My Helmet by David Rozul
I hold and turn my helmet like a classroom globe, dragging my fingers over each mark, each sign of wear.…
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Pain and Perseverance: Linking Sixteen Towers in a Day by Matt Pickren
“If you just stop for a second, I can show you there’s no road out there!” Ben said. “I know…
Elegant and Brutal by Cristina Marcalow
I. Trapped Kaiser Santa Clara Hospital, June 2018 The haul bag sits, a stuffed pig in the trunk. Cams, nuts,…
16 – Fighting to Write, The Creek in Winter, and The Big Wall Blues
Mehall moves to Durango, Colorado, and fights for his soul by writing and climbing. Big wall adventures take him back…
Silent Partners by Luke Mehall
I know he knows. Adam Lawton is proud. In every group of adventurers, there is a leader, and every great…
Basaseachi by Matt Spohn
The teenage Federale slings his machine gun over his shoulder and bends toward my bag. Cocaine? he asks. Marijuana? I…
Going Out To Come Home by Stacy Bare
The night was cold, and where the moon and stars shone around patches of clouds, they were incredibly bright. There…
Traumzeit: Sandstone Dreamtime by Tanager
A black fin of sandstone protrudes from the right side of the crack. I pinch it like a tufa and…
Going It Alone by Vic Zeilman
At some point in my early to midtwenties, I came to the conclusion that life is not about rock climbing.…
Yucca Ropes: The DIY Ancestral Puebloan Static Line by Len Necefer
In the late 1300s, experts point to drought and other environmental stressors impacting the Puebloan people in the Southwest leading…
The Painted Wall by Luke Mehall
It is like any other start to a day of climbing in the Black Canyon. Dave and I are up…
15 – The Freedom Mobile Goes To Yosemite
Luke and Gene take The Freedom Mobile to Yosemite, to get a taste of failure and success on big walls.…
Navajo Rising by Aaron Mike
Acknowledging the roots and conceptualizations of the outdoor activities that we so passionately pursue enriches our participation and ties us…
Letter To The Zine by Ken Turley
To Roy McClenahan by way of The Climbing Zine, Glancing through the pages of Volume 16 of The Climbing…
The Zine Introduces The Complete Package
The Climbing Zine creates stories for all our readers; whether you’re able to pay to read them or not. Most…
14 – In Love For The First Time, On A Stoner’s Highway in Yosemite
In love for the first time at 30 years old. Venturing out onto Stoner’s Highway in Yosemite. And a dream…
Brad Gobright, Pure of Heart by Lucas Roman (Full Story)
by Lucas Roman. This story is published in Volume 18. Banner photo by Hobo Greg Brad Gobright is pure of…
For Vedauwoo (a poem) by Birch Malotky
Have you been to the boneyard? The blank eye on the map perched above an asphalt brow there, an…
13 – Writing Zines, Dish Diving, and Moonlight Dreamchasing
The dirtbag climbing life has highs and lows. Eventually I got to a point where I was tired of it,…
CLIMBER GRATITUDE: I MISS + I AM GRATEFUL 4 BY LUKE MEHALL AND JAKE BURCHMORE
Check out our latest film from Luke Mehall and Jake Burchmore. Dedicated to Mehall’s fiancee Amber DeHerrera and all the…
Volume 19 ready to preorder
Volume 19 of The Climbing Zine is now ready to preorder. Here’s a look at our cover and the lineup…
12 – Living The Dream in J-Tree, California
A dollar and a dream in Joshua Tree, Califorinia. Easy solos and hard climbs. Living amongst the dirtbags and legend…
About The Cover (The Climbing Zine Book)
As I’ve said and written before, my favorite thing about publishing The Zine is the connections it helps create. I…
11 – Benighted in Zion with Tim and Dave
Luke and Dave’s first big walls in Zion. Benighted too. High on life and surviving in the vertical. Being a…
10 – All I Wanted To Be Was A Climbing Bum
“All I wanted to be after graduating college was a climbing bum”…Working in a paper factory in Illinois for dough…
The Long Run, a profile of Alan Carne by Luke Mehall
“There were no girls when I started climbing [in England],” Alan said, in a tone more serious than joking. I’d…
Monster Cracks by Pete Whittaker
Over hundreds of thousands of years, water has trickled, raged, and poured down cracks and creases, winding and weaving through…
9 – Two Gringos in Nicaragua and Benighted in The Black Canyon
A nibble from a fox of the Western Colorado University campus. Costa Rica and Nicaragua with Amber (Mom) and Greg.…
Mountaineering Changed My Perspective On Beauty by Rebecca Ross
Most women, at some point in their lives, get discouraged about their appearance because they may not possess the ideal…
Silent Night by Samantha Zim
I think I’ve read the words afraid, scared, terrified, anxious, and fear more over the last two weeks than in…
8 – For The Love of Dirtbagging
Continuing on with American Climber, Luke Mehall’s memoir. To subscribe to The Zine visit our site: https://the-climbing-zine.myshopify.com/ To support us…
7 – The End Of The Rope
Episode 7 of the Dirtbag State of Mind podcast. Mehall and friends have misadventures from Indian Creek to Yosemite National…
6 – Living In A Tent, and 9-11
We are rolling along with Luke Mehall reading from his 2016 memoir American Climber. Here we get into yet another…
Last Thoughts On The Dirtbag
Words by: Luke Mehall Director: Greg Cairns Mehall is the author of five books, including The Desert, a dirtbag climbing…
5 – In Love With Gunny
We are back with episode 5 of our first season! This is our first episode that I’ve recorded from my…
Ray’s Red Truck by Roy McClenahan
In the rich caravan of climbers whom we meet at the crags, people come and go. Some, like the flowing…
Just A Climber, For Bears Ears…BLOOPER reel
Greg Cairns and Luke Mehall joke that it took them 2 years to create the 3 minute film, Just A…
Do Not Go Outside To Cry by Kathy Karlo
I see it being used all around me to describe women, often by other women: badass. I have always considered…
Brad Gobright, Pure of Heart, Part 2 by Lucas Roman
This piece is published in Volume 18, now available to order. You can read Part 1 of the story here.…
Empty Heart, Hopeful Mind. Reflecting on the murder of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. by Luke Mehall
I thought that my last column was hard to write, but this one might be even more difficult. Last time I…
The Salajeet Collectors by Amanda Forrest
This story starts and ends with a chicken. On a bright morning in a high valley of the Hindu Kush,…
Brad Gobright: Pure of Heart (Part 1) by Lucas Roman
Brad Gobright is pure of heart. So pure, in fact, that he may never have faced a dilemma in all…
Loss In The Time of Corona: Dan Escalante we will miss you!
There’s a lot to write about these days, yet I’m sure I’m not alone in struggling to find the motivation…
Hypoxic Dreams by Vic Zeilman
It’s a dingy bar. Dark and musty. Where, I’m not exactly sure, but there is a feeling of sadness that…
Climber Gratitude (I MISS + I AM GRATEFUL 4) by Luke Mehall and Jake Burchmore
Dedicated to Mehall’s fiancee Amber DeHerrera and all the medical professionals out there fighting COVID (and everything else).
Volume 18 is now available
The Climbing Zine is proud to announce that Volume 18 is off the printer and will be arriving to subscribers…
Sitting Here in Limbo by Luke Mehall
Publisher’s Note: As this issue was going to press, the coronavirus began to ravage the United States. This issue is…
13 Seconds of Try Hard in Indian Creek
Footage shot by Jake Burchmore, an outtake from Grateful Hussle
I MISS + I AM GRATEFUL 4 by Luke Mehall
A Message From Mehall 27. The poem one. 4.22 (EARTH DAY)
4 – An Interview with Shaun Matusewicz
This episode is our first interview with Shaun Matusewicz. We originally intended to have a series of interviews with characters…
A Message From Mehall 24. 4.17.20
Luke Mehall, publisher of The Zine has been making a video nearly every day while “sheltering in place”. This is…
Purple Reign finger crack
Footage from Purple Reign, a climb that Luke Mehall and Dave Marcinowski established in Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument.…
Grateful Hussle, a short film
For 20 years Luke Mehall, publisher of The Climbing Zine has been writing climbing poems. In 2020 he’s decided to…
3 – Runaway, On The Road
While we originally planned to drop an episode a week, we are continuing to post these episodes as quickly as…
2 – The Knot of Eternity
Friends of The Zine: we are continuing the expediting of this new podcast. We know everyone is looking for more…
The Power of Close-to-Home Nature In The Time of Coronavirus by the Access Fund
The Power of Close-to-Home Nature In The Time of Coronavirus From the Access Fund Brad Mering grabs the first real…
1 – Our Premier: A Story To Start Off With
This first episode features a story I told at the Raven Narratives, a storytelling event held here in Durango. The…
Grateful Hussle
For 20 years Luke Mehall, publisher of The Climbing Zine has been writing climbing poems. In 2020 he’s decided to…
The Well by Devin Dabney
Note: this poem is published in Volume 17, now available. Banner photo of the author bouldering in Coopers Rock State…
Announcing a Climbing Children’s Book: Squeak
UPDATE: the second edition of Squeak! has been released. Same great story, with a couple updates, including The Climbers Pact…
Wide Eyes, High Times and Hard Times, a Story of Climbing with Mark Grundon by Luke Mehall
Say a prayer for those you love and everyone else. That’s what I’ve written on my sleeping pad, and the…
Just A Climber, For Bears Ears (a short film)
Just A Climber (For Bears Ears) is the result of 20 years of thinking and recreating in Indian Creek. When…
On Fear, Climbing, and Depression by Sonya Pevzner
Trigger warning: This article discusses topics of depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety. For some, the content may be triggering. Please…
The Great American Dirtbags
The Great American Dirtbags is Luke Mehall’s second book. This promo was shot by Greg Cairns.
Grateful Hussle – Trailer
For 20 years Luke Mehall has been writing climbing poems, and in 2020 he’s decided to give the writers who…
Part 2: Chuck Pratt, Liquid Sunshine by Pat Ament
This is part 2 of Pat Ament’s essay, published in Volume 17. If you missed part 1, you can read…
Upside Down and Unconscious by Shay Skinner
I remember arguing with my partner about wearing his helmet before starting a climb for the day. “It’s only 5.9,”…
A Marriage On The Rocks by Barbara Noseworthy
It’s 1981, and I’m 22 years old, about to graduate from college, trying to sort out what happens next. And…
Seventeen Times Alive by Dakota Walz
Screams are a colorful thing. Each one has its own distinct message. An anger, a joy, a pain. The nature…
Chuck Pratt, Liquid Sunshine by Pat Ament (Part 1)
Chuck Pratt: Liquid Sunshine by Pat Ament (note the full version of this piece was published in Volume 17, which…
Zine Emeritus: a story with Shaun
This last month, as we raise funds for The Climbing Zine Book, I’ve been telling a lot of stories about…
Reflections on Dad by Tamara Robbins
Since November, I’ve been in Modesto, California, with my family and, while here, digitally archiving the multitude of slides, negatives,…
The Prince P (in memory of Phil Schaal) by Cyrena Lee
It would have been hard to write about Phil Schaal even if he were still here—here meaning still alive. Alive…
Zine Senior Contributor Q&A: Rhiannon Williams
As we get The Climbing Zine Book ready for publication we’re going to feature a few of our writers and…
More To Give, The First Solo-Free Single-Day Ascent of El Capitan by Pete Whittaker
Walking up to the base of Freerider, I felt rested, light, but increasingly nervous. Two years ago, I’d never climbed…
Approach As Pilgrimage by Tim Rogers
Journal entry from 10/15/2014 Zion is the word. Despite all of our differences, to so many people the meaning of…
A Venture Backward, Inward, and Upward by Rhiannon Williams
In Memory of Towyn Williams (1926 – 2016) I associate much of my childhood with a little white farmhouse in…
An Indian Creek Story with Tim Foulkes
Tim Foulkes of TFTV tells a story for a Creeksgiving film project. Filmed in Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument.
The Climbing Zine Book video
The Climbing Zine is celebrating our 10th anniversary by releasing a Climbing Zine Book featuring the best essays from Volumes…
A Love Letter To Climbing by Ana Ally
In 2016 at the International Climbers’ Festival in Lander, Wyoming, we held a “love letter to climbing” contest. Ana Ally was…
Creeksgiving by Luke Mehall
No place soaks up sun like the Johnny Cat enclave at the Cat Wall, Indian Creek. The maroon cliffs are…
The Art of The First Ascent by Luke Mehall
You know you’re getting old when they start replacing the bolts you used for a first ascent. That was my…
Mountaineering Changed My Perspective On Beauty by Rebecca Ross
Most women, at some point in their lives, get discouraged about their appearance because they may not possess the ideal…
Reflections in The Black by Vic Zeilman
The black-and-white photograph is small and square, half a century old, showing my grandmother posing in front of the dark,…
We Didn’t Have Much Time by Joanna Spindler (a poem)
by Joanna Spindler, published in Volume 16, now available. Banner art by Rhiannon Williams We didn’t have much time Because…
Hip-Hop and Climbing by Luke Mehall
The fringe is where the magic happens. Four climbers pack into The Freedom Mobile, a graffiti-ed vehicle, spray painted red,…
A Journey Through Time by Adam Ferro
The expenditure of energy on a trip of this sort is massive and one only has so much of this…
The Joy Pendulum, Swinging High and Low in Yosemite Valley by Lauren DeLaunay
As I listened to my boyfriend make his tenth phone call of the hour, I absentmindedly stirred vegetables and reflected…
Dirtbag State of Mind Hoodies Are In!
We are super psyched to announce that the new DIRTBAG STATE OF MIND hoodies are in, and to celebrate their…
Luke Mehall, The King, Indian Creek
A short clip of The King, a 5.12+ in Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument. From an upcoming movie by…
Dave Marcinowski on Purple Reign in Indian Creek.
Another clip from an upcoming film by Jake Burchmore and Luke Mehall.
Dave Marcinowski working out the climb Purple Reign, a 5.12+ in Indian Creek.
Dave Marcinowski working out the final moves to Purple Reign, a climb in Indian Creek, part of Bears Ears National…
Respect by Luke Mehall
“I’m glad Royal Robbins isn’t here to see this shit show,” I said to myself as I watched the youngsters…
Purple Reign short clip by Jake Burchmore
A short clip of Luke Mehall working out a project in Indian Creek. Full film will be released in 2020.
Arno’s Dragon by Devin Dabney (a poem)
Long before we decide, the path is carved for us. Sliced through existence to be forged for this one, and…
Beyonce’s Balcony by Luke Mehall
Standing there, gaping at this monstrous and inhuman spectacle of rock and cloud and sky and space, I feel a…
Keep the Zine alive and subscribe today! (update: we are going for 200!)
We’ve never done this, and perhaps it would be a failure (anything can be) but I’m hoping to rally a…
I Got 99 Problems and a Bitch Is One by Kathy Karlo
I started seeing it sometime last year, and it got a small chuckle out of me then: #bitchesonpitches. But the…
Crowbars, anger, and new routes, from The Desert by Luke Mehall
“I’m not saying I’m going to rule the world, or I’m going to change the world, but I guarantee you…
Finding Protection In Bears Ears by Josh Ewing
“Yucca sandals,” I say to myself. “How’d they do this move in yucca sandals?” The sheer sandstone wall below me…
Titan Project
One of the greatest joys I have as a publisher is discovering an amazing climbing project, and then being able…
Trundle in the desert. Cleaning a climbing route.
Luke Mehall cleaning a loose rock while establishing a climb called Help On The Way in Indian Creek, Utah. Forgive…
The Desert, fall book tour kickoff in Crested Butte.
From Townie Books in Crested Butte, Luke Mehall and friends tell stories from his books American Climber and The Desert,…
Luke Mehall presents The Desert, a dirtbag climbing book
From Townie Books in Crested Butte, Luke Mehall and friends tell stories from his books American Climber and The Desert,…
Old Becomes New in Indian Creek by Chris Schulte
November is closing in fast, and on this turn around the fireball, we reach a strange and interesting milestone in…
Up (and over) the Pope’s Nose by Josh Smith
“Think we could throw a haul bag out of an airplane? That would make the approach really easy.” Kennan was…
Do Not Go Outside To Cry by Kathy Karlo
I see it being used all around me to describe women, often by other women: badass. I have always considered…
Biophilia On The Rocks by Birch Malotky
June’s humid breath settles in waves over the Mount Washington Valley as the sun dips low in the west. A…
Failing Forward with The Climbing Zine
Publisher Emeritus Shaun Matusewicz tells some stories of failure by The Zine. Filmed at the fall book tour kickoff for…
Replacing The Seamstress Corner with Dave Marcinowski by Luke Mehall
There are climbing partners, and there are the climbing partners. The partner you want to climb to the ends of…
The Zine has a YouTube channel
We may be late to the game but better late than never…we’ve got a YouTube channel now!
Tim speaks on a chapter from Luke Mehalls The Desert
Tim Foulkes yarns a tale speaking on Luke Mehall’s fifth dirtbag climbing book called The Desert. The Desert is Luke…
Just A Climber For Bears Ears by Luke Mehall and Greg Cairns
Just A Climber (For Bears Ears) is the result of 20 years of thinking and recreating in Indian Creek. When…
Luke reads The Climbing Zine 1 of 6
Publisher of The Climbing Zine, Luke Mehall, reads from Volume 16. Inspired by Mr. Rogers! One of six in a…
The Desert by Luke Mehall, Fall Tour Kicks off in Crested Butte
Fall Tour Kickoff: Thursday, August 15th 7:00 p.m. Townie Books 414 Elk Ave. Crested Butte, Colorado Dear readers, reviewers, promoters,…
Granite Trinity by Michelle Dedischew
One thousand twenty-seven. One thousand twenty-eight. One thousand twenty-nine. My head is lost in some sort of vortex. I’m not…
Climbing Past War by Stacy Bare
The uninitiated, those who don’t climb, always ask me why I do. I normally begin my response with the statement…
Suicide and Pirates by Andrew Allport
My father taught me how to climb, just as he taught me how to play guitar and ski—badly, I could…
Actual night out outfits
Egestas augue ac molestie pharetra. Sed porta dui interdum elit blandit, volutpat nibh. Cras rutrum est et velit semper sodales.…
Susie and The Gnar by Joshua Smith
Some are blessed by fate With thews and spines of steel, Some work hard and fiercely fight To rise above…
The Desert – is now officially released (plus Spring Book Tour)
“I’m not saying I’m going to rule the world, or I’m going to change the world, but I guarantee you…
Climbing En Plein Air by Birch Malotky
The dance of renewal, the dance that made the world, was always danced here at the edge of things… …
Off Root on El Capitan
I wasn’t sure if I should start this piece with being three thousand feet off the ground on El Capitan,…
Escape From The Hand Brain by Luke Mehall
Note: this piece is published in Volume 17, and it is an excerpt from his book, The Desert. Both are…
A Culture of Climbing: An Interview with Len Necefer
“I try to pursue my enjoyment with the idea that folks care and love for the land the way I…
Just A Climber, For Bears Ears (a short film) by Luke Mehall and Greg Cairns
Greg Cairns and Luke Mehall have finished their second short film together, called “Just a Climber, For Bears Ears” and…
Icons In Danger and Desert Medicine by Birch Malotky
Joshua Tree National Park is a refuge. I don’t know if I’d decided this by then, sitting folded into the…
A Campfire Tale With The Old Man In The Desert by Stewart M. Green
The sun’s last rays glance across the underside of a cloud-swept November sky as it sets south of the La…
A Narrow Escape on Mt. Kenya by Jason Haas
“Hey, wake up. Wake up!” Brian whispered harshly. “There’s someone out there.” I half opened an eye and begrudgingly listened…
Luke’s Vignettes by Luke Mehall
“Everybody must give something back / For something they get” —Bob Dylan, “Fourth Time Around” On Writing (about climbing) Writing…
Write for The Climbing Zine
The Climbing Zine is always accepting stories, photography, and art. Below are our loose guidelines, informal pitches from solid writers…
Jim Bridwell’s Memorial in Yosemite (a photo essay)
When I heard that Jim Bridwell had died, my first thought was, I bet even he didn’t think he’d live…
Hidden Dragons by Chris Schulte
I started climbing in Durango, Colorado, a small and isolated burg on the edge of the desert and the mountains,…
Events We Support: Get Complimentary Zines for YOUR Event
At The Zine we’ve got a plan. We started out small, really small, and we printed like 100 copies per…
Fall on Rock by George Perkins
I clipped her to the anchor, untied her knot, and pulled the rope through the gear. “I need more time.”…
Wide Is Love by Chris Schulte
Gray and white clouds rack up in billowed folds like the belly scales of a snake and curl widely across…
Where The Winds Hit Heavy by Matt Spohn
The granite escarpments of Castle Crags silhouetted the western skyway, massive gargoyles hunched and staring. I thought of my mother’s…
Where to Find The Climbing Zine – Independent Outlets
The Climbing Zine and Benighted Publications pride ourselves on independent distribution. Below is a list of our beloved retailers where…
Review: Lowa Alpine Pro GTX (womens)
Usually, just the thought of a new pair of mountaineering boots would make my feet ache, but that is not…
The Best Crag in America by Eleanor Krause
It’s the beginning of August, 2018. Two months earlier, I’d been fortunate enough to be working for a prestigious think…
The Giving Bolt, An Ode To The Bolt by Jimmy Keithley
Well here we are, old bolt; let me just say this before I remove you. You should be proud because…
The Desert (Mehall’s fifth book)
The Desert, Luke Mehall’s fifth and final book in his “dirtbag climber series” begins a Kickstarter campaign today to fund…
Mentors (from The Desert)
It was just weeks into this move that I realized just how much closer I was to Indian Creek, that…
24 Hours of Vegas
The best thing about America is that it gives you space. I like that. I like that you buy into…
The Desert and The Dog by Luke Mehall
This is the most beautiful place on Earth, but of course, like Cactus Ed Abbey said, every person carries in…
Sanni McCandless: A Force of Nature by Joy Martin
Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you in better living conditions. —Hafiz I’ve…
Review: GSI Outdoors water bottle
Green, jasmine, earl, chai and black. Tea. I love it all! A day of climbing ice, I pack my thermos…
Powders of Persuasion by Luke Mehall (from The Desert)
My college years in The Desert were adventurous and crazy, a complete immersion in the unknown. After I graduated, I…
Portaledge Protesting In Tasmania by Joy Martin
“They’re not like those trees,” said five-year-old Remi Middendorf, pointing at the young birches lining the hot springs. “They’re special…
The Long Way Back by Mike Reddy
“Oh you feel and you taste it and you want to go higher. So what do you do? And so…
What We Talk About When We Talk About Choss by Steve “Crusher” Bartlett
Mudstrosity Yes, it wobbled. Three feet high, one foot wide, a foot deep, probably outweighing me, the block sat at…
An Existence of Persistence (a poem) by Devin Dabney
A passion that fuels Is one that burns brightly Words by Devin Dabney. Photos by Angelique Brown. Published in…
A Climber Who Cries (a poem) by Luke Mehall
Do only writers cry when a writer dies? Do only musicians cry when a guitar player dies? Do only climbers…
Volume 13 Now Available
Volume 13 of The Zine is now printed and available to order. Here’s a look at the introduction from our…
Love Letter To Climbing by Sara Aranda
Every once and a while I bust out my typewriters for a writing contest. This year at the International Climbers…
Time Continuum of Desert Road Tripping by Kevin Volkening
The Pinnacle of Technology, as we called her drifted through the endless space, the time continuum that is road tripping.…
Review: Climb Tech Top Anchor Hook
The construction style “Mussy Hook” has always been one of my least favorite pieces of climbing hardware to see at…
Review: Edelrid Topaz Rope
Doing a gear review Climbing Zine style for a rope is difficult. For starters our method for reviewing gear is simple:…
The Mom Crux by Mallory Logan
Many a metaphoric parallel can be drawn between climbing and motherhood, and it’s plain to see neither activity makes the…
Dirtbag Paradise by Amber Roepke (a poem)
It’s your mom’s minivan pimped out And only seats two Because if it wasn’t hard enough to live in a…
Keep Calm and Climb On by D. Scott Borden
Squish Squash, Squish Squash, Squish, the English mud through my toes feels soothing as I perch 30 feet above a…
Hayden by Andrew Bisharat
Hayden, I am just so sad that you’re gone. The news struck me like a train. It literally knocked me…
The Enormocast: A Review
Note: this piece was originally written for The Gulch, a fine, free magazine out of Durango, Colorado. Enormocast: climbing’s favorite…
Looking Out The Window While Driving by Matt Spohn (a poem)
Dusk comes gold Off the dust of farmlands Where tractors still plow Fields nestled below mountains Dressed in ribbons of…
Volume 12 now available
Volume 12 is now printed and can be ordered here. The story only version is also available on Kindle. Below is a list…
Adventures With Two Tent Timmy
“If Jesus can’t save you, life starts when the church ends.” Empire State of Mind by Jay Z Some call…
Lawton’s Wall, Wild Mexico
Again, this one starts with a crying baby. This time the baby is Isabella, and we’re deep in a wild…
The Road and First Walls in Zion – from American Climber
This is an excerpt from the book, which documents Mehall’s tumultuous journey to climbing, which ultimately saved his life. You…
Fresh Zine Store and New Access Fund Member Discounts
The Climbing Zine has recently updated our online store – with your experience in mind – and we’ve even added…
Luke Mehall 2018 Book Tour/Presentation Schedule
Luke Mehall, Publisher of The Climbing Zine will be embarking on a modest U.S. book tour this year, celebrating the…
Patience by Chris Schulte
It starts with a plan like a break in the clouds. We set out thinking on the lines, the foods,…
Review: Black Diamond Creek 50 Backpack
The Creek 50 from Black Diamond was one of those pieces of gear I just had to check out. Since…
Brooke Sandahl on the beginnings of freeing The Nose
Man what a route! As a child, I remember looking at photos of it in my Dad’s climbing books thinking,…
J Tree Dreaming by Brooke Sandahl (from the old school photo essay)
Steve Byrne on Equinox, Joshua Tree – CA (1986) Photo and Essay: Brooke Sandahl Note: This is included in Sandahl’s photo…
Old School-South Face of Mount Watkins by Brooke Sandahl
The single most important choice you’ll make before any big (or little) climb is your partner. The right partner hopefully…
Fill The Void by Shay Skinner
The reflection targets my disfigurement. If only the borders of this mirror could protect the rest of the world from…
Explosives and Exploring in OUR Bears Ears National Monument by Luke Mehall
We were about thirty minutes into our adventure and five minutes away from finding the explosives. I looked back to…
Volume 11 – Solos, Choss, and Reflection (plus new subscription rates)
As we’ve grown from a black and white stapled together zine to our full color book/magazine hybrid we currently have…
Last Thoughts on The Dirtbag, A Short Film
Two years ago I pitched an idea about a film I really had nothing more than a spark of an…
Just A Climber, For Bears Ears Needs Your Footage
To all our Climbing Zine friends and family: for the last year Greg Cairns and I have been working on our follow…
The Ten Sleep Dream (a poem) by Georgie Abel
It takes ten sleeps Of sleeping in Ten Sleep To enter into the dream The Ten Sleep dream by Georgie…
Review: Edelrid Bulletproof Carabiners/Quickdraws
Every once and awhile a climbing product will come along and as a community we’ll collectively be like, “that’s a…
Review: Patagonia Micro Puff Hoody
There are certain products that come along on every adventure. This past fall, as temps cooled and the stoke rose,…
Sugar Daddy (from the photo essay, Choss) by Steve “Crusher” Bartlett
I’d been driving past this rock, near Hanksville, for years. It’s just begging to be climbed but looked impossible without…
Lizard Head (from the Choss photo essay) by Steve “Crusher” Bartlett
And then there’s Lizard Head. I have never climbed such rotten volcanic rock in my life. I didn’t know volcanic…
Bad Climbing Daddy by D Scott Borden
My one-year-old and I are in Rocklands, South Africa, when I let a stinky one slip inside a bouldering cave,…
Creeksgiving: Rising In Flame/Out of Darkness/With The Sun by Sara Aranda
Creeksgiving, 11.24.2016 Hungry, fervent hyenas, eyeing the foil and fire, giggling with the steam and prospect of turkey. Side dishes…
Off Route: Naked Nose In A Day by Jonathan Fleury
Back in May, while hanging out in El Cap Meadow, I overheard a friend talking about Leah’s goal to climb…
For The Sake Of The Song by Chris Parker
Maybe she just has to sing, for the sake of the song And who do I think that I am…
Toe The Edge by Patrick Hodge
I promised my father I’d never free solo. I remember, as a young kid, how his voice rocked back and…
Enter The Hobo by Hobo Greg
How did this happen? I grew up in Queens, New York, and New Jersey after that, and now I’m a…
Blue Eyes Climbing In The Rain (a poem) by Luke Mehall
In the desert in rains In the desert climber brains Can think of nothing but climbing But climbing is not…
The Burnout by Luke Mehall
It was many, many years before I realized that this environment in The Desert was the ultimate. I just didn’t…
Dirtbag State of Mind Hats by Peter W Gilroy
We always wanted to make some Zine hats, we were just waiting for the right design. Years of waiting led…
Return of The Dirtbag in Crested Butte, Colorado
Tuesday, September 5th 6:00 p.m. Townie Books 414 Elk Ave. Crested Butte, Colorado The dirtbags are coming! As Bob…
Review: Mammut Smart Alpine and Petzl GRIGRI + (belay devices)
With more and more options for a safer belay, The Zine got its hands on two of the most innovative…
Dead, In Jail, Or Climbing
I was put on drugs by the time I was seven years old, a kid labeled as having Attention Deficit…
Flirting with The Nose In A Day in The Valley of Stone
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goerte I…
As Long As Life Endures: A Climber Wedding by Sara Aranda
“Life can be rugged and cold, or smooth and exciting. The climb these two have just performed today symbolizes life…
A Geologist Falls in Love with Gravity by Drew Thayer
Erosion [i roh zhun] The process by which the surface of the Earth is gradually worn away by the action…
Rules for Dating a Dirtbag by Brendan Leonard
It’s a singular feeling when you’re 33 and talking to your mother and she says, “You know what I think…
Growing Up Skinner by Becca Skinner
I looked down at my Gri-Gri as a salty tear rolled off my cheek into a thousand feet of space…
Review: Grivel Stealth Helmet
Climbing helmets have come a long way in the last few years—mostly by shedding weight and becoming ultralight. I’ve realized…
Kansas City Urban Summits, a buildering adventure by Dakota Walz
I could see him clearly from directly across the alleyway. A light was on and a white balding office worker…
From Midas’s Touch to A Green Thumb: Remembering Doug Tompkins by Joy Martin
Doug Tompkins opens the door to a South American summer evening. At seventy-one—stooped and shuffling, a button-down shirt tucked into…
Stacy Bare on Bears Ears and Ryan Zinke’s Visit to Utah
On Sunday, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke stood in front of a small, windowless conference room in Salt Lake…
Tom Randall: Wide Boy, Small Ego, Big Heart by Luke Mehall
Like most desert rats, I first heard of Tom Randall during his and Pete Whittaker’s infamous off-width tour of the…
Technology and Climbing by Cyrena Lee
If you are sick of new climbers coming in and ruining everything, do something about it. If you hate how…
Springtime Crazy (a poem) by Georgie Abel
We’ve got that springtime crazy Our hearts have grown hungry under desert skies by Georgie Abel, Contributing Editor, author of Go…
A Sponsorship Pitch to Sriracha by Spenser Tang-Smith
by Spenser Tang-Smith To the Tamers of the Fiery Rooster God, We three travelers attend no church, recite no prayers,…
Are We Born to Climb? by D Scott Borden
Is climbing as innate as sharing, copulating, greed, or even walking? Many evolutionary biologists would offer that the essence of…
Review: The North Face Progressor Insulated Hybrid Hoodie
This spring I got to check out some items from The North Face’s Progressor Collection, and this piece, the Insulated…
Go To The Desert (a poem) by Luke Mehall
Go to the desert Or whatever place Is The Desert To You by Luke Mehall, photo by: Greg Cairns For…
Effort and Folly on Mount Waddington by Drew Thayer
Humbled The cam lobes slide in the fissure as I test it, useless. This dark, metamorphic rock, tortured entrails of…
ISO: My Dirtbag Princess
Note: this piece appears in the Off Route column of the newest Zine, Volume 10, The Raw Issue. Hello, I…
Oh Baby I Like It Raw, New Routes In The Desert by Luke Mehall
Oh baby I like it raw, Yeah baby I like it raw —Ol’ Dirty Bastard, “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” It’s a…
For The Love of Indian Creek
“Holy, shit!” was all anyone of us could say. A buddy of ours was showing us a ring off an anchor…
Explaining a Memorial Toilet
A memorial toilet is a hard thing to explain. But that’s exactly what my friends were constructing last weekend, a…
Review: Deuter Gravity Haul 50
The Deuter Gravity Haul 50 is advertised as a backpack that can turn into a haul bag. That’s a combination…
Hear Mehall on The Enormocast
Check out Climbing Zine publisher, Luke Mehall on the Enormocast with Chris Kalous. Please throw the Enormocast a buck or…
Walmart Parking Lot (a poem) by Georgie Abel
by Georgie Abel (photo by Dylan Hightower) I was this close To forgetting what it feels like To sleep in…
Fear and The College Try (in the Black Canyon)
When my college crew began climbing in the Black Canyon, topos were scribbled out on beer soaked napkins, during big…
Review: Grivel Salamander 2.0 helmet
The Grivel Salamander 2.0, while designed with zero frills to keep operation straight-forward, is a versatile helmet with a few…
The Pain (of the desert) by Luke Mehall
The other day, on the Internet, I read about a climber whose fingertip broke off in a crack when he…
The Secret Spot by Joy Martin
If these rocks could talk, they’d tell a hell of a story: one of nature and development, of perseverance and…
Awake On El Cap by Tristan Greszko
Awake. Alone. It’s 3 am. Only two more hours to sleep, the clock is ticking. The world is silent. Maybe…
The Old Lady of Tuolumne by Alexa Flower
I guess you could call it a town. It’s open three or four months per year. Driving east, hues of…
The Crimson Bunny (Going at it alone) by Alexis McLean
A roommate and dear friend of mine used to talk both eloquently and incessantly about her Purple Rabbit. She would…
Review: Scarpa Vapor Lace
Scarpa’s Vapor V rock shoe now has an upgraded model. The new Vapor Lace shoe offers a more customizable fit,…
DU/ER Jeans – Performance Denim
The trend of “stretchy jeans” for men in climbing seems to be gaining traction ever since Outdoor Research introduced the…
Holding the Rock Together
I won’t say that I’m afraid of heights, but to be standing on the edge of anything looking down more…
Jugs on Jugs by Gaelen Engler
Pulling into The Chief campground in Squamish for my first time, I had to double-check the sign to make sure…
Rambling In The Bugaboos by David Fay
We rounded the bend and there were half a dozen people lining up at the base of the route. Rock…
A Climber In The Winter of His Content
“You know there’s something special you’re needing. And you know there’s no drug that’ll do the healing, and no liquor…
As Long As Life Endures, A Climber Wedding (On The Hulk) a short film
We couldn’t have planned for how perfect this truly went. The weather for that whole week in July was bluebird…
Rasta, A Wise and Crafty Crag Dog by D Scott Borden
Editor’s note: Longtime Climbing Zine contributor D Scott Borden wrote this piece for Volume 7, and sadly as the Zine…
Review: Patagonia Fitz Roy Down Parka
If you’re a climber, you have a puffy coat. That’s a given—the best climbing days usually give way to cold…
The ’59 Sound, Remembering Eric Klimt by Kathy Karlo
The alarm blared repeatedly until I was jolted awake, not knowing what was a dream and what was real. I…
The Next Generation, an excerpt from Graduating From College Me by Luke Mehall
This young hippie left a bag of his groceries with my stuff after last weekend climbing in the Creek—granola, ramen,…
The Sensitive Climber Guy
Times are scary, and common sense decency seems to quickly be fading from day to day life. We’ve got a…
The Sharing of The Rack
I’ll never forget it — we were three newbie climbers racked up for Supercrack in Indian Creek when an older…
Graduating From College Me, Mehall grows up (and embarrasses himself)
When I was 33 I set a goal to write five books by the time I was forty—for a while…
Free Moab (and Boulder)
Utah and Colorado. We are neighbors, and many of us go back and forth between our borders so often it’s…
Review: Yeti Tundra 50 Cooler
The longer I review gear, the more jaded I become. It’s hard to be impressed. I’ve become more selective about…
Minivan Adventures With Married People
It was a sign of the times, a turning of the page, a shift in aesthetics for these two climbers.…
Thoughts on the Passing of Scott Adamson, an extraordinary human by Drew Thayer
Scott Adamson and Kyle Dempster no longer walk among us in this life. They died in Pakistan some time in…
Hope In The Desert (an excerpt from American Climber by Luke Mehall)
Then, when all seemed like peace had been restored to my existence, 9/11 happened. I was out on a morning…
A Tribute To The Gumby
We sometimes treat them like the lowest of the low — like a new recruit in boot camp in the…
The Eleventh Hour of Half Dome by Jason Haas
Climbing with a pack on is the worst. It’s heavy, it’s awkward, and you don’t even use half its contents…
For The Love of Climbing, A Short Film by Kathy Karlo
Good friend of The Climbing Zine, and contributor for our next issue, Kathy Karlo recently created this beautiful short film…
Sacred Space by Drew Thayer (art by Rhiannon Williams)
Right now, this detail is all that matters: the carabiner just fell back into the crack, and you’re staring it…
Review: Sterling Velocity Rope
I needed the perfect rope for my project. It had to be an 80 meter rope and it had to…
Benighted in The Black Canyon – (excerpt from American Climber by Luke Mehall)
My path as a climber had to face a most real enemy: pure unadulterated fear. This fear manifested itself in…
The Rest of The Story from Our Open Letter to Climbing Magazine
When one seeks out to know the full truth in a situation it seems like there are always twists and…
An Open Letter to Climbing Magazine by Luke Mehall
When I was a young climber Climbing magazine was the main source for great storytelling. This was the late 1990s,…
Review: Rinsekit
The RinseKit is one of those outdoor products that at first glance seems a little unnecessary—until you use it. I…
Freedom (a poem) by Luke Mehall
Freedom, where are you? I found you briefly, growing up in the flatlands And then, you were flattened By growing…
Review: Mammut Whymper Jacket
Mammut designed the Whymper Jacket to celebrate the 150-year anniversary of Edward Whymper’s ascent of the Matterhorn. With taped seams,…
Modern Climbers: The Ever Evolving and Expansive Climbing Scene by Cyrena Lee
I’ve been climbing for a just over a year now. The first time I pulled on real rock was only…
Review: Good-To-Go backpacking meals
So you’ve spent the last number of weeks, months, and days obsessing about this upcoming adventure, but what have you…
Stoner’s Highway by Luke Mehall (an excerpt from American Climber)
I figured that it would be just a regular outing on the rock that would pose only minor difficulties given…
Review: Mammut Rock Rider
When climbing in remote areas beyond the reach of immediate help you learn to understand the importance of having a…
Review: Patagonia Dual Aspect Hoody
Marketed as a piece that blurs the line between a mid-layer and a shell, the Patagonia Dual Aspect Hoody turned…
50 Shades of Dirtbag by Georgie Abel and Luke Mehall
While many of you are just starting to savor the latest Climbing Zine, Volume 8, The Old School Issue, at…
Review: Exped Synmat Hyperlite Sleeping Pad
The gear: Exped Synmat Hyperlite sleeping pad, size Medium (msrp $169) and Schnozzel Pump Bag UL (msrp $40) Reviewed by:…
My Golden Era (a poem) by Elliot Natz
by Elliot Natz Note: This piece is published in The Climbing Zine, Volume 10 photo of towers in Canyonlands National…
The Ask: How to Get Permission to Climb by D Scott Borden
“Ummm…honey, you know that nice hiking weekend we have coming up together? Well, ahhh…Dale just asked me if I…ummm…could climb…
Gear Review: Garmont Sticky Rock
In the process of looking for a new approach shoe that I could also do some running in I came…
The Vulnerable Man — My experience writing American Climber
Without climbing I’d be dead or in jail. This is not the first piece I’ve ever started off with those…
Bear’s Ears Breaking News: Incredible Hand Crack and Others to be Closed to Climbing
The climbing community applauded late last year when the proclamation of Bear’s Ears National Monument specifically mentioned climbing as an…
American Climber – Kickstarter is FUNDED
After a decade of writing, and re-writing, my memoir, American Climber is finally complete. It is a 75,000 word tale…
Review: Mountainsmith Mayhem 45
The Mountainsmith Mayhem 45 is an innovative and creative backpack—perfect for certain uses, but hindering for others. Here’s what I…
Review: Edelweiss Curve 9.8mm
It’s that time again when I need a new cragging rope. It doesn’t have to be fancy, or particularly light,…
Protecting Abbey Country – Love Letters To The Desert
I am sitting in front of my computer, doing what I do to make my pennies, but in a few…
Rock Climbing Gives Us Feminism by Georgie Abel
“What about you, Georgie? Are you a feminist?” I was sitting around a campfire with a group of friends. I…
Review: Voormi Eleven.9
Wearing something from Voormi—a clothing line based out of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, attracts attention and curiosity. Retail: $149.00 For the…
Review – High on Moab by Karl Kelley
“This book is a gift…Karl’s gift to you,” writes Fred Knapp from Sharp End Publishing, in the foreword for the…
Review: Yosemite In The Fifties
The story of climbing in Yosemite is one that is well known and well told, and at times it seems…
Review: Arc’teryx Nuclei AR Jacket
The Rockies in winter are known for their cold temperatures and fierce winds. When I’m climbing ice in these mountains…
Book Review: The Alchemy of Action by Doug Robinson
Books often inspire me more than the imagery or dialogue in a movie and I think it has to do…
Review: Kahtoola MICROspikes
Every single physical activity I do (or don’t do) is related to climbing – even if there’s no climbing involved.…
Who Will Fight For Our Right?
Note: this article was originally published in The Durango Telegraph. Last week my monthly contribution to the Durango Telegraph was…
Back…To Climbing by Greg Pettys
Note: this piece was published way back in Volume 2. That zine out of print, but you can pick one…
Review: Cypher Codex
I must admit I’d never heard of Cypher rock shoes, and when I brought them to the gym I got…
Climbing In The City of Fountains by Allen Schaidle
Kansas City is situated in the navel of the United States surrounded by rolling hills, which make for beautiful ever-lasting…
Review: Beal Cocoon Chalk Bag
How much is there to say about a chalk bag? All it has to do is hang out back there…
Just One More, The Acquired Taste of New Routes in Indian Creek
“Once in a while you get shown the light In the strangest of places if you look at it right”…
The Mammal In The Mirror by Drew Thayer
“Never pass up an opportunity to shut the hell up” I don’t have to squint to read the bumper sticker;…
Review: Westcomb Recon Cargo Pant
Are you looking for a synthetic, 3-season technical pant that moves as you move? If so, read on. Featuring NanoSphere®…
Review: Alone on the Wall by Alex Honnold
Every sport has a Michael Jordan, the athlete whose fame stretches well beyond the playing field, and for climbing that…
A Mt. Whitney Vignette by Hannah Lily Hall
My hands gripped a small undercling in the alcove I had been resting in. I looked up at the move…
Review: Black Diamond Cold Forge Hoody
As a pure rock climber with zero ambition for the alpine, but a desire to stay warm in cold camping…
Vertical Desires in the Midwest Flatlands by Dakota Walz
Morning light reflects bright off the white granite ledge as my pal Patrick is slowly pushing our rope up pitch…
The Sisterhood of the Rope by Rhiannon Williams
We pull into the Supercrack parking lot in a rusty, mud smothered Subaru, named Shelly. The lot is dotted with…
Review: Beal’s Venus and Rebel Harnesses (combined gender review)
A combined-gender review: both men’s and women’s versions If you’re a woman, I imagine you might be frustrated by the…
The Great American Dirtbags by Luke Mehall
My second book, The Great American Dirtbags is now available in the printed form, and as an e-book. by Luke…
A Jack In The Box In The Chalk Bag by Spenser Tang-Smith
I woke up before dawn in the parking lot of an apartment complex. My girlfriend and I had been living on…
Review: Scarpa Techno X
Scarpa redesigned their most popular shoes this year, with a new model to cover each style of climbing. I had…
A Truly Stolen Chimney, Hilarity on Ancient Art
True climbing encourages bravery and induces suffering. It’s at the heart of the endeavor, and all seasoned climbers recognize this.…
Review: Tenaya Tarifa’s
This was my first time wearing a pair of Tenayas. I felt like flatlanders must on their first visit to…
Review: Singing Rock Penta Helmet (updated)
UPDATE: Sometimes initial impressions of a piece of gear change after months of use. After all, that’s what we do with…
New Wall in Indian Creek
As of last weekend there’s a brand new wall in Indian Creek: The Dove Creek Wall. The best part is…
Review: Mammut Infinity 9.5 Protect
For as long as I’ve been climbing Mammut ropes have had a reputation for durability and good handling. The Infinity…
Review: Evolv Luchador SC’s (updated)
Note: Since we all know we want our climbing gear to stand the test of time The Zine is starting…
Crevasses and The Danger of Bad Judgement by Seth Adams
It was sunny, warm and beautiful. There was no wind, and we were walking across the glacier to the base…
Castles Made of Sand
As climbers we all have that place, that favorite place where we’ve pushed ourselves to the limit and back, the place…
Review: 5.10 Team VXi Slippers
This shoe fits like a glove. Perfect for overhanging terrain with foot trickery when you don’t really need to edge…
Modern Dirtbags: The Workbag
Note: this is a new column for the Zine, Modern Dirtbags The dirtbag in us never dies, but we do…
Straight Outta Squampton
I’ve got a confession to make people: I haven’t seen “Straight Outta Compton” yet. Like many hip-hop fans I’ve been…
Review: Beal Stinger Unicore Golden Dry 9.4 mm rope
How do you choose a single rope for multi-pitch and alpine climbing? Considerations include weight, dry treatment, durability, and the…
Review: Peregrine Radama Tent
This tent is a great value for a 2-person, 3-season backpacking tent with some innovative features. The tent follows the…
A Tribute To The Golden Hour by Drew Thayer
Sometimes, the balm of the day is Happy Hour, when we can leave the stress and bustle of work and…
Is The Dirtbag Dead?
“I was crazy and I was wild and I have seen the tiger smile.” Drive On by Johnny Cash This…
The Dirtbag Dictionary
Ever wondered what kind of dirtbag you are? Or have you spotted a hipster that kind of looked like a…
Rewilding – After Prison, Adventures in The Wild
editor’s note: Last month we got word of a very inspiring project called Rewilding. The project is centered around Anthony…
Review: Arc’teryx AR-395a Harness
Canadian ingenuity re-born: an elite all-around harness Let’s cut right to the chase: climbing harnesses range in price from $50…
Review: DMM Alpha Sport Quickdraws
With rock climbing gear we are living in the days of refinement, over pure innovation. Most of the gear is…
Visions of Clark Mountain by Georgie Abel
I wish I could tell you all about Clark in the exact way that my brain experiences it. But that has…
The Hand Jam by Brendan Leonard
Do you know what a perfect hand jam feels like? Do you remember the first time you really nailed one,…
Review: Of Love and Stone by Alan S. North
There is something to be said about reading books written by rock climbers – they seem to consistently capture the…
Review: Patagonia Mixed Guide Pants
I’m standing in the closet, packing for weekend of ice climbing or skiing, holding a pair of pants in each…
One Year Later by Nick Chambers
Climbing does not always go as planned. Rosa Malloy-Post of Durango, Colorado, is evidence of that. At the age of…
Review: OR Prusik Pants
Summer is finally upon us again and it’s time to get up and seek adventure in the high country. We…
To Live Is To Fly by Luke Mehall
As I start this piece it’s that time of the year when the Animas River here in Durango looks like…
A Love Letter To The Cascades From Gaelen Engler
To My Dearest Cascades, Thank you for some of the best four months of my life. After exploring the remotest…
Review: OR Men’s Goldrush Jeans
Dirtbag instincts suit the gear reviewer well. Which is why, for each and every day over the last two months…
Tears of Joy with Tommy Caldwell and Bob Seger
I have a road trip rule: when in doubt, listen to some Bob Seger. This rule stems from a trip…
The Freedom Mobile by Luke Mehall
Our vehicles make statements about our lifestyles, and in the mountain town of Crested Butte, Colorado there is quite the…
The Desert is Mightier Than The Sword
I always think I’ll write about something else, but these stories keep happening. Then I realize that is the channel…
Volume 6 in Print – Our Crown Jewel
The sixth volume of The Climbing Zine is now live on Kindle and available in print. Titled “Prose and Parables From…
Review: Scarpa Vapor V
My first impression of Scarpa’s redesigned Vapor V was how comfortable they were out of the box. I sized mine…
The Light and Dark Sides of Free Soloing by Alexa Flower
I’ve heard some describe Yosemite as a vortex, and so is the culture that comes with it. I am sucked…
Review: Climb Tech Steel Biner with Captive Pin
Love them or hate them, fixed draws are becoming more and more of a staple in the sport climbing world.…
Review: Beal Opera 8.5mm Rope
Amongst the hot new climbing gear released this season, something I’m most excited about is the newest ultra-light triple-rated rope,…
College Me and The New Members in the Tribe
I awoke in the Indian Creek desert to the sound of a crying baby. I tossed and turned over in…
Remembering How to Believe by Drew Thayer
My life is now unmistakably entwined in the rhythms of grad school; work ebbs and flows, and when it flows…
The Dirtbag Manifesto
“The world has enough for man’s need, but not enough for man’s greed.” Gandhi Where do we look for hope,…
Review: Arc’teryx Alpha Comp
At the Climbing Zine we get lots of gear to test, sometimes too much to really wear something for longer…
Dawn of a New Age
I knew this whole Dawn Wall climb was big when President Obama started tweeting about it. In case you’ve been living…
Review: Hobie Baja Sunglasses
A line graph showing the hipness of my sunglasses over the years would look like the jagged silhouette of the…
Beginner Dirtbagging – Where to Spend and Where to Save
To dirtbag or not to dirtbag, that is the question. The technique of dirtbagging is one that can only truly…
Review: Osprey Mutant 28
The Mutant 28, by Osprey, packs the essentials for a minimalist looking to get into alpine, ice or vertically mixed…
Video: The Fitz Traverse with Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold
For us posting this video, is a case of “I don’t always (fill in the blank) but when I do…”…
Just a Couple Guys from Colorado on El Cap
It’s amazing that climbing El Capitan in Yosemite is no big deal for a lot of people: routes that originally…
Review: Patagonia Nano-Air Hoody
For once, I’m actually psyched to “leave it on,” as their ad campaign suggests. For climbers and skiers, the best…
Review: Westcomb Tango Hoody
Westcomb’s Tango Hoody is a formidable layer for a variety of conditions, with a lot to love in a simple,…
The Art of Roping up with a Rando by Dakota Walz
I have been alone on the road bouncing from park to park for 2 months. My car is a wreck.…
Review: Big Turtle Shell – Wireless Speaker (Outdoor Tech)
These days, more often than not, someone in a climbing crew of craggers has a speaker. If you want the…
The Rainbow Wall, Emptying Out by Drew Thayer
“This stillness to which all returns, this is reality, and soul and sanity have no more meaning here than a…
Review: Mammut Sensor Rope
The Mammut Sensor is a perfect name for a rope that encourages safety in the way it feels and handles.…
Review: Edelrid Corbie 8.6mm Rope
Light is Right! is the new slogan for today’s alpinism. We pare down the grams in our clothing, sleep systems,…
Indian Creek Reflection, before it all slips away
The good times are moving fast these days, zipping by as we fly through space on this big ball of…
Review: Evolv Addict
For a climbing slipper priced under $100 the Evolv Addict may be the best out there. The Addicts are a…
Lindsey Schauer: The Quintessential Climbing Mom
In the Last Pitch section of the new Climbing Zine, there’s a great, sentimental piece, written by Mallory Logan. Titled…
Review: Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hoody
Soft-shell clothing has become popular over the years because of its adaptability, allowing athletes to bring fewer clothes and be…
Female Dirtbags, The Missing Link
There are many sacrifices and struggles to live the dirtbag life, but my most major gripe has always been…
Review: Edelrid Mega Jul Belay Device
There’s always room for innovation in climbing gear, but I thought belay devices had been pretty well figured out. I…
Road Trippin’ and Home Trippin’ by Luke Mehall
Canadians are nice, it rains a lot in the Cascades, and Idaho is quiet and quaint. I’d heard these things…
This is Buildering
In the deep of the twilight, the night, buzzed on something, spirits, smoke, the usual, a change occurs: an athletic…
Psicocomp 2014 Photos
“The Psicocomp was even better than last year,” seems to sum up the response to the second annual deep water…
Review: 5.10 Guides
The 5.10 Guide Tennies have long been my favorite approach shoes. I like them primarily for two reasons: the burly sticky…
Review: The Belaggles, Belay Glasses
“What are those?” I’ve been asked that question 20 times in the last month, while testing out my new belay…
A First Trip To Yosemite
The Western United States is a developed land, yet it is also very wild. Especially when you hail from the…
The Language of Bromance
The Climbing Zine’s guide to helping men and women understand the complexities of the ever increasing bromance. bromance: A bond…
Hippies, Dirtbags, and A Gift From Grandma
When I was in my later years of being a teenager I was convinced that I was born too late.…
Dreaming, Waking, and Remembering What Matters by Drew Thayer
The Dream In May 2012 I leaned against the rail of the overlook on the North Chasm View Wall on…
Review: Sanuk Hemp
Sanuks have always looked comfortable and sexy – I’ve wanted to check out a pair for a while now. The…
A Scenic Cruise and Then Some in the Black Canyon by Alexa Flower
As we descended further into the dark abyss, that haunting, uncanny mood settled in once again. It was an awareness…
Hanging with Stacy Bare and Dodging Watermelons
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. Hunter S. Thompson made a life and a living off that…
Seth Adams on Negotiating Rest Days and Relationship Building
I’d been reading a book on relationships. It suggests not to spring things on your partner; that if you have…
Fear and Dehydration in Colorado’s Biggest Hole by Drew Thayer
Early summer in Durango, Colorado is great. Blissful. Idyllic. A typical afternoon usually involves waking up from a sound nap…
International Climbers’ Festival 2014 in Lander, Wyoming
“This is a low key festival that was formed to share the genuine love of climbing.” That’s how Mandy Pohja…
Review: Scarpa Zen Pro
Amongst the wide variety of approach shoes available today, these shoes stand out as the armored tank of the fleet.…
Review: Core Concepts Hot Dome Hoody
I have a hard time with gear geeks, those who go on and on about features of the equipment for…
Who is Famous and What Is Hard? with Seth Adams
It was 2004 and Kelly Cordes and Josh Wharton had just climbed the Azeem Ridge on Great Trango Tower in…
Gear Review: Scarpa Instinct VS
“It hurts so good”…Tom Petty must have been wearing these when he sang that line. Scarpa’s new Instinct VS brings…
An Ego Spanking In The Gunks by Drew Thayer
We all need to be taken down a notch, as my mother would say, every once in a while. While…
The Diamond: A Pervertical Genesis by Alexa Flower
The night was silent apart from our winded breaths and quiet footsteps; largely stifled by the dirt and pine needles…
Climbing Haikus
Last month The Climbing Zine hosted “Climbers’ Beer Night” at Carver Brewing Company in Durango, Colorado and had a Haiku…
The Climbing Zine, In Print and On Kindle
The Climbing Zine Volume 5, The Dirtbag Issue, is available in print and on Kindle. The all-color print version is…
A Map To The Skyland Boulders, Crested Butte, Colorado
[photo of Ben Johnson climbing Blunt Boy (5.10a) Joint Rock] The Skyland Boulders in Crested Butte have been called “The…
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Alibi II Glove
Let’s be honest: while mixed climbing, when most of us get to the next gear placement, we really really want…
Gear Review: Turtle Shell Speaker from Outdoor Technology
Love it or hate it the crags are filled with tunes these days. Portable speakers are blowing up, and we…
Gear Review: La Sportiva Boulder X Mid GTX approach shoe
17.9 oz/ 508 g Suede upper, full rubber rand, Vibram sole Retail: $160.00 Back in the day there were running…
Hear Mehall On The Dirtbag Diaries
Publisher of The Climbing Zine, Luke Mehall, follows his dreams, no matter how absurd. Recently the Dirtbag Diaries podcast asked…
Climbing Out of Bed, Kindle Version On Sale
The first book from Benighted Publications, Climbing Out of Bed by Luke Mehall, will be on sale on Kindle until…
Running Wild Amongst Sandy Giants by Madeline Pickering
We arrived to Creek Pasture past midnight to a deafening stillness. Unable to locate our friend’s campsite, we perched our cars…
Patagonia, Lessons From a Bigger Scale by Drew Thayer
How can I describe the size of this place? How can I describe the dizzying gulfs of air below us…
Gear Review: Outdoor Research Lodestar Gloves
I’ve spent a long time looking for good mid-temperature alpine and ice climbing glove. It needs to be warm enough…
Review: Mueller Euro Tape
Back in the day when I learned to tape my hands my climbing mentor taught me an elaborate process of…
Book Review: Forget Me Not by Jennifer Lowe-Anker
“The best climber is the one having the most fun.” Alex Lowe This is a new column for The Climbing…
Trim Season and The Mushroom Wall
Cliff took out his trimming scissors and chopped several green buds off the stem of the marijuana plant. After he…
A True Maiden Voyage, A Fire In the Black Canyon
I was riding shotgun in an ‘86 Safari van, smoking a cigarette, and wondering where the hell we were headed.…
Gear Review: Petzl Tikka RXP Headlamp
Last year we posted a review of the innovative Petzl NAO headlamp, and loved the Reactive technology, but noted it…
Tons of Tufas, Mexico’s Cumbia Cave, a photo essay
The Cumbia Cave is down a bumpy road in Nuevo León, Mexico. It is located in an area called Las…
Why Climbers Aren’t Famous or What Climbing Means to the Masses
“Do you do that?” is a question I’ve been asked throughout my climbing existence, with the emphasis on you and…
Gear Review: Hydro Flask Water Bottles
Early on after I co-founded The Climbing Zine and started attending the Outdoor Retailer trade show I realized it’s easy…
New Shirts: Spread Your Legs And Trust The Rubber
“Spread your legs and trust the rubber,” it’s an old climbing saying, I first heard in Joshua Tree many years…
Book Review: Snow Travel by Mike Zawaski
“Learning is not a spectator sport.” -unknown I cannot remember the last time I reviewed a book, save for a…
Colombian Policy by D Scott Borden
I’m sweating in the Colombian sun as I reach for a big flat hold on inverted sandstone. I clip a…
Volume 5, The Dirtbag Issue, in Print and on Kindle
A year in the making, our latest zine, Volume 5 “The Dirtbag Issue” is finally available in print. This is…
Buildering The Mormon Temple Released
As of today Benighted Publications’ first fiction collection is available on Kindle for $0.99. It is titled, “Buildering The Mormon…
Blackened, The Black Canyon’s Hallucinogen Wall
The front edge of my helmet drags across the granite as I move my head from side to side. I…
The Dirtbag Manifesto
An excerpt from Luke Mehall’s second book, The Great American Dirtbags. “The world has enough for man’s need, but not…
A Legend Passes On
Last month I wrote an article on bromance, which as it turns out, has been my most popular article I’ve…
Gear Review: Evolv Astroman
In climbing, maybe thanks in part to the Wide Boyz, off-width climbing is again popular. Now, so are off-width style…
Becoming A Modern Dirtbag by James Lucas
Every day 500,000 outdoor enthusiasts* put on a pair of rock shoes for the first time. But with every new…
On The Road, and In The Desert
While I was on the road recently I met an artist whose favorite muse was the naked body. I was…
Living Rent Free, On a Portaledge or in a Tent
I blame my dirtbagging, vagabond ways on my education at Western State College of Colorado. As a child of the…
Appreciating Rollerblading, Weightlifting and other Non-Climbing Things
The older you get, the more you realize how precious life is, and the more you appreciate the little things.…
Dirtbags with iPhones, How modern technology helps make the dirtbag dream a reality
The way of the dirtbag is a simple life: maximizing recreation while minimizing responsibility. Life as free as the wind,…
Climbing Out of Bed In Print
The print version of Climbing Out of Bed, the first book from Luke Mehall, was released on April 13th and…
Hip Hop and Climbing
An excerpt from Luke Mehall’s piece, Hip-Hop and Climbing, which will appear in the next volume of The Climbing Zine:…
The Stoke-O-Meter
With spring just around the corner every rock climber is getting stoked. But how stoked are you? Is your stoke…
Dirtbagging Family Style
It seems like the era of the old-school dirtbag climber’s lifestyle is steadily evolving into a new era of dirtbag-dom.…
Reflections in the Black Mirror
In the Black Canyon there are two kinds of free climbing routes: the casual shorter routes that offer a fun…
Skinny Jeans and Desert Towers by Luke Mehall
“Dude, those are skinny jeans,” Jonathan says. “They’re regular fit,” I insist. “See, look at the label.” “I don’t care…
