We are pleased to re-release the topo for the Garden of Gethsemane near Seal Cove on the Sea to Sky Highway. Due to the massive cleaning efforts by Tim Mattias and Chris Small, as well as the addition of a few routes (courtesy of Chris Small), this crag, located on the east side of the highway to and from Squamish, looks prepped and ready to! You may have noticed this massive slab getting cleaner and cleaner over the past few months.

Special thanks to Chris and Tim for putting in the effort at this crag!

Continue reading »

We are super psyched to report that Amanda Berezowski has sent Dinosaur Highway (5.14a) at Horne Lake, BC. This marks her first 5.14, after making a huge push this year in the grades. Special congratulations to Amanda for sticking it out and sending before the season goes away on us!

Today was the day!!! I SENT Dinosaur Highway!!! 😁🦄✨ This is my first 5.14 and just 5 months ago I did my first 5.13. SO relieved to have won the race with the rainy season as everything's starting to seep. Today when I checked the weather it said rain and 97% humidity…but, I took the chance! 😁 On my first burn today I fell literally going for the last hold at the anchor… I felt a bit heart broken but, forced myself to keep it together. As I rested before the last crux on my second try of the day, I looked out at the lake and asked the universe if today can just be my day…in return I got that positive intuitive feeling in my stomach when you just know things are aligning. ✨ Thank you to Andrew and Simen who belayed me as this was a bit of a longer climb… and congrats to @kinclimbing for starting this rainy day send train!!!Photo credit; @juliabobak #sendage #neverletgo #climbing #climbing_is_my_passion #rockclimbing #trainhardclimbhard #climblikeagirl #womenwhoclimb #climbyourimpossible #strongmindstrongbody @lasportivana @sendclimbing @forceclimbing #andshesdopetoo

A photo posted by Amanda Berezowski (@freeyourmindandclimb) on Oct 26, 2016 at 5:53pm PDT

Continue reading »

The Mamquam River Campground is having a fundraiser tomorrow night, Friday October 28th, 2016 at the Valhalla Pure Outfitters store in Squamish, BC starting at 7pm.

Update from Chris Small regarding the 2016 Golden Scrub Brush Awards.

The Golden Scrub Brush awards nominations close November 3, 2016. While some nominations have been trickling in, more are needed especially in the moderate and bouldering categories. It is hard to believe nobody has climbed any of the new routes that have been established in the last 5 years. So, while it is endlessly raining and you can`t be out climbing, think of the new great routes which you climbed this summer and encourage those developers to continue their development with a Golden Scrub Brush Nomination.

Find the rules and all information on the scrub brush facebook page!

Three part series featuring Steve McClure & Leah Crane climbing Slate.

Continue reading »

A really enjoyable flick featuring Katha Saurwein and Jorg Verhoeven in Australia.

A little clip of Brette Harrington on her Reel Rock segment. She is a serious deal!

Thought we would throw this one in for all those trady’s with sweaty hands today.

Earlier in October, I went out and shot some video and photographs of climber Peter Kamitses. Peter is currently working on a trad project at Moss Cliffs in the Adirondacks. Pictured is Peter taking a big fall on an RP. A full video will be released shortly.

We are pleased to announce that Nalle Hukkataival has completed the Lappnor project, Burden of Dreams, calling it potentially 9a! Read Nalle’s story and know that anything is possible!

Yesterday I had another session on the Lappnor project. The routine that goes into it after all this time isn’t all that exciting; the same warm up, driving an hour on the same road, brushing the all too familiar holds, re-warming up, systematically trying the same sequences in the same order. Some days you feel strong and confident and get totally shut down. Other days you’re not feeling a 100 percent and it could be the best session you’ve had. All logic seems to have gone out the window a long time ago. Many sessions I wish I could forget. Can’t do a move I’ve done countless of times before. Last highpoint was a year ago. Weeks and months turned into years of uncertainty and self-doubt. Trying to keep that little spark of hope in the back of your mind alive. Walking up to the boulder with all the positivity I can muster, I still can’t ignore what the boulder has become to represent; failure of varying degrees. Sitting under the boulder I can feel the weight of it. Pulling on always feels like a déjà vu, like the thousands of times before. It always starts the same way and ends the same way. Except this time. This time was different. Snap to reality, I’m hanging on the lip of the boulder, disoriented, heart racing. Contain the panic. I’m on top of the boulder trying to grasp how I got there. Lots of feelings coinciding; surprise, relief, happiness, confusion. As reality hits that quickly turns into ecstatic happiness with a dash of disbelief. Waking up today I can’t help but look at the world with different eyes. Having achieved the first ascent of Burden of Dreams marks a new level in my climbing. With a handful of existing 8C+ boulders in the world, proposing 9A is the logical step. Huge thanks to my friend Marko Siivinen for showing me the line! What a journey it’s been! Stay tuned for a film of the whole story with the boulder. It will be something extraordinary. @blackdiamond @lasportivagram #liveclimbrepeat #weareisland

A photo posted by Nalle Hukkataival (@nalle_hukkataival) on Oct 24, 2016 at 11:03am PDT

This weekend’s IFSC World Cup Xiamen Highlights Lead Finals.

For good measure, we also are posting semi-finals featuring Sean McColl and Elan Jonas McCrae.