Photo by @dekarabaw, 2022 Patagonia Climb published the above photo to their Instagram, along with my caption: The guidebook recommends only climbing Incredible Hand Crack once due to all the wear on the rock. The rounded edges of the crack and the pale swath of rock beside it attest to the route's popularity. It was … Continue reading Incredible Hand Crack
Tag: rock climbing
How I Learned to Not Stop Worrying and Still Love Rock Climbing
Originally posted at Girls Like Giants and reposted at Racialicious (RIP) in 2012. Since writing this piece, I (rather unexpectedly) became a rock climbing instructor and outdoor educator. I've witnessed a heartening increase in public discourse around the topic of equity in this sector and am currently working on a follow-up piece. I’ve been climbing … Continue reading How I Learned to Not Stop Worrying and Still Love Rock Climbing
reaching
to throw a grasp far up though our toes might be unsteady the moment of fingers catching, and then the careful holding on suddenly finding breath and balance despite uncertainty sometimes it only takes a tiny place to stand and a consuming hope
grip
the urge is sometimes to hold on as tightly as fingers will allow tendons strain forearms tire eventually the effort becomes too much and hands falter slip find themselves cast off into open air forgetting that there are times when long breaths and gentleness are all that's necessary to remain in place to float higher