Climbing media: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Hey folks. I'm interested in hearing people's opinions on climbing media - magazines specifically, but websites, podcasts, etc. as well. Generally, I'd like to hear how satisfied or unsatisfied people are with what's out there.

What do you like/dislike?

What do you wish was talked about/written about that isn't?

Are there things you miss about defunct publications or things you see in foreign media you wish were done here?

And whatever else you want to say.

Thanks.

You know what's kinda been grinding my gears lately? Climbing and Rock & Ice pulling stories from MP. I'm sure they are members too, but it's slightly annoying to consistently see our threads turning into articles a week later. What there is no other real source for climbing info or are they just lazy.

It's like overhearing a conversation at a bar and retelling the story like it's your own.

No biggie, but it seems a little weak as a form of journalism.

I only view two climbing media sources. LT11 and MP.

What is LT11?

I got a free subscription to Rock & Ice. I used to read it many years ago but hadn't for a long time. Still a pretty good magazine but sometimes seems a little preoccupied with accidents, death and the dark side of climbing...

Bill M wrote:What is LT11?

Louder Than Eleven LT11 Vimeo

I get my news from 8a and a variety of instagram accounts. The latter makes me sad. Really hard to pick up on the rich experience that is climbing through a 200 word comment about a heavily filtered 640 by 640px picture. It's the height of laziness.

For entertainment I read mp posts authored by people who boulder in the gym with their harness on.

What really irks me is American climbing media's lack of awareness of European climbing. With a couple exceptions, we send our best over there and they can barely claw their way up the upper end moderates. Yet no names (from our perspective) are hiking 9a(and beyond) on the regular. The usual response I hear to this is 'Durr. I'd like to see them on a 5.9 in Eldo!'.

Jake Jones wrote: Hahaha, I actually won a rope bag from R&I for calling them out on something similar. (not for calling them out, but because my letter was the first one in that edition). issuu.com/rock-and-ice/docs…

Nice!!! Man i wish I knew that cuz I seen alot of them!!

With the exception of some the accident reports its mostly crap

Theres been quite a few mistakes in some of the technical articles these magazines publish and some much to do about nothing on some of the "freak out" articles they publish

A prime example is when some mag published a photo of some weird anchor bashing it ... Until someone pointed out it was a canyoneering setup that folks were likely practicing

Even the "good" technical articles are usually sourced from elsewhere ... Lately theyve been republishing old BD QC lab articles

The majority of these mags are simply eye candy and shill rags for the gear of their advertisers

The euros have the DAV panorama publications which sadly we dont have here

The AAJ is always worth a read (its online) as is the ANAM ...

As to sites MP has the best "beta" on climbs if its on the database, UKclimbing though is the standout on how online articles should be done (though they are also a shill rag for gear sometimes)

Generally yankee media mags are all about looking pretty and cool

;)

I'd prefer more regional news about everyman climbers. I live in the northeast, so it's really not that interesting to hear about who's climbing 5.15b limestone sport routes in Spain. Climberism was a pretty cool magazine/website, while it was still actively putting up content.

Michael C wrote:I'd prefer more regional news about everyman climbers. I live in the northeast, so it's really not that interesting to hear about who's climbing 5.15b limestone sport routes in Spain.

yeah i honestly would rather read about history or classic climbs instead of some ridiculous thing I would never even be able to belay.

At least with snowboarding yeah I can't necessarily ski some of those peaks or do massive 1080's in the park, there is alot of attainable things or even ideas in the mag for me.

I'd rather read a well-written account of a local classic climb repeated than a story about a climb I (or most climbers) couldn't even start, let alone make it halfway up, in a far away land that I'll probably never travel to. I mean, the big magazines have their place, and it's fine. Just wish there was more local news with same quality of writing and photos.

The point I was trying to get at was the media's focus on the same not-that-good-on-a-world-level climbers. It's boring. If you're going to focus on good climbers, focus on the best. I too would much rather see local coverage of crap I can do and places I visit. Hence my reliance on instagram.

Do you guys know why climbing magazine's site lists an issue from 2013 as the current issue? Have they gone to an all electronic format?

I have really enjoyed reading California Climber Magazine. It's free online, has great photos of places I might be able to visit some day, and interesting articles. I'm not associated with them so this isn't a sales pitch besides it's free.

californiaclimbermagazine.com/

I think Alpinist is really good, but it's not really "news" (excluding the newswire on the website). You have to like reading long stories, and more importantly you have to like the subject matter (i.e. "alpinism"/mountaineering) because it has a somewhat narrower scope than most big-name climbing publications.

For actually news, I generally use MP, or the Facebook accounts of various pros/publications/sponsoring companies.

Awesome. This is all good feedback. I agree that climbing has kind of gone to hell and doesn't offer any useful tips for people with experience. R&I at least has good photography, though I haven't seen an article that grabbed me in a long time.

I like that Alpinist features a variety of content. I want to read short fiction, interviews with old crusty climbers, and history. I also think there are a lot of tangential issues that could be written about though. Climate change and how it's affecting climbing in the mountains. The politics of eco tourism and access abroad. Things that are connected to climbing and our culture, and aren't just a description of the latest gnarly FA.

I think The Climbing Zine does some good work too, and Chris Kalous has come a long way with his interviewing ability. I'm consistently happy with the Enormocast.

Steve_Sil. wrote:I have really enjoyed reading California Climber Magazine. It's free online, has great photos of places I might be able to visit some day, and interesting articles. I'm not associated with them so this isn't a sales pitch besides it's free. californiaclimbermagazine.com/

The one thing I simply cannot stand about that site and why I don't read it: they use one of those stupid flash-based reader apps that try to mimic turning the actual pages of a physical magazine. This is dumb on so many levels for a digital publication.

I dislike most of the mags because the information they report on is as dry, repetitive and uninteresting as Lindsay Lohan's latest drug addiction. The only thing many of the mags (DPM in particular) ever talk about is the latest V14 send of whoever or the latest 5.15 sport climb sent wherever, with nearly no change in content from month to month.

Alpinist Mag does a much better job as there is more variety in their writing and their writers seem far more skilled than the competition. Climbing Mag has some tech tip that they add into their mags every month, which I enjoy because it typically focuses on an issue a lot of climbers seem to get wrong so that info is important. Otherwise, MP.com is mostly it.

I don't really read any magazines but i agree it is pointless to talk about the latest 5.15 climb because it doesn't mean anything to me. I don't expect them to write about people climbing local 5.10 but i would much rather read about some big 5.10 epic 2000ft climb that I could maybe go do than the last random 5.15 that i never plan on getting close to touching. Or maybe even some really cool areas that are beautiful that not alot of people hear about with tons of easy / moderate climbing that I could visit and make a trip out of.

Scott McMahon wrote:You know what's kinda been grinding my gears lately? Climbing and Rock & Ice pulling stories from MP. I'm sure they are members too, but it's slightly annoying to consistently see our threads turning into articles a week later. What there is no other real source for climbing info or are they just lazy. It's like overhearing a conversation at a bar and retelling the story like it's your own. No biggie, but it seems a little weak as a form of journalism.

By lately do you mean the last five years?