears back. Why did I put myself in this situation, I wondered. Could I have done this smarter? Absolutely. But why didn’t I? Good question and I didn’t really know the answer, other than thinking I’d rather rappel down to take the photographs, rather than have to ascend the rope from the base of the cliff. I felt around for the non-existent jugs and hoped I didn’t slip off the slopers. Slowly I made my way across, unable to see my feet as I moved, the camera still tapping on the rock with each movement. I finally reached the anchors and locked myself on, taking a sigh of relief as I lowered my weight onto my PAS. After rappelling down halfway I set my gear up so I was able to ascend. Already on a grigri, I attached a hand ascender above me which was connected to a secondary personal anchor system. In training I was always taught to have two points of contact on the rope. I then attached my pulley onto the top of the ascender with the break strand running through it. Dave had a few attempts on the climb. It was his first time trying it and Dean wanted to give him the chance to get the onsite. This gave me the opportunity to get some photos and test my lighting and
other camera settings. For the lower half of the climb I was hanging, swimming in space and treading air in an effort to prevent myself from spinning. However, there was a bit of a breeze running through the tunnel which made movement quite difficult to control. Eventually I gave up and let myself twirl, trying to time each rotation to lock onto Dave as I went around. Fortunately by the time Dave was done and Dean was ready to begin the wind had settled. As I moved higher up the rock I was able to straddle myself on the wall above the first dyno. Dean would leap to the dyno and he’d pass through my straddled legs on the wall. It was quite an up close way to go about getting the shot. The following day we returned to see if Dean could get the send. This gave me the chance to refine my angles more, and focus on other parts of the climb worth capturing. And on Monday 18th March, Dean got the send on his last burn of the day. CLAIRE WILLIAMS | Claire is an Aussie rock climber with 14 years of photography experience. She has found her purpose combining her passions of climbing, adventure, travel and action photography. WINTER 2024 41
AU.YETI.COM / NZ.YETI.COM
EASY TO TAKE, HARD TO BREAK.
PHOTO FEATURE
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LAND OF THE GIANTS
WORDS BY JACQUES BEAUDOIN PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON
WHEN JACQUES SET HIMSELF THE BOLD CHALLENGE OF A NEW, FIENDISHLY DIFFICULT TRAD LINE IN NSW’S GARDENS OF STONE NATIONAL PARK, CLIMBING PHOTOGRAPHER JARED ANDERSON CAME ALONG TO DOCUMENT THE FINAL, SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT. In December ’23, I realised a long term wish of onsighting the very inspiring line Sacred Ground (23), Gardens of Stone National Park, in a single 63m pitch. I had taken visiting Queenslander Lee Prescott with me that day, and showed him the track to nearby trad climb Supercrack (24) so he could get ready to climb it whilst I was packing up. On his way, he stumbled across a monster 15m offwidth roof crack. He was frothing propulsively like a puppy presented with treats as he exclaimed, “Look I found an unclimbed mega classic! Silver [cam
size #4] all the way!” “We’ll come back to it,” I said, “I’m keen!” I did a bit of research to find out if the line had been done before. Turned out this daunting line has been scoped by numerous keen crack climbers, including the first ascensionists of the classic Supercrack, Lucas Trihey and Bruce Cameron, in the mid-90s. According to Mike Law, “The guys who did Supercrack thought that it was pretty extreme, and they were the keenest crack climbers of WINTER 2024 45
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the time. And they had no big cams ...” “Well, extreme cracks are my trade,” I thought. “And I can sort the gear out.” Unfortunately for Lee, he soon set off to Tassie. So instead I headed back out there with Fanny (Nathaniel Glavurdic). I told him to pack all the #4s he could get his hands on, but at the base of the crack I was quick to realise that Lee’s judgment had been a bit off-size. In fact, even our #5 weren’t big enough. To my surprise, Fanny decided to have a go anyway. I belayed as he headed up into the cave, with no prospect of gear placements, and barely able to see in front of him. About 5m up he reached the roof, and found a sizeable boulder wedged into the chimney, which he could use to set up an anchor with smaller cams. Gear at last! From there, he started a journey through a horizontal chimney where he had to part with his helmet as it wouldn’t fit in the chasm.
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PHOTO FEATURE LAND OF THE GIANTS
As he progressed away from the boulder and higher into the chimney, he found a narrower section where he could fit two rattly #5s which he didn’t put much trust into. Nevertheless, he proceeded through the chimney and emerged with a crazy transition from squeeze to underclinging the lip of the crack with opposed footwork underneath. At this stage (and frankly well before this stage), it was quite obvious that no other gear would fit before the end of the offwidth section, and he was only at the beginning… I was happy to see him retreating, and in a heroic effort managing to reverse the move back into the chimney towards the #5s which he inspected, adjusted and loaded slowly so I could lower him to firm ground. “We’ll be back with #6s,” I thought to myself. Unfortunately for Fanny, he too set off to Tassie (or wherever). I then went on a campaign to secure six #6s. Luckily Zac Vertrees lent me three of them! I returned to the climb with yet another passing Queenslander, Zac Trembath, to attempt the route. Unlike Fanny, I had the luxury of being able to shuffle a #6 all the way up to the chockstone and the start anchor. From there, I could have taken my helmet off and followed Fanny’s steps towards the #5s he left behind. I chose to try another way though, and approached the chimney 48 WINTER 2024
differently with my upper body squeezing just under a constriction. My feet scraped the steep wall under the crack, desperately feeling for footwork I couldn’t see. That was slightly unpleasant, but it got worse—there was no more gear available for a few more metres, and I knew the next move would be spicy. It was a crazy transition from inside the chimney to outside. This was where Fanny stopped, and I was now in uncharted territory. I could see from there the chimney was closing down to offwidth, and the prospect of more than welcome gear placement gave me some wings. At this stage I was secretly glad that the underclinging technique worked and I didn’t have to do that Wide Boyz business. I took a chance on a powerful long reach further along the crack and to my relief found a proper rest jug inside. While resting, I found a good crimp further ahead and that was good enough to lead me to the last section where higher footwork allowed me to power layback to the end for the first free ascent at an improbable grade 24—Land of the Giants.
Jacques Beaudoin | Jacques has been described as undiminishable, indefatigable, irrepressible and possibly insane. He brings endless psyche for the most obscure, difficult, inconvenient and sometimes even downright hideous lines—provided they're proud, enviable lines, enough to stoke his inner fire.
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50 WINTER 2024
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
Beth Rodden
SHINING A LIGHT THROUGH THE CRACKS PHOTOS BY RYAN MOON
One of the world’s greatest climbers, US athlete Beth Rodden is known for many things. She holds the record for hardest first ascent of a crack climb by a woman, and has achieved numerous notable free climbs on El Capitan. In recent years she has become known for her commentary and advocacy around body image and equality in climbing. In 2000, at just 20 years old, she was one of four climbers, including her then-boyfriend Tommy Caldwell, kidnapped for six days in Kyrgyzstan, bringing her an extra level of fame she never wanted. Beth’s newly released memoir A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber’s Story had been on her mind for nearly a decade—with the story she needed to tell evolving and changing over the years—before it was published in May this year. At VL we were stoked to chat to Beth about the book, and excited to bring you an excerpt. What made you want to write the book, and why now exactly? As a professional climber I always felt like I should write a book—as your career goes on it’s a box to check. After my divorce, then becoming a mum, and overcoming injuries, [my idea for the book] changed from what I thought I should do, into what the book I would have needed at different points of my life would be. I’ve gained so much strength and felt so seen though other people sharing their stories, and I think this is the type of book that I
would have really latched onto, and that would have given me a lot of support. When I started climbing, a lot of the books and dialogue in the community was very black and white, and depicted the typical hero's journey—you rise, you fall a little bit, and you rise stronger. It was shiny and packaged, you know that type of thing. I would have liked—and I do like—hearing people’s stories with all the nuances in life, all the in-between moments, and all the conflicting emotions that people feel, and not just the stuff you think you should hear. WINTER 2024 51
INTERNATIONAL BETH RODDEN SHINING A LIGHT THROUGH THE CRACKS
Who do you imagine your readers are? Who will pick up this book and get something out of it?
down…. Not to sit down and write for eight hours a day, but it has occupied my brain space and what I was thinking about.
I honestly have no idea. I feel like if it could reach young girls, women in their 20s and mothers, then those are the times of life when it would have been good for me… And I’m sure that in 20 years if you ask me, I’ll say “I should have waited 20 years [to write it] because I have a whole different outlook on things now.”
Any key points or takeaways for the book you’d like readers to come away with?
The book described the aftermath and your recovery after Kyrgyzstan. There are probably plenty of people who are drawn to extreme experiences in climbing as a way to deal with, or block out, trauma.
Life is nuanced, you know. And for me it’s totally about learning that you can experience conflicting things at the same time and that’s totally normal. I felt like I grew up in the climbing community at a time when it was very black and white, and that you had to be this one way to be successful, not afraid of heights, always fit all the time, and all that.
I definitely think sports and moving your body can be a great coping mechanism. But, at least for me, it can be a way to hide your feelings as well. Trauma can be so specific and so universal at the same time. For me, going through the experience of trying to start unpacking that, and how it kind of bubbled up in all the different parts of my life, was really eye opening—especially because therapy and feelings were very taboo or seen as weak in the climbing community for the longest time. So just to shed a light on that has been—and I hope will continue to be—a process that is helpful in my life. How does climbing as a sport treat women? This was one of the themes that came through in the book, and I wondered what sort of changes you have seen over the years. I’ve seen it changing a lot and probably the most noticeable way is that those subjects are actually talked about now. Eating issues were never talked about, even though they were clearly prevalent in the climbing community. Inequity in pay was never talked about, and now it’s widely discussed. And the same with inequity in climbing and the need for it to be a more inclusive community that welcomes all races and genders, and hopefully have a level playing field. I don’t think that we have a completely level playing field—I don’t know if that’s ever achievable—but I do feel like it’s coming along. Ten years ago when I called my sponsors to tell them I was pregnant, I was fully expecting most of them to cut me completely or reduce my pay. Minus a couple I was kept the same. But for my younger friends who are having kids now, there’s not even a question of whether they’ll be able to continue in their careers, so I think that’s great. And if you look at what types of images are used for advertising in the climbing community it is a lot different to what it was in the 90s and early 2000s. You see more different body types, you see more women, I feel like it’s a more diverse field. Again, obviously it’s not even, and we have a long way to go, but it’s getting a lot better.
What are your goals now—climbing goals or life goals? Gosh, I don’t even know. I feel like this book was occupying so much of my brain capacity for so long that I don’t think I have any concrete things on the horizon. This is done, and I don’t know what’s next!
How long did you spend writing the book? I started the process nearly 10 years ago, and initially that process was just journaling in a concise manner. Rather than just having these thoughts floating around, I would actually sit and write them down. And I would try to think of what stories or whatnot I would put in the book. Pre-Covid I was really heads down for a bit and I thought I’d finish the book in late 2020. Then Covid happened and it got totally derailed. Probably for the last couple of years I’ve been more heads 52 WINTER 2024
A LIGHT THROUGH THE CRACKS Excerpted from A Light through the Cracks: A Climber's Story by Beth Rodden. © 2024 Published by Little A Books, May 1, 2024. All Rights Reserved. Estes Park, Colorado, October 2001 I missed being in control. I missed feeling like my body, my life, my decisions were mine. I didn’t have the language for it then, but on some level I could feel that, too often, I was still reacting to the trauma of Kyrgyzstan. I wanted to act, not react. I wanted to truly be as fine as I always claimed to be. Tommy and I never talked about it. We would talk about the business side of things: the book money, the interview we had to do with another TV show, the movie rights, the new script that had come in. (We called it the Hey, baby script because every time my character addressed Tommy, she started with “Hey, baby.”) But the actual Kyrgyzstan trip? The nightmares, the flashbacks, the paranoia I still struggled to contain? Maybe we were scared to talk about it, or embarrassed. Maybe Tommy was over it. He seemed like he was okay, he always said he was okay—but then again, so did I. These were intimate details that maybe a couple could—should— talk about, but we didn’t.
By late October I knew I needed some semblance of normal. My collapse on 9/11 showed how far I still was from getting there. My six insurance-approved therapy sessions earlier in the year had gotten rid of the regular nightmares, but they didn’t even begin to scratch the surface of everything else that was going on. My eating was out of control. I’d binge for days in a row, until I felt so distended I would burp sulfur burps because I was literally making myself sick. I knew I was going to hate myself, hate how I felt, hate Tommy, hate the world, but I couldn’t stop. I hated that feeling too. We never really talked about the problem, but we’d talk about the solution: the exercise. That became a love language for us. Tommy hated seeing me so unhappy, I hated being so unhappy; the fix was clearly to exercise myself into oblivion so that I’d feel better. Tommy had goals, I had goals, but they all seemed so far off right now, so out of reach. I needed a bridge, so I decided to try the Sphinx Crack in the South Platte of Colorado. The South Platte has a much starker kind of beauty than Yosemite. There are no big trees or shade. The rocks are all rounded and yellow-white-gold. It looks almost like another planet, remote and vast and strange. The Sphinx Crack is a completely manufactured route. A long, pretty splitter crack that runs diagonally through a huge, yellowish boulder, it looks like a Hollywood ideal of a rock climb. It was created when the Colorado School of Mines blew it up back in the 1970s, which should probably have put a stain to its name, but oddly enough the explosives created an amazing climb that seems quite natural. It was doable as a day trip from our cabin in Estes, it was only one pitch with a short approach, easy to set a toprope on, and I was almost guaranteed no one else would be on it to see me trying. I hoped the project would feel like someone was holding my hand: a gentle on-ramp back into climbing hard. My body felt foreign as I started up, like I was wearing a weight vest when I pulled on the rock. My hands felt tender and tore instantly. Rolls of stomach skin spilled over the top of my harness; I hated myself, tucked them back in, hoping they would disappear if I couldn’t see them. Each time I pulled on a hold it was shocking, like picking up a huge cardboard box I’d thought was full of pillows but instead was full of books. My brain remembered what had been forged into it for the past seven years: light, snappy, strong muscle and arm responses. If I had to get used to this box full of books I might quit. After a few attempts, I slumped back into the passenger seat of the van. The backsides of both my hands were bleeding from being jammed into the crack. Normally after a Valley season my skin would have been hardened, resilient. My feet hurt too, my toes no longer used to being cramped inside of tight climbing shoes and shoved into WINTER 2024 53
INTERNATIONAL BETH RODDEN SHINING A LIGHT THROUGH THE CRACKS
vertical crevices in granite. But the pain felt like I was actually doing something with my life again, instead of floating, wallowing, like I had for the past fifteen months. I felt like I had a purpose.
and it put a smile on my face. Compared to the dark pathways where my mind had lingered over the past year and a half, bleeding fingers and the crisp, dry Colorado wind seemed like a vacation.
The next morning I woke up feeling like my body had been through a blender and then through a pasta-making machine, like it was torn up and flattened all at once. I smiled, soaking in the pain. This was what I remembered; this feeling was as close to heaven as I could be. Sure, I couldn’t do half the moves on the route, and it would take at least a week for the scabs on the back of my hands to heal, but maybe, maybe, I could start to feel like a climber again.
Partway up, I could feel the lactic acid starting to burn, and I paused. There’s a point that I think of as the normal-person stopping point, when I am short of breath, when my lungs are on fire, when my arms ache and my fingers start opening, when any sane person stops running, stops climbing, knowing they pushed hard, they got a good workout in, they made improvements. But I could go further, sometimes. When it was time to send, I could access another well of energy, my reserve. It was probably what propelled me in those last hours of captivity, when I didn’t want to go any farther, when I just wanted to give up, but then found I could run for hours, run literally on empty.
A week later, when my skin was healed, we drove back to the Sphinx. This time I was prepared and taped my hands. I had an elaborate taping routine that I had perfected in Yosemite. First, I’d coat my hands with Mueller Pre-Tape Spray (like a mild liquid glue, in an aerosol can). Then I took various lengths of athletic tape and placed them in a specific pattern: three full-width pieces on the back of each hand, one around the meat of my thumb, and three tiny strips around the base of my fingers, overlapping the strips on the back of my hand. Finally I’d carefully wrap tape around my entire hand, trying not to get too much on my palm where I needed contact to climb. By the end I resembled a boxer about to enter the ring. My next attempt on the route was so different, so much better, than my first. I began to remember how to decode a route, how I thought of it as an entire puzzle instead of just small pieces to conquer. My mom loves jigsaw puzzles, and the first thing she always does is lay out all the pieces and find the corners and edges; then she slowly works through the colors and shapes. I love a good puzzle too. I reminded myself that each piece was instrumental to the send, to try and take the victories when I had them, to remember that even figuring out to turn my big toe another 15 degrees upward was a success. My fingers started to remember how to jam in the crack of the rock. My skin started to get tougher, able to squish and squeeze and hold my body weight without ripping. By the end of the second day I had done all the moves. I felt lighter than I had in months. Slowly my mind filled up with the puzzle of the Sphinx Crack, forcing out the wandering thoughts that would bring me to the edge of nightmares. It was always the puzzle I had loved best, the thing that set climbing apart from every other sport I’d tried. On my third day, I led the route with two falls, which meant I placed all the gear in the crack and I only fell twice before reaching the top. I needed to climb it all in one go, with no falls, to be able to claim a free ascent—the first female ascent. I dangled on the rope at the end of the climb and noticed my stomach rolls weren’t folding over my harness anymore. The past two weeks of climbing and focus had actually worked. I liked how I felt: it was familiar and sane and controlled and known. I wanted more of this. My breath came fast and my arms were tired, but I felt at home. A few more rest days, another training session in the garage, and I was ready to send. We pulled up in the van. I cinched down my harness, at least an inch tighter than on my first day on the route—a victory in itself, I thought. I tied into the end of the rope and felt the familiar butterflies in my stomach. My tape job was perfect: not too tight, not too loose. Besides, I knew the jams well enough that I might not even need the tape, my hands nestling into their places like pulling on a favorite pair of jeans. I started climbing. It felt like running downhill with a wind at my back. My mind was quiet, and my body felt like it had a choreographed dance to follow, seamless and without friction. What a treat. I was wedging my fingers in tight, sharp constrictions, 54 WINTER 2024
I tried not to let my mind wander to Kyrgyzstan. I shook my hands behind my back, stretched my fingers on my legs, and got some recovery. I started climbing again, breathing methodically. My hands wanted to open, wanted to fail, and if I had been on a normal climb without a crack I would have fallen: my fingers wouldn’t have been able to stay closed and grip the holds. But there’s a special type of pain, a special type of fatigue, with crack climbing, because your hand is literally wedged in the rock: no place to go. It doesn’t matter that your hands are failing you, because they are stuck until you pull them out and place them higher. It results in an even higher level of fatigue and more massive pump (as we climbers call forearm fatigue) that burns and stings and aches all at the same time. That pain was my specialty. The last thirty feet of the climb, I felt like each move was my last. By the time I pulled over the top, all I could do was lie on the golden slab, panting and moaning and groaning. My fingers were so tired, my forearms so full of acid, I couldn’t even untie my rope. I was destroyed but so happy. I had forgotten how much of a sweet escape a hundred feet of rock could be. My waist was tiny, my mind was full of climbing. Tommy was right. The more I could do this, the happier and saner I would feel. The climb gave me a professional boost too. My picture landed in the magazines, alongside the first articles about one of my climbing accomplishments since Kyrgyzstan. For several months, around this time, I had been asking one of my sponsors for a raise: from $200 to $500 a month. They had always evaded the question, found some subtle way to dodge or say no without outright shutting me down. Shortly after I sent the Sphinx, we were on a road trip near their offices and stopped in. I figured, why not ask one more time? Tommy came along with me. And this time, as he sat in the room, watching while I made my request, they said yes. I’d known since Lurking Fear that being partnered with Tommy could bring advantages, privileges that other female climbers didn’t have. But I also knew he couldn’t prop me up indefinitely. I had done the Sphinx for me, to get my career and my dreams back on track. I hoped that this ascent would start to drown out the media coverage of Kyrgyzstan. I wasn’t proud of Kyrgyzstan, didn’t want to be known for Kyrgyzstan. I wanted to be known for my climbing. Maybe if I just kept piling on hard ascents, they would bury all the news about the kidnapping. Would people lift up a dozen, a hundred, a thousand blankets to see what color the bottom one was? Probably not. This was the first blanket I’d put over Kyrgyzstan.
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FEATURE
FLAGGING EACH MOMENT:
Sarah LARCOMBE
WORDS DAVE BARNES PHOTOS BY CAITLIN SCHOKKER
I REMEMBER AS A KID FLAGGING TO REACH WHAT OTHERWISE SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. FLAGGING IS AN AESTHETIC CLIMBING TECHNIQUE THAT FEELS MORE LIKE DANCING. WATCHING SARAH LARCOMBE CLIMB WAS JUST ONE LONG FLAG AND EACH OF HER SEQUENCES UP THE WALL HAD HER ABLE LEG COUNTERBALANCE HER PROSTHESIS. SHE JUST FLOWED; SHE WAS DANCING. A cool breeze fought with the sunshine. It was a typical earlysummer day in Tasmania. I was to meet Sarah Larcombe at a designated street on the outskirts of Hobart. Right on time she arrived with a photographer in tow. She had the traits of a climber, but not hard edged in any way. Making our introductions we headed to Genesis, a crag near Hobart I had been developing. Here I would find the spine for a feature on Sarah, and she would get a taste of Tassie climbing. We would both be in for a surprise. The track was uneven, and I watched Sarah seeking foot placements between stubs of rock. While I walked like a drunken sailor, Sarah was deliberate. Sarah was born with Femur Fibula Ulna Syndrome, in brief, combinations of congenital anomalies in the bones of the thigh, lower leg and forearm. For Sarah it was limited to her right leg; she was born with a shortened femur, a club foot, and without a fibula. These could not be corrected and were not compatible with walking, so her leg was amputated at nine months of age. Sarah
56 WINTER 2024
doesn’t dwell on it, that’s all she’s ever known. On the walk-in she just worked through whatever obstacles impeded her and didn’t stop talking while she did. “Accessibility hinders disabled climbers, especially in the outdoors. And there isn’t much effort being put into improving physical access to climbing areas in Australia,” she explained. “It means most of them are off limits to a lot of adaptive climbers. I don’t expect all climbing areas to be fully accessible, but things could be a lot better than they are.” On arrival at the cliff top, the photographer and I got organised while Sarah began sorting her gear. I noticed her titanium prosthesis. I wondered how she had adapted her technique to make use of the shiny stuff, and I was soon to find out. The rap in was uneventful for me, but Sarah quickly noticed this was no Arapiles. Sea cliff climbing on Alumn rock is a juggling act of fragile holds and choss, while the ocean distracts you from below. After the precarious rap in, I was stoked that no rocks had hit her. At the base, gear sorted, I led off on Raiders of the Lost Faark (19) to give Sarah her first exposure to choss climbing. Sarah looked at me with raised eyebrows and a smirk. I could see her mind instantly compute how she’d nail the route. It’s not just in climbing where Sarah’s smarts are obvious. Sarah has a PhD in infectious diseases. She moved to a research support role in 2022 in an attempt to find a job that better suited her training and travelling for climbing. It hasn’t been a straightforward solution though. “I’m trying to figure out what I should be doing, and trying to find a better balance between work and climbing,” she explained.
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
SARAH ON EDGE OF EVE, 20 WINTER 2024 57
FEATURE FLAGGING EACH MOMENT: SARAH LARCOMBE
“ACCESSIBILITY HINDERS DISABLED CLIMBERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE OUTDOORS. AND THERE ISN’T MUCH EFFORT BEING PUT INTO IMPROVING PHYSICAL ACCESS TO CLIMBING AREAS IN AUSTRALIA,” Before our day out I had asked her mum for some background on Sarah. She didn’t talk about Sarah accomplishments though; her focus was on her daughter’s attitude. “Sarah has never shied away from hard work. Sarah aims high in everything she does and rises above her circumstances achieving things that I could have only dreamed of as a mother,” she said. Sarah adjusted her prosthesis, slipped a boot onto its metal and her other shoe onto her foot. Standing there she looked every bit the climber; limbs made for reach, torso ripped. And that star factor; her hair was perfect, her clothes were pristine against the dirt and choss, and her focus was sharp. I felt drab in comparison. As she chalked up with her eyes computing the route, I asked her how she first happened upon climbing. Her story was much like your own. “My first climbing experience, outside of maybe a school excursion or birthday party as a kid, was at La Roca Boulders in 2019. I went with my friend Jess—we were both doing our PhDs in neighbouring labs at Monash Uni,” Sarah said. “We’d talked about trying climbing and heard that there was a bouldering gym 10 minutes from campus, so we didn’t have any excuses left not to try it!” Sarah remembers being nervous. She read the whole safety waiver because she was worried it would say something that meant she wouldn’t be able to climb because of her disability. It didn’t. That first session was an awakening. “I wasn’t fit or strong at all, but climbing is fun even when you’re falling off things,” she said. It was a good start and she and Jess began bouldering once or twice a week. After about a month Sarah splurged on her first pair of climbing shoes. Unfortunately in her first session wearing her new shoes, she fell and broke her left ankle. But, in her usual style, it 58 WINTER 2024
didn’t hold her back for long. At Genesis, Sarah cruised the first third of the climb. Each move was deliberate. I watch her legs work the climb. Foot placement for Sarah is essential as she needs to sort a balance between flesh and steel. A royal kind of flagging. Between climbs we chatted about the technicalities of being a climber with a prosthesis. “Unlike a lot of amputee climbers, I actually just use my walking leg for climbing,” Sarah explained. “Most others either use a leg with a specific climbing foot, which tends to be short and stiff, or they don’t climb with a prosthesis at all. So, there’s not a lot that goes into it for me, other than putting a climbing shoe on my prosthetic foot, which is a bit tricky.” Sarah’s disability doesn’t weigh on her—remember, she’s had this all of her life, it’s a part of her. What her body may find difficult, her resolve overcomes. “I’m probably a bit of an overachiever, and maybe I’m subconsciously trying to subvert people’s expectations of who I should be and what I’m capable of,” Sarah said. “I grew up poor and I became the first person in my family to go to university, and I ended up with a PhD. I was born disabled, and I became a rock climber.” Watching this young woman climb, it was apparent she was a thinking climber, and that her academic brain has transferred into measuring movement. She does not wing any move; all progress is measured as she pauses, paying particular emphasis on foot placements and pre-empting where that will leave her right leg in anticipation of the next move. Sarah explained, “Climbing has given me a new perspective on my body, because when I’m on the wall I’m able to do things that seem impossible on the ground. It’s a freeing feeling, and I love the
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
SARAH LEADING WHAT THE FAARK, 19 WINTER 2024 59
FEATURE FLAGGING EACH MOMENT: SARAH LARCOMBE
FOOT PLACEMENT FOR SARAH IS ESSENTIAL AS SHE NEEDS TO SORT A BALANCE BETWEEN FLESH AND STEEL. A ROYAL KIND OF FLAGGING. creativity of movement in climbing.” It’s a feeling she helped introduce others to as well when she recently took a group of paraclimbers on a trip to the climbing Mecca of Arapiles. “It was really special,” Sarah said. “For some of them it was their first time climbing outdoors, so I was really stoked to be able to introduce them to it in such an amazing place. I’m excited to see more paraclimbers in Australia getting outdoors!” Watching her climbing I could hear in her voice and see in her body an enjoyment of problem solving. Her calm approach and thoughtfulness had her cruise the crux, clip the ring, and chat to us below about microbiology and if she brought the correct [prosthesis] leg or not. Since that first day at the bouldering gym, Sarah has made significant leaps forward with her climbing and is a competitive climber of standing competing in every IFSC international paraclimbing competition since 2022, podiuming in each. In total, she has achieved a World Cup gold, five World Cup silver, and one World Championships silver. Her first medal (World Cup gold at Salt Lake City, 2022) was Australia’s first ever IFSC World Cup medal. She now wants to add some outdoor accomplishments to that list. The World Champs in 2023 was the largest field she had competed in, and it was the last competition of the season after three World Cups. “I’m glad that I managed to put in a decent performance and stayed consistent throughout the whole season. Very consistent—I came second in every IFSC competition that year,” Sarah said. “It looks good enough on paper, but I’d like to do better this year.” This is the signature of an athlete; You’re only as good as your next performance. The trick is believing that you can. There are a few others who believe in Sarah too. The North Face, Scarpa, Climbing Anchors, and Integral (via Wattlenest), have invested in Sarah with sponsorship and support—and she would not be able to keep smashing milestones without it. “It takes some of the stress off my shoulders knowing I have a bit of money set aside to travel for competitions, and I’m covered for a lot of my gear needs,” she explained. Carlie LeBreton is an accomplished route setter who got to know Sarah through the competition circuit. “In my position it’s been great to see Sarah’s progression in helping Australia become a force in paraclimbing,” Carlie said. “I’m excited to see her apply her skills to climbing outside as she broadens her abilities and expands her adventures.” Sarah’s sponsorships don’t cover everything, so she still works to be able to afford her training and travel costs. Being busy and tired from the workload means she feels she can’t give 100 percent to anything. Whilst roping up for her next climb she said, “I’d really like to find a way this year to reduce my work to part time so I can make climbing—and my climbing work like my board/committee positions with ACV [Adaptive Climbing Victoria], SCA [Sport Climbing Australia], advocacy, etcetera—more of a priority.” We moved onto our next climb; Sarah negotiated Edge of Eve (19) onsight. A committing climb navigating an arete high above the water. On some moves she could not see her feet, which made her slow as she sought solid placements, a challenge for any climber at 60 WINTER 2024
“CLIMBING HAS GIVEN ME A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON MY BODY, BECAUSE WHEN I’M ON THE WALL I’M ABLE TO DO THINGS THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE ON THE GROUND. Genesis. With her cheeky grin she later commented that climbing there was one of her more memorable experiences. “That was my first time climbing on sea cliffs with loose rock, and I wasn’t totally prepared, but it was equal parts fun and scary,” she said. On the way out of the crag we chatted about new routing and the pleasure of discovering new places. She spoke about her current goals of getting out more, accompanying other adaptive climbers outdoors and, of course, continuing to improve her climbing. She spoke about wanting to use her profile to make outdoor climbing more accessible and to inspire people to look beyond any preconceived notions of what people with a disability are capable of. Back at the vehicles we said our goodbyes and as I watched Sarah speed off—she was now late for a sponsor’s event—and I couldn’t be anything but impressed with her energy, her climbing, and her focus on advocacy and community. I have no doubt that if anyone can increase the visibility and accessibility of adaptive climbing, Sarah can.
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ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ENDURANCE AND FATIGUE
WITH DR KATE BAECHER Physical training is obviously the best way to beat physical fatigue, right? Apparently not necessarily. According to psychologist and mountaineer Dr Kate Baecher, it’s all (well, at least partly) in the mind. She digs into the science behind this and looks at how mental training can be used to overcome our perceived physical limits and increase endurance. “Winning cyclists must believe in themselves—but be wary of trusting their own brains. Research shows that the brain lies to the body and prevents it from fulfilling its potential. The brain sends us alerts to slow down or stop in the form of fatigue and pain, because it thinks the body might be damaged if you exercise past certain limits. Top cyclists, however, know through practice that they can ignore the warnings and ride through the ‘pain barrier’ to finish faster.” – Max Glaskin
“There’s been a revolution in running science in the last few years. For a century, researchers have focused on the role of the heart, legs and lungs to explain the limits of human endurance, but they’ve ignored the brain. Turns out, that was a mistake. It’s not lactate levels in your blood or oxygen shortages in your muscles that force you to slow down, it’s how your brain interprets those signals. In other words, the effort of running is only as hard as your brain perceives it to be. Scientists have since demonstrated that seemingly absolute physical limits are imposed by the brain—not the body.” – Alex Hutchinson WINTER 2024 63
MINDSET RESET THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ENDURANCE AND FATIGUE
was the limit to human endurance, a result of insufficient oxygen delivery to cover metabolic demands that ultimately reduced force production. However, researchers studying the point of exhaustion in athletes observed that “when required”, there always seemed to be a little left in the tank. Dr Samuele Marcora of the University of Kent has developed a psychobiological model for endurance sports which posits that physical performance is self-regulated and dictated by mental condition. In this model, perception of effort is the main limiting factor. The higher the athlete’s perception of effort, the closer it brings them to exhaustion. In 2009, he published a study that demonstrated that mental fatigue negatively impacts physical performance. “If you have a long day at work then you go and exercise, you won’t perform as well,” Marcora observed. By conducting lab experiments, he demonstrated that, “the negative effect of prolonged mental work on physical performance is as large as the effect of muscular fatigue on physical performance.” According to Marcora, all the typical signs—tired muscles, pounding and exhausted heart rate, dehydration—contribute to the rate of perceived effort (RPE), or how hard something feels. Athletes train their bodies to adapt to those signals, and over time the effort at (for example) running at a certain pace gets lower. But less salient signals like cognitive fatigue also contribute to how hard your effort feels—and trying to hold a certain running pace for several hours is very taxing on the brain. This then led to the hypothesis that training the brain to become more accustomed to fatigue meant it would adapt over time, and the task of staying (on pace) would be easier. Marcora has shown that the longer you focus on a monotonous task such as climbing laps at the gym, or running at a slow-ish pace, the more that levels of the neurotransmitter adenosine build up in your brain. Adenosine also builds up when you are sleep-deprived, and is associated with our all-too-familiar feeling of cognitive and mental fatigue. His research has shown that flooding the brain with adenosine day after day after day, will allow the neurons and synapses to adapt over time to keep adenosine levels lower. The outcome? The brain’s influence on an athlete’s overall perception of effort will stay lower, allowing the athlete to perform a bit better at the same effort. So, what about climbing? Whilst there are few documented scientific studies looking at endurance and fatigue in climbers, it stands to reason that the same physiological mechanisms occur in all endurance sports (sorry boulderers, we’re not talking about you so much here). Thus the same factors are very much in play with regards to climbing. With that in mind, let’s explore the research on fatigue, endurance and the brain a little more so that we can then discover how it might apply to climbing. As we all probably know from experience, when fatigue strikes it initially feels harder to continue, until eventually you cannot physically continue. But where does fatigue originate from during exercise? Is it our muscles? Is it entirely in our brains? Perhaps even a matter of motivation? Or is it some algorithmic sorcery that combines both? For a long time, the prevailing theory held that muscular fatigue 64 WINTER 2024
Although this might sound new in relation to climbing, running and endurance events, the knowledge is not in fact new. The military trains soldiers to function despite mental fatigue, forcing them to perform pack-marches when they’re sleep-deprived, requiring them to make highly cognitive decisions under extreme physical and emotional fatigue, and even waking them up to run them through exercises at any time of day or night. (But don’t worry, for normal human beings, training doesn’t have to be that ridiculous.) If you’ve had a tough day at work, or spent eight hours in back-toback online meetings, or had a sleepless night with a sick kid, don’t follow the usual advice about backing off the hard training session you had planned. Instead, embrace the metal fog and train anyway. Yes, you might not climb as high grades, or you might get through fewer laps than planned and your adenosine levels will be sky-high… But training like that will actually improve your endurance in the long-term.
These findings don’t just apply to our physical energy—they also apply to our willpower. If you are interested in learning more, check out the book: Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength, by Roy Baumeister and John Tierney. This book teaches us about the brain’s decision-making capability when fatigued and stressed. Turns out that willpower is just like a muscle—and just like other muscles in the body, it gets fatigued. When you get home from a tiring day in the office, you can feel just as fatigued as if you came home from the gym after a big session. And because willpower acts like a muscle, it also adheres to the same principles mentioned earlier. When the brain expends mental energy, it will start sending you messages that it’s getting tired. It will start making you feel more cognitively drained than you actually are. In truth, this is its own protective mechanism, intended for you to conserve cognitive energy to survive. So all of a sudden, exercise feels more daunting, unhealthy food seems a very tempting and easy option, and our pet peeves seem more salient. It feels like there is very little willpower to pursue long-term aspirations and higher-level goals. So what can we do? Are there any strategies we can implement for building up our willpower muscle, for increasing our endurance and ultimately for overcoming the brain’s desire to keep us safe and rested at all times?
GEAR FOR HERE Alyssa Smirnov on Samarkand (25) at Pierces Pass. Photo Jared Anderson.
You may want to consider the following: • Avoid mentally draining activities before a big event (such as a climbing comp, onsighting, or an attempted red-point). • Reduce your psychological load—including emotionally charged situations—which can be mentally fatiguing, when you want to focus on physical goals. • Remove the decision. Understand that when starting a new routine, training block, diet, etc., you won’t have the same mindset as when you are planning it. When it comes to executing your new plan, you will be tired, tempted, and might want the easy way out. In order to push yourself when your willpower is low, take away the decisions. Act, don’t think. • Social accountability. We tend to go to great lengths to keep a promise to almost anyone else except ourselves. We don’t want to let others down, so when we have someone else to be accountable to, we tend to focus less on reasons why we can’t do something, and focus more on figuring out ways that we can do it. • Your inner dialogue, or self-talk, can be an effective tool to control your perception of effort. If you harness positive self-talk for your training, it will help to stimulate motivation and self-confidence. A trick to make it even more effective is to use second person narrative, which tends to lend authority to the person giving advice. Instead of “I will/can…” (which is first person), try “You can/will…” (second person), and you just might find that your perceived fatigue has reduced. Wild? Yes. Excellent? Also, yes.
DR KATE BAECHER is an accomplished Australian Clinical and Performance Psychologist, whose work specialises in the nexus between human behaviour and complex environments. Kate has a military and adventure background, with expertise in highperformance coaching, research and consulting on mental health risks in remote, wilderness, extreme and austere environments.
mountainequipment.com
GALLERY
AYLA BEAUDOIN, AGE 10, ON GROUND UP SUPERSTAR, TRAD, 23. IMAGE BY CLAIRE WILLIAMS. AFTER HER DAD, JACQUES BEAUDOIN, ONSIGHTED A GROUND UP FIRST ASCENT OF THIS WILD CRACK, AYLA WAS KEEN TO GET THE NEXT LEAD. "AFTER BELAYING PAPA ON IT, I INSISTED ON CLIMBING IT FROM THE GROUND," EXPLAINED AYLA.
66 WINTER 2024
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
CHRIS HAMPTON WITH ANDY KUYLAARS BELAYING. ANCIENT ASTRONAUGHT, TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA. PHOTO BY SIMON CARTER. THIS PICTURE IS ONE OF THE 214 BREATHTAKING PHOTOS FEATURED IN SIMON CARTER’S NEW COFFEE TABLE BOOK, THE ART OF CLIMBING.
WINTER 2024 67
GALLERY
DAN MCKENZIE ‘HANGING OUT’ FOR GOLDEN HOUR IN THE CAVE OF WONDERS AKA FLINDERS. AFTER A LATE AFTERNOON STORM ROLLED THROUGH, THE CLOUDS PARTED JUST ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE MOST VIBRANT GOLDEN SUNSET SHINE INTO THE CAVE, TURNING THE VOLCANIC ROCKY WONDERLAND INTO A SEA OF RICHES. THIS IMAGE IS DAN WORKING THE MOVES (& YES THIS WAS HIS BETA) ON AN (STILL) UNCLIMBED LINKUP BETWEEN TWO STOUT 27’S. IMAGE BY NATHAN MCNEIL, SET IN STONE MEDIA.
68 WINTER 2024
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[SPONSORED CONTENT]
REVIEW
SEA TO SUMMIT’S FRONTIER CAMP KITCHEN RANGE REVIEWER: NELL GOW
For the last decade my long crag days and nights under the stars have been fueled by a mini stove and 1L pot. My love of food has combined with the ache of my muscles, and I was so easily sated by the simplest of heat and eat meals. But when the Sea to Summit Frontier Camp Kitchen found its way into my pack, I quickly realised my outdoor culinary experience had been quite deprived. The Frontier range was designed for those who have a passion for remote locations, and a hunger for adventure meals worthy of MasterChef. While the truth is that my busy life means I only dabble in both of these realms, I am still completely in love with this camp kitchen. Firstly, as climbers we are already packing an array of gear that so often tips the scales, so if we are going to bother taking a camp kitchen it better be light. The use of materials such as hard anodised aluminium and glassreinforced polypropylene, create products that are ultralight and durable. The ‘One Pot Set’ weighs in at just 526g, and includes a 2L pot, two bowls and two cups. The cutlery is also feather-light. I picked up the fork and nearly tossed it over my shoulder, then marvelled at how it felt like I was levitating food into my mouth. When comparing this range to other ultra light brands I found it hard to match sets apples for apples, but using the 8 inch ‘Ultra Light Pan’ as a base proved helpful. Our Sea to Summit pan weighs in at 366g, JetBoils 10” pan is 380g, and the Primus Litech 8” Frying Pan is just 300g. Secondly, the whole series is incredibly packable, with each set nesting perfectly together. The ‘One Pot Collapsible Set’ in particular is so compact thanks to BPA-free, food grade, heat resistant silicone. Including a 2.2L pot, two 400ml cups, two bowls, and all weighing 527g. The silicon sides are easy to fold down once you sort out 70 WINTER 2024
the beta, and I was surprised at how sturdy everything was when expanded. My fears of boiling water escaping from a wonky vessel were quickly quelled. I was impressed by the fact that the whole collapsible set fitted snugly into the ‘Ultra Light Pan’, creating a great two-person camp kitchen. This is all locked into one package by the removable ClickSafe handle which allows for secure handling, can be reversed for easy storage, and is standard across the Frontier range. Thirdly, they are gosh darn delightful to cook with. My simple meals have always found a way to stick to my little pot, so I was happy as a climber sending their project with such an enhanced cooking experience. No matter what meal I threw into these pots, the ceramic coating provided a truly non-stick surface. The other feature that really impressed me was the effective heat transfer. Even while using my micro stove the pots were evenly heated and provided much more temperature control than I expected. Other designed elements that I found helpful were the measurement scales, and the built-in strainer. My complaints when it comes to the Frontier Range are minor, and likely manageable. I cooked everything on my micro stove, which has small supports. When empty, the pots in this range are a bit heavy toward the handle, so I had to be really careful pouring ingredients and balancing on top of the stove. I also don’t have a lot of faith in the LidKeep, it’s meant to be a nifty tab to hook your lid to the rim of the pot, but my lids still wanted to jump off and roll in the dirt. Overall the range is light, functional, and such a joy to use, that it’s been well worth adding to my overweight climbing pack. I’ve swapped out half my stuff sack of snacks for delicious and nutritious crag meals worthy of sharing with my epic climb crew.
[SPONSORED CONTENT] ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
WINTER 2024 71
GEAR
FROM THE Field
LONG TERM REVIEW
SO iLL CATCH REVIEWER: SULE MCCRAIES
RRP: $239.95 Pros: • Versatile ‘one shoe quiver • Comfy, low-stretch material • Designed by Fred Nicole Cons: • Colour prone to getting dirty
Historically most climbing slippers have leaned towards the softer side for midsole and toe stiffness, such as the Five Ten Moccasyms (broken in ones at least) or the La Sportiva Cobras. They have also typically been ‘highstretch’ shoes (especially the Moccs), requiring plastic bags and gritted teeth to help prevent the dreaded “bagging out” most climbers fear from a shoe with no closure system. The So iLL Catch sits in neither of these camps. Unsurprisingly, Fred Nicole (the man, the myth, the legend) knows what he’s doing, and has found an excellent balance between the sensitivity people expect from a slipper and enough stiffness to make them versatile for most styles of climbing on most types of rock. FIT: The Catch is a slightly to moderately downturned shoe with medium asymmetry and a low to medium-height toebox. In terms of volume and width, it’s pretty much bang in the middle! For those with a slightly wider foot (like me), the Catch would probably accommodate it after some breaking-in to stretch them width ways (which mine did). They also have quite a lot of tension across the back of the heel, which did feel like it was digging in at first, but inevitably eased off to the point that I don’t notice it (this is to help prevent slippy heel fits after break-in). Don’t be fooled though, this is not a high-stretch shoe, if anything I’d say they only stretch ¼ to 1/3 of a US size. This low stretch is due to the special type of vegan microsuede So iLL sourced from South Korea (with the help of Jae Jung, who used to design shoes for Butora). 72 WINTER 2024
Best suited for: • Those with a mid-volume foot looking for a ‘do everything’ shoe, for climbing both indoors or outdoors, and want a snug slipper fit without the need to downsize dramatically.
FEATURES/DESIGN: One of the first things I noticed when wearing the Catch, was how comfy they felt! The upper is made from a single piece (one seam) of their special vegan microsuede, which felt very soft and almost velvety against my foot. They’ve also been built so that the toe patch connects to the rand as a single piece of rubber, meaning there’s no overlapping rubber above your toe knuckles (further adding to the comfy feel). The toe patch is also quite generous in size and is textured in a way that looks kinda cool without compromising the functionality (see my previous review of the BD Method S for context). In terms of rubber, the Catch features 3.5mm of Vibram XS Grip on the sole (just like Tenaya), 2.2mm at the toe rand and toe patch. This rubber choice is part of what makes these shoes so versatile, as it fits nicely into the middle in terms of stickiness and durability. I’ve found it to be sticky enough for climbing in the gym or on Victorian sandstone/quartzite (after break-in), but stiff and durable enough for granite and limestone (which normally chew through softer rubbers). Just make sure to keep the rubber wiped clean for maximum stickiness. FUNCTION/USE CASE: The Catch is stiff for a slipper, but not stiff like the Muira VS or Vapor Lace. I‘ve found them to be stiff enough in the toe for edging and powering down on small footers, but still flexible enough in the mid for pasting on volumes in the gym or glassy smears at Arapiles/Dyurrite. The amount of heel tension has kept the Catch feeling plenty
secure during heel hooks, but this comes down to fit. The midsole is also comprised of two parts, a 1.5mm fibreboard along the full length of the shoe, and a 0.7mm thermo melting board under the toe. This means the midsole gradually softens over time but retains toe stiffness. I’ve sized and used my pair for mostly hard bouldering and sport climbing, but these would be just as suitable for trad or shorter multi-pitch routes if sized appropriately. Also for those wondering if they’re suitable for steep boulders/boards, I’ve sent my hardest 2016 Moonboard benchmarks to date wearing the Catch, so yes! FINAL THOUGHTS: The Catch offers a versatile and comfy (low stretch) option for those who are open to wearing a slipper, but don’t want to downsize heinously to prevent “bagging out”. Its midsole stiffness and rubber make it a great option for those wanting a one-quiver shoe to cover all their climbing, both indoors, outdoors, and on multiple rock types. Overall I found it very hard to fault this shoe, with the only real downside being the off-white “bog green” colour which started looking dirty quite quickly after climbing outdoors (not a big deal to me, but worth noting).
Overall, I’d rate it 4.5 out of 5 blue offsets.
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
FROM THE Field
SHORT TERM REVIEW
PATAGONIA SUPER FREE ALPINE JACKET
REVIEWER: SULE MCCRAIES
RRP: $899.95 Pros: • No PFCs / PFAS • Excellent climber-friendly cut • Lightweight but loaded with features (RECCO, insulated gaskets, etc) Cons: • Sleeve gaskets may annoy some users
The Super Free Alpine (SFA) jacket is Patagonia’s latest 3-layer Gore-Tex (ePE) 40d hardshell built for climbing in serious alpine conditions. If you’re looking for something for more general use (sub-alpine), then maybe look elsewhere. For those who don’t know, Gore-Tex ePE (expanded polyethylene) is the result of almost 10 years of work between Patagonia and Gore-Tex to develop a waterproof membrane that delivers the same performance without the use of perfluorinated chemicals (usually abbreviated as PFAS or PFCs). This means the jacket doesn’t contain any PFCs, PFAS, PFOS or PFOAs on the fabric, membrane, or finish! FIT: Nothing irks me more than jackets/tops that aren’t a climber-friendly cut, and so since the SFA arrived I’ve been trying to climb in it at every opportunity (even when conditions are good). So far I’ve been more than pleased with how it feels to climb in, it’s probably in my top 5 for best climber-friendly cuts considering it has a full-length zip – imagine if it was an anorak! The hem stays tucked under my harness (even during very dynamic movements) and features a cutout around the hip, the pockets are legitimately harness-friendly, the shoulder articulation/cut allows for great mobility, the hood fits nicely over a helmet, and there’s plenty of adjustment to cinch the waist, hood, or cuffs. My only real gripe with the fit was the drop pockets, which sat slightly lower than I prefer when wearing a harness (this could just be me) and the internal sleeve gaskets, which I’ll explain later.
Best suited for: • Those wanting a lightweight, but well-featured 3L hardshell for harsh alpine conditions that offers the same performance (weather resistance & breathability) as traditional Gore-Tex Pro membranes, without the use of perfluorinated chemicals.
FEATURES: This Jacket is loaded with features, like the insulated Storm Seal gasket around the hood, but still manages to keep the weight down at 420g for a 3-layer (Gore-Tex ePE) 40d hardshell. Compare this to the Arc’teryx Alpha AR which weighs 370g for a 3-layer (Gore-Tex Pro) 40d hardshell with slightly less features (no gussets or insulation around the hood), and I would consider them to have a pretty similar base weight. The insulated hood gasket and internal sleeve gaskets block wind/snow, but also make the jacket feel a bit warmer. Personally, I would carry the extra weight since you’d spend more energy trying to stay warm than carrying an extra 50g. Of course, for those wanting to go super light and fast something simpler like the old Patagonia M10 Anorak makes sense (which I hear is being revived), and the 75d (510g) Triolet for those wanting something more durable. While I like the addition of an insulated hood gasket, I found the sleeve gaskets a bit annoying. I’d like to flag this as quite subjective since I have very long arms (+11 ape index), but I found the sleeve gaskets sat a bit far away from my wrist and would sometimes pull the sleeves of my base/mid-layer up my arm while climbing. FUNCTION: So, how does Gore-Tex ePE stack up against the standard Gore-Tex membranes that do contain PFCs? To be honest, they feel almost identical! I doubt I, or anyone else, could tell the difference between the two in a blind performance test. I borrowed a friend’s old 40d Gore-Tex Pro
Super Alpine jacket (predecessor to the SFA) to compare with the SFA, and we both agreed that the membrane performance for weather resistance and breathability felt the same (except the SFA felt warmer due to the insulated hood gasket). Really this should come as no surprise considering the amount of time and work Patagonia and Gore-tex have put into this, but with anything new there is usually some hesitation. The only real difference worth noting is in regards to maintenance. According to Patagonia/Gore, the ePE membrane requires more regular maintenance than standard Gore-tex membranes to keep it performing well, so if you usually clean your hardshell once a year, ePE jackets might need a clean once every 6 months (see Patagonia’s care guide for details). FINAL THOUGHTS: The SFA doesn’t feel like anything new, it just feels like a really good hardshell, which is a testament to the success of the Gore-Tex ePE membrane. Everything about this jacket feels like it was designed with climbing (specifically alpine climbing) in mind, from the cut and features to the final weight of 420g. My only real qualm with the jacket was the internal sleeve gaskets, which sometimes felt annoying for my overly lengthy arms. For those wanting the same climber-specific feel and PFC-free membrane, but more durability or no gaskets, I would suggest the Patagonia Triolet.
Overall, I’d rate it 4.9 out of 5 blue offsets.
WINTER 2024 73
GEAR
NEW GEAR LA SPORTIVA NO-EDGE FAMILY It’s probably no news that La Sportiva has updated their line of No-Edge shoes. You may have already noticed some of your favourite climbers showcasing the new 'quintessential ballerina' white colourway on their projects. Well, we're excited to announce that the entire No-Edge family is coming to Australia: the Mantra, Futura, and Genius models (which already boast cult followings) along with the brand-new Mandala. All of the No-Edge lean towards the softer side of things, but to varying levels. The new Mandala is somewhere between the Futura and the Genius in terms of stiffness. La Sportiva says the Mandala shoe is dedicated to the modern climber, with every detail designed to optimise performance. New features also include an updated rand construction, more use of recycled materials, and of course the debossed white microfibre upper. RRP: $269.95 - $329.95 Available soon at lasportiva.com.au
BLACK DIAMOND MONDO PAD The largest pad in Black Diamond’s range just got a makeover... well, actually, it’s more than just a makeover—it’s pretty much been overhauled. For reference, the old Mondo was 165x112cm when open and weighed 9.25kg, while the new Mondo measures 153x121cm when open—which, if you do the math, means more landing area—and weighs just 7.23kg! The special ‘diet’ behind this weight cut is the Mondo’s new ripstop grid fabric shell, made from 100% recycled polyester. Less exciting (but equally important) updates include the foam, now featuring a ‘premium cross-linked’ closed-cell top sheet and open-cell bottom, improving durability. Finally, the updated backpack harness system and the new multi-pad carry system are the cherry on top, allowing you to carry more pads, more easily, and more comfiererly. RRP: $679.99 Available soon at blackdiamond.com.au
CAMP VELOCITY In the world of sport and alpine climbing 'light is right'... but nobody wants to endure hour-long hanging belays in a harness made of dental floss. CAMP’s new Velocity harness strikes a gentle balance for your hips between these two worlds, thanks to their innovative Smart Webbing Technology construction. This technology essentially weaves fully rated strands of material with breathable strands, allowing for better load distribution, excellent breathability, and a weight of only 270g (Medium). For those who prefer adjustable leg loops, the Escape harness (305g) and Aurora Women’s harness (300g) are also available. Bonus: These pack down smaller than almost any other climbing harness I’ve seen on the market! RRP: $159.95 Available now at climbinganchors.com.au 74 WINTER 2024
EDELRID OHM II Since its release almost eight years ago, the Edelird Ohm has been a godsend for climbing partners/ couples/randos you met at the crag with a significant weight difference. It is undoubtedly one of Edelrid’s most famous products, if you’ve never tried one then I highly recommend you do. With the Ohm II Edelrid has introduced a few updates to make life even easier for all you light belayers. First off, there’s now a swivel attaching the dogbone to the device instead of a mallion, meaning it doesn’t matter which direction you clip it to the first bolt (and the dogbone is easily replaceable). The previous ‘catch’ locking system has been replaced with an improved button design, and the geometry has been changed slightly to improve handling. Weight: 450 g Single ropes: 8.9–11.0 mm RRP $269.95 Available now at stockists near you
MAMMUT 9.5 WE CARE CRAG CLASSIC Welcome the return of the classic…the Crag Classic…the 9.5 We Care Crag Classic! On the inside, this is the same ol’ crag classic you know and love, but the sheath is made from an eclectic mix of the leftover (but still new) yarn from manufacturing other Mammut ropes in various colours. Not only is this a perfect way to reduce material waste during manufacturing (which we care about), but it also means each rope has a completely unique pattern and personality, helping you to avoid those awkward ‘twinning’ moments at the crag. Available in lengths from 40m to 80m, and in a dry-treated version. RRP: Starting at $249.95 (40m) Available now at stockists near you
CAPSULES TO CUP MADE EASY
BETA & BREW
ISSUE 47 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
WORLD CHAMPION AEROPRESS RECIPES Did you know that there is an ice speed-climbing world championship? Two 12-15m vertical ice walls are constructed next to each other in a ‘duel format’ comp. The rules are simple…the fastest ice climber wins. Did you know there is also a world Aeropress championship? Much like ice climbing, the rules are simple… Whoever can brew the best cup of coffee using an AeroPress wins! Lucky for us, those winning recipes also get published to websites like worldaeropresschampionship.com and aeroprecipe. com – Have a peruse on your next rest day. To get you started, here’s a recipe from coffee guru Tim Wendelboe, founder of the World AeroPress Championships. - Sule (VL’s Resident Coffee & Gear Nerd)
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BETA & BREW WORLD CHAMPION AEROPRESS RECIPES
BEST FOR: • •
Trying something new Speed Ice Climbing champions
YOU'LL NEED: • • • • • • •
Aeropress and paper filters [Optional] AeroPress Flow Control Filter Cap or Fellow prismo 14g of good coffee, ground medium fine-ish (try 15-20 clicks) 200ml of hot water A scale (they can weigh more than coffee) A timer (or just count) A timer (pssst, there's one in your pocket)
METHOD: STEP 1. This recipe uses roughly a 1:14 ratio of water to coffee, so however much coffee you plan to use (14g) you should use about 14 times more water (round it up to 200ml).
STEP 2. Rinse a paper filter and screw it into the aeropress body.
STEP 3. Place 14g of coffee into your Aeropress and pour in 200g of hot water a few minutes off the boil (96°C).
STEP 4. Stir back and forth 3 times and push the plunger in a bit to prevent the liquid from draining through. Note: Or buy an AeroPress Flow Control Filter Cap to eliminate drip through.
STEP 5. Start a timer and let it steep for 60 seconds (or count to 60 black totems).
STEP 6. Remove the plunger and stir another 3 times back and front (it's important to only stir 3 times). Note: Stirring more will increase extraction and stirring less will reduce extraction.
STEP 7. Re-insert the plunger and start pressing slowly. Note: Don’t press too hard. 78 WINTER 2024
BETA: Tastes too acidic or sour? • Grind finer • Use hotter water • Stir more Tastes bitter/ashy? • Grind coarser • Use colder water • Stir more gently
by
THE
PINCH Get ready for a completely new belaying experience. The new PINCH is an assisted braking belay device that will be your companion for all types of climbing and perfect for multi-pitch routes. The innovation: Attach the PINCH to the belay loop of your harness with or without a carabiner − the choice is yours!
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02 9417 5755
Learn more about the PINCH here ...
CRAG COOKING
Ultralight Pad Thai IMAGES AND RECIPE BY MOJO STOKE
As much as we all enjoy cooking up a masterchef style storm at camp, the temptation to go light and simple wins when your pack is already a few kilos overweight on a overnight or multi-day affair— and you’re hardly going to leave that #1 cam at home to make room for some Lao Gan Ma. Thankfully, light & simple doesn’t have to mean freezedried, and you can usually justify taking some fresh veggies on the first night.
INGREDIENTS: »
Red Capsicum
»
Yellow Capsicum
»
Broccoli or broccolini
»
Onion
»
Bean Sprouts (to garnish)
»
Mushrooms (fresh or dried)
»
Rice Noodles
»
Packaged Pad Thai Sauce (best transferred out of the glass container)
»
Oil (distilled into a tiny nalgene style container)
METHOD: 1.
Start by creating a cozy nest for your rice noodles. Bring some water to the boil, using just enough to cover the noodles (remember, water is precious on the trail, so be conservative). Once boiled, carefully add the water to your noodles or cook them according to the package instructions.
2.
While your noodles cook, grab your kitchen knife (or rescue knife if you're going really light) and slice up those veggies into colorful strips (or chunks if you want a bit of crunch).
3.
Heat up your ultralight pan until it’s nice and hot, then add some oil and toss in your chopped veggies (except for the bean sprouts), adding the broccoli/broccolini a few minutes before to give them a headstart. Let it all sizzle and saute until fragrant.
4.
Crack open that packaged sauce (it’s not cheating…it’s ultralight) and pour it over all your sizzling veggies. Give it a good stir to let the sauce coat everything, and let cook until it starts tasting less and less like a jar sauce.
5.
Once your rice noodles are cooked (hopefully you timed it well so they’re not soggy), transfer them to your pan, remembering to conserve as much water as you can.Turn off the gas and start gently folding them into the saucy veg, being careful not to mash up your noodles.
6.
Last but not least, sprinkle some fresh bean sprouts over the top for a nice refreshing crunch, or top with whatever else you fancy— maybe some Lao Gan Ma if you decided to run it out.
80 WINTER 2024
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POETRY POEM BY ROGER CHAO
Poetry in a climbing magazine? Yep, we’re going there. As climbers we probably all feel some kind of sense that clawing our way up cliffs touches something primal deep inside us, a part of us that must be fed and nurtured so we can know our true selves and explore our potential… Or, you know, something like that. Luckily, VL’s first published poet, Roger, puts it in far more eloquent words than mine...
Feeding The Rat In the throbbing heart of chaos, where adrenaline cascades, There lives a starving animal, a creature of the shades. Its name is known by few who dare, the mind its habitat, For every soul who dares to delve, must learn to feed the rat. This is not a beast of fur and claw, of whisker, tail, and fang, No, this beast is born within, with a silent, hungry pang. It yearns for fire, for flight, for fear, to fill it’s gaping maw, For within the wild whirlwind's eye, it finds its sacred law. The rat within craves not the scraps of ordinary days, Not the idle chatter, nor the familiar, well-trodden ways. It demands the surge of adrenalin, slicing through the haze, The thunderous roar of action, setting dormant hearts ablaze. In the noise and rumble of the storm, it seeks the quiet core, In the terror's tremble, it finds calm, and hungers all the more. It craves the stillness found in speed, the peace in pounding hearts, And in those moments, lost in time, the mundane world departs. Feed the rat, the mantra hums, an echo into the soul, A siren call to those who tire of life's incessant toll. A remedy for weariness, for the weight of passing days, For those who wander the flatland, lost in superficial haze. To feed the rat is to quench the thirst, to heed the inner plea, A feast of heightened sensation, a surrender to the spree. In the quiet cocoon of fury, the tranquil eye of fear, Lie the morsels the rat savours, each moment crystal clear. To feed the rat is prevention, a cure, a potent antidote, Against the anaemia of routine, against a life by rote. Against the sickness of the superficial, the pallor of the mundane, Against the dreariness of the predictable, the shackle and the chain. Not all will understand this craving, this addiction and the zeal, It is a rhythm not felt by most, a murmur few can feel. The ones who find their sustenance in the unpredictable, the wild, The ones who reject the safety of the known, who long to be reconciled. In their burning hearts beats the rat, robust, alive and free, Unfettered by trivial pursuits, unburdened by decree. The rat seeks no public praise, no glory in which to wallow, It cares not for trends or crowds, but makes its own path to follow. The rat, if fed, is a faithful friend, a mirror of the self, A measure of the soul within, not wealth or fame but health. To know the rat is to know oneself, both the ebb and the surge, To seek the summit and the depth, where fear and calm converge. The rat in each of us is different, a personal compass of the mind, A reflection of who we think we are, and the self, we seek to find. It's revealed in times of pressure, in the struggles, we engage, On the rock, in the water, through the air, its hunger sets the stage. The rat, a duality within us, both of virtue and of vice, Nourished, it guides us gladly, starved, it exacts its heavy price. It reveals to us who we truly are, in moments raw and real, The grit beneath the gloss, and the strength within the ordeal.
ROGER CHAO | Roger is an avid nature enthusiast, conservationist and lover of all things outdoors. Since a young age he has always been inspired by the concept of “feeding the rat”, which has led him on numerous adventures and expeditions around the globe. 82 WINTER 2024
It's an inner call to sensation, to moments stark and pure, A hunger for total focus, for feelings visceral, to gnaw. Those moments when all fades away, except the task at hand, These are the times we live for, which only the passionate understand. So, feed your rat, let it feast on life, on fear, thrill, and delight, Let it guide you through the storm, to the calm and quiet light. To starve the rat is to starve the self, of zest, the verve, the spark, In feeding the rat, we feed our souls, a beacon in the dark.
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