Common Climber articles

Writings are listed alphabetically. Titles that begin with "A" are listed under "A" and "The" are listed under "T."

A Unique, Big City Crag: Buenos Aires, Argentina Climbing (By Stefani Dawn) You’ve probably never seen a crag like this one!
Anti-Social Climbers - (by Leesa Gallia) - A humorous poem about climbing addiction.
Backpacker/Trad Climber Tries Alpine: The Mt. Ogden Spanking (Part 1) (by Stefani Dawn) - An experienced backpacker and multipitch trad climber forays into to world of alpine climbing and learns that alpine climbing is more than the sum of its parts.
Backpacker/Trad Climber Tries Alpine: The Mount Whitney Whipping (Part 2) (by Stefani Dawn) - Mt. Ogden (Part 1) was training for Mt. Whitney. The author applied what she learned from the Mt. Ogden experience to Whitney and...
Bliss: Climbing in the Blueys (by Stefani Dawn) - Epics, mini-epics, near-epics, and zones of craptitude make for good stories...But, most of the time things are pretty dang chill. Fun. Enjoyable. Cool. Sometimes there is even bliss.
Bolting and Ground-fall Potential (by Stefani Dawn) - Learn how to visually determine whether a bolted sport climb is poorly protected.
Bouldering for Beginners: Fear of Falling (by Stephanie Bahnsen) - How do you overcome the fear of falling when bouldering? By learning how to fall correctly.
Bouldering Grade Advancements (by Stephanie Bahnsen) - A few simple tips to climb a harder grade. But in our rush to improve, there are a couple realities that we often ignore...
Bouldering: JTree Made Me Do It (by Stefani Dawn) - The author has been rock climbing since 2007 and has intended to boulder, but other than an occasional gym session, never seemed to get around to it - until now -- "JTree made me do it."
California Still has Untouched Climbing Wilderness (by Brice Pollock) - Brice takes you on an adventure up Mattes Crest in the High Sierras of California and shows how California still has remote, high quality climbing adventures.
CLIMBING CHECK LIST
Work your way down the list and hit every single climbing area in a state that has more than 40 climbs! The list shows the number of climbs that are bouldering, sport, or trad.
- Climbing Areas in the U.S.: Part 1: Alabama to California
- Climbing Areas in the U.S.: Part 2: Colorado to Michigan
Climbing Drinking Games (by Stefani Dawn) - Have a little fun with: Guidebook Roulette; 15 Minutes My A**! and "Nice!" at the Crag.
Climbing through Family Stages (by Lani Wilson) - Tips for climbing through pregnancy, toddlers, and beyond. Having children doesn't have to stop you - find out how to keep going!
Carabiner Strength Ratings (by Juan Rodriguez) - A helpful tutorial on carabiner strength ratings and why those ratings are important.
Climbing, Community, and the U.S. Presidential Election (by Stefani Dawn) - A rock climber explores the importance of rock climbing and community in light of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election.
Climbing Gyms: The Gateway Drug (by Stefani Dawn) – WARNING: Climbing may be addictive. Sort of.
A Climber's Hands (By David Barnes) - A climber's hands are conductors which earth us as we climb. Our feet back them up. A climber’s hands are the touch-stone of our climbing lives. If you’re into tender and supple hands, don’t take up climbing.
Climbing Resolutions: A New Year's Conversation with Myself (by Stefani Dawn) - A climber has a New Year's conversation with herself...Can you relate?
Climbing into the Fold (by Juan Rodriguez) - How climbing and the people of climbing helped restore one person’s faith in himself and humanity.
Diversity in Climbing (& the Outdoors) is Not a Bandwagon (By Stefani Dawn) - Diversity is not a bandwagon. Bandwagon implies short-lived popularity. This is a movement to create some needed shifts in our sociological landscape. So what are some things we can do as this landscape changes?
Don't Take Granite for Granite (by Stefani Dawn) - Every new crag and rock type brings a unique experience. But one type of rock - granite - is the most unpredictable.
Dorothy, We Aren't On Havanah Anymore (by Stefani Dawn) - Have you ever gotten on the wrong climb and realized it a little too late?
El Capitan (By Enock Glidden) - Enock, a paraplegic climber with Spina Bifida, takes us on his journey to climb El Capitan in Yosemite, CA.
Fuck "Gumbies" and "Noobs" (By Stefani Dawn) - I’m just going to say it. Fuck “gumbies” and “noobs.” No, I’m not talking about the people that these words supposedly personify. I’m talking about those words.
Guide Books Follies (by Stefani Dawn) - Ever had an epic (or a mini) because a guidebook left out important information?
HARNESSES (Reviews)
- Arc'teryx FL-365 - ultra thin, ultra light harness.
- Misty Mountain, Cadillac Quick Adjust - broad, padded style harness with lots of gear loops.
Ice is Nice, Wetter Isn't Better (By Leesa Gallia) - A humorous ode to ice climbing.
Improv at JTree: Three Characters Attack Bad Bolts With Humor, A Device, and Dedication (By Stefani Dawn) - Joshua Tree has been around a long time, and so have many of its bolts. Kevin, John, and "IE," a lean, mean bolt-replacing team, would joke that those things haven't been around as long as they have...
Introduction to Climbing Shoes: Selecting a Fit (by Juan Rodriguez) – Climbers are often given the advice to buy a tight-fitting climbing shoe. Find out why this might not be your best choice.
It's a F-ing Chimney (By Stefani Dawn) - I used to avoid chimneys like the plague. If a route description said chimney, I’d move on to find a different route. Here’s why...
Joshua Tree: Heinous Approaches (by Stefani Dawn) - When boulderfield meets desert the approach can be unpredictable - sometimes it's no big deal, sometimes "hell boulderado."
Joshua Tree: The Bolting Pressure Cooker (by Stefani Dawn) - Meet Farai and Kelly, "new school" route developers in Joshua Tree. For some, using the words “new-school,” “route development”, and “Joshua Tree” all in the same sentence can be hair-raising/red-flag inducing/trouble-making. For others it elicits great relief and gratitude. What exactly does “new school” mean in JTree?
Kevin Powell: Photos, First Ascents, and Finding Joy (By Stefani Dawn) - He stood on the 5.10 JTree slab, 20 feet up, and drilled the first bolt. This is not your get it over in 15 seconds with a power drill, this is with a hand drill...on lead... slip in these helmet-less days would result in carnage no one wanted to see or experience.
LOCATION (Information & Reviews)
- Here it is! A check list of U.S. climbing areas that have at least 40 routes and shows the number of sport, trad, and bouldering climbs in each area. Use it to plan or check off where you've been!
- Arizona
  - Queen Creek, AZ - A sport crag with spires and canyons of welded tuff located 65 miles east of Phoenix, AZ.
- Australia
  - Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, Australia - Located smack-dab in the middle of the city, Kangaroo Point is an urban crag with amenities, a view of downtown, and mostly sport single-pitch climbs on rhyolite.
  - Nowra, New South Wales, Australia: Yeahs and Neahs - Located about 2.5 hours south of Sydney, Nowra is a sport climber's haven.
  - Blue Mountains, Australia - The Blue Mountains are located 1.5-2 hours north of Sydney, Australia. An incredible expanse of sandstone climbing, the Blue Mountains offer everything from single pitch sport cragging to super-long trad multi-pitch. But there is more to the Blue Mountains - some pretty unique characteristics that aren't really found in the U.S.
- California
  - Joshua Tree
  - Mt. Whitney: [ Mt. Whitney Whipping ] [ Photos and Beta ]
- Mexico - Potrero Chico Review - Yeahs and Neahs - Located about 1 hour outside of Monterrey near Hidalgo.
- Idaho - City of Rocks and Castle Rocks - Yeahs and Neahs - Located in south-central Idaho near the Utah border.
- Nevada
  - Red Rock Canyon - Yeahs and Neahs - Sandstone climbing located outside of Las Vegas
  - The Gun Club - Yeahs and Neahs - Ever wonder what a rainy day (or post rainy day) alternative is for climbing when you are out in Vegas and can't climb Red Rock Canyon?
  - Keyhole Canyon, NV - A granite traditional crag 40 miles south of Las Vegas.
- New Hampshire
  - North Conway, NH - THE classic traditional climbing corridor of New England located on the northeast side of the White Mountains in New Hampshire (about 2.5 NW of Boston. MA). Find out whether this area Rocks! is Worth It!, Meh or Forget About It! as well as tips, yeahs, and neahs.
  - Rumney, NH: Yeahs and Neahs - Sport climbing on schist in southern end of the White Mountains in East-Central New Hampshire. Find out whether this area Rocks! is Worth It!, Meh or Forget About It! as well as tips, yeahs, and neahs.
- New York
  - The Gunks Review - Yeahs and Neahs - The Gunks are a world-class traditional climbing area located about 2 hours north of New York City. Find out tips, yeahs, and neahs.
- Oregon
  - Smith Rock - Yeahs and Neahs - Located near Terrbonne, OR in east, central Oregon (not far from Bend, OR), about 3 hours from Portland.
  - Spring Mountain - Yeahs and Neahs - Located in northeast Oregon between Pendleton and La Grande.
  - Trout Creek, OR - Yeahs and Neahs - Located in central Oregon east of the Cascades near Warm Springs, about 2.5 hours SE of Portland. About 40 minutes from Smith Rock.
- Utah
  - Echo Canyon - Yeahs and Neahs - Located about 45 minutes - 1 hour east of Salt Lake City.
  - Ferguson Canyon - Yeahs and Neahs - Located in Cottonwood Heights about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City.
  - Ibex - Yeahs and Neahs - Located in Utah's central west desert about 40 miles from the border of Nevada.
  - Moab - Located 3.5 hours southeast of Salt Lake City, UT.
    - Main - Yeahs and Neahs - Potash Road (279 - includes Wall Street), Kane Springs Canyon (includes Ice Cream Parlor), and Route 313.
  - Maple Canyon - Yeahs and Neahs - Located on the east side of the Wasatch mountains about 100 miles south of Salt Lake City, UT.
- West Virgina
  - Seneca Rocks, WV - Located in eastern West Virginia about 3 hours from Washington D.C., Seneca Rocks is a dramatic, fin-shaped, quartzite formation that emerges from a mountainside.
Mastering Joy on Easy Street (by Stefani Dawn) - Sometimes there are moments when a special experience reveals the right goals.
Mind, Body, and Soul: Bouldering and Climbing (by Jonathan) - A thoughtful piece about how rock climbing impacts the whole being - mind, body, and soul.
Multi-Pitch Tips: Why I Carry Two ATC-Style Belay Devices (by Stefani Dawn) - Some might say it's overkill, but I have two great reasons why I carry two guide-mode capable ATC belay devices on all multi-pitch climbs. One of which saves time...
My Husband Climbs Stronger Than Me - (by Stefani Dawn) - I am a woman. I’m a climber. I am strong. My husband is stronger. Is that defeatist or sexist of me to openly admit that?
My Journey to Adaptive Rock Climbing (by Enock Glidden) - Enock shares path of exploration, determination, and perseverance to let no fences stop him from adventure, including climbing.
No Health Insurance Changed How I Climb (by Stefani Dawn) - When my husband and I quit our jobs and started our own rock climbing-related business, we lost our health insurance. This definitely impacted how we approached our climbing (and some of it's embarrassingly funny).
Of Cartoons and Quickdraws (by Juan Rodriguez) - A climber has a Wile E. Coyote moment as he is suspended mid-fall, in disbelief, quickdraw in hand.
Onsight vs. Flash vs. Redpoint vs. Pinkpoint vs. Tronsight - (by Stefani Dawn) An incredibly serious tongue-in-cheek discussion about the nuanced differences between these "you either did it -- or you didn't" sending terms.
PERSONAL ANCHOR SYSTEM REVIEWS
- CAMP, Daisy Twist - Find out why this is the author's all-time favorite PAS.
- Petzl Dual Adjust Personal Anchor System - When I first discovered the Petzl Dual Adjust personal anchor system (PAS) I thought I was in PAS heaven...I loved it - until I bought one and used it.
PACK/BAG REVIEWS
- Sukoa Chalk Bag Review - Is there a chalk bag that really outdoes the others? Why yes there is. Find out why.
- Trango Crag Pack - Find out why this reviewer wonders why she waited so long to buy a crag-specific pack.
Push and Pull (by Grey Hensley) - There is a common misperception that climbing uses all of our muscles. It doesn’t. Ignoring those other muscles can affect climbing performance. Find out how to easily fix it.
Rock Star Groupie (by Stefani Dawn) - A climber finds herself following a route-setting rock star. Who is it and why?
Rope Buying 101 (By Stefani Dawn) - A frank guide (based on experience) to buying your first rock climbing rope and the why’s to back it up.
Sketchy Anchor Bolts! (by Stefani Dawn) - Sometimes you reach the top of a climb and the anchor bolts are super sketchy. What do you do besides cross your fingers and hope for the best?
Sliding-x Anchor (by Stefani Dawn) - Video and photo tutorial on how to build this useful anchor.
Snakes and Ladders (By David Barnes) - Australia – the land where walking out your front door means you may be bitten, stung, or even killed by any number of critters. Now try it on a climb...
Social Climbing Networks Come to the Aid of Lonely Climber (by Stefani Dawn) - Mountain Project and Meetup.com save a lonely climber.
Sorcerer and the Kidney Stone (By Stefani Dawn) - Ow… ow…. Owwwwwww…. I sure as shit am not going to die on Necromancer – the dark black patina-covered wall in Red Rock Canyon named after a person who communicates with the dead…
Starting Over (by Stefani Dawn) - We all love climbing. We are dedicated to it. We’d do it every day if we could. But face it, we’ve all been there - be it from injury, work demands, location, or lack of partners – we have to start over, again, and again, and again. And it sucks every… single…time...
The Bane of Northwest Climbing (by Stefani Dawn) - @#$% moss! Enough said.
The Devil’s Game (by Grey Hensley) - Buddha versus the devil...Improve your climbing by letting a little bit of your devil out!
The Euro-Death Knot is NOT (by Rick Momsen) - Shrouded in myth, misnomers, and misinformation, the Euro-Death Knot (Flat Overhand Bend) is NOT a death knot. Simply stated it is a quick, safe, and easy way to join two ropes together for a rappel.
The ONE Item to Stockpile (by Stefani Dawn) - As climbers we love our equipment, but of all the gear we use there is ONE item worth stockpiling.
The Taste of Climbing: The Third Sense (By David Barnes) - A climber describes climbing from a unique perspective - taste.
Things of Stone and Wood (by Dave Barnes) - A tree is lodged smack-dab in the middle of Dave’s new climb. The author struggles with whether to remove the tree of leave it, taking us on a thoughtful journey of trees and climbing.
Three Ways to Use a Stick Clip (By Stefani Dawn and Rick Momsen) - A photo and video tutorial on how to use a stick clip to: (1) Clip a draw (with the rope) to the first bolt (the basic clip); (2) Insert the rope into an empty draw already on a bolt; and (3) Remove a draw from an overhead bolt.
Todd Gordon (by Stefani Dawn) - “We had teenie weenies and big egos!” he said with animation and a Cheshire grin. This is Todd Gordon, the rock climbing "mayor" of Joshua Tree.
Tony Calderone (by Stefani Dawn) - Perseverance. Tenacity. Grit. Commitment. Transformation. These are the words that describe what I know of Tony Calderone. Controversial. Opinionated. And, perhaps a few other choice words, also float around the rock-climbing ethers of his stomping grounds in Utah and Idaho. Who is Tony Calderone?
Top 10: Climbing Best Practices (by Stefani Dawn) - Being a better climber doesn't mean crushing the hardest grades, it means consistently using best practices. Find out the TOP 10!
Top 10: Increase the Climbing Grade When... (by Stefani Dawn) - A climber ponders climbing grades and invents a new game…Increase the climbing grade when...
Trad Climbing is for Chicken Sh*#s (by Stefani Dawn) - A trad climber, who is on the lower end of the bravery scale, explains why trad climbing is good for those who get scared easily.
Training for Mt. Rainier: Adaptive Climbing (by Enock Glidden) - Training and planning for a mountaineering expedition requires a lot no matter what, but when you are an adaptive climber it becomes a whole new level of dedication and effort.
Vedauwoo, Wyoming: Inverted Offwidth, Cracks and a Chimney – Oh My! (by Melissa Kline) - A climber shares her offwidth, crack, and chimney experience in the mystical place that is Vedauwoo.
Welcome Dave Barnes! - In August 2019 Dave Barnes joined Common Climber as an Assistant Editor. Stefani Dawn, the Creator and Editor-in-Chief, introduces Dave and shares the story of how Dave has woken her from her slumber.
Which Way Should I Carry My Trad Rack? (by Stefani Dawn) - Any f'n way you want! This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of three different ways to carry a trad rack. Choose the way that works for you.
Why I Started Common Climber (by Stefani Dawn) - If the only voice and messages we receive about what being a climber means are the ones we receive from the popular climbing media, then we will almost always be disappointed in ourselves.
WTF 5.7? (by Stefani Dawn) - Some climbing grades, more so than others, are simply unpredictable and can blind-side you.
Zone of Craptitude (by Stefani Dawn) - A climber enters the zone - a different kind of zone...
8 Reasons I Carry A Full Rack on Every Trad Climb (By Stefani Dawn) - "I stood at the bottom of that 40 foot 5.5 crack with my full double rack up to a #5 cam. My friend and climbing partner looked at me with a wry smile, pointed at my excessive gear, and said with a laugh, 'What’s all this? Is there a whole other mountain up there?'"
18 Climber Types: What Type of Climber Are You? (by Stefani Dawn) - It can be helpful to know who you are as a climber.
20 World Destinations for Adventurous Climbing (by Erin Collins) - This article takes you climbing around the world - let the adventures begin!

All Writings

The Basics