A Letter To Kurt Blair by Luke Mehall
Dear Kurt, This is a letter I don’t want to write. Writing is often difficult to get started, but this…
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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…
We Did It: The Zine is Alive! (and other musings on my 46th birthday) by Luke Mehall
I’m here writing this morning because it’s my birthday. For many years, starting in my late 20s, I used to…
Peace by Anna Hazlett (a poem)
Note: this poem is published in Volume 25. Photo of Anna climbing “Peace” in Tuolumne Meadows, California by Mary Eden. …
The Wide Tour by Mary Eden (an excerpt from Volume 25)
How did I end up becoming an off-width climber? I used to absolutely hate off-widths—mostly because I didn’t like the…
Volume 25 is Printed and Ready To Order (read the story list)
Story/poetry list for our new Zine, Volume 25, which is now printed. Big congratulations to all the writers. Due to…
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,…
1400 page bundle on sale for $129.99
Score both Zine Books + Volumes 14 – 23 on sale for $129.99. That’s 1400 pages of reading material. Shop:…
Creeksgiving by Luke Mehall
No place soaks up sun like the Johnny Cat enclave at the Cat Wall, Indian Creek. The maroon cliffs are…
Message Board Magic by Molly Malone
I started this painting over a year ago after seeing a beautiful sunrise over the North Six-Shooter. It was a…
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,…
Closeout of the Peter W Gilroy “Dirtbag State of Mind” Beanie
This month, Peter W Gilroy announced that he will no longer be making his classic hats, and we realized we’ve…
Guerreras by Zach Clanton (full story)
It was that familiar feeling you get when you finish a big climb—that immense wash of relief that climbers all…
Untroubled with Alex Honnold
“I climb my best 4,000 feet off the ground” – Alex Honnold. Luke Mehall + Alex Honnold in a dirtbag…
Scotch On The Rocks by Greg Petliski
Words are from the traditional song “Wild Mountain Thyme.” The basis of this trip was simple: climb rocks and drink…
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…
Unbroken Chain, A Letter For Phil Lesh by Luke Mehall
I started listening to the Grateful Dead a week before Jerry Garcia died. The year was 1995 and it happened…
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…
Send Your Face Hoodies Are Here
New “Send Your Face” hoodies are now available to order. Design by Mike Handzlik
Friendship Is The First Belay, Intro from Volume 24 by Luke Mehall
When life looks like Easy Street There is danger at your door —Grateful Dead, “Uncle John’s Band” I’m sitting here…
Bat Hang (a poem) by Lex Abbruscato
open jug filled by authentic rubber and stretched leather laces of Velcro rooted in gravity toward the edge of rock…
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…
To Chip or Not to Chip by Adam Ondra
I love being challenged by the nature that has been sculpting the rock faces of our planet for many centuries.…
Why Climbers Should Write and Writers Should Climb by Cyrena Lee
I am a writer, too, kinda. I am also writing a novel. I’m working on a novel. I also write.…
New Sale Bundle Volumes 21 -24 for $40
Score 400 pages of reading material + three dope stickers for $40 *NEW Bundle Sale* Volumes 21 – 24
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.…
*NEW* 5.9+ shirts and tanks are here!
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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…
Climbs Fall Apart by Luke Mehall (an excerpt)
And so castles made of sand Fall into the sea eventually —Jimi Hendrix, “Castles Made of Sand” “Did you hear…
From Self Harm to Self Love by Kaya Lindsay
*Trigger Warning* This article discusses self-harm. “Look at my hands!” I hold my blistered and scabbed knuckles out to…
Where to Find The Climbing Zine + Dirtbag State of Mind clothes/stickers – Independent Outlets
We pride ourselves on independent distribution. Below is a list of our beloved retailers where you can find our zines,…
Volume 25 available to preorder
Preorder the upcoming zine (Roman numerals are back by popular demand) Due out Fall 2024 Cover shot of Mary Eden…
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…
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…
Staying Hungry on the Salathe by Brittany Goris (Full Story)
“Keep dreamin’, stay hungry, and remember that there is no finish line.” This quote by Todd Skinner in the…
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 Letter To The Zine by Tavish Hansen
Dearest Luke, I have been meaning to write to you for some time, but I have Zine 23 fresh on…
Holding On By Letting Go by Shara Zaia (full story)
Four fingers grip an empty cup. “Go back to your country, terrorist!” a stranger spits, tossing his beer on me…
*RARE* The Climbing Zine Book, First Edition, Hardcover, copies just posted for sale
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Dancing With The Queen by Luke Mehall
In my body, I’m a climber; in my imagination, I’m a rapper. The poets of my generation are MCs—embodiments of…
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…
Sale: “All Back Issues in Print” Bundle: 1,000 pages of reading for $69.99
We just posted a sale to score all of our current back issues in print + three dope stickers for…
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.”…
The Mom Crux with Mallory Logan (co-hosted by Shaun Matusewicz)
We finally get to sit down with Mallory Logan, the Art Director for The Climbing Zine, to have a conversation…
Wrestling With A Lifetime Of Fear On Hollow Flake by Luke Mehall
On the ledge that night, I felt at home and at ease. We were on the rock of our dreams.…
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…
Van Planet by Marina Hansen
Living on the road feels like traveling through space in a spaceship. You are in your car spaceship, flying in…
$50 Sale Bundle: Volumes 15 – 20 + Stickers
Score six zines, and three stickers for only $50. *MEGA SALE* Volumes 15 – 20 + Stickers
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…
Adventures With Two Tent Timmy by Luke Mehall
“If Jesus can’t save you, life starts when the church ends.” Empire State of Mind by Jay Z Some call…
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,…
Beats, Climbs, and Life: A Conversation with Kris Hampton
The last in our series of conversations recorded in Lander, Wyoming this summer, with Kris Hampton of Power Company Climbing.…
Meltdown by Beth Rodden
Note from the editor of the Valley of Giants book, Lauren DeLaunay Miller: A book about the women of Yosemite…
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 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…
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…
Climbing Through The Fog by Colleen Tirtirian
The fog rolled in surreptitiously, encroaching every visible surface. It wasn’t just there one day when I woke up, the…
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…
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…
You Belong Here: A Conversation With Steve Bechtel
The second conversation from our series of interviews in Lander, Wyoming. Steve Bechtel is a local legend in Lander, and…
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…
Angels Alight by Lucas Roman
Milton had overgrowth knots, the greasy kind, matting his beard to his wooly secondhand pullover, which sagged without shape over…
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… …
New Patreon Rewards: $5 gets you a zine, sticker, and store discounts
We have restructured our Patreon system to include more offerings and discounts. The Patreon is not only the best way…
Holding Space and Leading The Way: A Conversation with Shara Zaia
The first of our series of conversations recorded this summer in Lander, Wyoming. Shara Zaia wrote a beautiful piece is…
Echoes of Expansion: Taking Our Gear for a Walk in the North Cascades by Katie Griffith
Yeah, we are star matter from the big bang And that love ain’t far behind you Love ain’t…
Contribute To The Climbing Zine
The Climbing Zine is now accepting stories, photography, and art for our 2024 volumes. Below are our loose guidelines. Words…
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…
To Live and Die in Yosemite by Luke Mehall (an excerpt)
Though I’ve been dangling off the cliffs of Yosemite for twenty-plus years now, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with…
Introducing The Microdose Mixtape
Introducing our first ever mixtape from The Climbing Zine. The Microdose Mixtape pairs Luke Mehall’s spoken word poetry, with the…
Comin’ In From The Top by Chris Schulte
Way back when, which seems like not so long ago, your guidebooks tended to be a few pages of the…
“Zine Thing” in Lander on June 27th at Wild Iris Mountain Sports
We are psyched to announce that our next “Zine Thing” will be at Wild Iris Mountain Sports in Lander, Wyoming…
In The Company of Friends by Ed Webster
“If this climb doesn’t blow you away, nothing will,” James ventured as he hit the brakes. “I still can’t believe…
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…
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…
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…
From The Ice Rink To The Ice Climb with Taylor Luneau
A conversation with Taylor Luneau. Taylor discovered climbing after an injury derailed his ice hockey career. Taylor and Luke have…
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…
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…
Time Dilation by Drew Thayer
There’s a land at the end of the world that sleeps and wakes in its own time. It lies alone…
Sharp Edges: Holding On By Letting Go by Shara Zaia
Shara Zaia reads her essay published in Volume 24 of The Climbing Zine. Plus a bonus tune from James Parr,…
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…
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.…
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,…
Parallel Traditions by Yeongju Lee
The Korean folklore goes: the Creator called upon all domes and boulders of Korea to gather up north, where they…
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…
About The Jimmie Dunn 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…
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…
Wanted: Old Issues of The Climbing Zine
As time goes by our original issues of The Climbing Zine have become collector’s items. Since we printed so few…
“Zine Thing” at the Gravity Lab in Durango May 23rd
We are psyched to announce our next “Zine Thing” for Thursday, May 23rd at the Gravity Lab in Durango. We’ll…
James and Ed by Luke Mehall
“He always called me James instead of Jimmie.” Jimmie Dunn told me these words each time I’ve had a conversation…
You’re Safe Mom, Climb When Ready by D Scott Borden
“You’re on belay, Mom.” “What does that mean?” she replied. “You’re safe, Mom. Climb when ready.” Over the last five-plus…
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…
Texas Tower Redux by Josh Smith
Think back over your climbing career. I bet you’ll find a climb—or two—that define you. These won’t be your hardest…
Ropeless by Matt Spohn
We meet in the parking lot at dusk. Cold winds curl the sandstone cliffs whose strange shapes speak of time …
Dan’s Poem by Dan Escalante
If I close my eyes and never awaken A thousand adventures I hope to have taken Some with family and…
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…
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…
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,…
Volume 24 is Printed and Available to Order (with story list)
Volume 24 is now available to order The issue is printed and has started shipping. Here’s a look at 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,…
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…
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…
Climbs Fall Apart by Luke Mehall
Luke Mehall reads his piece, “Climbs Fall Apart” which is published in Volume 24 of The Climbing Zine; the episode…
Spring Cracks by Luke Mehall
My friends are gettin’ older, So I guess I must be too. Without their loving kindness, I don’t know what…
Pursuing The Struggle with Felipe Garcia
A conversation with Felipe Garcia. Felipe and Luke have a conversation about climbing in Guatemala, first ascents, living, working, and…
Microdose Mixtape Videos Released
The Microdose Mixtape is our first ever mixtape from The Climbing Zine. With music by Devin Dabney and poetry by…
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…
Climbing Is Not About Climbing with Chad Reich
A preseason conversation with our digital editor and producer Chad Reich. Plus a poem from our upcoming Microdose Mixtape. Support…
Dancing With The Queen: the first ascent of The Queen in Indian Creek, Utah. Bears Ears.
One persons project is another’s warmup. As climbing grows to be more competitive, I think we should all keep that…
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…
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…
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…
Finding Inspiration with Tom Randall by Luke Mehall
I don’t have climbing heroes, because, to paraphrase The Big Lebowski, what’s a hero, anyway? There are a few…
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…
Elegy For The (Apparent) Last True Dirtbag (a poem)
Ring the bells in elegy For the last engine Of the last Saturn On (semi) permanent loan From the buddy…
A Knot Like Infinity by North Bennett
Fifteen meters up Rutabaga, a moderate 5.9 splitter at the base of Squamish, BC’s Stawamus Chief, stretches a traverse between…
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…
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…
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…
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…
The Art of Being Crusty by Luke Mehall
Me and my higher self, We often would speak Somehow we lost the connection, Might meet at Joshua Tree —Nas,…
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…
Get Sends or Die Tryin’ by Devin Dabney
The distinction between a “climber” and “someone who climbs” has always fascinated me; it’s a nuance I’ve observed throughout a…
Tides by Sarah Carr (a poem)
Curled into the bench seat like astronauts they hurtled through the dark, stars hanging low outside the dust-dimmed beam of…
Project Belayers: The Real Heroes at the Crag by Tanager
There’s a lot of information out there about how to belay, and sure, the mechanics of holding a rope are…
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…
A Climber In The Winter of His Content by Luke Mehall
“You know there’s something special you’re needing. And you know there’s no drug that’ll do the healing, and no liquor…
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…
A Love Letter To The Firebrand by Luke Mehall
Luke reads his “Love Letter To The Firebrand” the final episode of Season 5. With a special guest surprise from…
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…
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…
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,…
22 Twos (a poem) by Luke Mehall
Seems to me like it was just 2002 And me and Two Tent Timmy Were high And soloing 5.5 He…
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…
Slab is Sexy and Inclusivity is Hot with Anna Hazelnutt
A conversation with filmmaker, climber, and lover of slab Anna Hazelnutt. Anna bridges the old school and new school with…
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…
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…
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…
The Art of The Plaque by Luke Mehall
It’s the same story the crow told me It’s the only one he knows Like the morning sun you’ll come…
Close Calls, Core Shots, and Space Shots by Amanda Kiessel
It was getting dark, and I was wedged hot dog–style in a two-man tent between two college boys who hadn’t…
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…
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…
So You Got Your Knee Stuck by Kaya Lindsay
“There’s someone on that off-width you wanted to do.” I pause—midstride—and look up to see someone hanging out halfway…
Basaseachi by Matt Spohn
The teenage Federale slings his machine gun over his shoulder and bends toward my bag. Cocaine? he asks. Marijuana? I…
Evening Sends and Resistance Climbing with Andrew Bisharat
A conversation with writer, climber, and podcaster Andrew Bisharat. Andrew is a major part of the award winning film Resistance…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Exploring The Lines of Climbing and Writing with Greg Pettys
A conversation with my brother from another, Greg Pettys. Greg is an original contributor to The Climbing Zine, and though…
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…
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…
Five Rings by Alex Johnson (a poem)
Five hundred words… A blip, a blurb, Of every send and every slip And every crimp and every clip That…
Luke Mehall is on Substack
My dear friend Gregory Pettys insisted I check out Substack, and though I’ve only been dabbling for a week, I…
New Potrero State of Mind design
Our new Potrero State of Mind design is now available in stickers and shirts. Designed by Mallory Logan of RoShamBo,…
The Roots of The Zine with Bryant Aucoin of Sticker Art
A conversation with my dear friend Bryant Aucoin, of Stickerart.com from his podcast, “So What Do You Like To Do”.…
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,…
“Zine Thing” in Telluride, Colorado
We are hosting a “Climbing Zine Thing” on Thursday, August 10th at Jagged Edge Mountain Gear. Stories, poetry, and a…
Be The GOAT Shirt Drop
We’re trying out something new today, with the release of our new Be The Goat shirt, designed by Mike Handzlik,…
ASCA: Making a World of Difference with Nate Liles
The American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA) is the leading bolt replacement group in the United States. This conversation with Nate…
Keeping The Zine Alive with The Runout
A conversation about keeping our printed zine alive with our friends at The Runout. Big thanks to Andrew Bisharat and…
To Live and Die in Yosemite
Luke Mehall reads his essay, “To Live and Die in Yosemite” published in The Climbing Zine Volume 23. Zine links:…
Volume 23 Now Available to Order
Volume 23 is now available to order! Order/ subscribe here Cover photo of Kaya Lindsay on Whipping Boy by Mary…
Volume 23 Release Party at the Gravity Lab: June 28th
These days the publication of each and every zine is a small miracle. And, for the publication of Volume 23…
On Mole with Mark Grundon
Our second episode recorded in El Potrero Chico, Mexico, is with Mark Grundon. Mark and Luke have been friends for…
On Mountains and Hardware (a reply) by Luke Mehall
My phone was blowing up before I even read the editorial. Last week the Dana Johnson of the group Wilderness…
Sueños de Altura en Mexico with Becky Zunigar
Our first episode recorded in El Potrero Chico, Mexico is with Becky Zunigar, who is the producer of the film…
Squeak Combo Now Available
The Squeak Goes Adventuring package. Children’s books for ages 2 and up. Written by D. Scott Borden and illustrated by…
The Climbing Zine Book in Paperback is Here
The original Climbing Zine Book is now available in paperback! The Climbing Zine began as a modest, stapled together, black…
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…
A Dirtbag Gets a Vasectomy Part 3: Let’s Talk About Sex by Luke Mehall
Just over seven months ago I got a vasectomy, and I promised myself I’d document the process. Surprisingly, I received…
New Option for our Current Subscribers to Support The Zine + Get Hooked Up
As we are embarking on our “keep the zine alive” campaign to add 2,000 new subscribers, many of our current…
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…
Celebrating 24 Years with The Knot of Infinity by Luke Mehall
Exactly 24 years ago today is when I mark my official start as a climber: 4-20-99. I finally mastered the…
The Climbing Zine Book 2, Now Available to Order
The Climbing Zine Book 2, filled with favorite stories from Volumes 1 – 13, plus color photos. Note: this is…
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…
Projecting Is Just Waiting by Brittany Goris (a poem)
Banner photo: The author on her winter project, Crystal Dawn (5.13d), Red Rocks, Nevada by Max Barlerin Waiting for a…
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…
Drifter Shoots, A Photo Essay by Isaac Wright
I was told it must’ve been awful for a person like me to spend the large majority of days locked…
10 – Season 4 – So You Got Your Knee Stuck by Kaya Lindsay
Our final episode for Season 4 is a story read by Kaya Lindsay. This story was published in Volume 22…
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…
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…
9 – Season 4 – Finding Nuggets in The Climbing World, A Conversation with Steven Dimmitt
Two podcasts at once! I chat with Steven Dimmitt of the popular Nugget Climbing Podcast. We take turns interviewing each…
TC, The OG, our conversation with Tommy Caldwell
TC, The OG, a conversation with Tommy Caldwell dropped this week on our DSOM podcast. We have an interesting, wide…
Staying Hungry on The Salathe by Brittany Goris (an excerpt)
“Keep dreamin’, stay hungry, and remember that there is no finish line.” This quote by Todd Skinner in the opening…
Not for Me to Wonder Why: An Early Ascent of The Naked Edge with Layton Kor by Pat Ament
“I am glad / For every thought that puts my memory / On my past time.” —Michelangelo This piece…
8 – Season 4 – Creeksgiving
Mehall reads the essay “Creeksgiving”. A tale of the old school celebration in the Super Bowl campground. Check out some…
The ’59 Sound, Remembering Eric Klimt by Kathy Karlo
“Get outside. It’s where the good stuff is happening.” In loving memory of Eric Klimt (February 8, 1980 – March…
7 – Season 4 – Back To The Gravity Lab, A Conversation with Sebastiaan Zuidweg
A conversation with Sebastiaan Zuidweg about building a climbing gym from scratch. Gravity Lab opens up in Durango, Colorado this…
6 – Season 4 – Adventures With Two Tent Timmy (Zine Classic)
Adventures With Two Tent Timmy is a zine classic, that will be republished in The Climbing Zine Book 2, now…
Volume 22 – Now Available to Order (plus new annual subscription option with auto renew)
Cover photo of Dave Marcinowski and Luke Mehall on Franklin’s Tower by Jake Burchmore Here’s a look at the story…
5 – Season 4 – Women’s Stories at the Heart of Yosemite Climbing, A Conversation with Lauren DeLaunay Miller
Our second episode from the El Cap Meadow with Lauren DeLaunay Miller. Lauren was a contributor to Volume 12 of…
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…
A Dirtbag Gets A Vasectomy (Part 2) by Luke Mehall
Here I am again writing because of a promise I made to myself. I am just over a week out…
A Dirtbag Gets A Vasectomy by Luke Mehall
Yesterday I got a vasectomy. It was one of those procedures I’d built up a lot in my head; partially…
4 – Season 4 – The GOAT: A Conversation with Beth Rodden
Luke sits down with Beth Rodden in the El Cap Meadow, during the Yosemite Facelift. Beth contributed an essay called…
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…
Microdose Mixtape Teaser: Twenty Two 2s
I’ve been working on my first ever “mixtape” – a collection of my poetry, paired with music from Devin Dabney.…
Microdose Mixtape: Twenty Two 2s
I’ve been working on my first ever “mixtape” – a collection of my poetry, paired with music from Devin Dabney.…
Grateful Hussle
For 20 years Luke Mehall, publisher of The Climbing Zine has been writing climbing poems. In 2020 he’s decided to…
3 – Season 4 – How To Cry on a Mountain with Jennaye Derge and Marcus Garcia
Jennaye Derge is our special guest host for this conversation with Marcus Garcia. In this episode they discuss Marcus’s passion…
24 Hours of Vegas by Luke Mehall
The best thing about America is that it gives you space. I like that. I like that you buy into…
2 – Season 4 – The Vulnerable Warrior: A Conversation with Stacy Bare
Stacy Bare is author of two popular Zine stories, including Climbing Past War, published in The Climbing Zine Book. Luke…
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…
Keep The Zine Alive: Things You Can Do To Help
We are in the middle of our KEEP THE ZINE alive campaign, well, at the beginning really. The goal is…
1 – Season 4 – A Dirtbag with a Dream: A Conversation with Brittany Goris
Brittany Goris has contributed to the last two issues of The Climbing Zine, and her spirit matches our mission. We…
Sugar Daddy 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…
10 – Season 3 – Dancing With The Queen, PART 2
Part 2 of Dancing With The Queen read and written by Luke Mehall, published in Volume 22 of The Climbing…
9 – Season 3 – Dancing With The Queen, PART 1
Volume 22 of The Climbing Zine is off the printer, and into the mail. This story, Dancing With The Queen…
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…
Keep The Zine Alive (We Need Your Help) **with update**
***UPDATED on 6/7 WITH NEW NUMBERS**** This year has started off a bit rocky for our print publication. Our print…
Show Up As You Are: The Rise of a Routesetter by Devin Dabney
The Factory Bouldering Gym in Orange, California, was by no means small, but it felt small that day. In addition…
8 – Season 3 – The Low Key Legend: A Conversation with Jimmie Dunn
Jimmie Dunn is a climbing legend. On El Capitan he succeeded with Cosmos where Royal Robbins, Yvon Chouinard, and Jim…
The Zine on the End of Climbing Magazine in Print
Last weekend I learned of the demise of Climbing magazine in print, as everyone else did: on the internet. I…
Write or Die by Luke Mehall
Note: this piece was originally published in the Durango Telegraph newspaper. After a decade plus of writing for The Telegraph,…
7 – Season 3 – American Climber (Zine Classic)
For this episode, we look back at a classic chapter from American Climber, Luke Mehall’s 2016 memoir, and the subject…
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…
The Dirtbag Is Dead + Doomed (new stickers and shirts)
Remember when, a while back, some prominent climbers were proclaiming, “the dirtbag is dead”? Well, they were right, it is.…
6 – Season 3 – From Dirtbag to Director of an MBA: A Conversation with Scott Borden
Luke sits down with Scott Borden, a friend and climbing partner of 20 years. Scott is a prolific contributor to…
Rogue Hoes and Gargoyles; Trail Building in The Creek by Luke Mehall
If there’s a hill I’m willing to die on, it’s in the land we call Indian Creek, a part of…
Celebrate 10 Years of The Zine: Western Colorado University, Gunnison, Colorado March 31st
What once started as a stapled together black and white zine, has evolved into the last independent rock climbing print…
Put ‘We The People’ in Outdoor Retailer (An Open Letter To The Organizers Of The OR Show)
I don’t really have the time to write this article about Outdoor Retailer—as a small business owner the little voice…
5 – Season 3 – Spring Cracks by Luke Mehall
“The same thing that makes you live, can kill you in the end” – Neil Young. Luke Mehall reads his…
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…
4 – Season 3 – The Art of The First Ascent by Luke Mehall
Luke Mehall reads his essay, “The Art of The First Ascent”, first published in Volume 15 of The Climbing Zine.…
3 – Season 3 – Working Hard for Bears Ears National Monument, A Conversation with Erik Murdock
Erik Murdock is the Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs at the Access Fund and a key player in…
2 – Season 3 – Who Came First The Dirtbag or The Van Lifer? A Conversation with Kaya Lindsay
The second episode of Season 3 is a conversation with Kaya Lindsay, from One Chick Travels. Kaya is a contributor…
Volume 21 now available to order
Volume 21 is here. Cover shot of Brittany Goris by Garet Bleir Five Rings by Alex Johnson The Art of…
If Your Dream Came True Would You Want It Then? by Luke Mehall
I’ve spent much of my adult life working towards a dream—a writing dream, infused with climbing—that has largely come true.…
1 – Season 3 – TC the OG, A Conversation with Tommy Caldwell
Season 3 is here and we’re kicking it off with our conversation with Tommy Caldwell. Big thanks to Shaun Matusewicz…
Cabin Fever and the Dawn Wall by Luke Mehall
This winter I’ve had the fever. No, not the fever for more cowbell, or the fever from COVID (thankfully), but…
Bonus Episode – The Art of Being Crusty
Another bonus episode, Luke Mehall reads a story from Volume 21 of The Climbing Zine. (Photo of Hobo Greg by…
Bonus Episode – A Climber In The Winter of His Content
Luke Mehall reads a piece of his, about some winter climbing adventures and first ascents in Indian Creek. This piece…
Our Climbing Children’s Book: Squeak Goes Climbing in Yosemite National Park
UPDATE: the second edition of Squeak! has been released. Same great story, with a couple updates, including The Climbers Pact…
22 – Season 2 – One More Creeksgiving
A bonus episode to wrap up 2021, about Mehall’s experience at this year’s Creeksgiving, in Indian Creek, Bears Ears National…
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…
21 – Season 2 – Get Sends and Keep Writing with Devin Dabney
For our final conversation in 2021, Luke chats with Devin Dabney, who is a Senior Contributor to The Climbing Zine.…
20 – Season 2 – The Climbing Advocate Podcast with Peter Horgan
This fall I sat down with Peter Horgan, from The Climbing Advocate Podcast, in a camper in Indian Creek. We…
One More Creeksgiving by Luke Mehall
Once upon a time, my crew was wild AF. And that wildness would often come to a climax on Thanksgiving,…
19 – Season 2 – The Climber’s Writer: Lucas Roman
Lucas Roman has emerged as one of the best climbing writers in the last couple years. Luke met up with…
18 – Season 2 – From The Creek to The Capitol with Chris Schulte
Chris Schulte is one of the more prolific contributors to The Zine, and we sat down in Durango for a…
17 – Season 2 – Live From Durango
The pandemic shut down live events for a long time, and it was terrible timing as we wanted to celebrate…
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…
16 – Season 2 – An Interview with Mike “The Mayor” Shaw
A conversation from Indian Creek with my friend Mike “The Mayor” Shaw. Mike is a longtime contributor to The Zine,…
15 – Season 2 – The Dirtbag Dream Is Not Enough with Clipping Chains
A conversation with Chad Andrews of Clipping Chains. Luke Mehall reflects on the origin story of his writing and The…
14 – Season 2 – An Interview with Chris Kalous
Seven years after Luke Mehall appeared on The Enormocast he turns the tables on Chris Kalous for an interview. The…
13 – Season 2 – An Interview with Kris Hampton
We are back, with our first in the interview series of Season 2. Luke sits down with Kris Hampton of…
The Zine’s Complete Package
The Climbing Zine creates stories for all our readers; whether you’re able to pay to read them or not. Most…
…and now for a poem: The Last Dance
A little something while you wait on the rest of Season 2. A poem: The Last Dance Support The Zine…
Epilogue – Season 2
An epilogue for Season 2. Producer Chad Reich brightens our spirits. Plus some words for our dear friend Dan Escalante…
12 – Season 2 – The Big Block and The Big Fall
In the final episode wrapping up The Desert, a big block, and a big fall. Plus the beauty of leaving.…
11 – Season 2 – Traces of Blood and a Whack President
Contemplating Bears Ears National Monument, and the whack president that tried to shrink it. Plus, traces of blood in Castle…
Zine Thing in Crested Butte: Celebrating 20 Volumes
What once started as a stapled together black and white zine has turned into a worldwide leading climbing publication. And,…
10 – Season 2 – The True Self and Bears Ears
As we continue on with The Desert, Mehall matches up with his project, The King, and he proclaims his love…
9 – Season 2 – King Lines and Love Letters
As Mehall continues on with reading The Desert he explores first ascents of king lines and onsight love letters. Support…
8 – Season 2 – Once In A While You Get Shown The Light
Mehall and his friends navigate new routes such as The ODB and Purple Haze and end up finding the light;…
7 – Season 2 – Superette Crack and The Last Dirtbag
Mehall continues to work on new routes, finds some dead ends, and meets a new friend who becomes part of…
6 – Season 2 – Bad Bolts and New Lines
The craft of replacing bad bolts leads to the adventure of opening new lines. Support The Zine + our podcast…
5 – Season 2 – The Sound of Silence
Mehall begins going down the rabbit hole of finding new routes with his best of friends. Support The Zine +…
Overstoker Package – Everything Zine
Introducing a new package for those of you who MUST have “Everything Climbing Zine“. Here’s a list of what is…
4 – Season 2 – Write On, Climb On
As we continue on with The Desert, Mehall reflects on his writing heroes, and commits to the climbing and writing…
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…
Volume 20 Now Available + a “Word” from Luke Mehall
Everything come back around full circle Why do lies sound pleasant but the truth hurtful? Everybody gotta cry once in…
3 – Season 2 – Powders of Persuasion
Fight for your right! Powders of Persuasion and of course, the Shit Tent. Support The Zine + our podcast by…
2 – Season 2 – Fear and Climbing in Grand Junction
Our second episode for Season 2. We are continuing on with The Desert, as the author explores the climbing around…
1 – Season 2 – The Desert and The Dog, Season 2 Premier
We’re back baby! Season 2 kicks off with “The Desert and The Dog” the beginning of The Desert. Support The…
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…
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…
Walls (Season 2 Teaser)
We are hard at work getting Season 2 ready for your ears. In the meantime here’s a poem: Walls, by…
Freedom Freeing: The New Sport Sweeping the American Climbing Scene
A new sport is captivating the nation, smash climbing records, and overcoming the issue of being old and washed up.…
Sick Brah: The Ineloquence of Talking About The Outdoors by Brendan Leonard
You, outdoor recreator, are probably quite educated: bachelor’s degree, possibly a master’s degree or PhD. You wore a cap and…
Volume 19 – now available to order / or subscribe for 2 years for $37.99
Although the issue was delayed by COVID, we’re proud to announce that Volume 19 is now off the press. Banner…
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…
The Zine Now Available in Europe
As The Zine grows in popularity we have seen more and more interest from our European readers. We are psyched…
30 – Grateful Hussle, Season 1 Finale
Our final episode for Season 1. Shout outs for the climbing podcasts that inspired us, plus Mehall reads his poem Grateful…
An Open Letter To The Buttermilks by Georgie Abel
An Open Letter to the Buttermilks by Georgie Abel Photos by Tristan Greszko Dear person who climbed the Peabody boulders at…
29 – Silent Partners
A remembrance of our fallen comrades, as well as the long gone friendships. Originally published in The Climbing Zine Book.…
Friction Season in Germany by Tanager
My left hand cups a full undercling while my right shades the sun from my eyes. Above me, the short…
28 – Somewhere in Between Dreams and Smog is Love
Mehall gets a reminder of what life is like without climbing when he is suffering from some bad tendonitis. Stuck…
26 – Twenty Four Hours of Vegas
Mehall and his friends come up with a way to enjoy a long multi-pitch adventure in Red Rocks, near Las…
Climber Gratitude (I MISS + I AM GRATEFUL 4) by Luke Mehall and Jake Burchmore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4215PT2n1R8 Dedicated to Mehall’s fiancee Amber DeHerrera and all the medical professionals out there fighting COVID (and everything else).
25 – Adventures in (Dirtbag) House Sitting
Three years of dirtbag house sitting adventures in Durango. All to keep the climbing and writing dreams alive. This story…
24 – Adventures with Two Tent Timmy
Luke takes us on some adventures with Two Tent Timmy, his best friend since high school, and climbing inspiration. This…
23 – This Is Buildering
A story about buildering. Originally published in Mehall’s first book: Climbing Out of Bed. Names changed to protect the guilty.…
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…
22 – Wide Eyes, High Times, and Hard Times, A Story of Climbing With Mark Grundon
Adventures with Mark Grundon, a climber with an infinite amount of energy, who endures an avalanche and cancer all while…
21 – The Painted Wall
Luke and Dave cruise The Cruise in The Black Canyon, and then on the Painted Wall, Colorado’s tallest wall, well,…
20 – Everybody Poops in Indian Creek with Tim Foulkes
Everybody poops, including us in Indian Creek. Luke and Tim Foulkes discuss a variety of Indian Creek issues: first ascents,…
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…
19 – Climbing, All The Way To The Moon
Season Finale. Mehall goes all in on new routes in Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument; following the adventure all…
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…
Letter To The Zine by Crystal Presnell
In the mail that day came The Climbing Zine. It was addressed to Alyssa. I knew she wouldn’t mind me…
18 – Love, Passion, and New Routes in Indian Creek / Bears Ears
Luke Mehall explores Indian Creek, Utah for new routes; the land now part of Bears Ears National Monument. In the…
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…
17 – Remembering Adam Lawton / Sending the Salathe Wall on El Capitan
Remembering our friend Adam Lawton. Finally getting a job in Durango. Getting The Zine going, and eventually having success on…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
Just A Climber, For Bears Ears…BLOOPER reel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ises1elSYiY Greg Cairns and Luke Mehall joke that it took them 2 years to create the 3 minute film, Just…
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…
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaOLHaq8aVE Footage shot by Jake Burchmore, an outtake from Grateful Hussle
I MISS + I AM GRATEFUL 4 by Luke Mehall
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NnqBUiKnmM 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…
Purple Reign finger crack
Footage from Purple Reign, a climb that Luke Mehall and Dave Marcinowski established in Indian Creek, Bears Ears National Monument.…
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…
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…
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…
The Great American Dirtbags
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xto72JlMCeo The Great American Dirtbags is Luke Mehall’s second book. This promo was shot by Greg Cairns.
Grateful Hussle – Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76-aB_lPoF4 For 20 years Luke Mehall has been writing climbing poems, and in 2020 he’s decided to give the writers…
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…
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…
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYfI5uhtMn8 The Climbing Zine is celebrating our 10th anniversary by releasing a Climbing Zine Book featuring the best essays from…
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…
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,…
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.
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…
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…
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.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B32pcIopo_Q Luke Mehall cleaning a loose rock while establishing a climb called Help On The Way in Indian Creek, Utah.…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
Luke reads The Climbing Zine 1 of 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMCT7FBRda4 Publisher of The Climbing Zine, Luke Mehall, reads from Volume 16. Inspired by Mr. Rogers! One of six in…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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:…
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…