The news

The video of American climber Connor Herson establishing 'Drifter’s Escape' at Squamish in Canada. Graded 9a+, this is as the world's first trad climb of this difficulty.

Cleaning a sport climb with dubious lower-offs, or retreating from a route with questionable protection, can sometimes be dangerous. UIAA mountain guide Jan Schneider from Germany illustrates a technique using a Prusik loop that increases safety while retrieving climbing gear.

Watch Adam Ondra climb Die Vertreibung der letzten Idealisten on the Nonnengärtner sandstone towers in the river Elbe River Valley in Saxony, Germany. 8c ground‑up, without chalk and 'one of the most meaningful climbing experiences I’ve had.'

Canadian climber Will Stanhope has died as a result of a climbing accident in Squamish, British Columbia. Aged 39, the certified mountain guide was regarded as one of North America's leading rock climbers.

Watch South Tyrolean climber Jacopo Larcher repeating 'Bon Voyage', the E12 trad climb at Annot in France first ascended by James Pearson in 2023.

On 21 April 2026 French climber Oriane Bertone sent Kheops (8B) and Gecko assis (8B+) in Fontainebleau.

Watch Nalle Hukkataival attempting, and then freeing Burden of Dreams, the world's first 9A boulder, freed at Lappnor in Finland in 2016.

17-year-old Gianluca Vighetti has sent 'Bombardino' (9a) at Bus de la Stria in Arco, Italy on his second attempt and in a single day.

The Municipality of Kalymnos has temporarily for maintenance and rebolting 10 crags on the Greek island.

Late last year American climber Connor Herson repeated 'Bon Voyage', James Pearson's trad masterpiece at Annot in France.

French climber Laura Pineau reports on her latest adventure: climbing 100 multi-pitch routes in Provence in under 50 days with Elsa Ponzo. Calanques, Verdon, Dentelles de Montmirail, Cap Canaille, Destel, Sainte-Victoire... 100 climbs, 681 pitches and a total of 17,765 vertical meters in 43 days.

French climber Sébastien Bouin has made the first ascent of 'Le Champ des Muses' (9b) at Romeyer in France.

On 2 April 2026 Austrian climber Nicolai Užnik has made the first ascent of 'Bügelbrett' in Maltatal, Austria. The boulder problem adds 7 moves into 'Bügeleisen' and has been graded 8C+.

As climbing grows through gyms and the Olympics, it faces a paradox: indoor popularity rises while outdoor crags risk closure. What future awaits the sport? Featuring Swiss climber Cédric Lachat, this award-winning documentary by Guillaume Broust explores climbing's shift from counterculture to mainstream.

Watch Czech climber Jana Švecová making the first ascent of 'Tokyo Drift' (8C) at the crag Lidomorna in Moravský Kras, Czech Republic.

Baltazar Calera, Joaquin Guglielmetti, Santiago Guglielmetti and Matías Tapia Artigas have completed the first ascent of 'Ira de Gugal' on Punta Zanzi in Chile.