Ground Up Climbing Centre Sneak Peak

By | November 18, 2015

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to drop by the Ground Up Climbing Centre in Squamish, BC. I found our friend Tyson Braun hard at work, putting the final touches on the walls and getting ready for pad installation. Tyson was kind enough to give me a full walk through of the facility and I must say that the first impression left me in awe. Leaving the facility, I was truly excited for Squamish and very proud of Lauren Watson and Tyson Braun, as well as Adrian Biachut, Jessica Keithlin, and Jeff Lightburn, for their vision and dedication to such a beautiful place.

Here is a sneak peak of the progress at Ground Up Climbing Centre.When taking the photos, we didn’t plan on sharing them, but after seeing the facility, we just couldn’t keep them to ourselves (sorry for the quality)!

Posted in Articles, Feature, Recent News

2015 IFSC World Cup Kranj: Interview with Sean McColl

By | November 13, 2015

With the last IFSC World Cup on the horizon, we thought it might be cool to check in with Sean McColl as he ends his indoor season and begins his outdoor season. Here is what he had to say.

Training for Kranj. Photo courtesy of Sean McColl ©

Posted in Articles, Interviews, Recent News

2015 VIMFF Fall Series: Interview with Will Stanhope

By | November 10, 2015

Will Stanhope has been climbing for most of his life. Growing up on the North Shore and being a part of The Edge Youth Team, Will developed his technical climbing skills on the granite of Squamish, BC. With ascents of The Prophet (5.13d R, VI, El Capitan) and Cobra Crack (5.14-), Will established himself as a contender in the world of hard trad climbing, learning from the greats, such as Leo Holding and Sonnie Trotter.

This fall, Will pushed his potential even farther with the first free ascent of the Tom Egan Memorial Wall on Snowpatch Spire in the Bugaboos. Spending approximately 150 days on the route over four years, Will had to dig deeper than ever before, shedding himself of everything he knew.

Will will be sharing his experiences this Friday night at the 2015 VIMFF Fall Series and we thought it would be great to check in with him after reflecting on his experiences. Here is what he had to say.

Will Stanhope on the crux pitch of the Tom Egan Memorial Route. Photo courtesy of Will Stanhope ©

Posted in Articles, Interviews, Recent News

Interview with Alannah Yip

By Tim Schaufele | November 5, 2015

Alannah Yip is a rising star in the Canadian climbing scene. She started climbing at the age of six and joined The Edge team at the age of 9, due to the influence of her family friends, Sean and Jason McColl. Sending her first two v10’s in Rocklands this year and making finals in her last four competitions, Alannah has been training with the Climb Base5 Open Team to fulfill her goal of competing for Canada in the World Cup this year. We thought it would be great to check in with her on her preparation for this weekend and here is what she had to say.

Alannah Yip @ Northwest Boulder Fest. Photo by Truc Allen Media ©
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Posted in Articles, Interviews, Recent News

Gear Review: Petzl Djinn Axess Quickdraw

By | November 2, 2015

Quickdraw design has come into wider scrutiny over the past few years. With the increasing practice of fixing draws, checking wear patterns on fixed draws has become the norm rather than the exception. Exacerbated by a need to reduce weight, the new H-style or concave design used in the modern carabiner has made prolonged-use of a carabiner a risk factor depending on the design. Now more than ever, climbers from all different disciplines are taking into consideration prolonged-use and the design of a quickdraw before shelling out a load of cash for a new set of draws.

Posted in Articles, Recent News, Reviews

Gear Review: Five Ten Team VXI Climbing Shoe

By | October 1, 2015

The Five Ten Team VXI is a very unique shoe. They are softer, lighter and stickier than almost everything else available. They are also very stretchy, resulting in a shrink wrap like experience. Think more of a climbing sock than a climbing shoe.

When I first tried them, I was a bit skeptical. I really wondered if a shoe so soft could perform on Squamish granite. Well, they can, and really well at that, but they do take a little getting used to. The VXI isn’t a shoe you very specifically place on a foothold, but rather one you throw at the wall and let stick. Once you get into the groove of using them this way, they are amazing. In fact, for certain things, they are hands down the best shoe the market and a tool I’m excited to have in my arsenal.

To guide our review, we have broken the shoe down into its specific components to give you a full summary of its features.

Posted in Reviews

Vancouver Island update: Francis King Bouldering Wall

By | September 16, 2015

Close to Victoria (15 minute drive), there is a new little bouldering wall dubbed the ‘Francis King’ Bouldering Wall. See Reagan Daly show us a few of the problems.

Posted in Mini Guides, Recent News, Videos

Interview with Hans Christian Montenegro ‘Training to Climb’

By | September 9, 2015

Originally from Colombia, Hans Christian Montenegro recently moved to Squamish from Ottawa this spring to pursue his love for climbing. Before transplanting his life to a small trailer in Brackendale, Hans had never been to Squamish. He had seen the photos and read the magazines and decided that this was the place for his next adventure.

Hans is no stranger to the culture of climbing. He started climbing in 1996 and quickly became enamoured with everything climbing. He began competition climbing in Columbia and then spent 6 more years competition climbing in Montreal, where he was crowned the Overall Quebec Champion in 2013-2014. Now focused on outdoor climbing, Hans’ climbing philosophy is ever changing. We thought it would be interesting to meet up with Hans and get his take on his transition to Squamish.

Hi Hans, how is the summer going?

Posted in Articles, Interviews, Recent News

Training Article: Skinny Little Climber Legs are Funny

By | August 17, 2015

We are super psyched to have another training article by Tyler Thompson. Tyler is an ACE certified personal trainer, climbing bum and movement enthusiast based out of Vancouver, Canada. He recently launched his own website and can be found at thompsonfitness.ca

What’s the deal with climbers and their fear of developing giant legs? Anytime I bring up the idea of specifically training the legs, climbers get all uppity and say things like, “I don’t want big heavy legs” or “I’d rather spend my time getting better at climbing.” My personal favorite has to be using running and/or cycling as an excuse not to develop their lower body any further. In this article, I am hoping to answer a few questions regarding a progressive lower body strengthening program and highlighting a few points on the positive effect this will have on your climbing performance.

Posted in Articles, Conditioning, Recent News, Training

Outdoor Etiquette ‘Be Nice to Nature’ by Blurr

By | August 14, 2015

Yesterday, Blurr, a Squamish-based outdoor company, posted an interesting article regarding ‘Outdoor Etiquette’ in our wild spaces and we thought it would be good to pass along their thoughts and ideas for preserving our outdoor spaces.

The following is an article posted on the Blurr Website. Please visit the original article here.

We’re fortunate to have Squamish as home base for blurr and to have many members of the local community engage with our company as employees, ambassadors, product testers, organisers of grass roots events that support outdoor sport or people wanting to chat more about what we do. All of it stems from the phenomenal geography that surrounds us and the resulting world class, accessible outdoor recreation that has developed as a result.

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Posted in Articles, Feature, Recent News

Ground Up Climbing Centre Sneak Peak

2015 IFSC World Cup Kranj: Interview with Sean McColl

2015 VIMFF Fall Series: Interview with Will Stanhope

Interview with Alannah Yip

Gear Review: Petzl Djinn Axess Quickdraw

Gear Review: Five Ten Team VXI Climbing Shoe

Vancouver Island update: Francis King Bouldering Wall

Interview with Hans Christian Montenegro ‘Training to Climb’

Training Article: Skinny Little Climber Legs are Funny

Outdoor Etiquette ‘Be Nice to Nature’ by Blurr

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