Climbing – Syndication Server

Climbing great Beth Rodden tells her story in new book

You won’t be able to put this book down.

In “A Light Through the Cracks,” Beth Rodden recounts her amazing climbing accomplishments. She also shares an underlying story of food and weight obsession, sometimes crippling self-doubts, and the traumatic legacy of being kidnapped while climbing in Kyrgyzstan. This book celebrates elite sports while demonstrating their physical and psychological toll.

Rock climbers have probably seen endless documentaries and magazine covers chronicling Rodden’s victories. Some may have even had her poster up in their teenage bedrooms. For those unfamiliar with the sport, Rodden specialized in free climbing, which means she used her gear only for fall protection, not to help her move up the rock. She was best known for her climbs in Yosemite, including establishing a new El Capitan route called Meltdown in 2008. At the time, Meltdown was considered the hardest traditional climb in the world. Nobody repeated it until 2018.

A book cover with a purple and yellow illustration of a person rock climbing. Overlay white text reads: "A Light Through The Cracks: A Climber's Story. Beth Rodden." — *Photo courtesy of Little A*

Published by Amazon imprint Little A, “A Light Through the Cracks” opens in Amsterdam in August 2000. Rodden and her three fellow climbers have just escaped from their kidnappers. Her then-boyfriend/climbing partner Tommy Caldwell pushed their captor off a cliff, saving them all. And making Rodden feel extremely indebted. The story goes back and forth in time between several threads — her amazing rock climbing efforts and wins, her mental health struggles, and the kidnapping.

Depending on your interests, one thread will be more gripping than another. Lots of climbing details and lingo went over my head. For example, she frequently uses the verb “sending,” which means to get to the top of the rock in one go without falling. It’s not too hard to pick up the meaning, but non-climbers will feel like they’re peeking into an unfamiliar and very intense world.

Climber Beth Rodden smiling and standing in a blue jacket. — *Photo by Ryan Moon*

Many people will relate to Rodden’s desperate need for control. This was related both to her sport — the heavier you are, the harder it is to pull your body up the rock (plus, many companies didn’t want to sponsor fat girl climbers) — and wanting to prove she had not been broken by the kidnapping. She and Caldwell got married, stayed climbing partners, and helped each other tamp down any mental health issues.

Rodden was only 20 years old and already a professional climber when she was kidnapped. It was a bitter pill to become more famous for surviving a kidnapping than for sending the hardest routes. Throughout the book, she circles back to Kyrgyzstan, revealing more details each time, touching the experience here and there as though it still burns.

Her group’s captors were guerilla soldiers of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Rodden, Caldwell, John Dickey, and Jason Smith endured six days of being held hostage while dodging fire from Kyrgyz soldiers. Her writing expresses the terror that all four felt, but with her added fear of rape.

Climber Beth Rodden climbing a rock face. — *Photo courtesy of Little A*

She describes hiding under a boulder with her captors and fellow climbers. “I was scared to sleep and desperate not to be awake. I needed to be both alert and inured. What if another firefight broke out? What if they killed the boys and I woke up alone? I didn’t even know where I was. I could never get home.”

That’s the kind of experience you don’t get over by sucking it up and continuing to exercise, as Rodden tried for years. Many readers will relate to trying to find ways to overcome trauma and take control in a world that is so beyond our control that our efforts are laughable. This book is a well-written page-turner, even if you’ve never climbed more than a flight of stairs.

Writer received a free copy of the book for review.

The 10 most scenic mountains in the US

See America’s best mountains.

If you’ve ever trekked up a mountain, you know how rewarding (and challenging) it can be. There’s nothing quite like using your own two feet to reach new heights. The journey gets even more exciting when you’re scaling a mountain range known for its gorgeous scenery.

In North America, you can find several massive mountain ranges. From the Rocky Mountains and Cascade Range to the Appalachian Mountains and Alaska Range, there are miles of mountainous terrain to explore. Get inspired for your next mountain getaway or climbing trip with this list of the 10 most scenic mountains in the United States. You can also find the country’s best mountain climbing destinations here.

These 5 outdoor experiences are all within an hour of NYC

Explore outside the city.

New York City has something for everyone, and that includes outdoorsy people. Outside the labyrinth of skyscrapers and sidewalks, there are some pretty outstanding adventures waiting for you.

You don’t have to travel far from NYC for a great escape into nature. Nearby Harriman State Park offers fishing, camping, and mountain biking opportunities. Birders can cross state lines into New Jersey to visit Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. And if you don’t want to leave city limits, Central Park is an excellent place for a walk. These aren’t your only options, though. For a new and exciting hiking, kayaking, or bouldering experience, try these five spots that are all an hour or less away from NYC.

Tackle this North Carolina hiking trail and swim beneath a waterfall

Visit the Looking Glass.

Experience the wonder of Looking Glass Falls on a journey into North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest. This outdoor oasis welcomes everyone, from locals looking for adventure to Blue Ridge Parkway travelers seeking scenic overlooks.

About an hour outside Asheville, North Carolina, you can find Looking Glass Falls and Rock in the small town of Brevard. While Looking Glass Falls gets a lot of attention, the city is also home to over 200 other waterfalls. Plus, there are 100,000 acres of public lands and plenty of trails. Plan your trip to the area with this visual guide to hiking, climbing, and swimming at Looking Glass Falls.

In Oregon, you can climb a 300 foot tree — and even sleep in it!

Climb high!

If you’re not used to dangling on a rope hanging off a 200-foot old-growth tree, it takes a minute to find your climbing rhythm. You have to muster the balance and the quadriceps strength to stand up in your foot loops and push the top metal ascender up the rope with your right hand. Then, you sit back in your harness and lift your left knee while using your left hand to push up the bottom ascender. In this fashion, I inch-wormed my way up the Douglas fir.

Megan Bonham, my guide at Tree Climbing at Silver Falls, was relentlessly encouraging. She climbed beside me, coaching me upward and reminding me which piece of equipment did what.

Two people climbing a tree on ropes. — *Photo by Megan Bonham*

It wasn’t all smooth climbing — I sometimes lost my equilibrium and unexpectedly swung around like a helpless baby monkey. And, a couple of times, I encountered pointy broken limbs keen on impaling me. But the thrill of being right up in the grill of such a stately tree, and the excitement of trying something so outside the norm, propelled me up. And when you get to the top of the climb? Ah, the forest view.

Learning to climb

The climbing happens in Silver Falls State Park, a gorgeous green space near Silverton, Oregon, known for its waterfalls. Aspiring tree climbers meet their guides in a trailhead parking lot, where they get suited up with gear. Once you have adjusted your harness and helmet, you’re ready for the practice tree.

Three people on ropes climbing trees. — Guests learning in the practice tree. / *Photo by Teresa Bergen*

If you’re like me, the idea of tree climbing evokes an image of clambering up branches. But this is all about rope work. My first few minutes on the practice tree involved trying to remember which ascender was which and swinging around stupidly. It seemed unlikely that I’d get the hang of it and manage to climb a tall tree. Turns out, my experience was pretty typical.

Bonham’s favorite part of her job is seeing people transform from struggling with their gear on the practice tree to successfully climbing. “Once we get into the big tree, just seeing how they learn to maneuver through the branches and everything and then the reaction when they do make it up to the top and have that realization of oh, wow, they did it!” she said. “It’s such a thrill.” She loves to see her clients feel proud of themselves.

A climber sitting on a tree branch. — Made it to the top! / *Photo by Megan Bonham*

Who climbs trees?

Bonham has personally guided a client as young as seven — a fearless birthday girl who zoomed up the tree while her mother had heart palpitations. The company’s oldest guest so far has been 89. People climb trees at Silver Falls on their honeymoon or to celebrate an anniversary. Most are on vacation. Some are local. Bonham fondly remembers one couple who had survived a medical scare with cancer and were spending a year touring the country and checking off their bucket list items.

“Just taking advantage of the time that they have,” she said. “That was really, really neat to be part of their experience.”

A climber on a rope in the forest. — Why not climb a tree? / *Photo courtesy of Tree Climbing at Silver Falls*

Tree camping

Guests can climb three trees at Silver Falls, ranging from 200 to 300 feet tall. You can climb the tallest to see the sunset, then rappel down in the dark. Or, if you really like it up there, you can book the tree camping option. “You get a beautiful view of the sunset, and rock to sleep in the wind,” Bonham said.

A person with a helmet laying in a hammock high in a tree. — Would you like to sleep up high in this hammock? / *Photo courtesy of Tree Climbing at Silver Falls*

Much as I loved climbing the tree, I’m not sure how much sleeping I’d do while lying in a hammock or on a portaledge and harnessed into ropes. But it’s an intriguing idea. The guide prepares dinner in the trees for the campers and makes breakfast before rappelling down the next morning. You can tree camp from May 1 to September 30. Tree climbing is available year-round, weather permitting.

A climber on a platform attached by ropes to a tall tree. — Or opt for the deluxe portaledge. / *Photo courtesy of Tree Climbing at Silver Falls*

In addition to Silver Falls, the company has a location on Lopez, one of Washington’s San Juan Islands. Hmm. I’m already plotting more trees to climb.

The 5 best peaks to climb in the Adirondack Mountains

Tackle these scenic mountains.

Tackling a strenuous hike takes skill and dedication. It takes even more dedication to hike up a mountain that rises to an elevation of over 3,800 feet. In New York’s Adirondack Mountains, the glorious spots that tower above this elevation are known as the 46 High Peaks.

What does it take to climb the High Peaks? According to 46ers, a group of climbers who have scaled all 46 peaks, a passion for hiking helps fuel their ascents.

“Why do you hike? This is a question that we must all ask ourselves at a certain point of our hiking adventures, whether at the beginning of a quest to become a 46er,” Siobhan Carney Nesbitt, an Adirondack 46ers member, wrote. “I hike because I love to hike. While spending time outdoors with my family and friends, I love to hear babbling brooks, rustling leaves, twittering birds, chattering chipmunks, and sometimes in the dead of winter, the snow muffled silence.”

While not everyone can climb all 46 High Peaks, hiking enthusiasts can sample the region’s best sights. Get a taste of these majestic mountains at the five best peaks in the Adirondack Mountains.

Northwest Battle Buddies rappel off one of Portland’s tallest buildings

Brave feats for a good cause.

“Just back your heels up so they’re sticking over the edge,” Kelly Cosgrove, an employee with the aptly named Over the Edge, told me. I stood on the top of the U.S. Bancorp Tower, locally known as Big Pink for its rosy hue. At 536 feet, the 42-story skyscraper is Portland’s second tallest. “Now just sit into your harness,” Cosgrove instructed. Straighten your legs more. Widen your feet. Start walking down.

On August 12, we rappellers got awesome views of downtown Portland and the Willamette River on a hot, sunny day. The point was to raise funds and awareness for Northwest Battle Buddies, a national nonprofit that gifts fully trained service dogs to veterans with PTSD.

A rappeller and two guides helping them rappel down a building. — That first step off the edge is the hardest. / *Photo courtesy of Matthew Gilbert @matt_g.png*

Northwest Battle Buddies

About 12 years ago, a veteran came to Shannon Walker, a professional dog trainer in Battleground, Washington, and asked her to train his service dog.

“I’d trained service dogs before,” Walker told me as we stood on the roof of Big Pink, waiting our turn to rappel. “But I never experienced what I experienced when I helped him through that process. I saw him change through the training of his service dog. I saw him find courage inside himself to lead her places he was afraid to go alone. And I saw him be willing to do for her what he wasn’t even willing to do for himself. Out of everything I’d ever accomplished in the dog world, nothing compared to how I felt when I watched him walk away with her.”

That was 212 service dogs ago. The experience motivated Walker to found Northwest Battle Buddies. She also serves as CEO.

A person rappelling down a building. — Shannon Walker rappelling down Big Pink. / *Photo by Matthew Gilbert @matt_g.png*

Walker always respected veterans, thanks to her father, a veteran himself. “When you’re in the presence of a veteran, you’re in the presence of a hero,” she said. “That’s how he taught me.”

The service dogs are mostly English labs, English cream golden retrievers, Australian Labradoodles, plus some mixed breeds. It takes five months to train one service dog. Then, the veteran trains with their dog for five weeks. The pair must pass a test before going home together. Every year, they return for an afternoon to recertify.

“That way we have accountability to the dog’s weight, his vaccinations. We see the relationship. But we also see that they’re still handling with excellence.”

Rappelling for a purpose

Rappelling is just the latest in a series of Northwest Battle Buddies fundraisers. “We’ve had other crazy events,” COO Ovie Muntean tells me, citing skydiving and bungee jumping as some of the more noteworthy. “But I’ve never done this one before. I’m excited, nervous.”

Muntean seems like a thrill seeker, but he’s not here just for kicks. “I’ll do anything to make a difference. And the purpose of this fundraiser event is to raise awareness in the Northwest about our American heroes, the invisible wounds of war, what they have to fight when they come back. Their battle just begins. It’s an internal battle that there’s no cure for that we know of.” Muntean is very proud of his son, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and his daughter, who served in the U.S. Air Force.

Two rappellers standing next to each other, each with a hand on their hip. — Northwest Battle Buddies COO Ovie Muntean and CEO Shannon Walker. / *Photo by Teresa Bergen*

Why rappelling? “I feel that anything that’s out of the normal attracts attention,” Muntean said. “And it’s also fun for the people to participate.”

At the Big Pink event, fundraising rappellers each had a $2,000 target. Not everybody hit the goal, but some went over and above. Gary Cummings, an 87-year-old participant, raised roughly $5,000.

“We need money to operate,” Muntean said. “We don’t charge the veteran a penny for the service dog. But the highly professionally trained service dog costs us $25,000. And we couldn’t do it without the help of the community at large.”

A rappeller on the side of the building, with their hands in the air. — *Photo by Matthew Gilbert @matt_g.png*

Going over the edge

How do you set up a rappelling fundraiser? You hire professionals like Over the Edge, a Canada-based company that has helped nonprofits worldwide raise more than $135 million via urban rappelling events since 2008. Their team at Big Pink was friendly but no-nonsense about safety. I was reprimanded twice: once for leaning over the edge to take photos of a rappeller (if I dropped the phone, I could kill someone below) and once for getting in their workspace without wearing a helmet. I appreciated how careful they were.

A rappeller going down a building over a city. — *Photo by Teresa Bergen*

After suiting up in a harness, gloves, and helmet, we got a safety lesson inside the building on a demo rope. Then we went up to the roof, where Over the Edge had two ropes set up dangling off. I rappelled at the same time as Michael Curtis, a fundraising superstar known for his epic stand-up paddleboard journeys in support of Northwest Battle Buddies.

Two rappellers standing on top of a building. — Michael Curtis and I suited up and ready to go. / *Photo courtesy of Michael Curtis*

We had to climb up stepladders to reach the ledge, then stand with our backs to downtown. Having only rappelled off rocks before, the slick building was a bit of a challenge. My legs started to get tired a few floors down, and I wondered “Geez, do they wax this thing?” They probably do.

It was a thrill to be so high up with a viewpoint I’d never seen before. I gazed down at the Willamette River, where I’d been swimming that morning, and our city looked so beautiful. Still, it was a relief to reach the bottom!

A cityscape of Portland, a city with a river running through it. — The view from the top. / *Photo by Teresa Bergen*

On such a gorgeous summer day, pumped up from the thrill of an epic descent, it’s all good feelings. But the underlying purpose is to bring more good feelings to our veterans. Every day in the U.S., approximately 22 veterans take their own lives, due in part to PTSD. That’s roughly 8,000 a year.

On the roof of Big Pink, Walker emphasized the most important point. “We’ve provided 212 service dogs. We have not lost one veteran to suicide.”

Northwest Battle Buddies hopes to make the rappel an annual event. But you don’t have to wait until next year. Donate here anytime.

Tackle these thrilling climbs in Yosemite National Park

Would you climb El Capitan?

Scramble to new heights at one of the country’s most beloved national parks. Described as a “climber’s playground,” Yosemite National Park provides thrillseekers with several great spots to climb. Before Outdoors Wire clues you in on the park’s best climbing locations, here’s what you should know.

As most experienced adventurers know, Leave No Trace principles should guide every outdoor expedition. For climbers, this means being mindful of and minimizing their impact on the cliffs and mountains they ascend. Thousands of climbers visit Yosemite every year, and conservation guidelines help them avoid damaging the park’s natural beauty. Before your climbing trip, read up on these guidelines here. Once you’re prepared, start the fun part of trip planning with this list of Yosemite National Park’s best climbing locations.

Take a hike up Mount Elbert, the Rocky Mountains’ highest peak

Can you reach the top?

Within the Rocky Mountains, Mount Elbert soars to an elevation of about 14,400 feet. At this elevation, Mount Elbert is the highest peak in Colorado. It’s also the second-highest peak in the contiguous United States. Curious to explore this towering landmark? Take a virtual tour of the mountain in these photos.

Climbers who plan to scale Mount Elbert must prepare for an elevation gain of over 4,000 feet. The 5.8-mile-long South Elbert Trail has an elevation gain of 4,800 feet. The 4.3-mile-long North Elbert Trail has a gain of 4,800 feet. While described as a “relatively easy” climb, both paths require hikers to bring the right gear and plan carefully. Whether you are planning such a climb or just want to preview the path to this peak, explore Mount Elbert with these photos of the Rocky Mountains’ highest peak.

The 7 best climbing destinations in the US

Tackle these awesome ascents.

The world is full of heart-pounding adventures. One thrilling way to experience these adventures is through mountain climbing. After all, few activities provide the adrenaline rush that climbers get from scaling a tricky rock face or craggy cliff. Whether you’re planning your next trip or creating a climbing bucket list, here are some of the top climbing destinations to explore.

In the United States, over 3.5 million square miles of land provide climbers with endless opportunities for fun. While not all states have a record-breaking peak to offer, many still have plenty of unique climbing opportunities. Discover the seven best cliff and mountain climbing destinations in the U.S. with the photo gallery below.