Climbing grades have always been an entirely subjective affair. Part of the reason for this is the variability in conditions of both weather and self that one might find themselves in while attempting and/or completing any given climb on any given day. Body morphology and style familiarity add still vastly more variability to the opinions of grade that might exist for any given route. With enough people to try a particular climb and offer their grade opinion, a consensus can be formed and a grade more or less agreed upon, but even so, this consensus number explains barely anything other than the vague sensation of difficulty that a selection of people have felt while climbing it. What any given grade really means for what to expect of a climb is anyone's guess.
Whether at the local crag, on a multi-pitch rock mission, or in the alpine on rock or ice, creating good anchor systems is a core climbing skill that needs to be learned and practiced. Taking a course or learning from experienced climbers is best for mastering the art of climbing anchors. The following is hopefully a good reminder or discussion starter.
When I became the General Manager of the New Zealand Alpine Club seven years ago...
Phase 1 of the project showed that some Arowhenua whānau were deeply suspicious of what...
Human waste is causing considerable environmental and cultural harm in alpine areas globally, as well...
This research sought to gain insight into the ways that Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua whānau...
A couple of years ago, Karen Leacock at the New Zealand Alpine Club identified that...
If you've never contributed to the Journal before, make this the issue you do! This...
If you've been following this week you'll know that we have just one category and...
The judging for this year's NZAC Photo Competition is now complete! Tomorrow we will reveal...
The judging for this year's NZAC Photo Competition is now complete! Stay tuned to our...
The judging for this year's NZAC Photo Competition is now complete! Stay tuned to our...
The Mountain and Climbing Culture category underwent some changes for 2024 with photographers asked to...
The judging for this year's NZAC Photo Competition is now complete! Stay tuned to our...
The NZAC Tititea Aspiring and the Otago Alps Guidebook launch, held on September 5th, 2024...
After hours of climbing, finals, training, flights, unknown costs traveling across NZ for the biggest...
A not to be missed event. Join us in Wānaka to celebrate the launch of...
As the South Island is gripped by what some have described as 'powdermonium', it is...
Winter is upon us and many of us will be out in the hills having...
Winter has arrived and many of us will be out in the hills having fun...
If you want to train for rock climbing (or do train), this article is for...
Winter has arrived and many of us will be out in the hills having fun...
During the next six weeks ACAT are doing a big push to double their regular...
The Tukino side of Ruapehu is an arid, barren landscape which would make a great...
The Tūpiki Equity Scholarship is intended to support climbers who need assistance to access the...
New Zealand Alpine Club and Wānaka Climbing Club are pleased to announce the first edition...
Those climbers interested in Fiordland will be aware that the Darran Mountains (2006) guidebook by...
Further up the road and in the gorge area is Mangakara, something of the Wild...
Whanganui Bay is the jewel in the crown of North Island cragging. If you think...
Since the demise of The Climber magazine and its Letter To The Editor pages, there...
We have prizes to give away. Explore the new site and answer these three questions:
The North Face has opened applications for the Explore Fund in Australia and New Zealand...
If you've been following this week you'll know that we have just one category and...
The entries are all in and this year's NZAC Photo Competition has now been judged...
The entries are all in and this year's NZAC Photo Competition has now been judged...
The entries are all in and this year's NZAC Photo Competition has now been judged...
The entries are all in and this year's NZAC Photo Competition has now been judged...
The entries are all in and this year's NZAC Photo Competition has now been judged...
The fourth and final round of the National Indoor Bouldering Series for 2023 took place...
The release of the coroner's report on the deaths of two climbers on Taranaki in...
As the snow starts to accumulate around the country, the long wait for the ski-touring...
The NZAC Board election starts today (29 June) and runs until 5pm on 24 July...
It's Volunteer Week, so today we've got an interview by Rachel Musgrave of Rowan Hodgkinson...
This winter, Whanganui Bay will once again open for a restricted season of climbing access...
The NZAC Annual Membership Survey 2023 was conducted using the same methods as previously but...
The Aotearoa Climbing Access Trust is busy working away on access issues to keep climbing...
The National Indoor Bouldering Series is NZAC's premier climbing competition event, and this year's first...
May 29th 2023 is the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest—the world's...
Sitting on a stool of limestone at the bottom end of the bank, the sun...
On 16 May, New Zealand athlete Rachel Māia will again compete for the podium at Salt...
The almond croissant is the staple of sweet baked goods in the forest. Every boulangerie...
When you organise a climbing trip, the different choices you make around what transport to...
After a significant project to rebuild Aspiring Hut and ensure it remains standing for many...
The nature of the rock here creates these features and forms, which quite like the...
The USA is the land of the enormo; massive cars, endless strip malls and super...
There was only one thing for it, much like the other extreme cultural experiences that...
The rock in Gateway is straight out of a 1950 abstract expressionist gallery, showing works...
Like just about everybody on the internet this week, I sat down with ChatGPT for...
Climbing historian Grant Hunter has put together a descriptive bibliography covering the golden age of...
One of the many things I was not ready for before travelling to the United...
New Zealand Alpine Club has financially supported this expedition and this is the first time...
If the above is a headline you never want to see, NZAC needs you to...
HBO's new show The Climb … is executive produced by actor Jason Momoa and his...
Daniel is one of the best-performing all around climbers that this country has produced and...
The Aspiring Hut refurbishment is progressing well. As with any building project, getting out of...
We were privileged to have Graham Zimmerman, Piolet D’Or Recipient and President of the American Alpine...
Today, The North Face announces that applications for the 2023 Adventure Grant are now open.
Reminder of the New Zealand Alpine Club AGM
Friday 28th October 2022
Doors open 6.30pm...
Come join us to celebrate the 2021/2022 year at our Annual General Meeting. We will...
Enjoy online 'Classic Banff ' - a collection of much-loved Festival and World Tour films from...
Aspiring Hut is owned by NZAC and managed by Department of Conservation (DOC) under the...
Hangdog Wellington hosted the final leg of the 2022 National Indoor Bouldering Series at the...
The Mount Everest Foundation (MEF) is a grant-giving body supporting exploratory scientific and mountaineering expeditions...
Judging is now complete on this year's NZAC Photo Competition. With all the category winners...
The winner of the Youth category for this year is the image shown above, by...
The winner of the Mountain And Climbing Culture category for this year is the image...
The winner of the Alpine Nature category for this year is the image shown above...
The winner of the Alpine Landscape category for this year is the image shown above...
The winner of the Alpine Activity category for this year is the image shown above...
The iconic Aspiring Hut has been a base for many adventurers, young and old, for...
Aspiring Hut is an iconic hut in the Aspiring National Park – and for MCT...
The primary objective of Global Climbing Day is to lower the barriers to entry into...
Bill Beaven is one of the last links to that wonderful period after World War...
We often lament the fact that sheer representation from females climbing outdoors is not widespread...
Christchurch's Uprising gym is always a great leg of the NIBS circuit. There is a...
The panel tackle the tricky topic of highlighting first female ascents, and discussing female first...
The North Face announces the official launch of the Explore Fund in Australia and New...
Mountains teach us powerful lessons. The practical way that I carry these lessons with me...
It is my honour and privilege now to have the axe passed to me.
The data shows that our members undertake a diverse range of climbing and snow sports...
We are pleased to announce the launch of the NZAC Tūpiki Trust. The trust has...
The National Indoor Boulder Series has been growing in every sense of the word for...
NiBS has returned to Queenstown in 2022 for a cracking first round held at Basecamp...
From May 23rd to May 27th, 2022, David Allfrey, White Magro, and Graham Zimmerman opened...
New Zealand Paraclimber, Rachel Māia, finally got to compete in the IFSC World Cup AL2...
Members who volunteer their time to the wider climbing community through volunteer instruction, running events...
The newly-formed Aotearoa Climbing Access Trust has continued to grow and put in place an...
In New Zealand, mobile phone coverage is very limited in backcountry areas. While some climbers...
Nank has crossed the Main Divide for the last time. He will be relieved —...
A lot of climbing protection systems have some built in redundancy, but it is important...
Everybody loves end of year lists, right? Here at NZAC we like to celebrate climbing...
Everybody loves end of year lists, right? Here at NZAC we like to celebrate climbing...
Anybody with more than a passing interest in New Zealand rock climbing should know a...
Wānaka remains one of the most active areas in New Zealand for rock climbing, with...
By Jane Morris
Photo by Geoff Spearpoint
Here’s something that would be great to...
By Christina Rivett
Back in March 2019 extreme flooding from a storm had washed away...
It is one of those cold, dark nights you read about, when things go awry. ...
The short film Link Sar, directed by Graham Zimmerman, is now available via EpicTV...
The winner of the Rock Climbing category for this year, and the overall champion, is...
The winner of the Mountain and Climbing Culture category for this year is the image...
The winner of the Alpine Nature category for this year is the image shown above...
The winner of the Alpine Landscape category for this year is the image shown above...
With a bit of a delay due to the Level 4 restrictions, judging is now...
It's time for the third instalment on everything you need to know about rock shoes...
Those of you who enjoy our club publications are likely very familiar with the exceptional...
UKC have published a piece written by Charlie Creese in remembrance of Athol Whimp, one...
Only a day after the Olympic climbing fever was peaking and the very first Olympic...
Competition climbing has just appeared in the Olympic Games for the first time and by...
Following up from the introductory article Rock Shoes 101, today I’ll discuss the idea of...
With the race for the overall series titles hotting up after Round Two, Saturday saw Round...
When I first started rock climbing twenty years ago, there were a lot more men...
The Aotearoa Climbing Access Trust, funded by NZAC, is on a mission to create sustainable...
Saturday was Christchurch's turn to host a NIBS round and what a round it was...
Would you, or someone you know, like to guide the New Zealand Alpine Club into...
Round One of NiBS 2021 was hosted this year by Hangdog in Wellington. A shipment of...
English climber and writer David Craig once made the observation that mountains
‘ … act...
New Zealand Alpine Club have now published our new Ōhau–Landsborough Alps guidebook. This 216-page guidebook...
Some members may not be aware that New Zealand Alpine Club holds an extensive library...
In The Climber issue #72 (winter, 2010) a feature ran with six of the last...
In The Climber issue #72 (winter, 2010) a feature ran with six of the last...
Whatever, whoever, wherever—climbing has only two dimensions: difficulty and danger. Don’t believe the hype when...
By Richard Waldin, President, Climbing New Zealand.
As we head into 2021, it is difficult...
By James Broadbent
The Vertical World is an incredibly diverse one. It’s outdoors and indoors...
I don’t get out enough. I imagine that’s not an uncommon state of affairs, but...
Rach ‘the Mus’ Musgrave is arguably one of New Zealand’s most enduring hard climbers. Despite...
‘Aerobics for the 90s’ is how rock climbing was described in a magazine article promoting...
Cirrus Tan discusses the perceived stigma around competition climbing in New Zealand.
Throwback Thursdays will reproduce features which have appeared in past issues of The Climber magazine...