Plan Your Ice Climbing Trip To Ouray, Colorado
Planning a winter trip to Ouray this season? Discover how to get to Ouray, where to stay, and what to do between days of ice climbing and skiing. From guided ice climbing at the Ouray Ice Park and backcountry skiing on Red Mountain Pass to hot springs, and local restaurants, this guide covers everything you need to plan a winter adventure in the San Juan Mountains with Skyward Mountaineering.
A Guide To Climbing In The Black Canyon For The First Time
A comprehensive guide for rock climbing in the Black Canyon and descriptions for moderate routes that serve as an introduction to climbing multipitch routes in the Black Canyon.
The Super El Niño Is Coming
Learn how El Niño and La Niña weather patterns affect Colorado snowfall and what the Super El Niño in winter 2026-27 could mean for skiing in the San Juan Mountains.
Sharpen Up!
The early season climbing has been good so far, but as always there are places where the ice is thin. Normally we can see these and tread lightly, but if you’ve been climbing long enough, eventually you’ll feel that unmistakable sensation of the “doink!” where your ice ax goes through the thin ice and strikes the underlying rock. Let’s go over some tips for how to sharpen your ice tools and keep them at peak performance.
How To Choose An Avalanche Course
You have a lot of choices in avalanche education, learn about the different courses and providers and what you should consider before signing up for an avalanche course.
Ice Climbing Strength Training: Exercises for sending this winter
Build ice climbing specific strength in the off season with these fundamental exercises. Get ready for winter and start your training routine now.
Do shoes matter when crack climbing? Yes!
Have you ever tried to run a marathon in a pair of ski boots? Wearing the wrong crack climbing shoe can make your life just as miserable.
Spring Training Tips
Set your goals, build your aerobic base, and train all spring long! AMGA Rock Guide, Katie Beringer shares tips for training and preparing for the start of rock climbing season.
The Dark Arts Of Dry Tooling
Let’s face it, dry tooling by its essence is weird. You’re scratching around on rock with sharp, hook shaped claws on your hands and feet, and for your hands they’re on the end of sticks giving you significant extra reach.
Ice Climbing’s Dangerous Secret
Avalanches are a very real component to the risk management mindset when ice climbing. Vince Anderson shares his insight into the nuances of ice climbing in avalanche terrain, strategies for mitigating the hazard and restructuring our risk tolerance.
Tips for packing for multipitch ice
Katie Beringer shares her tips for packing for multipitch ice climbing.
When I first started venturing into longer winter climbing days, packing for multipitch routes was overwhelming. I didn’t want to bring too much that it might weigh me down climbing, but I didn’t want to bring too little that I couldn’t stay warm…
How To Climb Bird Brain Boulevard
Bird Brain Boulevard is an iconic mixed climb above Ouray, Colorado. Vince Anderson shares strategies, key beta and insight into how to climb this challenging test-piece.
How To Ice Climb Efficiently
Learn how to improve fundamental ice climbing techniques so you can be a confident ice climber and avoid pumping out as the routes gets steeper.
The First Alpine Style Ascent Of Nanga Parbat’s Rupal Face
For the 20 year anniversary of the First Ascent alpine-style of Nanga Parbat’s Rupal Face, Vince Anderson recounts his and Steve House’s epic climb!
How to make tape gloves for crack climbing: A Step-By-Step tutorial
Interested in crack climbing? Learn how to protect your skin and make durable tape gloves for crack climbing and check out a comparison of manufactured crack gloves.
The Action Suit - A Guide To Layering For Alpine Climbing
High output activity during cold temperatures requires a versatile clothing system. Learn the ins and outs of layering for the demands of alpine climbing.
Strategies for Climbing The Classic Route, Scenic Cruise In the Black Canyon
Colorado’s world famous Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is known for its concentration of wonderfully challenging multi-pitch traditional rock climbs. Perhaps the most well known of these is the aptly named, Scenic Cruise, included in Steck and Roper’s “Fifty Classic Climbs of North America”. Learn strategies for climbing the classic, Scenic Cruise and other routes in the Black Canyon.
Equipment Selection: Hut Based Ski Touring
Learn about the equipment and techniques for hut based ski touring in the Alps from IFMGA Guide, Steven Van Sickle.