MELANIN BASE CAMP

Having an injury forces us to come face to face with who we are outside of our sport. And sometimes, we don’t like what we see. When you’re sidelined, sitting in your room, staring at the ceiling, wondering what comes next, who are you then?

“This is a time when you’ll learn a lot about yourself,” Kim said. “Just keep going. And listen to your body.”

But ask a New England surfer about the changing seasons. It’s more likely they’ll mark this same passage of time by the thickness of their neoprene wetsuit. They surf year-round, making the most of the sometimes harsh and unforgiving winters. New England surfers simply add millimeters of neoprene the way hikers add base layers. For a lifelong Californian born and raised in “sunny San Diego,” my first winter in Rhode Island was eye opening. 

When my Mom, a Salvadoran immigrant, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) at 65, I never imagined that a year later, she'd be scaling 60-foot walls with the grace and determination of a seasoned climber. Hers is a story of resilience, community, and the unexpected joy found in facing challenges head-on.

We even had a group hang out where we just aired all of the ignorant things that other people had said to us. At first we were angry, but anger turned to action and we ended up practicing how to de-escalate and redirect with one another, as we each took turns being the aggressor. 

Dear Black men, when was the last time you went hiking? A week ago? Last summer? Never? Of the many hobbies people pick up, hiking is not always well-received in African American communities. I would like to change that. Some will say, “Does being Black matter?” Yes, without a doubt.

Eight outdoorsy Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) share their mental health stories.

In 2021, I became the first female Kurdish sport climber in Bashur, Kurdistan (Northern Iraq). Everything I climbed was a first female ascent. This at first felt exciting! But with time, I realized it was a testament to the hardship Kurds have faced over the years.

We’re bringing attention to three Black nature stewards who are out there doing the work, while protecting natural areas, improving access and getting more Black people outside.

What keeps you from taking a chance and moving to a new place to start again? A few years ago, I was asking myself this same question. I started to search for a change in scenery, and it led me to Alaska. 

With over 200,000 problems on the kilter app, it can be overwhelming to pick a fun problem. So I made a list of climbs that I thought would be enjoyable for the new steep climber and put it to the test.

At thirty years old, I had never held a fishing rod. Never tied a fly, never cast a line, never felt the tug of a fish fighting on the other end. But I'd always been drawn to the idea of fly fishing.

I’m likely the world’s biggest Kilterboard fan! It’s great at multiple angles and for all levels of climbers. Although I jokingly call this angle “slab climbing” , 55 degrees is truly steep climbing. For climbers not familiar with climbing at steep angles, the change in technique and strength required can be quite jolting. Here are some of my favorite well-rounded setters at 55 degrees to make your transition to steep climbing easier!

I enjoy how climbing is just as much mental as physical. You rely on body tension and technique, instead of attempting to brutishly muscle my way up the wall. When I can’t figure out a route, I often think about the moves when I’m away from the gym.

After a spinal cord injury in 2019, I was unable to weight my feet while climbing. With muscle weakness and no feeling, I couldn’t tell the difference between rock and air. Nearly every workout I’ve done for the past two years has been focused on being able to maintain body tension, and I’m finally starting to see results. Here are the top four climbing exercises that have helped me avoid cutting feet.