Welcome to the March-April 2023 edition of Common Climber!
We have a winner for our giveaway with ELIRA Apparel - A pair of Adam's pant and panties. Congratulations to Stacy Riggins from Indiana!
Thank you to all who participated!
Be sure to check out our Common Climber Marketplace interview of ELIRA creator Kelly McCombs.
Featured Photographer - Charlie S.
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Charlie S. is a climber, photographer, and engineer based out of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Ogden, Utah and Upstate New York.
Charlie shares his photographic and climbing story with Common Climber check it out! |
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Editorial
Welcome to the March-April 2023 edition of Common Climber!
This month's featured photographer is Charlie S. I first met Charlie back in 2016 when we both lived in Ogden, Utah. He and a friend of his, Ken Noyce, had just bolted a new line at a local crag. My husband and I happened to be there climbing and they invited me to be one of the first to climb Community Service (a spicy 5.9/17). Charlie had his camera handy and took this shot of me in my blue BD helmet. That was the last I saw of Charlie.
This month's featured photographer is Charlie S. I first met Charlie back in 2016 when we both lived in Ogden, Utah. He and a friend of his, Ken Noyce, had just bolted a new line at a local crag. My husband and I happened to be there climbing and they invited me to be one of the first to climb Community Service (a spicy 5.9/17). Charlie had his camera handy and took this shot of me in my blue BD helmet. That was the last I saw of Charlie.
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Fast forward to 2022. I came across a post on our local Las Vegas Facebook group looking for people to go to Indian Creek. I had never been, but it was on my bucket list. Indian Creek is one of those places you go with lots of people - because, unless you are independently wealthy, you need to combine racks (think 10 #2s - or whatever size cam - up a perfect splitter crack.) So I joined in. As we exchanged information, Charlie and I put two-and-two together and discovered that we had both moved to Vegas and had met previously in Ogden. Yes, the small climbing world strikes again! The second photo is one Charlie captured of me in Indian Creek struggling up an offwidth section of an amazing un-named 5.10+ (18+).
So how was Indian Creek? Challenging and amazing, to say the least. I know there is a future story to share of the experience... But, let's just say if you want to put your pure crack skills to the test, Indian Creek is the place. Check out Charlie's photos to see what I mean. One of the the things that attracts us to being climbers are the people we meet and the friends we make. We are kindred spirits. We find each other. In this edition we have a unique story that embodies this essence - A Day Out With Barnsie. Here, Keith Bell shares a special New Years he had with Common Climber's Assistant Editor Dave Barnes - aka Barnsie - and some other Aussie climbers whose faces and stories have sprung up here in our Common Climber pages. It feels so full-circle. What is especially creative in Keith's piece is the use of climb names and songs to tell the tale! I promise you have not seen anything like this. One of the things I love about Common Climbers is the diversity of stories we have to tell. James Crump takes us on another hilarious Texas climbing adventure - this time with Green Berets (an elite military group) in Hueco Tanks. And, then there is the traveling GymRhino boulder - an exact replica of the South African Rocklands V8 boulder problem, The Rhino. How you ask?? It's pretty damn cool. We also have a Marketplace interview of a woman who, in my mind, has revolutionized outdoor pants. ELIRA Apparel is designed so you don't have to take off your harness or get caught with your pants down to go to the bathroom while climbing. I sought out this interview for two reasons - I love these pants and the perseverance to her vision (she had a Kickstarter and due to the pandemic, it took her two years to fulfill the orders - she could have bailed and she didn't). The last two stories touch on a bit more of the serious side of climbing. If you have ever witnessed or been a part of a climbing accident, mental stress injuries can occur, which if unattended, can snowball and impact our ability to climb. Jamie Lange shares some very helpful information about Psychological First Aid - what it is, why we need it, and how to apply it. |
Stefani Dawn on one of the early ascents of a new line put up in Ogden, Utah by Charlie S and Ken Noyce back in 2016. (Photo Credit: Charlie S.)
Editor-in-Chief Stefani Dawn struggle-bussing up an offwidth in Indian Creek, Utah in 2022. (Photo Credit: This month's Featured Photographer Charlie S.)
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The final story takes us to Gariwerd (Grampians), Australia where upwards of 70% of the climbing - about 6,200 climbs - is now off limits. Leigh Hopkinson thoughtfully navigates us through this delicate terrain - a balancing act between climbers, traditional owners, and Parks Victoria. There is something we as a climbing community can learn from this example.
Thanks so much for hanging with us here at Common Climber! And, if you like a story or our vibe, I invite you to share us with your friends - it's the best complement you can give.
--Stef
Thanks so much for hanging with us here at Common Climber! And, if you like a story or our vibe, I invite you to share us with your friends - it's the best complement you can give.
--Stef
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Stories
Desert Special Forces Adventures: Part 1
By James Crump If you haven't read one of James Crump's larger-than-life Texas tales, then now is the time to begin. This time James takes us to Hueco Tanks, Texas (where James has numerous FAs and wrote a guidebook, BTW). On one of his trips he encounters some Green Berets and... |
A Delicate Balance - Climbers, Traditional Owners, and Parks Victoria Navigate Gariwerd (Grampians)
By Leigh Hopkinson Photos By Francesco Vicenzi Gariwerd / the Grampians National Park was once one of the best rock-climbing destinations in the world. In 2019, land manager Parks Victoria banned climbing in one third of the park to protect Aboriginal cultural heritage and the environment. Since then, most of the park – 70 per cent of routes, 6200 climbs – has been closed to climbing. Leigh Hopkinson looks back on the four-year fight for access. |
GymRhino: Africa's Most Famous Boulder Takes to the Road
By James Thurlow When James Thurlow went to the Rocklands, South Africa, he fell in love with the infamous V8/7B+ climb The Rhino. He wanted to project it, but living 6000 miles away made that task difficult. Then his partner suggested, "Why not build a replica?" And the journey to replicate The Rhino began. See how this vision came to fruition, how they have created easier versions of the climb to make it more accessible, and, if you are in Europe, how you can climb it too. |
Psychological First Aid
By Jamie Lange Whenever there is a physical injury or accident while climbing, mental stress injury can also occur. This is true not just for the injured person, but also to anyone who witnesses the event or participates in the rescue. In this article climber and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Jamie Lange shares how stress injuries can be mitigated by administering Psychological First Aid either during or immediately following exposure to psychological stress. Jamie describes what is Psychological First Aid and how it can be used to prevent the initiation of survival mode and stress injury formation. |
A Day Out with Barnsey
By Keith Bell Common Climber contributor Keith Bell has a light-hearted writing style and way with words. In this unique story he uses climb names and song titles to tell us about a fun time out with a group of friends over New Years. One of those friends is Common Climber Assistant Editor Dave Barnes - aka. Barnsey (FYI - Aussies like adding "ie/ey" to the ends of words). Barnsey is also the nick-name of a famous Australian rock-n-roll artist, which is where the song-play begins. Check out this fun story, and build in a little extra time to to hear the tunes referred to in the story - they will transport you to the Land Down Under in the most creative of ways. |
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Marketplace Interview
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Elira Apparel - No Need to Strip, Jut Unzip
Two years ago, back in January 2021, Common Climber Editor-in-Chief Stefani Dawn ran across a Kickstarter campaign for pants that allowed you to go to bathroom without having to take off your harness or pull down your pants. She loved the concept and purchased one of each style of pants offered in the Kickstarter campaign. Nearly two years later Stef finally received the pants - and was impressed - on many levels. Not only did the pants exceed Stef's expectations, she was impressed with the perseverance of the creator Kelly McCombs - who faced significant supply chain and manufacturing challenges due to the pandemic. Stef wanted to learn more and reached out to Kelly for an interview. In Common Climber Marketplace we conduct interviews of small climbing-related business owners - each owner has something unique and interesting to say... GIVEAWAY!
We have a winner for our giveaway with ELIRA Apparel - A pair of Adam's pant and panties. Congratulations to Stacy Riggins from Indiana! Thank you to all who participated! Be sure to check out our Common Climber Marketplace interview of ELIRA creator Kelly McCombs. |