What When How to Train | Sport Climbing at Smith Rock
Smith Rock, about 30 minutes outside of Bend, Oregon is a destination that should be on every sport climbers list of places to visit. It’s the birthplace of American sport climbing and home of the first 5.14 in the country, To Bolt or Not To Be. Beside that, our guest on this episode of the What When How to Train podcast series, local Justin Brown, claims that it’s the best example of this technical, old school style in THE WORLD.
That’s a big claim, but Justin, owner of Rhino Skin Solutions, stands by it. Littered with small edges, pockets, and horrible feet, most routes at Smith provide options for all sizes of climber to find their way through the devious technical sequences.
Watch our guest, Justin Brown, climb one of Smith’s best 5.14s, Bad Man.
Looking to climb on beautiful limestone cliffs full of gently overhanging crimps? Look no further than Ten Sleep, a picturesque canyon nestled high in the Bighorns.
Looking for a summer sport climbing destination? Look no further than Wild Iris, with its high elevation, low humidity, and perfectly-pocketed limestone walls.
Looking for a winter bouldering destination with endless rock, hosting classic problems of every grade? Look no further than Chattanooga.
Hidden in the desert outside El Paso, Texas lies an oasis for boulderers and wildlife alike: Hueco Tanks.
Smith Rock should be on every sport climber’s list, especially those in search of old-school technical climbing.
The best sport climbing in the US? New River climbers would argue that the streaky orange sandstone cliffs of West Virginia are home to just that.
The biggest jugs you’ll ever fall off of can be found in the sandstone hollers of the Red River Gorge.
How many times have you gone up a route and felt overwhelmed, only to look back and realize that it’s not as intimidating as it initially seemed?
Useful data for coaches and climbers.
Improvement comes from challenges, not from the number they are given. If you focus on being challenged and trying hard, then the numbers will follow.
When you think of a 5.14 climber, a trial lawyer taking work calls on his drive to Idaho is not the first person that comes to mind.
Travel can bring you to new rock with new styles in new places, all of which can improve your climbing.
A climber since 1994, Kris was a traddie for 12 years before he discovered the gymnastic movement inherent in sport climbing and bouldering. Through dedicated training and practice, he eventually built to ascents of 5.14 and V11.
Kris started Power Company Climbing in 2006 as a place to share training info with his friends, and still specializes in working with full time "regular" folks. He's always available for coaching sessions and training workshops.
Looking to climb on sandstone cliffs full of high-angled crimps? Look no further than the Blue Mountains, Australia’s sport climbing mecca.