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A storm settles over the Cirque of the Towers, Wind River Range, Wyoming. [Photo] Derek Franz

Wringing It Out

In this story from The Climbing Life section of Alpinist 70, Spencer Gray experiences an unusual turn of events when he gets caught in the rain on a multipitch route while climbing with a less-experienced experienced partner.

The author wearing the La Sportiva Testarossa climbing shoes at a crag near Redstone, Colorado. [Photo] Nat Gustafson

La Sportiva Testarossa: Still one of the best climbing shoes money can buy

Alpinist Digital Editor Derek Franz has been using the slightly redesigned La Sportiva Testarossa climbing shoes for the past several months and discovered what he’s been missing in his collection. He writes, “I only recently came to realize why so many of my climbing partners have been rocking the La Sportiva Testarossa for the last 17 years. I get it now!” Five stars.

A climber displays their worn tape gloves. [Photo] Andrew Burr

Tool Users: Crack Climbing Gloves

In this Tool Users story that first appeared in Alpinist 70–which is now available on some newsstands and in our online store–Mailee Hung considers the history, and the perceived absurdity, of crack climbing gloves.

Clint Helander using the Mystery Ranch Tower 47 backpack in Alaska. [Photo] Clint Helander collection

Mystery Ranch Tower 47: A dream pack for climbers who like organization

Alaskan alpinist Clint Helander tested the Mystery Ranch Tower 47 backpack for all sorts of activities. The pack is designed as a crag pack for rock climbing—for which it shines—but Helander also used it for ice climbing and skiing. The pack is big and bulky, he reports, but its durability and functionality make it worth the extra grams. Four stars.

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“A Thousand Ways to Kiss the Ground” is now available to watch with donations to the Climbing Grief Fund

Today marks the release of the long-anticipated film, “A Thousand Ways to Kiss the Ground,” directed by Henna Taylor. The film release is in conjunction with a fundraiser for the Climbing Grief Fund (CGF)–from now until July 20, people who donate $15 or more to the CGF will receive access to the film. There is also an online auction from July 7 through July 20, and discussion panels on July 9 and July 14. The film includes interviews with prominent climbers such as Alex Honnold, Lynn Hill and many more. The project’s aim was “to capture the climbing community’s collective experience of grief and loss, and the nuanced wisdom inherent in each individual’s relationship with grief.”

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. [Image] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov)

Coronavirus Update: doctors tell us what to know before going back to the crag or gym

While the number of COVID-19 cases is declining in some areas of the US, allowing more people to venture outside their homes, some other places are seeing dramatic increases in the number of infections. Meanwhile, gyms have been reopening, restless climbers are venturing out of their home bouldering caves, and many people have been asking how they can start climbing responsibly to avoid the risk of spreading the highly contagious coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a potentially fatal illness. Here is the latest information from doctors who are involved with climbing communities.

Derek Franz sets up his Zenbivy bed during a backpack trip in Colorado's Elk Range. [Photo] Mandi Franz

Zenbivy Light: A quilt that pairs with a sheet to become a cozy bed

Alpinist digital editor Derek Franz has been using the Zenbivy Light bed system for the past year. As a guy who prefers to avoid the constriction of mummy sleeping bags, he sleeps comfortably with the Zenbivy in a variety of environments. His only critique is that the setup can be a little tedious. Four stars.

This poem first appeared in Alpinist 58 (Summer 2017).

Climbing Poems by Ed Roberson

Ed Roberson is the author of many books of poetry, including To See the Earth before the End of the World. A dedicated mountain climber, Roberson traveled extensively throughout South America in the 1960s and ’70s. He has received several awards for his work and has taught at the University of Chicago, Columbia College, and Northwestern University. His poems “Peru” and “The Age of the Climber” appeared in Alpinist 58 (2017) and Alpinist 67 (2019), respectively.

Mitsu Iwasaki will assume duties as the new Chief Executive Officer of the American Alpine Club on August 3. [Photo] Courtesy of the American Alpine Club

Mitsu Iwasaki begins duties as the American Alpine Club’s new CEO on August 3

The American Alpine Club announced yesterday that Mitsu Iwasaki will take over as its Chief Executive Officer on August 3. Iwasaki is replacing CEO Phil Powers, who announced last October that he would be stepping down this summer after serving for 15 years. Iwasaki is has been working as the Executive Director of the Mazamas in Portland, Oregon, since August 2019.

Craig DeMartino has collaborated on a variety of prosthetic designs for climbers. The one pictured here was designed by Kai Lin to perform in thin cracks. [Photo] Angela Percival

Rebuilt

In this feature story from Alpinist 70, Craig DeMartino writes about how he survived a hundred-foot ground fall in 2002. After doctors fused vertebrae in his back and neck, he decided to have his right leg amputated below the knee. He now mentors others who have suffered life-altering injuries, all while making the most of life with his wife and kids.