Jeff Jackson, Rock and Ice Magazine Features Editor, office Yogi, and 5.14 climber, is a firm believer in the mental and physical health benefits of yoga. This summer, he took a yoga break at 2 p.m. every day he was at the office. He kept his yoga mat and rugs in the hallway and would spend…
Tag: climbing
Running for Climbing? Comments on the Age-Old Debate
Googling “running for climbing training” pulls up a host of articles and Mountain Project forums debating whether running helps or hurts one’s climbing. Many of my climbing partners found climbing in college after running cross country in high school, as did I, and still have an appreciation for exploring trails on foot, but how does…
Success Baby Climbing Memes
Sometimes things just go right. Originally published October 12, 2015, on coffeetapeibuprofenclimb.blogspot.com.
Gear Review: The Belay/Approach Croc
All rubber, all colors of the rainbow, and complete with back strap: The croc is a 21st century climbing staple. Approach shoes are great for miles of class-four scrambling, but for a half-mile stroll to the crag—a ten-foot walk if you’re at Rifle Canyon or Horse Pens 40—the croc is a much more breathable, affordable option….
Autumn: New England’s Finest (Climbing) Season
Fall is the season to be in New England. The oppressive humidity of summer has lifted, replaced by crisp air, crisper apples, and crunchy leaves. The sun is now a welcomed sight, thawing the first frosts, and the rolling hills are transformed from waves of uniform green to speckled yellow, red, and orange—we like to…
Spice Up Your PB&J Life
I love peanut butter. I love jelly. And I love smearing both of them on bread, cutting the result diagonally, putting it into a plastic bag—which I wash and reuse—and finally sliding the compact snack into the top of my backpack. However, I cannot eat the same strawberry preserves on wholewheat, seed-infused bread with Teddy…
Two Years of Climbing
It’s official: I’ve been climbing for two years. Now you’re probably thinking wow she’s still a newbie. I am. I still don’t have enough confidence in my placements to fall on gear. I haven’t sent 5.14. Or 5.13. Or even my first 5.12 yet. However, I’ve been dreaming of rocks and occasionally plastic since a high…
Climbing as a Girl: Sometimes You’re Not One of the Guys
“You’re a pretty girl who climbs; you shouldn’t have any trouble finding partners.” I’ve heard variations of that line more times than I care to keep track of, and I still don’t know how to respond. Do I take it as a compliment? The middle-aged man just called me pretty. But he also just suggested,…
How to Begin a Climb: A Routine to Make Sending Your Routine
Having a set routine before you begin every climb can help get you into the sending mindset. Whether you’re warming up on a 5.6 or getting ready to give your 5.13d project a redpoint burn, if you go through the same steps each time, you will be prepared to focus entirely on the motions necessary…
Reflections While Running in Salt Lake City
I woke up and picked up my phone: 7 a.m., two hours before the Outdoor Retailer trade show opened and an hour before I was meeting the Rock and Ice crew at breakfast. The hotel Internet was, as always, slower than dialup, so I decided to go for a run. I’m not used to city…
The Ten Rules of Toproping
Hayden Kennedy gave the closing keynote presentation at this year’s International Climbers’ Festival in Lander, Wyoming. His topic: The 10 Rules of Alpinism. His presentation was by far the best, as he didn’t stumble over his words like several other athletes, despite being more than a handful of beers deep, and he talked humorously about…
Coffee. Tape. Climb. 