Freelancers are the lifeblood of the outdoor media industry, but COVID-19 has been shrinking journalism budgets across the board. Climbing Magazine, which gets about 75% of their content from contributors, is keeping up the work, and even doling out cash. Continue reading We’re In This Together: Climbing Magazine’s Contributor’s Fund
Life’s been up and down, like the arc of a return journey or my sense of security throughout the week. At first it was concern about personal safety. Then money, then long-term prospects, then the big why? Like moving up Maslow’s hierarchy of angst. Continue reading Bright Lights Across a Dark Space: Angst in the Time of Corona
Helsinki is 6,125 miles from Mexico City. Yet for Finnish climbers, Ben Koponen and Juha Kurikka, it wasn’t too far to go to open their dream gym.
Even if Ben had never been to the country before. Continue reading From Helsinki to Mexico City: A Long Way to Open a Climbing Gym
Book review of High Drama: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of American Competition Climbing Continue reading High Drama Book Review: History and Intrigue Dominate
Move over monkey bars, these polygonal bouldering blocks are the playground equipment of the future. Continue reading Are These Modular Bouldering Walls the Future of Playgrounds?
I didn’t use to think much of shitting in the woods. Or carrying toilet paper out of doors.
But in these times where the white fluff is in such high demand, I’m reminded of a woman I dated who wilded me. For the first time, scatting outside was temporal. Continue reading No TP, No Gel, Not Anymore
The sun sets over the hills northwest of the city. Where I’m staying.
A darkening sky fades into a dusty crimson. Mojave red and carnation pink simmers at the edge of the light, before settling below the tree-less mounds. I watch from the steps at the Plaza de la Alhondiga.
Below, a young boy is dancing. Or rather, he’s half-running and half-whirling dervish. His mad cavorting is a public display of irreverence and imagination. He’s wholly smiling in ecstasy. Continue reading Sunsets in Guanajuato
When I left for Mexico in December, Coronavirus wasn’t a thing. A few weeks ago, a curious increase in conversation and posts about Covid-19 started to populate my Facebook feed. So the news sucked me back in. Whoa, what a wild time we’re living in. Now I’m here, do I stay or do I go? Continue reading Coronavirus from México: To Stay or Go and The Curious Case of Do Nothing by the Government
Bouldering in Mexico has taken off over the last decade, in part because of the growth of accessibility of the sport. Launched in 2009, Cyrus Gear was the first bouldering-focused climbing company to find success in the country. Founder, Cirenio Israel Lopez Mendez, introduced some of the first ever, locally-made crash pads, and hasn’t looked back since. Continue reading Cyrus Gear: On Creating the First Crash Pads in Mexico
You’re planning a big climbing trip. It’s going to be great fun! But you want don’t want to totally hoof it, some modern creature comforts would be nice. Enter: Climbing hostels!
Continue reading Our Favorite Climbing Hostels, From Those Who’ve Been There
Aaron Gerry 