Scarpa North America Blog

Tag Archives: alpine climbing

How to Build a Trad Climbing Rack

Apr. 14th 2016
By SCARPA

To many new climbers, alpine and trad climbing are the dark arts of the vertical world. Everything about route finding and placing one’s own gear seems intimidating. Hell, even putting together your first rack can be tricky. But SCARPA athlete Shingo Ohkawa is here to help…with the gear part anyway. He specializes in new routing, especially if there’s unusual, creative, or as some might call, slightly odd terrain to sort out. Here’s his suggestion for dialing in your first trad setup.

Wind River Range Vista

Shingo Ohkawa and Oli take in the view after summiting Helen’s Tower 1 in the Wind River Range.

Continue reading...

A starter trad rack.
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Everest in Alpine Style: Processing an Early Homecoming

Jul. 7th 2015
By SCARPA

Editor’s Note: On April 25, 2015 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal and the region around Mt. Everest killing over 9,000 people including at least 19 at base camp on the Nepali side of the mountain. SCARPA athlete and college professor Raphael Slawinski was on the peak’s northern base camp in China when the quake struck attempting a new alpine-style route up the mountain’s northeast face. Though the north side of Everest was relatively unscathed, the Chinese government promptly closed the mountain for climbing, ending his groundbreaking summit attempt. 

Shrine at Mt. Everest

A shrine near Mt. Everest Continue reading...

Mt. Everest Earthquake
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From Yosemite to Baffin: Dave Allfrey’s First Ascent on the Great Cross Pillar

Jun. 29th 2015
By SCARPA

Editor’s Note: On May 19th, SCARPA athlete Dave Allfrey and his partner Cheyne Lempe summited the Great Cross Pillar on Baffin Island via their new route Deconstructing Jenga (Grade VI 5.9+, A3+, 900m) after a 10-day push. We asked Dave to explain why he searches out new routes on remote big walls.

From the first time that I walked to the base of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley I knew that big wall climbing would captivate me. Laying my hands on the granite with the wall soaring more than half a mile overhead, I fell in love with the idea of passing day after day in the wild vertical world. To this day, the thought of days or weeks on the wall makes my heart race with excitement. Continue reading...

One of the bivys on Deconstructing Jenga.
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The Best Climbing Gear for Trad and Alpine Routes

Jun. 24th 2015
By SCARPA

Last August, SCARPA athlete Shingo Ohkawa spent month in search of first descents on the classic vertical walls of Wyoming’s spectacular Wind River Range. While he and his partners horsepacked in to base camp, it was all human-powered effort from there. Long days on approach and even longer days in a harness and climbing shoes allowed Shingo to really abuse the best SCARPA has to offer for this style of climbing. While an unseasonably wet and cold August shut them out of many of his objectives, he still came back with some glowing reviews. These are the SCARPA shoes that got him too the wall and up it, including an FA on the West Face of Helen’s Tower 1. Continue reading...

Wind River Range Vista
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Celebrating the Climb: Vitamin, Tech Ascent & Techno X

Aug. 14th 2014
By SCARPA

Leaving the trail is only the first step. Boulders, talus, scree and slabs often make up the landscape that lies between our beloved rock climbing and our feet. For that, we know it’s best to have friction. Whatever the mountaineering objective, SCARPA wants you to scramble with confidence every step of the way.

Photo credit: David Allfrey

That’s why we’ve produced three category-defining shoes—two approach and one climbing shoe—that are born from decades of experience and crafted through a culture that attends to detail like no other. The result: efficient, strong and comfortable shoes that will deliver you to the base of potential glory. Continue reading...

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Seven Days On El Cap With David Allfrey

Aug. 14th 2014
By SCARPA

Once a California climbing bum with big wall aspirations, David Allfrey is now has now proven himself an accomplished climber—recently climbing seven routes in seven days on El Capitan with friend and partner Alex Honnold.

SEE THE SHOES DAVID ALLFREY WORE WHEN CLIMBING THE 7-IN-7: SCARPA ZEN

He spoke to us about his recent climbing achievement, alpine climbing aspirations, and balancing the sport with the rest of his life.

SCARPA: Talk about your 7-in-7 project on El Cap. What inspired you to attempt this? Continue reading...

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No Boys Allowed: Climbing in Alaska With All Girls

Aug. 5th 2014
By SCARPA

Playing on this month’s alpine climbing theme, Jewell Lund spoke to us about her recent all-ladies alpine climbing trip to Alaska. Here, she muses on what climbing with girls is like.

I glared hard at the three hoodies folded on my bed; we were in a staring contest and I wasn’t about to lose.  Only two of the three were going to make it into the suitcase. Should I go with the heavier weight, or the trim fit? Was it more important to be warm, or to not have extra fabric in my layers that would bother me as I climbed? Why was this decision so crucial? Continue reading...

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