Skills

See more–and have more fun–this winter with these gear and technique trips. Author: Drew Pogge, Illustrations by Supercorn Publish date: Feb 16, 2019 In relatively gentle terrain–Yellowstone's northern valleys, say, or a mellow approach to one of Colorado's winter huts–there's no better mode of transportation than a pair of backcountry touring skis. Lighter and more comfortable than alpine models, but much faster than snowshoes, these beefed-up cross-country skis let you glide over rolling, off-trail routes with ease. Technique Level ground Use the classic kick-and-glide: As you slide one foot forward, push down with the opposite pole and "kick" forward lightly with your back foot to start gliding. Lightly plant the opposite pole in front of you with each stride, and work on keeping an even rhythm. On gentle downhills, use "double poling" for more efficient skiing: Crouch in an athletic stance with your skis parallel and plant both poles … [Read more...] about Master the Basics of Backcountry Ski Touring

Author: Climbing Staff Publish date: Feb 4, 2019 When your headlamp is dead, climbing tape wrapped around a big stick and lit with a lighter can provide hours of emergency light. The adhesive burns slow and bright, and the fabric holds together even while burning. Bonus: Add twigs or stones for airflow—the more gaps you have, the brighter and quicker it burns.—Jonathan Trites If you struggle with clipping fluidly, hang a draw from the rearview mirror in your car and clip a sling into it. Any time you’re stuck at a red light, unclip and reclip the sling one-handed like you would with a rope, switching hands each time. When you reach your destination, change the direction of the quickdraw and practice some more. I used this method when I was learning to lead, and then again when I got started on more difficult stuff and found myself struggling to clip smoothly from smaller holds.—Jake Tancer  Caffeine-a-holic? On summer days, leave a glass … [Read more...] about Quick Clips: 5 Quick Fixes for Common Climber Problems (February 2019 Edition)

Author: Heather Weidner Publish date: Jan 30, 2019 Ten years ago, when I first started sport climbing at the limestone crags of Vegas, my partner and I would be excited if we saw other climbers show up. We’d often be rocking out to techno, because we rarely saw any other climbers. But times have changed. Climbing is mainstream now, and the crags are much busier. With two big climbing documentaries out—in proper movie theaters—and with climbing debuting as an Olympic sport in 2020, there’s no turning back to the crusty, dirtbag, semi-solitary days of yesteryear. There are kids’ teams and they’re all sending your gym projects, and as soon as they get driver’s licenses (if the ‘rents aren’t already rallying the kids to the cliffs), they’ll be at your local crags. Living in climber-dense Boulder, Colorado, I know that going to any of the local climbing gyms after 4 p.m. is asking for death by social suicide. … [Read more...] about Mind Your Manners: Ten Ways to Not Be a Bruh-Brah at the Crag

It’s been a good decade for cannabis. It started with the growing popularity of hemp seeds, took a brief foray into hemp protein powder, witnessed the legalization of recreational marijuana in a full 20% of the country, and most recently culminated in the legalization of industrial hemp. The rising star of the family isn’t its seed, fiber, or even its psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), though—it’s an until recently obscure chemical called cannabidiol (CBD). Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t bind to our cannabinoid receptors (which we have in our central nervous system and immune system) and so it has no psychoactive effects. That doesn’t mean it’s inert, however; it might not bind to the sites, but it appears to modulate them, thus altering the effects of cannabinoids (native and foreign alike) that do bind. It’s this modulatory effect we’re now investigating medically, and it’s also responsible for the sudden effusion … [Read more...] about Climbing Nutrition: What Do We Really Know About CBD?

Author: Dr. Jared Vagy Publish date: Jan 23, 2019 Though lower-body injuries are prevalent among climbers, they’re rarely talked about—fingers and shoulders seem to get top billing. Still, type “hip labral tear” into a search engine and you will find forums filled with climbers lamenting about their pain. However, it is hard to find a formal article on the topic. Did you ever wonder what that clicking in your hip is when you make a powerful move? Have you had groin pain after a long session of climbing and didn’t know how to calm it down? Do you know how to prevent a common hip injury that can sideline you for months? This article will answer those questions and teach you technique-based advice and a corrective exercise to prevent hip labral tears. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. Lining the socket is a cartilaginous structure called the labrum. The labrum cushions the hip joint and acts like a seal to suction the hip bone into the … [Read more...] about Injury Prevention Quick Tip: Preventing a Hip Labral Tear