CLIMBING MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2023 • ED45 • AU/NZ
AUSSIES TAKE ON YOSEMITE’S BIG WALLS
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10 SUMMER 2023
SUMMER 2023 VERTICAL LIFE IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY WINTER/SPRING/SUMMER/AUTUMN/ AUSTRALIAN MADE. AUSTRALIAN PRINTED. AUSTRALIAN OWNED. EDITORS
Coz Fleming Sule McCraies Wendy Bruere wendy@verticallifemag.com
DESIGN
Marine Raynard marine@adventureentertainment.com
ADVERTISING
Zac Merrion zac@adventureentertainment.com +61 499 661 101
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Dr Kate Baecher, Wendy Bruere, Xab Castor, Coz Fleming, Macciza Macpherson, Sule McCraies, Araminta McLennan, Lachlan Gordon, Mikl Law, Allie Pepper, Daygin Prescott, Lachlan Short, William Skea, Mitchell Stewart, Will Vidler.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jared Anderson, Xab Castor, Sule McCraies, Simon Carter, Tara Davidson, Jack Folkes, Victoria KohnerFlanagan, Margie Gathunga, Fiina Juntunen, Manish Mahajan, Josephine Malcolm, Daygin Prescott, Caitlin Schokker, Joeyy Lee, William Skea, Simona Sergi, Emily Small, Sunny Stroeer, Kamil Sustiak, Will Vidler.
CREDITS IMAGE
Luke Yerbury relaxing in a knee bar on the warm up route at Fury Road Crag, Blue Mountains. Image by Caitlin Schokker.
ON THE COVER Will Vidler on The Alien Roof finish to The Rostrum, Yosemite National Park, with Jesse Rubenstein on belay. Photo by Victoria Kohner-Flanagan.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IMAGE
The moon looking over the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. Image by Joeyy Lee.
PUBLISHER
Toby Ryston-Pratt Founder & CEO Adventure Entertainment. ABN: 79 612 294 569
SUBSCRIPTIONS
subscribe.verticallifemag.com.au E magazines@adventureentertainment.com P: 02 8227 6486 PO Box 161, Hornsby, NSW, 1630
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
Verticallifemag.com
VerticalLifeMag
VerticalLifeMag SUMMER 2023 11
CONTENTS SUMMER 2023 . ED45. AU/NZ
30
40
IN FOCUS
56
40
HOW MANY WORDS FOR SNOW?
In this epic photo essay, Will Vidler and Daygin Prescott take us on a journey up the big walls.
What is a ‘mountaineering scholarship’ and why is it needed? Xab Castor writes about what she learned and how her scholarship moved her closer to her Ama Dablam dream.
52
46
Mitchell Stewart breaks down the excitement and exhaustion of setting a new multi-pitch in the Blue Mountains… and drags photography champion Jared Anderson along to document the first ascent.
As climbers we know the places we visit are pretty special. Lachlan Short investigates what climbers are doing to care for crags around Australia.
30
AUSSIES IN YOSEMITE
CRAG STEWARDSHIP
ROOKIES OF THE FUTURE
52
12 SUMMER 2023
56
FINDING MY FEET, AFTER A BREAK...
Trad legend Macciza Macpherson writes about accidents and rescues, the long journey to recovery, and explores what ‘recovery’ even means to him.
PLUS
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P55
36
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.
THE USUALS:
Issue #45 of Vertical life was printed on Wangal Country.
14. Editor’s Note 16. Gallery 20. Read Watch Listen 28. Getting To Know
FEATURES: 30. Aussies in Yosemite 40. How many words for Snow? 46. Crag stewardship 52. Rookies of the future 56. Finding my feet, after a break...
BETA:
22. Updates from Altitude 26. Q&A with Dylan Parks 36. How I Got The Shot 62. Tale of Whoa 66. Behind the Wall 68. Mindset Reset 72. Gear Gift Guide 74. Patagonia Netplus 78. From The Field 81. Beta & Brew
81
SUMMER 2023 13
EDITOR’S NOTE
Time
FLIES WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN
Was it really only one year ago, I joined the Vertical Life editorial team? Under the leadership of Coz Fleming, initially with Jo and Sule, then me as well, VL has been honoured to share stories from across the Australian and New Zealand climbing community. Experienced and newbie climbers, writers and photographers have all graced the pages, with their insights, humour, epic tales and breathtaking photos. We’ve launched new columns, Mindset Rest with Dr Kate Baecher, and Updates from Altitude as Allie Pepper shares her “14 Peaks No 02” challenge. We’ve published new writers, new photographers and looked back over the history of climbing journalism with From the Archives. VL has been, and continues to be, proud to bring you diverse stories from the crags to the mountains and the gym. We’re seeing some changes this issue with Jo Lee stepping back from editing the magazine. Jo has been passionate about telling stories from marginalised communities—trans and non binary folks, and many talented and strong people-of-colour. Jo is now redirecting her energy to community building on ground and will continue to support VL as a contributor. Louise Shepherd is taking a break from Tale of Whoa—though we’re excited to have guest safety guru Mikl Law step in for this issue. Coz has taken a break from editing for this issue, but we are still delighted to share several stories that Coz has contributed including our profile on Climbing Anchors. IMAGE: LANDSCAPE IN TASMIANA, AUSTRALIA, BY ZACHARY FERGUSON (@_ZACFERGUSON_)
14 SUMMER 2023
It’s quite a ride working on a climbing mag. We’re inundated with enthusiastic emails from an incredible, diverse community of frothers. It’s exhausting and exhilarating, with lots of late nights. I’m deeply grateful to everyone I’ve worked with so far. But, you know, I guess I can see why people might need a break… This issue we bring you a photo essay from Yosemite, Macciza Macpherson shares his (extensive) experience with accidents and recovery, while Mitchell Stewart and Jared Anderson explore new routes in the Blue Mountains. We find out about photography at minus 30–essential if you want to document Canadian ice-climbing with your camera freezing. Dr Kate Baecher explores what drives us climbers to take risks and we can manage danger. We take a look at the new Sydney Bouldering Guide, and chat to young gun comp star La Sportiva athlete Dylan Parks. Xab Castor writes about how The North Face Mountaineering scholarship has taken her further along the path toward her Ama Dablam dream. Resident gear editor Sule McCraies previews the best gift ideas for the holiday season as well as the usual Beta & Brew. What’s next for VL? We will be doing our best to keep bringing you the quality climbing stories you know and love as well as launching a brand new website for the new year. (Got an idea for a story? Email us.) —Wendy Bruere, Acting Editor
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GALLERY
MATT KING GETTING HANDS FREE AFTER THE CRUX OF 'MASTER BLASTER '(28) AT FURY CRAG, BLUE MOUNTAINS, NSW. IMAGE BY CAITLIN SCHOKKER.
16 SUMMER 2023
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM BEC WINDER CLIMBING THE CRUX OF 'WEAPON OF CHOICE' (27) AT MT COOLUM, QLD. IMAGE BY CAITLIN SCHOKKER.
MART Y DOOLAN LEADING THE ROSTRUM, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK . PHOTO BY DAYGIN PRESCOTT. SUMMER 2023 17
GALLERY
AARON JONES ONSIGHTING THE FOURTH PITCH (24) OF ON A STRING AND A PRAYER, WITH NEIL MONTEITH BELAYING. THE 140M ROUTE HAS PITCHES OF 20, 25, 25, 24, 25, 18 AND 20 AND IT’S LOCATED NEAR LEURA IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS. IMAGE BY SIMON CARTER.
18 SUMMER 2023
Photo: Ken Etzel © 2023 Patagonia, Inc.
READ WATCH LISTEN With Araminta McLennan
Read CLIMBING FITZ ROY, 1968: REFLECTIONS ON THE LOST PHOTOS OF THE THIRD ASCENT BY DICK DORWORTH, CHRIS JONES, DOUG TOMPKINS, LITO TEJADA-FLORES, AND YVON CHOUINARD
The Patagonian peak of Fitz Roy is nothing short of monumental. It's been the playground for many aspirational expeditions, testing the mettle of mountaineers from around the world. Memorable summits have been inscribed into the history books over the years, including the one that inspired this story, a movie and an industry-leading company. Some 45 years after the fact, "Climbing Fitz Roy: 1968 offers insight into the first ascent of the California route by five friends turned climbing icons and highlights a pivotal point in the outdoor industry. Beautiful inside and out, the 144-page linen-bound hardcover retells the tale through a combination of short stories, reflective essays and photos from “The Funhogs”—self-confessed dirtbags Dick Dorworth, Chris Jones, Doug Tompkins, Lito Tejada-Flores and Yvon Chouinard. 20 SUMMER 2023
They say pictures are worth a thousand words, and that's certainly true for this story. Each one compels the reader to stop and really take in the moment in time that it has captured, adding a level of depth to the accompanying tales. More than striking summit photos, the humble reality often depicted helps to bring the characters in the story to life, and paint a vivid picture of the time on the mountain (and in the ice caves, and during the many treks back to base camp thanks to bad weather). The origin of the photos is a tale in itself, as we discover early on that Chris Jones took almost all of them, but lost them in a house fire in 1996. When Dick Dorworth produced duplicates several years later, the book was born. While much of the writing focuses more on the climb—the unforgiving storms that prevented them from making the final push to the summit
over and over, the 30+ days spent in ice caves, the need to replenish their provisions, and the elation at finally reaching the peak—the way the book is structured invites the reader behind the scenes to a deeper understanding of the adventure. A pastiche of each person's perspective, it pays homage to the idea that no climber's experience is the same. Each author remembers the expedition in a different way, reflects on it differently and gives the reader new food for thought as the story becomes familiar but unfolds from a new point of view. This book is hard to put down for all the right reasons. It's engaging, unpretentious and urges the reader to reflect on the impact climbing can have both personally and on the wider ecosystem. Much like the climb itself, this book has the capacity to influence the climbing community for years to come.
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
Watch AN ACCIDENTAL LIFE As an accomplished outdoor athlete, alpinist and speed climber, Quinn Brett has achieved a lot. She's also been through one of the most harrowing recorded climbing accidents, and decided to tell the tale. An Accidental Life follows Quinn's journey to recovery after a fall on Yosemite's fabled El Capitan, with a refreshing lack of inspirational undertone. This story shows the complexity of a person navigating extraordinary change. It gives equal space to the good, the bad and the unusual of Quinn’s experience as she grapples with life after a near death experience. Sharing her lived experience with raw honesty, it challenges viewers to confront stereotypes around disability. It trades out the typical feel good epic achievement
Listen
THAT’S NOT REAL CLIMBING: GRACE CROWLEY - PRO SPEED CLIMBING AS A NONBINARY ATHLETE
tropes for a courageous intimacy, and the reality that sometimes there are those who take great risks and lose, and are then challenged with adapting to a new life. When asked in an interview about the intention of the film, Brett wrote: “The film is intended to be a well-needed sigh for all of us. Inspiration, you say. I say a full breath reminding us of mindful human intentions and heart-filled capacity. I am not unique. I am just Competition climbing can sometimes feel a world away from its outdoor counterpart. Tackling structured routes on man-made walls presents a whole different set of challenges to climbing on rock, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With the title a little tongue in cheek, “That’s Not Real Climbing” takes a deep dive into the complexities of competition climbing. In this episode, Grace shares their journey to team selection, discovering a passion for speed climbing and how they navigate being a non-binary athlete in a decidedly binary career. Grace is open, honest and easy to listen to as they shine a light on their career thus far. Discussing everything from training plans, to sporting organisation dynamics and even almost getting stuck overseas
another human. I hope this deep view into my shattered spine, yet complete human spirit, inspires us all to the miracles we have yet to create, moreso furthering spinal cord research and shedding some light on this club with an open enrollment.” It's not an inspirational film, but I would be surprised if it doesn't inspire a change in perspective for anyone who watches it. Available on Plex alone thanks to visa confusion, you learn a lot in the hour-ish chat. Not something often discussed openly in the climbing world, Grace fields questions around advocating for and finding acceptance in their gender identity with a charming demeanour that you can’t help but like. Beyond their personal experiences, Grace’s insights into organisational dynamics, the differences in disciplines and the challenges the Australian team face from a resourcing and training perspective give listeners a better understanding of the competition landscape. As competitive climbing continues to grow, especially with the Olympics on the horizon, this podcast is one worth a listen. Available on Spotify.
About Araminta: Minty (she/her) i is an avid paraclimber living in Naarm (Melbourne) and a dedicated member of Adaptive Climbing Victoria. She's passionate about making space for climbers of all abilities at the crag and in the gym, and when not climbing she is often found pestering strangers to pet their dogs. SUMMER 2023 21
UPDATES FROM ALTITUDE
SPIRIT MOUNTAIN WORDS BY ALLIE PEPPER IMAGES BY MANISH MAHARJAN
22 SUMMER 2023
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
Allie Pepper is now several months into 14 Peaks No O2–her attempt to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks, without supplemental oxygen in record time. Here she shares the story of Manaslu (8,163m), both the climb and the mental journey as she steeled herself to learn from each attempt. I find it apt that a mountain that has made me look deep into my spirit, is named Manaslu. The word Manaslu is derived from Sanskrit and means “mountain of the spirit”. Reaching her true summit without using supplemental oxygen after two “failed” attempts was a dream come true. In May 2012, I reached a point on the ridge, just metres away from the true summit, using oxygen. At the time I had a spectacular view and clear blue skies. However, I left the mountain with a sense of failure. I have since learnt there is no such thing as failure, there are only lessons. What has changed since that expedition? In terms of my mountaineering skills, I have so much more experience. I gained more confidence in my abilities, not just through climbing high peaks, but from swinging my tools into ice. Last September, I headed back to Manaslu full of hope. Dawa and I didn’t see the mountain for the first week due to the weather. I climbed through the rain to Camp 1 with an umbrella. It was a season of storms, wind and avalanches. Tragically three climbers lost their lives. Dawa and I reached Camp 3 on our summit push. Neither of us wanted to climb higher due to the avalanche risk. It felt like the right decision at the time but I left feeling disappointed. “The mountain will always be there,” people say when you don’t reach the summit. I asked myself but why didn’t the mountain let me stand on the summit? Was the problem the mountain? Or was it me? Why did I feel disappointed? My high point would be an achievement for most people. I should be grateful to just be there. Since then, a lot has changed for me. Mostly due to a dramatic shift of mindset. After the climb I felt a lot of emotions build up. They came from what I would call my mid-life crisis. In the last couple of years, I had gone through menopause, a marriage breakdown and divorce, moving home and starting a new life. I didn’t know who I was anymore. I was climbing because it was the only thing that still made me feel like me. I decided it was time to face my emotions, my fears, my limiting beliefs in myself and to rebuild my life. To reset my mind, my body and, most importantly journey, into my spirit. Thankfully I had my life coach, Freeman Fung, to hold my hand. My mountain within was a difficult mountain to climb, harder than Everest. Step by step I peeled away the negative beliefs that had been holding me back. I stepped into a new version of myself, Allie 2.0. With this new level of self-belief, self-awareness and confidence, I took a leap of faith and decided to commit to my 14 peaks project. I quit working at TAFE and I closed my guiding business. I sold my ute and left it at a car yard on the way to the airport in March, and I started to live my dream. LEFT PAGE: ALLIE AND MIKEL SHERPA ABOUT TO LEAVE CAMP 3 AT 6650M. THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: ASCENDING AN ICE WALL BELOW CAMP 2; ABOVE CAMP 1 THERE ARE CREVASSES THAT REQUIRE A LADDER TO CROSS; MIKEL AND ALLIE CROSSING UNDER A GIANT SERAC ABOVE CAMP 3; HANGING OUT AT CAMP 3 WATCHING THE SUNSET. (SO ROMANTIC!)
SUMMER 2023 23
UPDATES FROM ALTITUDE SPIRIT MOUNTAIN
I DIDN’T KNOW WHO I WAS ANYMORE. I WAS CLIMBING BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT STILL MADE ME FEEL LIKE ME. It was the biggest mountaineering year of my career. What my body, mind and spirit has managed to accomplish has been extraordinary. I reached 8450m on Everest without oxygen. I became the first Australian woman to summit Broad Peak in Pakistan without oxygen. I had huge lessons (not failures, not disappointments) on other 8000ers that I needed to learn before I arrived at Manaslu again in September. I had a good feeling. I felt that I had learned enough, and I was ready. The weather was so stable for a month that around 90 percent of climbers could achieve their dream. Mikel and I headed from Camp 4 to the summit on September 28. Tears were shed on two occasions because it was just so hard. I dug deep, I focused on the moment, I couldn’t look ahead. I put one foot in front of the other and kept going. I looked up and I saw the prayer flags blowing in the wind. My heart was full, we had made it. Mikel stopped and started filming as I climbed through the flags to see thousands of metres down the other side. There was no more up. We had the summit to ourselves. I had faced my demons, I had won and my wish was granted. “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves” — Sir Edmund Hillary
Follow Allie on Instagram @alliepepperadventures and check out her live tracker (link in her Insta bio) to see her progress in real time. CONTEMPLATING LIFE OVER A CUP OF TEA AT CAMP 2, 6340M.
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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF KEEPING YOU FED IN THE OUTDOORS
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ATHLETE PROFILE
Q&A WITH RISING COMP STAR, DYLAN PARKS SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD SYDNEYSIDER AND DIE-HARD COMP KID, DYLAN, HAS BEEN CLIMBING FOR NINE YEARS—AND COMPETING FOR MOST OF THAT TIME. HE SHARES SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS SUCCESS IN THE COMP SCENE, WHY HE LOVES WHAT HE DOES, AND TIPS FOR NEWCOMERS. Greatest success in the comp scene? Statistically speaking my best result would have to be Youth Worlds this year in Seoul Korea. I ended the IFSC Youth World Championships with a combined rank of 7th overall for the Youth A (under 18s) division.
Happiest moment climbing? This is extremely hard to pinpoint! Maybe it would be topping a boulder during a finals where the crowd is behind you, giving you that extra strength to top. For example, last year at the Open Boulder Nationals, for the first boulder I came out last and I flashed it. I could hear the crowd screaming, and it was great. It’s hard not to smile in that situation—I just love the energy of competing.
Any key tips for newer climbers? The hardest and simplest training tip is consistency. Being able to consistently climb two or three days a week is enough if you constantly push yourself to try new things. For training, set clear goals for your sessions and areas of focus so you aren’t just aimlessly climbing. I warn people to do their research before any finger strengthening though, as a lot of the time new climbers just need more time climbing.
What makes a good boulder problem? A good boulder problem is one that has two different cruxes or styles, and it doesn’t have extreme variations in difficulty. I love a one move wonder, but the satisfaction of pulling through consecutive hard moves and being able to take on more than one style in a boulder is amazing.
26 SUMMER 2023
Favourite style of climbing? I’m a comp kid, no shame in it! I love the jumpy stuff, and more specifically the dangly swingy things. I’m a sucker for some coordination. I also love crimps, but the satisfaction of hitting a hard paddle and stunting off one arm is crazy.
Tell us a little bit about how you got into climbing? My brother had a birthday party at a climbing gym in Sydney, so my Dad encouraged me to have a go while we were there. I loved it and later on my mum saw some ads for classes, so I started to attend once a week, then twice, then three times, and so on. Within a year, at 10 years old, I competed at my first state titles in youth D. To my surprise, I came third. From then on I just never stopped!
What is your greatest climbing ambition? I think every competition climber dreams of being the best, and I’m no different. For me at the moment I just want to see constant progress, but if I had to put a goal on it, I’d say qualifying for an Open World Cup Semi-final. Dylan Parks is proudly supported by VL partner La Sportiva.
GEAR FOR HERE
OPPOSITE PAGE BOTTOM LEFT: DYLAN AT THE 2023 NSW BOULDER STATE TITLES; TOP RIGHT: ON THE SECOND BOULDER IN THE FINALS AT THE 2023 OLIO COMP AT SKYWOOD; THIS PAGE: DYLAN WINNING THE 2023 NSW BOULDER STATE TITLES. ALL PHOTOS BY TARA DAVIDSON.
Gwen Lancashire on Parallax (24) Mount Buffalo Photo: Simon Alsop
mountainequipment.com
GETTING TO KNOW
Mike FORWARD
BRAINFREEZE_V7 @SERENDIPITY PHOTO BY JACK FOLKES
28 SUMMER 2023
ISSUE 43 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
Guest interviewer Lachlan Gordon, gets to know Mike Forward, author of the recently released Sydney Bouldering Guide.
Later, the boathouse burned to the ground in a very suspicious fire. The crag still stands. Did the opportunity arise to make any exciting FA’s (first ascents) in the newly discovered areas/ problems?
Tell me about your climbing history and how you first got into bouldering? I started climbing in 1991 when I was ten. A family friend took me to the Blue Mountains and hauled me up a grade 15. I was hooked. I loved the adventure, being up high, being outside. I pestered them to take me as often as they could. A few years later, I found out I could do climbing as a school sport. I had already enrolled in tennis, and the coach wouldn’t let me switch. So I would go out there and play as bad a game of tennis as I possibly could, losing every point on purpose so I could rush over and join the climbers. What ignited you to begin writing this guide? The old Sydney bouldering guide is more than 20 years old now. So much has changed in that time. New crags have opened, grades have changed, and the sport of bouldering has exploded. I have a design background and I guess because I’ve spent the last 30 years bouldering in Sydney, I felt like I knew the shape of the land pretty well. What was the process like for collating data on all the crags in Sydney? The process was huge! The hard thing about documenting Sydney is that there are so many different areas. I got the original files from the previous guide, so that was a good starting point. I knew a lot of the people who developed different crags, so I asked them to provide detail. But most of the content in the guide came from me spending countless hours visiting each crag, photographing it, documenting it and then sending early write-ups around for others to fact-check. Another aspect was reading through all the management plans for the national parks and reserves where crags are located to make sure there aren't any restrictions. There are lots of places I’ve deliberately left out. There were 14 areas I’d documented, done all the photos and maps and then upon reflecting if they should be in the guide or not, I decided I’d have to leave them out. You’ve mentioned the guide includes “many previously undocumented areas and problems”. How did you discover these? The new areas in the guide are mostly areas developed by friends I've met through the community. A lot of the climbing in Sydney is documented online, but there's still plenty of developers who don't have the time or aren't keen to document their first ascents in this way. For these areas, I'd often ask to get taken on a guided tour by the developers and document the crags as they showed me around. There must have been a plethora of highs and lows in creating this guide, can you share some you dealt with? I’m not sure if this is a high or a low, but I’ll never forget coming home to find a calling card from the NSW Police Gang Squad on my doorstep. They’d been monitoring me coming and going at a particular crag down near the harbour. I was projecting ‘Mushy Brain’ at Crumbly and there was this boathouse down there. On these visits the people that had owned the boathouse had been drilling into the rock to create an inclinator or a lift that went up and down the hill because they didn’t have any kind of car access. Turned out bikies had been cooking meth at a boathouse next to the crag. There was an awkward conversation with the cops, explaining to them what bouldering was, and why I was trekking in and out of the bush with a giant crash pad, but I managed to clear my name.
Definitely. Some of those first ascents actually held the guidebook back, as I wanted to finish them first. The main one was Milkshake Duck (V11), which took me about 50 sessions over three years to climb. You’ve said you needed to “draw a line in the sand at some point and send this beast to print”. What made you decide to draw this line? I wanted my life back. There’s an endless amount of bouldering in Sydney. Right now, I know of hundreds of problems being developed by Sydneysiders. I just knew I would never be able to include everything, and had to make a call that now was the time to stop writing and start getting the thing to print. Are we at the height of the popularity of bouldering? I think it’s going to keep on increasing. With climbing being in the olympics and the next olympics having less of a focus on speed and bouldering/lead having their own medals, that kind of visibility in the public realm is going to mean bouldering will continue increasing in popularity.
Crimps or Slopers? Crimps Favourite Sydney crag? The Bidjigal. It’s a new crag in Baulkham Hills, some people call it the M2 block. There’s a ton of stuff there that looks really cool. Your climbing idol? Daniel Woods. I just love his style of climbing, he’s got a super robotic style where he’s just solid on everything he does. He’s been at the top of his game for so long. Favourite rock type? Definitely sandstone. Sandstone for bouldering and limestone for routes.
THEREVENANT V6 @WESTSIDE PHOTO BY DAVEKELLERMANN
The Sydney Bouldering Guide is available in Sydney climbing stores and gyms. Lachlan Gordon is a climber and writer residing in Sydney, Australia. His writing focuses on the lived experiences of people involved in the outdoor world, as well as exploring climbing culture. He can usually be found hanging around a Sydney crag or planning his next mountaineering expedition.
SUMMER 2023 29
TRAVEL
AUSSIES IN YOSEMITE
PARTY ON EL CAP TOWER. A TEAM OF AUSSIE’S, GERMANS AND AMERICANS. IMAGE BY DAYGIN PRESCOTT.
30 SUMMER 2023
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
RECENTLY A BUNCH OF AUSSIES HAVE BEEN SPENDING TIME IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK CLIMBING ON SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS ROUTES. WILL VIDLER AND HIS FRIEND JESSE RUBENSTEIN TOOK ON THE “FREERIDER” ON EL CAPITAN’S SALATHÉ WALL – THE VERY SAME ROUTE FAMOUS FROM ALEX HONNOLD’S FREE SOLO FILM. WILL OVERCAME HEAT, BLISTERS, DEHYDRATION, AND IMMENSE INEXPERIENCE TO COMPLETE THE CLIMB OVER 7 CONSECUTIVE DAYS ON THE WALL. MEANWHILE DAYGIN PRESCOTT AND HIS FRIEND JAMES HURREY ALSO CLIMBED EL CAPITAN VIA ITS MOST FAMOUS ROUTE “THE NOSE” AS WELL AS TACKLING OTHER VALLEY CLASSICS LIKE THE ROSTRUM. VERTICAL LIFE HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE ACHIEVEMENTS CLOSELY AND RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH WILL (WHO IS STILL CLIMBING IN THE USA) AND DAYGIN TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR OBJECTIVES. IN THIS CASE WE FELT THAT AN IMAGE REALLY WAS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. WILL AND DAYGIN’S JOURNEYS ARE CAPTURED IN THE STUNNING PHOTO ESSAY ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: PORTALEDGE WAS ESSENTIAL FOR THESE FELLAS WITH A BUSY NIGHT IN EL CAP TOWER; JAMES EN ROUTE TOWARD THE STOVELEGS ON A RAINY DAY; WE WERE SURPRISED BY THE AMOUNT OF MODERATE FREE CLIMBING ON THE NOSE; EPIC AFTERNOON LIGHT FROM EL CAP TOWER. WITH A SHORT DAY TO THE LEDGE, WE GOT TO SPEND PLENTY OF TIME HANGING OUT WITH THE OTHER PARTIES. ALL IMAGES BY DAYGIN PRESCOTT. SUMMER 2023 31
TRAVEL AUSSIES IN YOSEMITE
WILL VIDLER WORKING THE ALIEN ROOF FINISH TO THE ROSTRUM, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, WITH JESSE RUBENSTEIN ON BELAY. PHOTOS BY VICTORIA KOHNER-FLANAGAN.
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TRAVEL AUSSIES IN YOSEMITE
TOP PHOTO: LOWERING OUT OFF THE BOOT FLAKE; MIDDLE ROW 1-3: MOODY, RAINY DAY. WITH CLOUDS DANCING ABOVE THE GRANITE WALLS OF THE VALLEY; YOU GOTTA BE SMILING ON EL CAP RIGHT? PHOTO BY JAMES HURREY; WHILE WAITING FOR THE PARTY IN FRONT OF US ON TOP OF THE BOOT FLAKE. I RAPPED DOWN AND SHOT A FEW IMAGES OF THE PARTY BELOW US. BOTTOM ROW 1-3: HAPPY FELLAS THE MORNING AFTER TOPPING OUT ON THE NOSE; ONE OF LIFE’S FINEST PLEASURES, SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS IN THE MOUNTAINS. WAKING UP SURROUNDED BY AMAZING LANDSCAPES. IMAGES BY DAYGIN PRESCOTT. WILL VIDLER AND JESSE RUBENSTEIN IN FRONT OF EL CAP, AFTER CLIMBING FREERIDER. PHOTO BY BRITTAN GORIS.
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HOW I GOT THE SHOT
F R O Z E N
WORDS & IMAGES BY WILLIAM SKEA
Ever tried ice-climbing at 30 degrees Celsius below freezing? Ever tried dragging a camera up with you, and hanging off an anchor to snap photos one-handed while belaying at the same time? William has. Because apparently multipitch ice-climbing isn’t hard enough on its own. JASON GUPTIL ON CURTAIN CALL (WI6, 125M) IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
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HOW I GOT THE SHOT FROZEN
I have always dreamed of being an adventure photographer and mountain guide. In 2017, I moved to the Canadian Rockies, purchased a truck camper to live in, and spent the next six months learning to ice climb while carrying my camera on each climb. I took this photo of Jason Guptill on a route called Curtain Call, during my second winter in the Canadian Rockies. Jason was escaping the cave on the second pitch about a third of the way up the waterfall, with his back against a column of ice. He was effectively chimney-climbing out the cave, between columns of ice that felt like they could explode apart at any moment. Curtain Call is a 125-meter frozen waterfall on the Icefields Parkway. It is 15 kilometers north of Athabasca Glacier and visible from the highway with a 45-minute hiking approach. It is graded WI6, which means it is long and vertical, with overhanging sections, few resting spots, and poor-quality chandeliered ice. Temperatures were below -30° Celsius and lightly snowing. I led the first pitch up to the cave, then Jason led the second pitch out of the cave and up another 40 metres, then I led the final 50 metres to the top. The climb was intimidating and challenging to protect, but it was fun. To secure our ice tools and crampons, we often had to bash through 38 SUMMER 2023
30 centimeters of rotten and brittle ice to expose the good ice. The face was full of overhanging sections and enormous mushrooms that we would zig-zag around or campus to muscle up onto them. As Jason led out of the cave, he kept bouncing his tools and boots off the ice behind his body, while trying to make swings into the ice in front of him. This would kill his momentum, and he would have to start the movement again. One challenge of photographing him while he climbed was giving him a safe belay at the same time. I like to belay one-handed with a gri-gri so I can photograph with my other hand. I kept my camera on a neck strap so I could let go of it if I needed to. Keeping my camera alive in minus 30 while snowing required some techniques too. I used a blower, brush and microfiber cloth before each photo to get not just snow but moisture buildup off the lens. Because batteries will drain in minutes in such cold temperatures, I kept several of them in my pocket, along with activated handwarmer packets. I didn’t put my camera inside my clothing to keep it warm because the temperature difference from my clothes to outside would have caused condensation inside the lens and camera body. It is better to have a cold camera all the time and only add a battery for a quick photo, then return the battery to a heated
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pocket. I also used a sacrificial UV filter that I would remove before photos—it was just there to collect any snow or moisture from condensation, leaving the main lens clean and dry. I was belaying as I usually do for taking photos with an extended belay on my end of the rope. I used a munter hitch to belay myself to an ideal position to photograph Jason, which in this case was about five metres from the anchor master point, then I tied it off as a munter-mule hitch to become my safety line. I did this again on the summit anchor after I led, so I could get below the lip of the waterfall and capture Jason climbing up. Once Jason was through the section where the photo was taken, he exited the cave to the left. Then he had to ascend about 15 meters before he could even secure an ice screw, because the ice was chandeliered through. I had a more relaxed time on top rope. My pitch climbing up the final column involved overhanging mushrooms of ice capped in snow. With the ice being rotten below the caps, but good on caps, I would swing my tools into the tops of the caps from beneath and then pull-up with my tools in an all-out campus and then muscle up. From the top of the waterfall, we rappelled down using V-thread anchors. It was a long, cold day of technical and complex climbing. And it’s
precisely days like these that inspire me to keep travelling, keep pursuing my goal to be a mountain guide, and keep taking photos. Check out more of Will’s photos on Instagram @williamskeaguidingphotography
Tech specs for the camera nerds My camera at that time was a Sony A7rii. I carried two zoom lenses, the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 GM and Sony 70-200 f/2.8 GM. I've since upgraded my camera to a Sony A1 and exchanged my two zoom lenses to prime lenses to save weight, using the Sony 14mm f/1.4 GM and Sigma DG DN Art 85mm f/1.4. The 14mm and 85mm were my two favorite perspectives, either super-wide or slightly telephoto, while I needed to shoot most of the time in low light conditions in the shade or sunrise and sunset, or with high shutter speeds for fast moving climbers and skiers. LEFT PAGE: JASON APPROACHING THE SUMMIT OF CURTAIN CALL. THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE: CURTAIN CALL; POST-CLIMB PHOTO AT THE CARPARK OF JASON GUPTILL; JASON ON THE APPROACH TO CURTAIN CALL WITH THE ICEFIELDS HIGHWAY IN THE BACKGROUND; IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES ICEFIELDS PARKWAY. SUMMER 2023 39
FEATURE
How many words for WORDS BY XAB CASTOR
SNOW?
IT’S NO SECRET THAT MOUNTAINEERING ISN’T THE CHEAPEST OR MOST STRAIGHTFORWARD SPORT TO PURSUE. THAT’S EXACTLY WHY THE LEGENDS AT THE NORTH FACE DECIDED TO TAKE A LONG HARD LOOK AT WHAT BARRIERS ASPIRING MOUNTAINEERS MIGHT COME UP AGAINST, AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. AND THUS THE MOUNTAIN DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP WAS BORN. PARTICIPANT XAB CASTOR SHARES HOW THE SCHOLARSHIP HAS HELPED BRING HER ONCE-OUT-OF-REACH OBJECTIVES JUST THAT MUCH CLOSER. rowing up, I had seven words for rice, one for ice, and none G for snow.
working 60 hour weeks in the offices of the capital, I found myself on a trekking trip in Nepal.
I belong to a long line of farmers who tilled the land they did not own, who inherited only the paradox of growing food yet not having enough to eat. My parents painstakingly broke this cycle by raising our big family in Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. They raised us with tough love and thick books. I was the eldest of five children; expectations were high.
I t was there that I fell in love with the mountains; Ama Dablam was a new north, a turning point in my life. Though I did not know much about mountaineering, I was eager to learn as much as I could. While I was trekking in high altitude, I knew very few words to describe the new terrain I was on; only that it was cold, endlessly uphill, and starkly beautiful.
y childhood belonged to endless hours of studying and excellent marks M in the hopes that our family would never go back to being hungry again. Free time was only meant for more reading or more studying. Recreation was scarce–and the outdoors unheard of. When I burnt out from
inding the right words was slow. Flights were expensive, gear even F more so. I did not have enough annual leave at my workplace in Manila to progress into mountaineering. I knew no one who thought walking up cold high hills was a worthwhile endeavour. My colleagues were
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busy finding multiple ways to secure more income; my friends, finding a husband. ive years since my first trip to Nepal, I find myself in an all-women F team to do a winter ascent of Mt. Kosciuszko. My place in the group was sponsored by The North Face, having won a Mountain Development Scholarship. Knowing my enthusiasm for adventure, my partner nominated me for the scholarship. The scholarship aims to break down the barriers of entry into the exclusive sport of mountaineering by bringing the community together to create ties for partners and to share skill sets and experiences. I shrieked when I got the email; I could not believe it. After a few minutes spent re-reading the grant, a heavy lump of doubt in my stomach formed. Do I even deserve this? Would I be fit enough to keep up? Would I have the right gear? Would I get along with the group? I blink my eyes open to the teal tent ceiling. It is our last day in the backcountry. My obliging tent-mates Maddy and Jo, on either side of me, are still asleep and curled up in their sleeping bags. They have given me much support and company during the trip and I was glad it was with them I shared a tent with. Judging from what I can see, it must be just before sunrise. Yesterday, we spent a glorious day on a successful 21km summit and return from the peak of Kozzy. Now, I am fully awake and have so much energy I could do the entire thing again. estless, I lace up my cold boots and decide to take a walk and watch R the sun rise over Guthega and our four tents huddled together on the hill facing the river. Everything was quiet apart from the robins and the ravens calling amongst each other. The sun hasn’t hit our camp yet but it’s already started to illuminate the features of the rolling hills nearby. I can see the twisted snow gums flailing in the sky, the soft-yet-frozen trail of snowshoes and skis from other parties. The air is brisk, mild compared to the howling wind a few evenings ago. I walk along, my boots gingerly crinkling the icy frost. I look ahead of me, away from Little Twynam, I can just see where I camped last season. I t was a different trip then, I had felt so insecure and so out of my depth. In my desire to progress, I had joined friends to do some ice climbing in Blue Lake. Between the three of us we had two crampons, one good snowshoe, and one pair of trekking poles. With no mountaineering boots, I had to make do with my hiking shoes. On the belay, part of my climber’s crampon snapped off as he stabbed his toe into the wall. Thankfully, the metal avoided my head and we were able to retrieve the crampon bar after it rolled down all the way down to the frozen lake. uffice to say, I was terrified. I wouldn’t even dare lose sight of the tent S when I had to go out to pee. What if I slid all the way down to the river? I did not feel confident about myself in this terrain. But, now, things are different, I feel safe wandering around on my own, warming my muscles up to prepare for breakfast and our departure. CORNICES Gabby interrupted her Cho Oyu story yesterday to point me towards the cornices ahead while we were travelling in the valley on the frozen Club Lake Creek. “You avoid those muffin tops because they can collapse if you are on top of them; or they can trigger an avalanche if you are travelling under them.” I had asked her how to read snow and find my way though this unusual ground. Being the youngest Australian to summit Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Everest, Gabby shares some funny stories including at one point cutting her long straight hair into an accidental mullet because her hair had frozen onto her head from wearing a beanie non-stop for three weeks. She had joined the group seeking to gain more guiding experience. I sought to gain some inspiration and tall tales from her. eing a woman in outdoor sports, there are immediate assumptions B placed on what you can do. After summiting Mt Everest, on the way to summit Lhotse, Gabby recalled another mountaineer putting her
"WHILE I WAS TREKKING IN HIGH ALTITUDE, I KNEW VERY FEW WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE NEW TERRAIN I WAS ON; ONLY THAT IT WAS COLD, ENDLESSLY UPHILL, AND STARKLY BEAUTIFUL." down and being unreasonably competitive due to the fact that she had made the climb at a better time than him. It was ridiculous to hear how unhealthy egos contribute to an already difficult objective. Although the gender ratio in climbing has been shifting, women are still outnumbered. Between 2006 and 2019, for every 100 climbers who attempted Everest, only 15 were women. In 2019, American Alpine Club (AAC) published a report citing that of the 7.7 million climbing participants in the US, the majority of climbers are white men. Some 85% of AAC members were white and 72% were male-identifying. In Australia, only 36% of participants identify as female–the ratio, although better, still points to an opportunity to make climbing and the outdoors more accessible. arriers may be due to financial hardship, inequality, or lack of access. B Sometimes though, hurdles could be avoidable like behaviours that tend towards gatekeeping and exclusivity that squash budding curiosity and diversity. The number of times I have been scoffed at for asking to double-check knots or suggesting an approach is sadly more than just a handful. It was refreshing to find that the trip supported learning and growth; with no question met with the funny eyebrow or condescending tone. Our trip leader, Ange, vehemently encouraged critical thinking by providing different approaches and giving scenarios. She encouraged us to make our own choices in the field. “Decide before you have to make the decision,” she said in the womb. LEFT: XAB TAKING A BREAK TO WELCOME THE SUN ON THE WAY TO KOZZY. IMAGE BY FIINA JUNTUNEN. THIS PAGE: THE REST OF THE TEAM ALL SMILES NOW THAT THE SUN HAS JOINED IN. IMAGE BY JOSEPHINE MALCOLM. SUMMER 2023 41
FEATURE HOW MANY WORDS FOR SNOW?
ALTHOUGH I STILL HAVE A LOT TO LEARN, FOR EXAMPLE, GAINING ICE CLIMBING SKILLS, AMA DABLAM DOESN’T SEEM LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. where I became aware of an annoying heat and throbbing on my left underfoot. As others reapplied sunscreen and snacked, I removed my boot to find two very proud cushy blisters had formed. I was taken aback. I did not anticipate or plan for any blisters. Surprised, I calculated it must be the rental boots that I have gotten from Jindabyne. Fiina saw me dumbly fumbling around my pack for my first aid kit and thankfully offered me most of her blister pack.
ABOVE: XAB ENJOYS THE BACKCOUNTRY TO REMEMBER THE SOUND OF THE BIRDS, THE WIND ROLLING OFF THE HILLS, IMAGE BY XAB CASTOR;
The womb was what we called our group tent where we shared meals, lessons, and stories. To demonstrate this proactive decision-making, the night before our summit day, Ange laid down clear conditions on wind, rain, and temperature that would dictate whether we would proceed to go up the mountain. If there is no rain, and the wind is low, we will proceed to the summit. However, if there is both wind and rain, we will not proceed. She made her thinking known to the group. A technical climber of rock and ice, with an impressive academic and climbing resume, her advice was to dial in our safety systems even before they get tested. e learned about roped snow climbing techniques. In the womb, W bundled in our layers sitting in a circle on our insulated pads, we took turns practicing and revisiting overhand knots, figure eight knots, and trusty hitches. When we became too cold from staying still, we went outside and roped up to practice glacier travel. We moved in parallel parties learning uphill and downhill crampon techniques, to carry our ice axe on our uphill hand, and how to remain balanced when changing direction on icy terrain. I’ve been walking around for half an hour in the dawn light when I see a flame robin perched on the branch of a gum tree. Recognisable by its orange red breast and white belly, I stopped all movement, careful not to scare my new friend away. I like to think that, like me, it had a big fun adventure the previous day and woke up early wanting more. I imagine it was telling me about its flight the previous day, its chit chatting and letting me know that there are even more wild sceneries to explore beyond what our team had just been. It was a good few minutes until a nearby tent zipped open and urged the robin to saunter away. NÉVÉ Ange pointed to the surface as we hiked up Mt. Clarke yesterday. “What do you mean?” I puffed, in between rest steps–a technique I learned the day before that relies on resting on one’s skeletal structures rather than muscles to maximise endurance on steep uphills. Through my sunglasses, all I could see was white ground. But as I scuffed my boot into the ground, I paid attention to the surface. With the sun’s reflection, I could see that some patches of the white ground had different patterns than other surfaces, some glistened or indented in different ways more than others. Névé, a new term in my alpine word bank. It is the state before snow becomes completely ice. These are rounded snow grains that get pressed together before they become ice. I observed that my crampons' points bite differently on this ground. It was up the ascent of Mt Clarke, the last big hill before Kosciuszko, 42 SUMMER 2023
Good thing the blisters fit just enough inside the pad, I wrapped my feet back in wool socks and into the rigid boots, re-tied my crampons, and was off to summit Mt Clarke. I was relieved to stop where we had rested because the moment we crested, wailing westerly winds hit our eager faces. I focussed on French-footing my crampon on the white ground and digging my poles into the snow. As I stepped my weight in all the crampon points so my feet remained flat, my blisters stabbed deeper into my foot. If it were not for the frigid billowing winds hitting my face providing a key distraction, I would have broken the good pace of the group. The French technique, front-pointing, and combination techniques all proved useful on travel. As Ange taught us on the first day, what we would be learning mostly is how to walk on snow and icy terrain. Our team moved quickly and efficiently down via the spur. I bid my mind to ignore the persistent pricking in my feet and tried to stay upright as we went down the slope, negotiating rocky outcrops and characteristic thistles and grass. Once down the saddle, away from the assaulting winds, I checked on my left foot to see if the pad was still in place to prepare for the final leg up Mt Kosciuszko. The blisters pad held, to my relief and subsequent amazement. Ah, technology! I grinned. Just in case, I proceeded to check the other foot. I loosened my gaiters, and plopped it out of my socks, and let out an audible groan at a sizable blister below my right toes. Without missing a beat, two other teammates offered me their blister kits. Feet were tended to, more zinc piled on our cheeks, and layers adjusted to avoid overheating. After a few minutes of snacking, we continued up the rolling hill. The pace and cadence were well suited to my height and ability and the rest of the team. This allowed me to enjoy the sights and take in the Victorian Alps to our right and a lone kite-skier gliding around on our left. The team finally reached the summit and a swell of celebration and chatter broke the thrum of the chill winds and the muffled rhythmic crunch of crampon-ed steps. We had a short quick lunch and I felt grateful to belong. Although I was learning about new equipment and acquiring skills in a challenging environment, I felt so at ease. At first I thought it must be because I was surrounded with the stunning scenery that is the Australian Alps, but later on realised it was more so because I could just feel free to exist as I am. I did not have to look a certain way, or say the right things. There was no conflicting compulsion in being the cool girl doing ballsy outdoor things. There was no tricky tightrope of always being strong, remaining fearless. I could just be me, exploring at my own pace, sharing my doubts openly instead of keeping them in me for fear of being thought of as weak. Out there, I dressed my body not for men or because of men, but because it is what the weather and objective called for. SASTRUGI On the way back from the summit of Kozzy, Fiina, a fellow participant, had told me how the snow surface had small ripples and patterns showing which direction the wind blew. I asked her to repeat what she
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: OUR CAMP TUCKED BENEATH THE SNOW GUMS TO SHELTER FROM THE WINDS; IMAGE BY FIINA JUNTUNEN; XAB RELUCTANT BUT READY FOR THE TREK HOME BACK TO GUTHEGA, IMAGE BY MARGIE GATHUNGU; THE SNOWY RIVER NEAR THE ILLAWONG SUSPENSION BRIDGE, IMAGE BY FIINA JUNTUNEN; ANGE SCOOPING UP SOME FRESH SPRING WATER, A DELIGHT, ON THE WAY BACK TO CAMP IMAGE BY FIINA JUNTUNEN SUMMER 2023 43
FEATURE HOW MANY WORDS FOR SNOW?
said.I couldn’t understand what it meant, like sand dunes? I echoed through my buff. Yes, she said. I did not even think there was a name for the surface pattern my boots were destroying. We had moved away from crampons because the snow was softer after noon. That was the first question I asked–when do you use your boots or your crampons versus your snowshoes. Sunny quickly answered that because of the size of snowshoes, they are meant to be used as floatation devices on the snow versus crampons that are meant for more icy hard ground. Sastrugi, I repeated to myself, as my boots stamped out the grooves and prows. Growing up in Finland, Fiina’s movement in the snow was something I wanted for myself. Her fiery red hair towered over me. Her footing, always secure. She demonstrated this the previous day while we had a full day around camp learning how to travel in snow, how to use each of our mountaineering equipment and perform self-arrest. Sunny, the co-leader of the trip, who holds multiple speed records in high altitude, emphasised that the most ideal self-arrest is avoiding falling altogether. Sunny, in her confident voice, ran us through self-arrest procedures—adze across shoulder, grab the spike firmly down, and dig, dig deep with your toes. Finding a hill nearby, we all took turns sliding down in various positions, trying to arrest our own self-made falls, hoping that we would never need to use them one day. We headed back to the warm womb after a successful ascent. Granite boulders, grassy shrubs, and dried dandelions provided some noteworthy companions in the afternoon. The sun was harsh but the sparkling creek provided some welcome refreshment. Rolling white hills supplied some endearing entertainment–do we finally get to see Guthega after this peak? Where previously we had travelled in a single file, the group had dissipated into clumps of lively chatter and laughter. Fiina said that the trip reignited her love for snow. She had forgotten how much she adored being in the alpine environment, everything blanketed in white powder. She had saved up for this trip and flew across the country, as a birthday treat for herself. We lamented on how much it cost to participate in mountaineering trips and what in turn the trip meant to each of us. “I realise that I like myself best up there,” she declared. I couldn’t agree more. I felt stronger, optimistic, and hopeful from the 44 SUMMER 2023
skills and connections I gained. Although I still have a lot to learn, for example, gaining ice climbing skills, Ama Dablam doesn’t seem like an impossible dream. Sharing a summit with an all-women team has definitely emboldened me to experiment and explore and I feel lucky to be given the opportunity to find people who feel the same. Margie, a woman from Kenya, shared with me her mountain goals and how she wants to write a book about the mountains in Africa. “Soak your blisters in very salty water when you get home, it works every time,” she offered. Margie wore the best outfit in the team, donning a bright pink suit. Her second name translates to “the one with the love for walking.” As is customary in her tribe, she was named after her father’s sister. There was Maddy, my tentmate, who had even worse blisters than I had suffered. Who persisted with negotiating the same terrain on burst blisters for a full 10km. When I asked her how she managed, she said it wasn’t that bad, and she meant it. She said she once had to endure a stick in her knee and then had to show up to do 14 days more of hiking in the bush. Sunny, who runs several all women expeditions, who shared her own story finding her own path through the mountains. Like me, she had started at a corporate job and realised where she truly belonged. By now, the sun has fully risen, sprinkling the contours of the ridges and the gum trees with light. It is almost time to break camp and head back into town. I can see the resort in the distance, with its chair lift, slopes, and warm chips. The Snowy River rapids just down below. I reluctantly turn and slowly head back, knowing that saying goodbye will be hard. In Filipino, the word for wilderness, kawalan, literally translates to nothingness in English. In the white blanket of winter, it seems most things get erased momentarily—trails are harder to find, terrain tougher to negotiate, that is, until someone else helps you see the way. Xab Castor is proudly supported by VL partner The North Face. TOP PHOTO: ANGE SCOOPING UP SOME FRESH SPRING WATER, A DELIGHT, ON THE WAY BACK TO CAMP. SMALL PHOTOS LEFT TO RIGHT: ANGE SAFELY LEADING OUR TEAM UP THE SUMMIT; THE COMMUNAL TENT WE AFFECTIONATELY CALLED ‘WOMB’ WHERE WE SHARED MEALS, LESSONS, AND STORIES; THE ALL-WOMEN TEAM POSING ON THE LAST DAY, FROM LEFT: XAB, ANGE, ALISON, MC, FIINA, MEL, JO, MADDY, MARGIE; THE TEAM ADMIRES THE RIDGES AND FEATURES ON THE WAY TO KOZZY. ALL IMAGES BY SUNNY STROEER.
CONTRIBUTOR: Originally from the Philippines, Xab is based in Gadigal Country (Sydney). When she is not outdoors climbing, she works as an analyst for a not-for-profit seeking to alleviate poverty through education.
OUTDOOR ETHICS
CRAG STEWARDSHIP WORDS BY LACHLAN SHORT
AUSTRALIAN CLIMBERS HAVE LONG CARED FOR THE ENVIRONMENTS THEY’VE CLIMBED IN. BUT NOW—AS A RESULT OF GREATER UNDERSTANDING, AS WELL AS FACING GREATER CLIMBER NUMBERS, AND MORE RESTRICTED ACCESS— THE MOVEMENT TO CARE FOR OUR CRAGS IS STRONGER THAN EVER.
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The relationship between climbers and climbing is complex. For some, there’s the physicality and adrenaline and, yes, ego. For others, it’s about community, wild places, or challenging yourself to see what’s possible and to see who you are. But none of this happens, on outdoor rock at least, without access. And access is no accident. As a climber, I feel I must acknowledge this journey the climbing community is experiencing: On the one hand, there are instances where climbers, whether by their sheer numbers or sometimes by the reckless actions of a mere few, are impacting the natural environment. On the other, there are climbing communities moving to care for and restore cliff environments, weaving a brighter future. Let me address the former first. Climbing numbers in Australia have exploded, coinciding with climbing’s inclusion at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. There are now reportedly over 300,000 Australians climbing at indoor gyms. In Queensland alone, climbing gyms grew from four in 2014 to twenty-two at last count in 2023. As these numbers soared, so too have the environmental impacts. As a Queenslander, in the last fifteen years, I’ve witnessed what’s happened to places such as the Glasshouse Mountains (Ngungun, Beerwah and Tibrogargan) and Mt Maroon (Wahlmoorum). Trees and ferns have simply disappeared at some crags, many access tracks have doubled in width (from hikers, scramblers and climbers) and housing estates have popped up everywhere after the local farmers sold up. The mountains are being loved to death. Compounding the problem of sheer numbers, many climbers heading for outdoor rock for the first time are doing so without the privilege of an astute climbing mentor to provide guidance about respectful climbing and minimal-environmental-impact practices. In one extreme example, Whinpullin (Minto Crag) in South-East Queensland’s Scenic Rim was a place where the old guard and school groups had been quietly climbing for decades. Upon being ‘discovered’ by the new-age sport climbers, a wave of bolting began. To quote an article in March 2023 in the Guardian: “Over the months that followed, orchids were pulled from the cliff. Smooth rock was chipped, artificial holds epoxied onto the basalt. A grass tree, protector of mountains, was cut down … ‘Long story short, a lot of destruction took place over a very short period of time’.” But then there’s the counter story, the other side of the journey we as a climbing community are taking, the one down a path known as crag stewardship. What is crag stewardship? It’s the process of working as a community to establish or maintain sustainable access to cliff environments, and to address the impacts of larger climbing participatory numbers. It does so by caring and respectfully managing cliff environments in collaboration with land managers, Traditional Owners and other recreational users. This is increasingly being viewed as part of what it means to be a climber and just as valued as the admiration we have for boldness, adventure and the onsight of a climb; something worthy of celebrating. Australia-wide there are many examples where climbers are standing up for and looking after cliff environments. I’m going to tell you about four such instances now.
SCENIC RIM, QUEENSLAND The Scenic Rim in Southeast Queensland is home to Frog Buttress, one of the planet’s greatest concentrations of accessible, quality single-pitch crack-climbing routes. Pockets of rock are dotted through private and public land, often with tight easement access. Some of these crags, such as Shady Buttress and Western Wall, saw farmers banning climber access in the 1990s. It meant that young Queensland climbers, such as myself, never had the opportunity to visit such places. But Minto Crag was one place I did have to opportunity to climb at, although that was before all the new development occurred that caused all the problems, when orchids were pulled, holds chipped, and grass trees chopped down. In opposition to this destruction, local farmers, the Indigenous Ugarapul people and even frustrated climbers banded together to form the Friends of Whinpullin. Ultimately, in February 2022, climbing at Minto Crag ended when the Queensland Government announced the land would be reserved for Aboriginal cultural purposes. I’ve spoken to some of the local old guard about what’s been happening at crags in Southeast Queensland. I can feel their hurt; why the need for all this environmental demise of cliff environments that they grew up with, places that until recently were mostly in a condition that would have mirrored pre-colonial times? At the crux of this problem lies massive population growth in close vicinity to crags; by 2046, SE Queensland is, according to the Brisbane Times, expected to swell to six million people. But things are changing; crag care is growing, attempting to repair the wounds of the land and bring communities together. The ACAQ (Australian Climbing Association of Queensland), the state peak-volunteer body for climbing advocacy, lobbies the government and works with Queensland Parks, and have held annual crag care events at locations such as Kangaroo Point, Mt Maroon, and more recently, Cedar Creek. But with the ACAQ having such a heavy workload that they’ve had to focus primarily on access, Friends of Frog and the Scenic Rim (@ FriendsofFrog) was established in 2021 as the local crag care group; LEFT PAGE: CRAG CARE TASMANIA VOLUNTEERS WORKING AT THE ORGAN PIPES, CREDIT: ROSIE HOHNEN. ABOVE: SCENIC RIM, QLD, AUSTRALIA, IMAGE BY LYNNETTE GREENSLADE. SUMMER 2023 47
OUTDOOR ETHICS CRAG STEWARDSHIP
I was involved in setting this up. President Tyson Burns has since conducted half-a-dozen working bees at Frog Buttress; progress is incremental but growing quickly. At the same time, some of the local old legends—including Glyn Thomas, Bruce Exeter and Scott Camps—in 2023 formed the Cliff Conservation Alliance (@CliffConservationAlliance) to advocate, protect and conserve cliff environments. They’ve got strong networks after decades working in the outdoors, and the alliance is in fact a branch of Wildlife Queensland.
CRAG CARE TASMANIA Tasmanian climbing is mindblowing. As a result, every summer, there’s an annual pilgrimage of mainland climbers to the island (I have been one of the pilgrims, spending the two COVID summers there). But the exacerbating impacts of the sheer number of these users means that locals are at times left picking up the pieces. For many years, it was the Climbers Club of Tasmania, and local legends such as Bob McMahon, who looked after cliff environments in quiet ways. But in 2021, Crag Care Tasmania was formed; it’s now by far the most extensive current active crag-stewardship volunteer organisation in Australia. It has engaged in many environmental projects, including partnering with the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service to revegetate Freycinet clifftops; extensive 48 SUMMER 2023
weeding and revegetation work at Fruehauf Cliff; maintaining climbing tracks on kunanyi (Mt Wellington); partnering with local landowners to support the building and maintenance of Fingal campground facilities; and working to look after climbing areas in much-loved Launceston Gorge, including weed and rubbish removal and track maintenance. But the group is not just about environmental work; education and awareness are equally important. This past summer, the group focused on addressing issues such as the mandatory booking system for climbers at Frenchmans Cap, closures at Sisters Beach for Aboriginal heritage, access around crags on private land, and education around peregrine falcon nesting. The team of volunteers includes Rosie Hohnen, a wildlife biologist who leads much of the work in the south. And in the north, there’s Steve Postle, Crag Care Tasmania’s President, who is brimming with infectious energy. “I hope,” says Steve, “[that] Crag Care will become a force in educating climbers on ways to interact with the community and the environment. Not to be just sustainable, but really create something stronger, diverse and resilient so future generations can enjoy this beautiful land.” CLOCKWISE: CRAG CARE TASMANIA VOLUNTEERS AT FRUEHAUF, HOBART’S LOCAL TOWN CRAG, CREDIT: ALEX HARTSHORNE; REVEGETATION WORK AT MT ARAPILES (DYURITTE), CREDIT: LOUISE SHEPHERD; FRIENDS OF FROG VOLUNTEERS AT WORK IN SEPTEMBER, 2023, CREDIT: ISMAEL PEREZ-SMITH; NAOMI GIBBS BEING HANDY WITH AN ANGLE GRINDER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BUNDALEER TRACK IN THE GRAMPIANS, CIRCA 2007, CREDIT: TRACEY SKINNER.
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
"TAKE SOME TIME TO TUNE INTO THE NATURAL WORLD AROUND YOU AND THINK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GIVE BACK.” art exists in Gariwerd, much of it in the steep overhanging rock and caves that hard-grade climbers and boulderers like to find themselves in—led Parks Vic to recognise and formally protect Indigenous heritage. But in the decades prior, CliffCare, the environmental arm of the Victorian Climbing Club, had also been hard at work. Established as a non-profit in 1998, the organisation employed Australia’s first-ever paid Access and Environment Officer, starting with John Stone, who held the role from 1998 to 2002, and later by the indefatigable Tracey Skinner (2007 to 2019). They developed ongoing relationships with land managers and stakeholders, and acted as conduits between land managers and the climbing community. Here are some examples of work by climbers in the Grampians in the years prior to the bans: Summerday Valley trail improvements and retaining-wall stabilisation (2000); Mt Rosea rehabilitation at bush campsites (2003); Taipan/Spurt Wall base protection and track rehabilitation (2007); Mt Rosea track repair and rehabilitation (2007); Flat Rock/Polhners Rd track rehabilitation (2008); Bundaleer Track rehabilitation and construction of protection for cultural heritage/artworks (2008); Mt Rosea climbers’ access-track rehabilitation (2012); access track realignment to protect cultural heritage sites and repairs to the track following floods (2012); Flat Rock and Stapylton Amphitheatre track cleared after fires (2014). (You can read more at cliffcare.org.au/our-record)
GARIWERD (THE GRAMPIANS), VICTORIA In 2019, there was a signal that times had changed overnight: Parks Victoria, in consultation with Traditional Owners, instated sweeping climbing bans in Gariwerd to address pressing Aboriginal cultural-heritage concerns as well as environmental impacts. Literally thousands of climbs were closed, including some of Australia’s most loved routes. In the years since, while some bans have been lifted, in other places the bans have been extended. These issues had been building over decades. I saw this first hand. I lived in Victoria for two years (2018-2019), and on weekend visits to the Grampians (plus a month spent at Arapiles), I immediately noticed the effects of park-user traffic (not just climbers, but hikers and other recreational users) in a nutrient-poor soil landscape that’s highly susceptible to impacts. Coupled with the explosion of climbing numbers, and instances where climbers had not respected the wishes of Traditional Owners—nearly 90% of Victoria’s rock
Still, the signs were foreboding. As I was told by a local Grampians climber, “There is no doubt that the crag care work that was done supported the access to climbing for many decades but there was a sense that closer to the Grampians closures, it was merely putting out smaller fires.” And so it was that despite CliffCare’s hard work, despite multiple warnings to show restraint, despite calls to step up and address environmental concerns, the reality of increased climbing traffic, inappropriate crag development (such as bolting and bouldering in sensitive areas) by some climbers, and the impossible task of educating the community on responsible climbing practices when not all climbers were fully engaged, resulted in the inevitable: widespread climbing bans. Relationships in the Victorian climbing community have been deeply challenged and divided as a result. Both sides have a point. As climbers, we need to do better to protect Indigenous cultural heritage. But conversely, can you imagine losing access to the climbing crags you are most deeply connected to if that’s what drives your connection to the rock and nature? It took several years, but Parks Vic ultimately engaged in a consultative process. In December 2021, the Greater Gariwerd Landscape Management Plan was released; over 100 climbing destinations, including 13 bouldering areas, were reopened. Taipan Wall (Gunigalg) was one of these areas, and it is a delicate example where both climbers and Indigenous peoples can facilitate a shared connection to place. Side-by-side are sites of cultural significance and climbing routes; the respect of all users will be required for continued shared use. THIS PAGE: GRAMPIANS VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA. IMAGE BY SIMONA SERGI. SUMMER 2023 49
OUTDOOR ETHICS CRAG STEWARDSHIP
Ryan Siacci, who runs a popular blog called Zen and the Art of Climbing, sums up what’s been happening here well when he says, “I think Arapiles is a really good poster child for sustainable and respectful climber use…an area almost exclusively used by climbers and is in better condition than it was 50 years ago… People really care about it!” SPEAKING TO MANY CRAG CARE ORGANISERS across Australia, the story was often the same. Firstly, greater involvement in crag stewardship is required to ensure a healthy ecosystem; this, in turn, allows access to be maintained. Secondly, education concerning respectful outdoor behaviour and minimal-impact practices needs to penetrate deeply into our climbing community. Thirdly, climbers must do better, by reducing their environmental impact, and by showing restraint when it comes to crag development. Note that many climbers have long gone down this path, but the ethos needs to extend to the entire community. As Steven Wilson, Coordinator of Crag Stewards Victoria—a group established in 2021 aiming to create a network of formal stewards for crags around the state—told me, “Young climbers are going to have to face the future and pull their socks up otherwise they may lose access to more climbing.” Like the model for CliffCare Victoria’s funded Access and Environment Officer, Australia would greatly benefit from more paid positions whereby some climbing-minded environmental advocates are employed to develop and drive an ongoing education programme and crag care work. Look at the Access Fund in the US or the Aotearoa Climbing Access Trust in NZ, and you’d be hard pressed to disagree that a national access and crag steward group with funded positions is a great idea.
ARAPILES (DYURITTE), VICTORIA Rising sharply out of the Wimmera plains, Mt Arapiles (Dyuritte) is arguably the spiritual mecca of Australian climbing. More than 3,000 routes—mostly trad routes, some of them the best in the country—are condensed into one small but dynamic range, and visitors both domestic and international flock here to test themselves. Many of these visitors never left; the climbing community in the nearby town of Natimuk is strong and vibrant. Climbing at Araps has a long history; so too does crag stewardship, which extends back informally to the 1980s, when Friends of Arapiles was founded, a group that climbing legend Louise Shepherd was involved with from the outset. The group is still hard at work; a working bee in 2023, for instance, involved replacing dilapidated tree guards, weeding, revegetation and tree watering in the Pines Campground. In the early 2000s, CliffCare Victoria started getting involved with numerous projects here, including revegetation, ground stabilisation and repair, and climbers’ track construction in areas such as the Organ Pipes, Bushrangers Bluff, Pharos Gully and the Upper Central Gully. Many of the projects were extensive, requiring years to complete; the Pharos Gully Repair Project, for instance, ran from 2009 to 2015. 50 SUMMER 2023
A brighter future for climbers is being built with greater participation and education in caring for rock environments. Integral to that, though, is considering your relationship with rock climbing. How and why do you climb? Take some time to tune into the natural world around you and think about how you can give back. And there’s no better place to start than by joining a local crag care group. This piece was first published in Wild #190. This piece was first published in Wild #190. It has been republished here with permission of the author due to the importance of these topics for climbers.
SELECTED LIST OF AUSTRALIAN CRAG CARE ORGANISATIONS
- Friends of Arapiles (Est. 1988) - Crag Stewards Victoria (Est. 2021) - CliffCare Victoria (Est. 1998) - Crag Care Tasmania (Est. 2021) - Friends of Frog & the Scenic Rim (Est. 2022) - The Cliff Conservation Alliance, QLD (Est. 2023) - Cliff Care Blue Mountains, NSW (Circa 2013) - Climbing Club of South Australia (Crag care work from at least 2014) THIS PAGE: POSTER FOR AN EDUCATION PROGRAM TO PROTECT PEREGRINE FALCONS INVOLVING CRAG CARE TASMANIA.
CONTRIBUTOR: Lachlan Short hails from Queensland and has recently relocated to Sydney. He is embarking on a twelve-month project to explore practical solutions to the environmental crisis.
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climbinganchors.com.au Store locations in Alexandria NSW & Fitzroy VIC
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FEATURE
MITCHELL ON LEAD.
52 SUMMER 2023
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
ROOKIES OF THE FUTURE WORDS BY MITCHELL STEWART PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON
MANY A CLIMBER HAS DREAMED OF QUESTING THEIR WAY UP A NEW LINE, DEVELOPING A NEW ROUTE TO SHARE WITH FELLOW FROTHERS. HERE, MITCHELL STEWART SHARES THE JOURNEY AND THE PROCESS OF SEEKING OUT AND SETTING A NEW CLIMB IN AN ICONIC NSW LOCATION—THE 100M MULTIPITCH, ROOKIES OF THE FUTURE (22). The Blue Mountains, aka The Bluies, are unlike other mountain ranges around the world, sitting on the edge of the Great Dividing Range. It is an uplifted plateau, carved into the sandstone over millennia, creating a landscape with limitless opportunity for sport and trad climbers. Climbers from around the world flock here to explore its endless crags and multi-pitches. This makes it a mecca for climbers like myself who are keen to establish new routes and make first ascents. The thrill is in the process. Spying a baked orange face or unclimbed crack in the distance, wondering if anyone has climbed it before. Then rushing home and pouring over topos, the guidebook and consulting the local stone masters to see if they knew anything about this unclimbed sliver of rock. Research takes the form of a hasty after work bush-bash, tripping over banksia roots, scratching your face on the heath, scrambling along endless ledges, not sure if you will make it before sunset. Then BAM it appears when you least expect it—the unclimbed crack on an untouched face of rock. You sit down, mesmerised by this line. Is it worth it? Will it bring value to the community? Are you interested in this challenge? Is it even possible to physically commit to a new route? It’s a big investment—it could take days, weeks or in some cases years to complete. With your decision made, you leg it up the hill to get back to your car before sunset and start spraying to all your friends about the new line on the interwebs. Falling Water Wall is one of those untouched steep orange sandstone walls. First spied Simon Opper, he giddily took us to inspect the cliff from above one day in the summer of ‘22. Paul "Frothy" Thompson and I were intrigued by the scale and the steepness. We selected a line that called to us. Paul was drawn to a 65m overhanging wall that soared above the cliff, with what looked to be a diving board protruding from the top. I selected the 100m arete that frames the cliff, getting steeper and steeped as
you descend. It looked like something out of Dante's Inferno, just clawing your way out of the pits of hell. We came back with our 100m static ropes and quested down, searching for a path. As I abseiled down, I became slightly nervous with anticipation—would there be a way through these roofs, or would I have to ascend 50m with my heavy pack full of gear?
IT LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF DANTE'S INFERNO, JUST CLAWING YOUR WAY OUT OF THE PITS OF HELL. As I headed down, the rock looked perfect but got steeper. At 60m it was difficult to keep my feet on the rock. At 70m I could only just hold onto the arete with my fingers, and I ran out of cams to redirect with. At 80m—the moment of truth—I peaked my head under the massive roof and success! A thin line of holds wove through the overhang. Time to get to work. Early starts, lots of heavy packs and slow ascents out of the cliff in the baking afternoon sun. Anticipation builds as it is time to see if we can make these imposing visions a reality. Paul and I devise our strategy for how we will tackle the routes: my route first, then abseil down to the small flat ledge and try to tackle Paul’s monster roof. We also managed to rope in Jared Anderson and Simon—some of the Bluies’ best vertical paparazzi. With our bags loaded with a veritable shit-tonne of ropes and camera gear, we tramp our way to the cliff. Paul and I set off to the base of the cliff as Jared set up from the top. Jared must have the strongest butt muscles in Australia being able to hang in that harness for so long. Paul and I quickly sent the first pitch, and set up at the base of the SUMMER 2023 53
FEATURE ROOKIES OF THE FUTURE
JARED MUST HAVE THE STRONGEST BUTT MUSCLES IN AUSTRALIA BEING ABLE TO HANG IN THAT HARNESS FOR SO LONG. first crux pitch—the steepest roof, with the crux being a tricky undercling sequence gaining the right side of the arete and the steep face above. I motored up, making short work of the intro then up to the crux. Building my feet high, reaching around the arete, and just as I twist my hips to grab the crimp on the the right side of the arete—Snap! I hurtled through the air like someone doing a trust fall. The undercling had broken. Checking that Paul was all good, I pulled up, worked out a new sequence, lowered back to the ledge, and sent the second pitch. We were on. Two more absorbing crux pitches battled the overhanging arete. The final 35m pitch traverses left for five meters, and finishes the traverse with a superhero move. We promptly had a spot of lunch, bombed down to the tiny ledge and threw ourselves at Paul’s monstrous roof. Paul, being an absolute technician of all styles of climbing, sent it quickly and decided to celebrate by taking a victory whip off the diving board. I paid out heaps of slack and he went for it, falling 25m into the void. And with that we added two soaring lines, including the five-pitch, grade 22, Rookies of the Future, to the Blue Mountains for the community. TOP IMAGES: MITCHELL LEADING; MITCHELL STILL LEADING. BOTTOM LEFT: SIMON OPPER GIVING BETA THROUGH A MOUTH FULL OF PIZZA.
54 SUMMER 2023
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FEATURE
CLIMBING WITH A MOON-BOOT AT SHIPLEY, BLUE MOUNTAINS. BY EMILY SMALL.
56 SUMMER 2023
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
FINDING MY FEET, AFTER A BREAK… WORDS BY MACCIZA MACPHERSON
THREE YEARS AGO, BLUE MOUNTAINS TRAD LEGEND MACCIZA MADE THE NEWS AS HE WAS CHOPPERED OFF THE SIDE OF A CLIFF, HAVING SURVIVED A TERRIFYING FALL THAT SHATTERED BOTH HIS LEGS AND A WRIST. HE REFLECTS ON HIS (MANY) ACCIDENTS, AND WHAT EXACTLY “RECOVERY” MEANS. ROUND 1 I think any serious climber has been in much the same situation… Project blown due to injury—a split tip, tweaked finger, or pulled muscle. That’s where I was in 2017. “Damn it, I can’t believe it… I’ve blown our projects! Not now, not when we are so close, this will put us back months!” The thoughts are agonising enough to distract me from my right knee, which I suspect I have either dislocated or broken. I’m shattered, I’ve totally ruined my ability to climb. My knee is equally shattered, but the greater pain seemed to be the destruction of my dreams, something far harder to accept at the time than the mere physical injuries. How am I going to explain this to the guys? To add insult to injury, the attending paramedics deny me my Joe Simpson moment. I’m only several metres from their ambulance. I tell them I can crawl, they tell me to await a suitable stretcher. I attempt to crawl, unsuccessfully. They restrain and medicate me further. At the hospital no breaks are found and I’m discharged in a leg brace to get follow-up scans to further diagnose. Later follow-up reveals I have completely ruptured the MCL, ACL and PCL, ripped off a small bit of bone with a tendon, and suffered a rather large tear to my meniscus. The doctors recommend surgery to replace or repair the cruciate ligaments. “What do you want to be able to do after surgery?” they ask. I explain my intention to return to “climbing, off-track bushwalking, snowshoeing, ice climbing and trekking”. The surgeon is more focussed on me “actually being able to even walk properly, let alone climb”, with no guarantees of the former and little likelihood of the later. To my mind, all those things I listed are part of “walking normally” and I am committed to continuing my climbing career. Due to the extended wait time, I decide to embark upon a conservative approach and start physio at the local hospital. A lot of it is extremely demoralising given my condition. Simple exercises of merely tightening and relaxing certain muscles seem almost impossible, and I can’t work out if it is the mental or physical part that is the real problem. Foundational exercises to raise my foot slightly off the bed, or bending my knee to raise my leg, need assistance at first or else are barely possible. I commit myself to my home exercise regime backed up by a supportive physio.
"LEARNING TO WALK AGAIN IS A COMPLEX AND FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE OF A HALF STEP FORWARD, A SLIGHT PAUSE AND A STAGGER BACKWARDS." Learning to walk again is a complex and frustrating experience of a half step forward, a slight pause and a stagger backwards. Regaining the lost muscle takes a long time and I’ve forgotten the finer points of walking. A bout of sciatic/pinched nerve in my good leg ultimately teaches me that the pain I am feeling in my brain is just due to a nerve misfiring and can kind of be ignored, a lesson which will unknowingly come in quite handy later. I managed to get back to climbing within the year as I planned, and over the following few years saw a return to form. My climbing style had changed substantially, as had my walking, but my injury was no longer really noticeable to my climbing partners who would often forget my pre-existing condition as I slowed towards the end of a long walkout. That was one metric that let me know I was pretty much healed.
ROUND 2 I guess what doesn’t kill you is good training for any future attempts that might be made. In my case, this turned out to be quite an episode, with full running commentary splashed across the media. I would like to apologise to anyone who may have felt distressed by the breaking news reports, live crosses, video streaming and general drama. If it triggered bad memories of your experience then I am sorry; if it made you feel that my selfish actions of actually going climbing during lockdown (and then having an accident on top of that) could affect access or paint climbers in a negative manner then I apologise, that was never my intention. I am, of course, talking about my little incident out on Carne Walls in 2020. I don’t think most climbers have ever been in quite this situation, having badly broken both their legs and a wrist in a climbing fall. To complicate the situation further, I am 70m from the top of a 200m cliff.
SUMMER 2023 57
FEATURE FINDING MY FEET, AFTER A BREAK…
This time around, however, there is no anguish about my situation, or the potential effects the injury might have on my climbing. The enormity of my situation requires my full attention. I have to “keep my shit together” ignoring everything until help arrives, and beyond. The pain is so next level it is hard to comprehend… but it’s just “feedback”, messaging. The pain is in how my brain interprets it all, and it is so beyond anything I have ever felt that all I can do is accept it for what it is and deal with it. Occasionally I bash my helmeted head against the wall to distract me. The day of the accident should have ended as yet another great day out climbing an easy, yet highly enjoyable new route; it equally could have ended earlier with one of us “going the distance” and dying earlier as we explored along high cliff edges unroped. We had just climbed a delightful first pitch of chimney, into offwidth, into hand crack and face to a small ledge and tree belay. We could have bailed then and there, either scrambling off or rapping back down, but there was more to be explored and so I chose to climb through. I did have the option of climbing the first pitch but didn’t take it for various reasons. It’s all academic now though, and anyway, had I tried the first pitch I may have come off worse. The accident itself was simply that, an accident, possibly even a “bumbly mistake” of not properly managing loose gear on my harness. There was no explosion of rock breaking, no desperate fight to pull the moves to safety, no fear-filled final moment. In fact, it was just bloody good fun and I was having a grand old time, until suddenly I wasn’t... I was falling. I suspect that something simply snagged and pulled me off balance as I went to do a simple move. (And yes, I was extremely runout, but was not particularly bothered by that fact.)
ACCORDING TO A FRIEND, EXPERIENCED IN BOTH CLIMBING AND CLIMBING ACCIDENTS, “THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF ACCIDENTEE REPORTS: THOSE WHO ADMIT TO SIMPLE “BUMBLY” MISTAKES, AND THOSE WHO ARE LIARS.” According to a friend, experienced in both climbing and climbing accidents, “There are two types of accidentee reports: those who admit to simple “bumbly” mistakes, and those who are liars.” Realising what was happening, I called “falling!”—apparently fairly calmly. Then, upon evaluating the situation, I had three thoughts in quick succession: “this might not end well”, “my dodgy knee is safe for now”, and the final impassioned, pleading thought of “is there anything I can do here?” I had little time for deeper consideration before I impacted. I had fallen cleanly over several metres before impacting the wall in a furious tumbling collision, then a few more metres as the rope finally pulled tight. Hanging on the rope semi-inverted my right leg is flopping like a dead fish, a mouth-sized hole in my lower calf. My immediate reaction to grab it grinds to a painful halt as my left wrist seizes in extreme pain. I then notice a bone sticking out from the inside of my ankle. I start to realise the gravity of my situation… I run through my injuries in my mind, imagining how I might escape my predicament best under our own steam but come up empty. “Call triple zero, I need evac… I’ve broken my legs,” are my first words. I get lowered back down to the ledge. This will not be my Joe Simpson moment. It only takes about an hour for the helicopter to arrive on scene, but it takes a few more before they are finally able to reach me. In the interim, Zac has been able to head to the top of the cliff with a static rope to start pre-rigging for a rescue. He somehow manages to locate us on the 100m plus expanse of the cliff line and abseils down to us as the rescue chopper arrives with the sunset. He departs again for the top to find the Rescue Paramedics and assists them in setting their ropes in the perfect position to descend to me. Somehow they nail it perfectly, and a paramedic descends from the darkness above. My first order of business is to get my climbing shoes off, my feet are killing me. After that, he sets about his work of splinting my legs and providing initial pain relief. A second paramedic follows with a stretcher and further supplies, both medical and otherwise. The stretcher fortuitously just fits on the ledge and we work together to get me into it. By the time this is done we are joined by Police Rescue who inform us that raising me up the cliff is not a viable option and we will need to go down.
CLIMBING BEFORE THE ACCIDENTS. BY KAMIL SUSTIAK .
58 SUMMER 2023
I give as much terrain info as I can before being medicated. Helicopters are called in to light up and survey the cliff, they don’t want to miss a possible extraction point, and a plan is made to descend. It takes several hours for all of us to get down 30m where there is a low overhang where we will rest until daybreak. I come out of my stupor and entertain them with stories of my various accidents and escapades while we rest. At daybreak we are on the move again, with some of the team moving ahead to scout and establish an extraction point, and a plan is made for
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
LEFT AND MIDDLE IMAGES: THE SITE OF THE ACCIDENT ON CARNE WALLS IN 2020; RIGHT IMAGE: RECOVERING IN HOSPITAL. IMAGES SUPPLIED BY MACCIZA.
“NAH MATE, IT’S 50/50. I’LL EITHER HAVE THE FOOT OR I WON’T. DON’T JUST GO CUTTING MY TOES OFF TO GET YOUR 20 PERCENT,” I REPLY, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT THEY WILL DO THEIR BEST. a midday pickup. I need to be moved down another 20m buttress and across a slippery, sloping, shale ledge. It is a painstaking progression, and the initial rendezvous is cancelled and reset for 3pm. The weather has been mixed, with low cloud, mist and occasional rain between slightly clearer periods. Just as we are reaching the winch site, the weather starts to turn but we are fortunate that an opening allows the chopper to finally approach us. I am finally winched into the chopper and whisked off to Westmead Hospital. One clear pre-surgery memory for me is of being on a trolley bed with a doctor getting all in my face and serious and telling me, “There’s a 20 percent chance you won’t have a left foot when you wake up, sorry.” “Nah mate, it’s 50/50. I’ll either have the foot or I won’t. Don’t just go cutting my toes off to get your 20 percent,” I reply, knowing full well that they will do their best. They say, “Laughter is the best medicine.” In many ways that’s true, unless you have fractured ribs. But when confronted with bilateral external fixators on your lower legs, like a young Forrest Gump, it’s a slightly different situation. It’s 50/50. You either laugh or you cry. And crying isn’t going to get you anywhere in the greater scheme of things now, is it? So all that’s left is to laugh, to survive. It helps to reframe one’s worldview in a more positive light, one which can cope with the situation at hand—or foot as the case may be. So, looking down at my encaged fractured legs, all I could do was laugh. The empathy, well wishes and donations from the climbing community however, reduced me to tears. Little did I know at that point that I would undergo several operations over the next few weeks, including skin graft and free flap surgery, all whilst on extraordinary pain relief, and spend the first 28 days confined to bed before being allowed to dangle one leg over the side for five minutes. Neither did I realise that the exfix on my right leg would remain on for 40 days of my 10 week stay in hospital, nor that I would be back before Christmas for bone graft revision surgery for nonunion of my tibia. With a positive outlook I started to recover, only for the titanium plate in my leg to break somehow, sending me back for
replacement surgery and another bone graft. Ultimately I would spend most of the following two years with a wheelchair as my main means of getting around. Then it was moon boots for several months non weight bearing, and several more months partial weight bearing on either, then eventually both feet as my recovery took its various side steps. Eventually progressing through various crutch phases to trekking poles and finally a single walking stick which I still use (or trekking poles for bush walks). Just over two years after my incident, I was finally signed off by my surgeon as “healed”… 730 days, over 17,500 hours, more than a million minutes. I don’t really feel that my right leg is as solid as it should be, but I am told that it is all okay… Time to climb!
ROUND 3 I think most climbers would agree that if you are committed to a concept and keep at it then you will finally get there. I had spent a great deal of time in my wheelchair and gained considerable skill at wheelies, small drop-offs and had even spent a bit of time at skate parks. You’re probably thinking that this will probably lead to me breaking my legs again, but no, I’m not that silly. This time, after falling out of the wheelchair rather badly in steep terrain at Lithgow Skate Park, all I had was an extremely sore hip and non-responsive leg, probably just corked and easily walked off. There are distressed dads with impressed kids wondering if I want them to call me an ambulance, but I really don’t want to upset the kids, or cause them to suspect their safety. I defer their offer and simply ask to be helped back to my gear. By the time I painstakingly manage to get to my car, I am starting to realise the reality of my situation … I finally have my chance for my own personal Joe Simpson moment! The hospital is only about a kilometre away down the main road—I could crawl that far if needed. But I don’t feel like leaving my car in the dimly lit car park, so I decide to drive instead. Getting me and my wheelchair into my ex-military Land Rover is an agonising exercise but I manage it within an hour or two. SUMMER 2023 59
FEATURE FINDING MY FEET, AFTER A BREAK…
I HAVE OFTEN FOUND MYSELF COMMENTING THAT I WISH FOR THE “OLD ME” AND ALL THAT I USED TO DO, BUT THEN I REALISE THAT THE “NEW ME” IS STILL THE SAME ME, JUST DIFFERENT. CLIMBING HARD. BY KAMIL SUSTIAK .
After a short rest I begin driving, using my walking stick as my right leg and in a few frustrating minutes I am at the hospital, pulled up outside Emergency, beeping my horn… I’ve made it! The hospital staff investigate the commotion, find me and after I have explained my condition they leave and return with… a wheelchair! I can only laugh at my situation, and after several excruciating attempts to be assisted out, I resort to throwing/lowering myself out of the car screaming straight into the chair.
themselves, being generally more risk averse, but accidents can happen to any of us. I do think that any climber could have gotten through the dramas that I managed—there is nothing particularly special about me—and I dare say many could have recovered better as I am not the most focussed when it comes to “training”.
They aren’t sure what is wrong with me, the long section of my femur feels intact upon inspection. I’m given minor pain killers whilst we await the arrival of the after hours radiologist.
So how is the recovery? I don’t even think that is an appropriate term anymore… Recovery suggests regaining and returning to previous standards, but that simply isn’t possible sometimes. “Re-discovery” is perhaps a better term that gives some inkling of the process involved in discovering again how to do all those things you took for granted… Like walking, for instance. After my knee injury I had to learn to walk again, then having barely managed that, my broken legs put an even bigger dent in that ability, before the hip put the proverbial cherry on top. For five years I have been relearning how to walk, and quite frankly a five year old kid does it better than me.
“Oh, wow… Okay, we’d better get you some better pain relief. You have a full neck of femur fracture,” he says. Essentially my hip bone was not connected to my leg bone, which accounts for the major loss of function I had experienced earlier. It also means that driving to the hospital was probably one of the most stupid things to do given possible internal bleeding. Transferred to a more major hospital the next day, I have another agonising day’s wait before finally reaching surgery and getting patched up. After a couple of weeks I am ready for discharge, but I’m basically back in my wheelchair again for any distance travel, and crutches for anything else. Slowly but surely I start to regain my feet, but it is difficult in a different way. I am tired of being injured and recovering against the odds. But here we go again, learning to walk again for the third time. How hard can it be…?
AFTERMATH I don’t think most climbers are likely to inflict such injuries upon
I have simply been able to hang on through this extended crux in the hope of easier climbing ahead.
I have often found myself commenting that I wish for the “old me” and all that I used to do, but then I realise that the “new me” is still the same me, just different. Like a climb can change as we grow familiar with it, so it is with myself. I am discovering new sequences around broken and missing holds. Climbing can be frustratingly fun as I have to discover new sequences that suit my condition. At the same time, I try to commit fully to the difficulties before me so that I regain that feeling of climbing hard, regardless of grade. My eternal gratitude goes to my daughters, Raien, Shana and Taryn; my climbing partner Zac; Emily & Dave; and all those who donated to help my recovery. I would never have gotten through this without your support.
“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.” — Edward Whymper “I figure the odds be 50/50…” — Frank Zappa / Macciza 60 SUMMER 2023
Pro Elite represents the pinnacle of our technical gear, designed to take adventurers to the highest peaks and the furthest points. 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
TALE OF WHOA
(IN)SECURITY WITH MY
GriGri WORDS BY MIKL LAW
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 are thrilled to have guest contributor Mikl Law talking GriGris, sharing his experiences of what can—and has—gone wrong. GriGri have been the sport climber’s standard for over 30 years now and basically they are great until they aren’t. Most of the time they just lock up and you assume they are safe and reliable, and then suddenly the leader is heading groundwards. No matter how many times they are called an “assisted belay device”, people think of them as automatic; you still have to hang on with the brake hand. GriGri behaviour is very dependent on rope friction (diameter and condition) and the rope weight below (any tangles makes it impossible to feed). So a fuzzy 10 mm rope will lock up easily and be hard to feed while a new 9 mm will feed easily but needs a firm anchor hand to grab. (I use a fuzzy 10mm rope as it makes me feel safe.) A GriGri needs a well stacked rope to feed smoothly, so organise the rope before the leader sets off, particularly on hanging belays—a long hanging rope makes feeding the rope very tricky. Even people who have safely used the GriGri since last century have occasionally gone into “GriGri Lock”, grabbing the cam open in a surprise fall. Petzl’s “new” GriGri technique (look up “belaying with a GriGri” on their website) is a big step forward as the hand that is holding the cam open is also holding the rope. That means if you go into GriGri Lock you should be holding the anchor strand tightly enough to activate the cam. GriGris produce higher impact forces on the top piece (up to 50 percent more) than an ATC, so GriGris shouldn’t be used for trad on anything less than perfect gear… You really should learn to use an ATC for trad, double ropes, long abseils, and World Cup competitions.
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When lowering or abseiling, be careful—GriGris go from locked to running free very quickly. It’s like a light switch. Squeeze your brake hand hard and close the handle to get some more friction. Always check the grab action when you use a different rope or GriGri: fat, thin, new, old, or coated ropes will all grab very differently and GriGris can wear a lot too, which changes their behaviour. They aren’t automatic, they are “assisted” and you still need to belay with them. The following “events” all happened to me over two years, as well as a few longer falls when the GriGri didn’t lock immediately (I also got dropped three times on ATC over that period). Situation 1: I got on something a bit harder than normal and was feeling fine when my belayer called, "You're the hand!" Thinking that this was some hipster compliment, I continued shaking my way through the crux, until I realised he meant that he'd threaded the GriGri backwards. Analysis: Buddy check and a rope jerk would have sorted that one out. Andy Kirkpatrick recommends grabbing the leader's knot and following the rope back to the GriGri, as it's easy to tug on the wrong rope. Same goes if you’re abseiling on them—weight the system before unclipping your safety.
Situation 2: I fell and was hanging from the rope when the belayer said that I better clip in for a sec. He’d threaded the rope through the GriGri correctly, but hadn't closed it; it was hanging open but it still worked. Analysis: I can’t believe I got four bolts up a climb without the rope falling out. And I’m more amazed that it held the fall. It was probably almost closed when I left the ground and may have escaped notice that way. Once again, buddy check and jerk test (and maybe turn the belayer upside down and shake them for good luck too).
gear for serious adventures
Situation 3: Jamming the handle open—it only needs a small force and it will never lock. My experience was with a belayer whose screwgate was clipped to both parts of his harness (and not to the confusingly named “Belay Loop”). Unfortunately, if you clip a GriGri like this, there’s a 50 percent chance that the handle lies against your belly. I fell, it didn’t lock, I broke my coccyx, he burnt both hands (yes, he was hanging on hard). Analysis: Anything unusual should be checked. I have read of accidents where a twig or rock jammed the cam action. All the manuals show the GriGri clipped to a belay loop, so that it is free to move, and not be obstructed. Situation 4: I fell at the first bolt, my light belayer was lifted till the cam hit the draw and unlocked. I was already close to the ground and got dropped the last metre; my second stopped herself after dropping a short distance. After dropping away from the draw, the cam worked again. No-one was hurt in this case. Analysis: It’s probably best to tie down or clip into a pack if you’re that light, being flung up against the rock is a “Bad Thing” and may injure you, or make you let go.
& MORE!
It’s an odd situation as the belayer should hit the ground before the belayer hits the draw, they may have been standing at a high point, or jumped up and took in. But this could be a big issue with light belayers on a multipitch where you clip a high runner as you leave the belay, best to tie down in this case. So, GriGris: friend or foe? They are my standard belay device for single pitch climbing, but I always need to check the system each time, and hang onto the brake rope. If you’re old, learn the “new” Petzl belay technique. If you’re heavy, you need to step or jump up to give a soft catch. Always check that it’s threaded correctly, feel how grabby it is, and stack the rope neatly. Belaying is hard. Mikl Law is an old climber who was introduced to climbing in 1970, and introduced to fear in the early 90s. He still faffs around on rocks and thinks he’s cool.
Sponsored Athlete Ashlee Hendy Rocklands, South Africa
bogong.com.au SUMMER 2023 63
GET OUT. STAY OUT.
AU.YETI.COM / NZ.YETI.COM
BEHIND THE WALL
Anchors Away!
In Behind The Wall, we lift the veil on the mystery that surrounds the climbing industry by introducing you to some of our favourite pirates professionals who not only make the work we do at Vertical Life possible, but who have turned their passion for climbing into their livelihoods. From climbers creating specialty products to brands, businesses and everything in between, our industry truly is a treasure trove of untold stories. Join us this issue as we go Behind The Wall with the most iconic, tealcoloured pirate ship in the biz – Climbing Anchors.
Prior to commandeering the Climbing Anchors archives, we initially intended this to be a straightforward re-telling of their humble beginnings. Three climber co-founders, Steve and Cath Hawkshaw and friend Trent Lee, working out of backyard sheds to bend bolts and source glue to supply the climbing community with literal ‘climbing anchors’ in the early 2000’s. Honestly, It’s a great story. However, we struck gold in finding a 2022 interview between Climbing Anchors co-founder Steve Hawkshaw, and Bush Heritage Australia’s Ameila Caddy, which forced us to adjust our sails and change course. The interview focused on how Climbing Anchors believes business can be a vessel for change, and the importance they place on giving back to the community.
with Bush Heritage Australia (a national not-for-profit conservation organisation that Climbing Anchors also donates to), Co-Founder Steve Hawkshaw, put it pretty simply, “I think it's important that businesses use their resources to be part of the change; whether it’s in the way they operate, by supporting local communities, or through being an advocate for doing things better”. Identifying giving back to the community and protecting the environment as business priorities, Steve said that “we want Climbing Anchors to be supporting our community rather than just taking from it and I’m not just talking about the climbing community–we see ourselves as a corporate citizen in the countrywide community, so we want our business to be involved in wider community initiatives”.
We were struck by the depth of Climbing Anchors’ work, and how they’ve applied the same creative problem solving skills that saw them found the business in 2004, to create lasting social and environmental impacts almost 20 years later. As a long-time partner of Climbing Anchors, even we were surprised to learn something new! Just when we thought we knew it all, we were quickly reminded that the industry’s treasure trove of untold stories is much deeper than we’d imagined. Given we learnt a thing or two about the inner workings of everyone’s favourite teal Jolly Roger, and in light of the current cost of living crisis, we thought we could all use a good news story from our own industry that shows how businesses can be a powerful force for change.
To understand what this looks like at a business level, Steve explained that they used Patagonia’s 1% for the planet program as a springboard to develop their own ethos, calling it “1% for the community”, noting that this means that they can give back on a few different levels, both social and environmental. In our own backyard, we see it play out through their support of multiple uni climbing clubs, Adaptive Climbing Victoria (a group that creates pathways for people living with disabilities to participate in rock climbing), ClimbingQTs (a LGBTQ+ social climbing and advocacy group) and Women Uprising (an initiative founded by Vertical Life contributor Jo Lee, that provides women with comprehensive pathways to develop their climbing knowledge and skills), as well as their support of local comps, crag care events and organising their own Clean Up Australia Days. Like most other brands, they’ve got a list on their website of the local athletes they support, but what we find sets them apart is the frequency of the stories we’re told about Climbing Anchors’ generosity from climbers at all levels of the community.
With a reputation in the climbing community for sending cute packing notes with each online order, wicked-funny and knowledgeable staff at all their stores, a fun social media account and a supportive presence across many climbing gyms, uni clubs and comps, Climbing Anchors is an iconic part of the Australian climbing industry. Despite their visibility, we’d still wager a hefty pouch of gold doubloons that climbers both old and new, don’t realise that when they make a purchase at Climbing Anchors, they’re also directly funding the growth and development of the climbing community. For years now, quietly and without any PR noise, Climbing Anchors have been furtively funding community and environmental initiatives both in climbing and beyond. To understand why, in a 2022 interview 66 SUMMER 2023
In support of the broader community, they were the first to jump on board and help out when local group Climb and Wine launched its lockdown project: an anthology of stories of (mis)adventure by women, More Than It Hurts (co-edited by VL’s own Wendy Bruere). Offering sponsorship to help with printing costs and stocking the book in store, Climbing Anchors was instrumental in getting it off the ground. As well as selling hundreds of copies of a book that inspired many (honestly, the
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
"We want Climbing Anchors to be supporting our community rather than just taking from it and I’m not just talking about the climbing community–we see ourselves as a corporate citizen in the countrywide community, so we want our business to be involved in wider community initiatives." feedback was amazing!), profits from sales were used to help support paraclimber Araminta McLennan (also our star reviewer in Read Watch Listen) to compete internationally. And so the circle of community support continued. The success of the book (it was awarded the Special Jury Mention at the 2021 Banff Mountain Book Competition), both showed it was a quality project and helped editor Wendy and contributor Coz continue their illustrious adventure writing goals. As for environmental initiatives, in addition to supporting Bush Heritage Australia, they also support Seed Mob (Australia’s first Indigenous youth-led climate network) and Yarra Riverkeeper Association (a community organisation that protects Melbourne’s iconic river), as well as embedding a suite of their own sustainability initiatives across the business. From reusing packaging material where possible and swapping out unnecessary plastics with recyclable alternatives, using eco-friendly materials for their house products, to elevating the importance of the environment in conversations across their global supply chain–it’s clear they’re serious about making an impact. If that wasn’t enough, Climbing Anchors stores are powered by 100% accredited renewable energy, and they’ve set their sights on working towards becoming a carbon-neutral business.
crag when someone hits a highpoint. We even see it in ourselves, when we’re extra patient with our partners after they’ve punted a project for seemingly the 100th time. Our keenness to support each other is an endearing quality that climbing nurtures in all of us, and it’s refreshing to be reminded that it’s a quality deeply embedded in our industry too. Publishers Note: Tragically Climbing Anchors co-founder Cath Hawkshaw passed away after this article was penned by our team. All of us at Adventure Entertainment send our love and best wishes to Steve and the entire Climbing Anchors team.
Amidst the current cost of living crisis and the associated criticism of business ethics across the board, it may be tempting to try and chalk this up to a marketing campaign. Aside from a track record of supporting climbers and the community for almost 20 years, Steve is clear about the business’ intentions when he says that “it’s hard, maybe even impossible, to quantify the financial return of these initiatives. None of what we’re doing is for financial gain, but even if you were looking at it purely from a profit-driven standpoint, I think being a good corporate citizen is generally a good idea, because that’s what people are wanting more and more of from their organisations”. A 2022 Deloitte consumer behaviour survey confirms Steve’s thoughts on what people expect from businesses. The study revealed that our current economic uncertainty has influenced a surge of consumer interest in the sustainability and ethical practices of brands they choose to support, so it’s heartening to know that a business in our own industry has been quietly servicing this need for years out of a genuine passion for, as Steve put it, “our customers, but also for our employees and the community that we're looking after.” On why we wagered a hefty pouch of gold that you didn’t realise how much value your last purchase at Climbing Anchors added to the community, Steve clarifies that their “preference is to let our actions speak for us wherever possible by showing people how things can be done differently. That applies not just to the groups that we support, but also to the way in which we operate our business: the way we approach inclusivity, diversity and our own environmental impact”. Given the climbing community as a whole prides itself on fostering a culture of support and camaraderie, it makes sense that when climbers start businesses, this culture follows too. We see our eagerness to support each other in our bouldering gyms in groups of climbers sharing beta on the same problem & offering words of encouragement after each attempt, and again in strangers cheering each other on at the
Fr om hum ble beg inn ing s goo d. Th e fir st Cli ingto usi ng bus ine ss for An cho rs she lve in St eve and Cath' s Bemb lmo re hom e, cir ca 20s 06
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MINDSET RESET
AN EXPLORATION OF RISK TOLERANCE ON THE ROCK AND IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH DR KATE BAECHER Psychologist and mountaineer, Dr Kate Baecher, gets inside the minds of climbers once more to explore how we approach the intrinsic risks in our sport—what motivates us to take risks and how we can manage this. As climbers, we understand (and sometimes even revel in) the inherent risk involved in our beloved pursuit. Over the past few years, we have witnessed the increased accessibility – and therefore popularity – of both climbing and mountaineering adventures to novices. However, the increase in the volume of people participating in these activities has brought with it some adverse consequences, chiefly, a steady increase in the occurrence of injuries, accidents, and highaltitude related illnesses. The identification of contributing factors is therefore of great interest to those seeking to prevent injury; and some of these factors subsequently influence how people perceive 68 SUMMER 2023
risks and make their decisions accordingly. Managing risks is especially challenging in the case of novice outdoor enthusiasts who engage in climbing but are not necessarily aware of the range of variables that may affect their activity. Managing risks is no less important for high-level climbers attempting challenging routes or for expeditions to remote mountains (the very type of expedition accident that the media loves to cover in depth). Additionally, risk management for professional guides is not just about safety, it is about responsibility and potentially litigation if things go wrong. In order to manage risk, we need to understand it, and we need
ISSUE 45 | VERTICALLIFEMAG.COM
to understand how we – as humans first and climbers second – perceive risk. Which begs the questions… How do we perceive risk as climbers? How do we manage it? Do we consistently manage risk? What are the most common inconsistencies? And even though we all might have a different relationship to risk, isn’t risk – or the desire to challenge ourselves in complex and dangerous environments – at least part of the allure of what we do?
HAZARDS VS RISKS Ever considered the difference between a hazard and a risk? They’re often considered to be synonymous, but in reality, there are some definite differences. Hazards exist objectively. They are dangerous, irrespective of whether humans are ever exposed to them. Hazards can be listed, identified and anticipated… Rockfall, tree branches, afternoon thunderstorms with lightning, chossy rock, kamikaze magpies. Risk, on the other hand, is caused by the meeting of the human with the hazard. It’s true: risk = hazards + humans (some might even say that we are the risk). When climbers expose themselves to hazards, a variety of human factors enters the equation which can alter predicted probabilities and create additional consequences where none previously existed. We humans are prone to error… A LOT of error! If a single human factor, such as miscommunication, has compromised a climber’s mitigation strategies, even the most benign top-roping outing can quickly transform in a highconsequence situation. Expert climbers do not generally begin their ascent without consulting route descriptions, equipment requirements and weather conditions; and they do so after thoroughly assessing their own physical and psychological climbing skills. A recent study by Chamarro, Rovira, Edo & Fernandez-Castro (2018) found that assessing the combination of difficulty of climb, meteorological conditions, appropriate gear and levels of personal confidence led to highly successful risk perception, and then set the tone for effective risk mitigation. So for novices, perhaps setting up a system of analysing the following, might be a helpful way to practice understanding risk: 1) What are the environmental risk factors of this adventure? 2) What are the personal/human risk factors of this adventure? 3) What are the equipment requirements for this adventure? And what risk factors does this equipment carry? 4) What is your confidence level? (Both low confidence and overconfidence are pretty big risk factors. You want to be somewhere in that nebulous space in between.)
PERSONALITY What about personality? Where does that sit with regards to risktaking behaviours? US neuroscientist Russell Poldrack’s area of specialty is understanding risky decision-making in people. Whilst
much of his work involves drug abusers, he has identified that many of the same neurological pathways are involved in people with a high thirst for adventure. There are three predominant components in risk-taking, all driven by brain chemistry. The first is ‘sensation-seeking’, or desire for adventure, in the reward pathway of the brain; high risk-takers may simply get a bigger dopamine hit than other people, leading them to seek more and more intense experiences. The second factor is a relative disregard for harm, meaning essentially that they’re not as afraid of negative consequences as the average person. The third is impulsivity, or acting on one’s desires without considering them thoroughly. What distinguishes an everyday adventurer from a cavalier one often lies in the interplay of these factors. Mountaineers may be adventurous and well able to handle stress, but they tend not to be impulsive, often carefully planning their expedition for months beforehand. People like this would likely be a high sensation-seeker with average impulsivity and a high distress tolerance. At the other end of the spectrum, consider a BASE jumper who starts to get depressed on their way home from a jump, and who also drives fast, listens to loud music, and may have done their fair share of illicit substances over the years. A person like this is high on sensation-seeking, high on distress tolerance and high on impulsivity. People like this are more sensitive to dopamine (the reward chemical), making their highs higher and perhaps their lows lower. As Florence Williams wrote, ‘It’s as though they have bigger taste buds on their tongue.’ This is where adventure can start to look like addiction. But in all truth, despite the potentially catastrophic consequences, outdoor adventures are a relatively healthier form of self-medication than, say, crystal meth. ‘Does that mean I’m doomed to be an addict, or to never appropriately manage risks? Is this my neurobiological destiny?’, I hear you say! Worry not – this can change. Our brains are pretty rad and very, very plastic, regardless of some of the hard-wiring. If we tend to be reckless, we can learn behavioural control to keep that impulsivity in check and to slow down our decision-making. If we’re anxious, we can slow our breath and change our physiology as well as psychology. And as we become more and more practiced at such actions, we build stronger neural pathways and networks in our brain so that eventually, these new pathways are more dominant than the previous unhelpful ones. The trick is to know thy ugly self, then actively implement behavioural changes and practice these until they have become automatic. Right. Now that we have a better understanding of risk perception, it’s time to generate some tangible, actionable risk management strategies. These strategies can be divided into three phases: preclimb; during-climb; and post-climb. SUMMER 2023 69
MINDSET RESET AN EXPLORATION OF RISK TOLERANCE ON THE ROCK AND IN THE MOUNTAINS
RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES 1) PRE-CLIMB * Hazard inventory – conduct an analysis of weather forecast, topo, other beta. Once you’ve identified the specific hazards, chat through which risks the team will accept, which ones you will avoid and which ones require mitigation in order to reduce the likelihood of a negative outcome. Lastly, consider which human factors might increase the risk profile. * Pre-mortem – this is essentially brainstorming various outcomes and speculating how they might come to pass. In the army we call it ‘war-gaming’; in clinical private practice, we often call it ‘worst-case-scenario-ing’. Imagine your worst-case scenarios, then brainstorm how you will manage them physically and psychologically. This exercise sounds grim, but it is excellent for calming the fear gremlins in the brain, and also for working through problemsolving, strengths, weaknesses, and strategies. * Self-Assessment – Sometimes for a climber (or, in fact, for a human in general), self-assessment can be challenging. One’s individual desire to achieve a goal, the pressure of ego and performance, the obligation to not let our team-mates down., can all influence our self-assessment. But this is where knowing thy ugly self is integral. Ask yourself some questions: ‘Have I had enough sleep to do this climb today?’ ‘Am I fit enough?’ ‘Are the conditions good?’ ‘Am I distracted by personal issues?’ ‘Am I communicating well with my partner?’ ‘What is my motivation for this climb/adventure?’
2) DURING THE CLIMB
3) POST-CLIMB
* Focus and attention – Cut out background distractions like phone, and excess chatter. Your brain needs to focus solely on *this* move.
One of the best ways of learning and improving our practices is through raw and honest reflection. When we reflect on our climbing adventure and scrutinise all of the decisions and actions of the day, we can learn so many things that might otherwise elude us. One way to do this is using what is affectionately known in the Army as an ‘AAR’, the After Action Review. An AAR aims to honestly and objectively review an event by identifying factors that were performed sufficiently, factors that could be improved, and factors that went very badly. A brief outline of questions in an AAR is below:
* Back-ups – Employ back-ups on lowers, belays and abseils. They are one of the most effective ways of disrupting human error that arises from fatigue, haste and fluster. Breathe and go slowly. * Closing the system – Even experienced climbers have been lowered off the end of a rope because a human factor crept in, so managing both end of the rope is an excellent preventative practice. * Communication – clear, rote communication and systematised commands are some of the best ways to reduce error in addition to creating efficiency. For example, consider replacing the call ‘Safe’, with ‘Secure’ to ensure that ‘safe’ and ‘take’ are not confused.
• What was supposed to happen? • What was the reality of what happened? • What went well, and why? • What did not go well, and why? • What should be changed next time?
ABOUT THE WRITER: DR KATE BAECHER
This will help guide your decision-making and risk management for your next adventure.
With over 15 years’ experience, Kate 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 high-performance coaching, research and consulting on mental health risks in remote, wilderness, extreme and austere environments.
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GEAR
2023 GEAR GIFT GUIDE Buying gifts is hard enough on its own, but buying gifts for climbers can be an especially difficult affair… Are they a sport climber? A boulderer? A trad dad? Do they climb indoors or outdoors? What size are their feet? What shape are their feet? Eww, WTF is wrong with their feet? This is all made even harder if your giftee is one of those pesky gear freaks (like me). And so in an attempt to lower the number of generic chalkbags being gifted or regifted this holiday, here’s my beta to help you navigate picking a useful present for the climber in your life, from stocking stuffers to more pricey presents… just don’t blame me if they needed that new chalkbag after all. (Note, equipment such as ropes, helmets, harnesses, and carabiners are usually not returnable, so please consider bringing the recipient along to the store.)
MIDNIGHT LIGHTNING CHALKTOPUS This cute little critter lives inside of your chalk bag and provides an excellent alternative to boring old chalk socks. The Chalktopus™ is more than just a micro-fibre sponge with tentacles, it’s a friend to hold your hand when you’re cruxing out or panicking above gear! And what better gift is there than the gift of friendship…unless it replaces you (warning: gift responsibly). A great gift for: all climbers. RRP $14.95 Available at Climbing Anchors.
CRUX TACO SANDER
A sanding file/block may not sound like a very exciting present, but trust me when I say your giftee’s eyes will light up upon using what is, hands down, the best-designed sanding block/file/taco I’ve ever used—and this is coming from someone who brings three sanding files and a tube of skin glue to work every day. The Crux Taco is about the size of a Bic lighter and consists of several convex, concave, and flat surfaces to help you sand your tips, palms, or creases with laser-guided precision.The Taco comes with two sanding stickers already attached—a coarser grit and a finer grit—but you can rearrange them in whatever way suits you. Replacement sanding stickers are also available for each coarseness to keep your Taco an ‘all-you-can-sand’ buffet (the finer grit ‘Soft’ stickers are my favourites). And because the stickers are backed with 3M adhesive, they won’t come off unless you actually want them to! A great gift for: those obsessed with skin…unless they’re named Hannibal. RRP Crux Taco: $9.95 & Replacement Sanding Stickers: $8.95 Available at Bogong, Mountain Equipment, & K2 Base Camp.
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BOOT BANANAS If you’re not a climber yourself, then you’ve probably still experienced the atrocious odours that can emanate from a pair of climbing shoes, some so awful that they might be in breach of the Geneva Convention. Thankfully there’s a tried and true cure: Boot Bananas are fruit-shaped moisture-absorbing shoe deodorisers made from naturally absorbent salts, minerals and plant extracts wrapped in a 100% cotton banana skin. The Original Bananas are fragranced with lavender, lemon, patchouli & tea-tree essential oils, while the Eco Bananas are fragrance free, light weight & made from genuinely home compostable materials. Bananas can last 6-12 months (or longer) with occasional sun drying. A great gift for: those who leave their shoes in their car or bag—psychos! RRP Original: $29.95 & Eco: $24.99 Available at Wild Earth, Climbing Anchors, K2 Base Camp, Mountain Equipment, Mont, & many more.
RHINO SKIN SOLUTIONS If you know someone with skin that's too sweaty, too dry, too soft, too glassy or too anything, then consider giving them a tube of Rhino [insert ailment] to soothe their woes. 'Repair' helps heal and soothe worn skin. 'Performance' helps maintain tough and durable skin. 'Spit' helps hydrate overly dry skin (great for those who dry-fire a lot). 'Dry' is like an antiperspirant for overly sweaty skin. 'Tip Juice' is an even stronger antiperspirant for really sweaty and overly soft skin. 'Split' is a salve for healing splits or flappers. Plus, there are many more Rhino products for all sorts of skin-related dilemmas. In case you don't know the skin type of the giftee, Rhino Repair is always a safe bet. A great gift for: anyone with skin. RRP: From $8.95 upwards Available at many climbing gyms and outdoor retailers.
AEROPRESS The Aeropress is an obvious gift for anyone who doesn’t already have one…unless of course, they don’t like coffee, in which case why are you even buying them a gift? The less obvious part is deciding which version to get them. The OG Aeropress is a safe bet for anyone who only brews a few cups in the morning. The new Aeropress Clear is the exact same as the original, but 100% transparent and thus much cooler. The Aeropress XL (also new) is nearly double the capacity of the OG/Clear version, and perfect for somebody who likes to brew coffee for the whole crew—or some legend who likes to slam back eight cups of coffee before flashing everything at the crag! A great gift for: caffeine addicts. RRP Original: $55.00, Clear: $72.00, XL: $110.00 Available at Mountain Designs, Wild Earth, Mont, K2 Basecamp, and your local coffee shop/roaster.
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GEAR 2023 GIFT GUIDE
AWESOME WOODYS CLIFF BOARDS Speaking of hangboards, Awesome Woodys make a ton of great ones! In particular their Cliff Board ‘Micro’ and ‘Mini’ which are the perfect mix of portability and versatility for those wanting to warm up at the crag or train at home without screwing anything into the wall. The Micro weighs a mere 400g and features 30mm, 20mm & 12mm edges, a set of three finger pockets, one two finger pocket, a set of monos, and a set of hand hole jugs. The Mini features the same holds, plus an extra 15mm rung and another hand hole jug (weighing 520g). All their products are handmade in Australia and will likely outlast you! A great gift for: hangboardless outdoor climbers. RRP Mini: $139.85 & Micro: $119.95 Available at Wild Earth, Bogong, Climbing Anchors, Mont, K2 Basecamp, Mountain Equipment, Mont, & The Wilderness Shop.
BLACK DIAMOND ALPENGLOW HOODY As we approach yet another scorching summer, I’d just like to remind everyone of the existence of sun hoodys! They’re stretchy, they’re helmet compatible (under & over), they lower your perceived temperature, they’re UPF 50+ sun protective, and plenty durable enough to climb in—they just make sense in Australia. If you’ve got a mate who’s always getting burnt to a crisp on sport or trad multis, then consider giving them the gift of shade (or remember to bring aloe). There’s also a ‘Pro’ version with a chest pocket, ¼ zip, and mesh armpits. A great gift for: sport & trad climbers who don’t wear enough sunscreen. RRP $129.99 Available at Black Diamond Australia
BEASTMAKER 1000 Portable hangbaords are great, but for those of us lucky enough to live somewhere with sturdy walls a mounted hangboard is the epitomy of training convenience. The Beastmaker 1000 is iconic in the climbing world, and for good reason—you’ll find one mounted at almost every climbing gym in Australia/NZ (and, dare I say, the world). This hangboard caters to a huge range of climbers, anywhere from total beginners (train with caution) to those who can crank out one armers on a 20mm edge (you smug b#stards). A great gift for: all kinds of climbers (as long as they have somewhere to mount it). RRP $229.95 Available at Mountain Equipment, Bogong, K2 Basecamp, Mont, The Wilderness Shop, Summit Gear, & Climbing Anchors.
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LA SPORTIVA MIURA VS (2023) Speaking of iconic pieces of kit, the legendary Miura VS has recently been re-released with some subtle improvements on the already proven design. Aside from the aesthetic changes, the new models feature an updated (slightly narrower) heel construction for improved precision, inclusion recycled materials (for the heel rubber and tongue padding), and in the “womens” version for lighter climbers (now black/gray/red) they’ve switched the rubber to a stickier Vibram XS Grip 2 on the sole. While I’d normally advise against buying climbing shoes as a gift, the Miura VS is such a popular shoe (especially in NSW) that chances are your giftee may already have a pair. So if their Miura’s are looking a bit tired, maybe sneak a peek at their size and get them a fresh pair. A great gift for: die-hard Miura VS fans, or a present to yourself. RRP $269.95 Available at Bogong & your local La Sportiva stockist.
TENSION BLOCK The Block is a fantastically versatile training tool for those who prefer to train or warm up their fingers by lifting weights off the ground or pulling against an immovable object (like your foot). It’s also a great solution for those who don’t have anywhere to mount or hang a standard “two-arm” hangboard at home or when they travel. It packs a punch with eight different grip positions— 20mm & 10mm edge, 25mm mono & two finger pocket, 10mm & 7mm incut crimp, a narrow pinch & wide pinch, and would pair fantastically with a lifting pin or a load cell (training nerd talk). A great gift for: climbers obsessed with finger strength testing and training. RRP $84.95 Available at Climbing Anchors.
SNAP ‘ONE’ & ‘HIP’ BOULDER PADS If you’re looking to buy someone their first bouldering pad without breaking the bank, these little ripper has you covered! Both feature a hingless ‘taco style’ design and pack a punch at only 3.5 kg (100x100x9cm open) for the One and 3.9kg (120x100x10cm) for the Hip. It’s not just the value that makes these pads so impressive, but the level of quality and attention to detail. Things like the seamless edges which reduce the risk of ripping material, waterproof TPU coating, the metal buckles, and the fact that the outer fabrics are made from 100% recycled polyester. A great gift for: pad-less boulderers looking to head outdoors. RRP ONE $279.95 & HIP $309.95 Available at Bogong, Mountain Equipment, K2 Basecamp, & The Wilderness Shop.
GME MT610G PLB I don’t know much about PLBs, but I know enough to carry one in serious places—this one in fact. The MT610G PLB is a compact, lightweight design and IP68 rated, meaning its completely dustproof and waterproof (up to 10m deep for 1 hour). It features a 7 year battery life (from the date of manufacture), a 6 year warranty, and is Cospas-Sarsat Certified (Class 2) to meet all applicable Australian and New Zealand Standards. They’ve been manufacturing emergency beacons in Australia for over 40 years and do a damn good job of it! A great gift for: people who climb in remote or hard to access places. RRP $397.95 Available at GME Australia. SUMMER 2023 75
GEAR NEWS WORDS BY SULE MCCRAIES
PATAGONIA NETPLUS TURNING RECYCLED FISHING NETS INTO FABRICS
You may have noticed a few of your favourite Patagonia pieces getting a facelift recently (face fabric that is). Many items that used to be made with fabrics such as Pertex® are now featuring something called Netplus®—and you’re probably wondering what it is. Netplus is a nylon fabric made from 100% recycled fishing nets collected by working directly with communities in South America to redirect their discarded fishing net waste. The fabric was created through Patagonia’s partnership with Bureo®, a start-up supported through their Tin Shed Ventures fund since 2016. Since then, Netplus has helped keep over 2,000 tons of discarded fishing nets out of the ocean and woven over 185 tons into Patagonia clothing, reducing the demand for virgin plastic (nylon is essentially a type of plastic and is considered the least sustainable fibre class—class E—when made with virgin fossil fuels). Netplus was first used to make the brims of Patagonia’s hats, but has since been scaled up to their clothing range, and is now used to make over 150 items in their clothing line, including the updated Down Sweater. And there are plans to continue expanding. So…how does it work? 76 SUMMER 2023
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Collection Bureo works with local fishermen and port facilities along the coast of South America to collect discarded fishing nets that would otherwise contribute to local ocean pollution. Bureo currently works with over 62 different fishing communities and is working to expand this to over 100. It’s a fully traceable, transparent supply chain that’s verified by the Global Recycling Standard.
Cleaning and Sorting The collected nets are then thoroughly cleaned and sorted to remove any debris, ropes, or other non-recyclable contaminants. This ensures that only suitable material is processed further.
Shredding The cleaned fishing nets are shredded into small pieces, this process helps to break down the nets into a more manageable form for transport and further processing.
The problem is not the fishermen, but the lack of infrastructure available for when a net meets the end of its life. By hiring and partnering with people from the local communities, Bureo aims to make their end-of-life solution for fishing nets more sustainable and ensure its maximum impact in the long term.
Melting
Weaving
Wearing
The shredded net material is then melted and processed into NetPlus® yarn.
This yarn is then woven into sheets of fabric and used to make the face fabrics and linings of Patagonia’s jackets, puffers, shorts, and more.
And just like that, Patagonia has turned what was once destined to be one of the most harmful forms of plastic pollution, into something you can wear on your next trip to the crag!
While they don’t go into too much detail about their process, I suspect they’re using a form of ‘Melt Spinning’ where melted nylon is extruded through small openings to create a continuous filament, which is then solidified. This method allows the material to be recycled into new nylon fibres without extensive chemical processing and is commonly used for recycling nylon textile waste as it’s considered one of the most sustainable fibre class (class A) by the Made-By Environmental Benchmark for Fibres.
We’ve found items using the new Netplus face fabrics to feel slightly more stretchy and a bit less slippery than their predecessors, but performing similarly when it comes to air permeability (for the same derniers).
I know Patagonia is no newcomer to using recycled materials in their products (they’ve been manufacturing fleece made from recycled plastic bottles since the early 90s) but I think this transition towards further use of Netplus deserves serious recognition. So props to them for doing it while also ensuring the fabric performs to the same standards we’re used to.
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FROM THE Field
LONG TERM REVIEW
BUTORA NARSHA SOFT REVIEWER: SULE MCCRAIES
RRP: $269.95 Pros: • Excellent ‘smedging’ ability • Good rubber coverage for toe scums • Heel design may ‘save’ those who normally struggle to find a good heel fit Cons: • Slightly annoying strap design • Tongue may feel too short for those downsizing aggressively It’s a climbing truism that the “best” shoe is the one that fits you. We can bang on about tech specs and how many V17s/9Cs have been climbed in what shoes, but if they don’t fit you well then those are all moot points…rant over. The Narsha Soft (AKA ‘Narshies’) is a much, much softer version of the original (super stiff) Narsha, which was designed to be an edging monster on overhanging terrain. They retain a very similar shape, but with a stickier rubber (Neo Fuse), a softer midsole and a softer toe. This makes them quite different shoes that look the same, like identical twins with opposite personalities. Since being sent a pair to review around seven months ago (thanks Climbing Anchors) these have become my go-to shoes for bouldering or lead indoors, and part of my quiver for sandstone sport climbs outdoors. FIT The shape is quite downturned and highly asymmetrical, with a high-volume front half (wide and “tall”) and a lower-volume heel— similar to a Gomi, but more aggressive and with a lot more heel tension. It’s one of the more aggressive heel tensions I’ve experienced in a shoe, similar to the Unparallel Regulus or Flagships. I usually struggle to find a good heel fit, but this design provided me with a remarkably secure fit, even during very intense heel hooking. Sizing runs consistent with other Butoras (Acro comp, Gomi, etc.) and the stretch was around one-third of a US size (depending on how much you downsize). 78 SUMMER 2023
Best suited for: • Those wanting a more specialised and aggressive shoe for the majority of their gym climbing or more smeary and “smedgy” climbing on more glassy rock types like sandstone. • And worth trying on for those who struggle to get a good heel fit with other shoes. pullover), which also looks good in casual contexts. FEATURES/DESIGN There’s one main strap and a smaller “NFS” velcro tab for extra adjustability. The NFS tab makes no difference for my fit, but can help remove excess volume for less tall foot shapes. The sizeable toe rubber runs high up across the inner side of the foot and provides plenty of real estate for toe scums and toe hooks— great in the gym! I’ve found the Neo Fuse rubber plenty sticky enough for the gym and also suitable for Grampians sandstone. I’d put it in the same ballpark as XS Grip 2 and Unparallel RH (going off both feel and comparing the technical properties). My only issue with the design of the shoe is that the buckle will sometimes catch and dig into my foot when tightening the strap aggressively (avoidable if you pull the tongue taught). I also wish the padded tongue was a bit longer so it could more easily tuck into position under the strap (but this may be an issue from downsizing so much). FUNCTION/USE CASE These shoes have a full sole design, meaning the rubber is one continuous piece across the bottom of the shoe. Some people incorrectly assume that all full-sole shoes are stiff, but anyone who’s climbed in the old Five Ten Teams knows better. I’ve found the Narsha Softs to have a soft-ish midsole, but a noticeably soft toe, meaning they do a good job of smearing, but an excellent job of
“smedging” (a combo of smearing and edging). A good example of this is the sloping yellow footers on a 2016 Moonboard (glassy, wellused ones, like at The Lactic Factory)—the Narshies can’t get enough of them! Obviously, the soft toe doesn’t make them my first pick for edging on small incut footers. You can edge a bit with the Narsha softs, but it requires a good amount of toe engagement and can be too sensitive for anything sharp like granite crystals. Sizing them tighter will make them feel stiffer, and improve the edging ability though. I usually take two pairs of shoes to the gym (a softer and a stiffer pair) but nine times out of ten I feel pretty safe only taking the Narshies. FINAL THOUGHTS: The Narsha softs are an excellent choice for anyone seeking a versatile soft-ish shoe for more technical bouldering or sport climbing in the gym and on less textured rock types such as sandstone They cover a very similar use case to a shoe like the Scarpa Instinct VSR, but achieved via a different design and offering a different fit, more suited to lowvolume heels. Overall an excellent choice if it fits your foot shape, with only some minor annoyances with the strap and tongue design. Overall, I’d rate it 4.25 out of 5 blue offsets.
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FROM THE Field
INITIAL REVIEW
EDELRID KURT HAULBAG 55
REVIEWER: SULE MCCRAIES
RRP: $299.95 Pros: • An impressive balance of lightweight and robustness • Very thoughtful rucksack system • Full length zipper for easier access Cons: • Lacks a double zipper • Hip pocket is too small Most big wall climbers fall into one of two camps, there’s the “light is right” camp and the other camp. In the wise words of Chris McNamara, “don’t be a vertical baggage handler.” The Kurt 55L haulbag is a strong addition to the tool kit of those subscribing to the “light is right” camp (the correct camp). The Kurt (which I really hope is a nod to Kurt Albert) is approximately 60x30x30cm, has a 55L capacity (though there’s some room to overstuff up to 60L), a padded harness system, and somehow only weighs 1.3kg (around 1.0kg without the harness and straps). That’s roughly half the weight of the 40L BD Wall Hauler & 46L Metolius Sentinel, and only 0.1kg heavier than the Metolius’s own lightweight Express haulbag with is still only 39L. Of course it’s easy to just make something lighter, but Edelrid seems to have accomplished this while still delivering something which is robust enough to actually be a haulbag! The harness carry system is generously padded (considering the weight) and has sliding foam on the waist belt. There’s a reasonable amount of adjustability, but the insertion points are fixed so smaller folks may want to doublecheck that the harness size isn’t too big for them. In terms of carrying comfort, I’ve found it similarly comfortable to my Ascentionist 45L under medium to moderate loads. The place this really shines is when it comes
Best suited for: • Those wanting a lightweight (but still robust) haul bag for more “fast and light” style adventures, or those after an absolutely bomber crag bag with a full-length zip for easy access.
to dismantling the harness and straps for hauling. The waist belts attach via some heavy-duty velcro and only take a few seconds to remove. To detach the side compression straps and shoulder straps you simply unhook the boomerang-shaped toggle from their canvas eyelets and pack them into one of the two zipped internal pouches or the velcro slot where the foam back panel sits (this is also removable and could be added to your sleep system). Removing the straps was a quick and painless process, much smoother than my experiences with the Metolius Express 39 which can be a bit fiddly at times. I also appreciated the heavyduty canvas covers that protect the eyelets from abrasion when hauling. One thing that did surprise me however was that the toggles are made from tough plastic and not metal. While I'm not too worried about the durability of the plastic (they seem pretty bomber) it feels like a small detail that would add peace of mind and not too much extra weight. My only real gripe with the harness system was the pocket on the hips belt—there’s only one and it’s quite small, definitely too small for a phone or camera, maybe just big enough for a victory Clif Bar for your walk-out.
a seriously underrated feature. Unfortunately, since the zipper is just a top-down single zip, this feature is only really useful when you’re able to lay your pack down on the ground or on a ledge to prevent things from spilling out; it can’t (or rather, shouldn’t) be used while the bag is docked (hanging). FINAL THOUGHTS Overall I think the Kurt Haulbag is a great option for people looking to move faster over big wall-style routes, especially given how easily the harness system can be dismantled, allowing climbers to switch between hauling on harder pitches and carrying it on easier pitches. Personally, I think using it in this way would pair super well with a thin hyperstatic tagline (like the Edelrid 6mm Rap line protect pro or the Petzl PUR line) when hauling lighter loads. Features like the comfy harness system and full-length zip would also make for a super robust crag bag with plenty of room for all your gear. Since being sent a review unit (thanks Intertrek) I’ve only had a chance to test it on smaller stuff, but I’m very much looking forward to putting it through its paces at Mt Buffalo and the Darran Mountains. Overall, I’d rate it 4.5 out of 5 blue offsets.
The feature that really got me excited was the full-length zip on the front of the pack. This thing made packing and unpacking the Kurt a breeze. Being able to access the bottom of your pack without tipping out all your gear is
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Meet the PLANT-based Origami Bottle A hydration game-changer in foldable design.
BETA & BREW
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A GUIDE TO POUR-OVERS *Sigh*... The time has finally come, I can’t avoid it any longer. After a fair few requests, we’re finally going to cover pour-overs. The reason I’ve been so hesitant is simple: pour-over coffee is a huge topic with enough nuance to easily fill a book, several books actually, including one written by a Canadian astrophysicist (The Physics of Filter Coffee). And here I am trying to cover it in two pages (and no qualifications in physics beyond knowing how big of a fall a #1 RP can hold). It would be like trying to teach someone all the nuances of trad without actually being able to demonstrate anything to them, speak to them, ask where they’re climbing, or even know what type of gear they’re going to be using. There’s also no one way when it comes to pour-over methods (much like there’s no one way to protect a route), so I encourage you to experiment with other recipes too— check out James Hoffman and Lance Hedrick on YouTube for some great tips. - Sule (VL’s Resident Coffee & Gear Nerd)
BEST FOR: •
Climbers who want another hobby (and enjoy the learning process).
YOU'LL NEED: •
• • •
• •
A conical or flat-bottom brewer/dripper (there are many options, but the Hario V60 is probably the easiest to find and a good place to start) Filter papers (make sure they’re designed to fit your brewer) A coffee grinder (you can use pre-ground, but it ruins the fun of dialling in) A kettle (ideally a gooseneck kettle, but there are workarounds for normal kettles*) A scale (seriously, just get one already) A timer (don’t be lazy, just use your phone)
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BETA & BREW A GUIDE TO POUR-OVERS
STEPS: 1. I’d recommend starting by using a 1:16 ratio, so however much coffee you plan to use (say 20g) you should use 16 times more water (20g x 16= 320ml water). Different brewers have different capacities, but I’d use between 15g to 25g for this recipe. Note: Depending on your coffee, you may have to try using higher ratio (1:17) and lower (1:15) ratios to find the sweet spot.
2. Place your filter paper in the brewer and pre-rinse it with hot water so the paper adheres to the side, make sure to toss the water afterwards. Now put your 20g of coffee into the brewer and gently shake it to level the bed of coffee. Now tare your scale so it reads zero. Note: Conveying grind size is tricky since it changes depending on your grinder and coffee, but start at a similar size to sea salt.
3. Start your timer and pour in 60g of hot water just below boiling (3x the weight of your coffee), use a small spoon to gently stir the slurry, trying to saturate all the dry coffee. Now let it sit and ‘bloom’ until anywhere from 30s to 2mins (start with 30s, then try 1/1.5/2mins until you find your sweet spot). Just make sure to keep the kettle hot enough if you bloom for 2 mins. 4. Now pour 50% of your remaining water weight (130ml) until your scale reaches a total of 190g, then pick up the brewer and gently swirl it to both agitate the coffee and help flatten the bed. Note: This pour pattern uses a bloom (60g) plus two pours (130g+130g) to reach the total brew weight (320g), but you could also try a bloom plus three pours or even four until you find your sweet spot.
5. Wait until the water has lowered to 1 cm above the coffee bed and before starting your next pour. Pour the remaining 50% of the water weight until your scale reaches 320g, then give it another gentle swirl to flatten the bed. Let the liquid drain and make a note of what time it finishes. Note: While you should be dialling in based off taste, keeping track of time can help keep you on the right track. I’d expect most brews for this recipe to finish anywhere between 3-4 mins, but if it finishes outside of this timeframe and still tastes good then don't worry about it! Beta & Brew is now proudly supported by Aeropress. 82 SUMMER 2023
*KETTLE BETA: You’ll see most people using a specific kettle called a “gooseneck” for pour-over, but these can be expensive so I don’t expect you to have one or buy one. A cheaper option is to use a dispersion screen type tool such as a Mellow drip or Hario V60 Drip-Assist with a normal kettle. An even cheaper option is to hold a spoon as close as you can to the coffee bed and pour directly onto that to help break up the kettle stream (credit to Rohan of Pocket Science Coffee for this handy method). Tastes too acidic or sour? • Grind finer (if the brew time is a bit short) • Bloom longer • Try a higher ratio such as 1:17 (especially if it’s too concentrated) • Try three pours instead of two • Use hotter water Tastes bitter/astringent/ashy? • Grind coarser (if the brew time is a bit long) • Bloom for less time • Try a lower ratio such as 1:15 (especially if it tastes dilute) • Try less pours (you can even try a bloom + one pour) • Use cooler water (if it tastes ashy/roasty) Too Muddy? • Pour less aggressively • Swirl less aggressively • Grind coarser
DRAGO / DRAGO LV
SENSITIVITY HOOKING DRAGO is the ultimate sensitive slipper, a perfect choice for the modern climber with extended rubber coverage on both the toe and the heel, ideal for all hooking possibilities. Now available also in a Low Volume version.
To locate your nearest stockist I T: 1300 784 266 sales@outdooragencies.com.au I www.outdooragencies.com.au
Available from
Online at climbinganchors.com.au & in-store in Alexandria NSW & Fitzroy VIC.