Well done clip featuring the vision of Daniel Jung, a Black Diamond Global Athlete based in Siegen, Germany, as he fulfills a dream of building a climbing gym

Here is a note from the Squamish Access Society regarding the logging of Block SW 144 on the Stawamus FSR in the saddle between Slhanny and the Chief. The Squamish Access Society (SAS) and the Climbers Access Society of BC (CASBC) put in a large amount of energy to reduce the logging in this area.

The Squamish Access Society has received word that Oceanview Forest Products is going to commence logging TSL A 92860 (aka Block SW 144) on the Stawamus FSR in the saddle between Slhanny and the Chief March 1, 2016. Falling and road building operations will be 7 days / week from starting March 1 – to approximately the 3rd week in March. Log Hauling is scheduled to begin March 15 and will occur Monday to Friday on the following roads:

Shannon FSR from 2.2km
Stawamus-Indian FSR from 1.6km and,
The Mamquam River FSR from 3.8km to the highway.

Oceanview Forest Products anticipates harvesting and hauling to be complete mid May (if not sooner), prior to the main climbing season. Climber cooperation will greatly assist this timeline.The Squamish Access Society asks the climbing public to avoid Slhanny back side areas and Longhouse areas during this short period of time for public safety and to minimize operation time. But if you are inclined to go, expect the following.

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Very cool trad flick featuring Lifeline (5.13b) in Sedona, Arizona.

Lifeline (5.13b) is a John Mattson masterpiece that splits an overhanging buttress of Coconino Sandstone in a cirque high above Submarine Rock near Sedona, Arizona. The crack runs through the sizes, from very tight hands to ring locks to tight fingers to tips and finishes with a baffling bolted sequence of levitation up a fin requiring flared fists, fly-aways and faith in sandy footholds and flared toe jams. I have never been so challenged by a rock climb in my life. Perhaps it’s because I have large hands and fingers, but this route seemed like .13c to me. Regardless of the rating, its remote position, requiring an arduous one and a half hour approach up a labyrinth of washes through the vortex that is the desert of Sedona, made for the most demanding project of my career.

With an amazing week of fantastic speakers and films, The 2016 Vancouver International Film Festival comes to an end this Saturday with a bang. British rock climber Leo Houlding will be closing the curtains this year with a presentation on many of his adventures, including his most recent first ascent on the Mirror Wall in Greenland.

Leo Houlding has long been a pioneer of big wall climbing and hard trad climbing around the world. Most famously known for the first ascent of ‘The Prophet’ in El Cap in Yosemite, CA, Leo is no stranger to adventure, combining big wall climbing and BASE jumping around the world. Squamish Climbing Magazine had a chance to catch up with Leo via Will Stanhope to chat with him about his presentation at the VIMFF finale, his ascent of the prophet, and how things have changed since being a father. Special thanks to Will Stanhope to conducted the interview with Leo Houlding.

Leo Houlding. Photo courtesy of leohoulding.com

The following interview was conducted by Will Stanhope, one of Canada’s hardest trad climbers and an all-around good guy.

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The 2016 Vancouver International Film Festival has crafted a fantastic show this year, with speakers like Kevin Jorgeson, Lynn Hill, and Leo Holding bring in large crowds to Centennial Theatre. The energy and enthusiasm at this years event has been out of this world and as the week progresses, it is slated to only get better. Last year, Squamish Climbing Magazine started our coverage of the festival with Jim Martinello. Jim is a local outdoor enthusiast/photographer and he puts together some pretty wild adventures (must watch video below!).

This year, we thought it would be great to check in with Jim again on his development in the Sea to Sky corridor as well as his balance between adventure and family, and a hairy experience he had in Howe Sound. It is locals like Jim that really make interviews at the magazine special. Interspersed between questions are a mix of shots taken by Jim over the years. Jim, and his band of like-minded adventurists, have brought a real enthusiasm and adventure awareness to the mountains that we have in our own backyard, inspiring us to get out there and experience new endeavours.

Jim Martinello, Trevor Hunt, and Craig Mcgee atop an unnamed peak in the Langtang Valley of Nepal. Photo courtesy of Jim Martinello ©

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This commercial played at the beginning of the Vancouver International Film Festival and it is absolutely brilliant.

Soon to be the media buzz of the world, China seems to be one of the last frontiers in alpine and traditional climbing. Here is a nice look at Szu-ting Yi’s ascent of Eagle Peak East in Sichuan, China.

Part 1

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Here are a few outtakes from Out of the Shadows, a Kelowna bouldering flick.

The 2016 Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival kicked off this weekend with some fantastic speakers and films. With much more to come, Squamish Climbing Magazine had the chance to interview North American climber Lynn Hill who will be speaking on Wednesday, Feb 17th, 2016 at The Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver.

Most famously known for the first free ascent of The Nose in Yosemite Valley California, Lynn Hill is pretty much royalty when it comes to North American climbing history. Following her ascent of The Nose, Lynn went on to climb a number of difficult big walls around the world, including climbs in Kyrgyzstan and Madagascar. Now living in Boulder, CO, Lynn dedicates her time to teaching climbing, sharing her climbing experiences with others, and being a mom. We had a chance to catch up with Lynn and talk about her ascent of The Nose, being a female climber, and her latest project. Here is what she had to say.

Lynn Hill. Photo courtesy of lynnhillclimbing.com ©

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Another little flick from Stu Smith featuring the route Cyclops in Potrero Chico.