Table of contents for November 2022 - January 2023 in Vertical Life

Ribbons of smoke from the sacred fire slowly curled upward towards the mist slowly floating downwards, gently settling on the shoulders of the 100 or so of us gathered in front of the Ferntree Tavern. It was a greyer-than-usual August morning as the crowd formed a semi-circle facing Jam, hanging on every word as they introduced themselves in palawa kani (the language of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people). They gave the crowd a briefing on how the day would unfold, handed their captive audience over to the capable hands of the wukalina Walk guides, and set off on their 25km run–the reason why we’d all congregated there in the first place. This wasn’t a regular morning gathering of bright-eyed bushwalkers, or eager climbers who’d stopped in for their morning bean-juice prior…

If you’ve flicked through the third edition of Climb Tasmania by Gerry Narkowicz, then you’ll probably already be familiar with two things: Simon Bischoff’s stunning photography, and the tiny illustration of a Tasmanian tiger sitting inside a golden circle at the top of some of the route descriptions. Gerry explains the meaning of these cute little graphics as being, “the routes you come to Tassie for.” One of the best examples of a route that’s worth the classic Spirit experience—sitting awake all night in a stiff armchair (oh come on, we’ve all cheaped out of booking a cabin at least once!)—is the Sea Level Traverse. While this route is one of many classics that draws climbers here each summer (and rightfully so), it isn’t the only sea level traverse on…

VALUED AT $39.95RRP • MADE OF BLUESIGN®-CERTIFIED MATERIALS• THREE BRUSH HOLDERS• DRAWCORD CLOSURE FOR EASY TIGHTENING• VCR KEY POCKET Created by climbers for climbers, Vertical Life has been bringing the best local climbing stories and photos to the chalky hands of climbers everywhere for over a decade. Not only does subscribing to Vertical Life support our local climbing community to keep telling their stories, it guarantees you’ll never miss an issue with FREE DELIVERY straight to your door. Offer ends Monday 3 April 2023, or until stocks last. SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS ✓ NEVER MISS AN ISSUE✓ GREAT GIFT IDEA✓ FREE DELIVERY TO YOUR DOOR✓ FREE EDELRID MONOBLOCK CHALK BAG✓ CHEAPER THAN BUYING AT RETAIL OUTLETS (SAVE UP TO $56.40 ON A 3-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION) SUBSCRIBE TO VERTICAL LIFE FOR: □ 3 Years…

Hash Browns Food plays a larger role than just fueling our bodies and driving performance - food is language. Through food, we share stories, emotions, and small bits of chalk (that’s right, we know you didn’t wash your hands ya filthy dirtbag). Food is also culture. For centuries people have passed stories between generations over bowls of soup (or in Coz’ case, Gulyásleves) – not too dissimilar to climbers of yore sharing their tales of woah with young frothers over campfire delicacies in the Pines. So here o’ hungry climbers, you’ll find recipes and the stories behind them that bring climbers joy, and most importantly, that bring us together. “I know you probably didn’t buy a rock climbing magazine to learn how to cook potatoes but hey, you’ve made it…

Drinking milk with coffee is like using a cheat stick…I mean a stick clip: there’s nothing wrong with it, as long as you’re aware people will be judging you for it. However, unlike a stick clip, if you didn’t bring one to the crag then they’re very hard to assemble yourself. While there’s no doubt it will be hard, it will undoubtedly be worth it for the glory and braggin’ rights—or so I’m told, having never drunk a flat white or clipped a first bolt in my life. As a change of pace, this won’t be a recipe so much as a bit of beta to help you send the mega proj that is the “crag flat white”. It’s not for the faint of heart, but we promise that the…

There’s only one way to reach the top. You try and try again. There’s always failure. You learn from your past mistakes. Train some more. Gain experience. Then you try harder. Fail and fall again. You take a beating. Get hurt. And keep coming back. But in the end, when you pull past the point of no return, steady your breath, and stare down what’s between you and success, you know what you have to do. Commit. We know what it takes. At Black Diamond, we’re committed to catching the falls along the way. Black Diamond…

Having great local beta on hand, along with an entertaining tome for campsite reading, are important parts of travelling and climbing anywhere. For that reason, team VL recommends these two books to get you started on all things Tasmania. Let’s call it your Tas climbing essential reading list if you will. From stunning images to dream tick lists, Gerry Narkowicz’ Climb Tasmania (third edition) has your back. Or, if futurist climbing in the far reaches of our galaxy is more your style, then grab a copy of local writer Dave Barnes’ debut novel The Red Curtain: Climbing Expedition To Mars 2043. Both books are available online at www.adventure-shop.com.au CLIMB TASMANIA (3rd edition) By Gerry Narkowicz Review by Simon Mentz For an old jaded climber like me, seeing the latest edition…

Read this BOOK REVIEW: UNRAVELED: A CLIMBER’S JOURNEY THROUGH DARKNESS AND BACK BY KATIE BROWN Content warning: This book includes content discussing eating disorders, depression, self harm and emotional abuse. For many climbers the name Katie Brown is a familiar one. For years she was considered one of the strongest, if not the strongest, female competitive climber. She dominated the international competition scene in the late 1990s, winning multiple X-Games and Rock Masters titles. Her notable outdoor ascents include the first female onsight of a 5.14. The legendary Lynn Hill called her the “best female sport climber in the history of the sport”. But Katie’s departure from the sport was as abrupt as her meteoric rise, leading many to ask, “Where did Katie Brown go?” Her newly released book, Unraveled:…

Roxy Perry, also aptly known as Rox or Rocks, has competed nationally and internationally every year since her early teens. As well as taking home trophies, the lutruwita local is passionately involved in Hobart’s climbing scene. At just 25, she is an accomplished route setter, coach to tomorrow’s champions, and is about to open Hobart’s first dedicated bouldering gym in Derwent Park. She chats to Vertical Life about the evolution of comp climbing, how route setting influences her own training, and why summer in Australia’s southernmost state absolutely rocks. Congrats on making the Australian team again! How many years in a row is that now? Oh, I should probably know this! It would be every year since my first World Youth Championships in Austria in 2011. Wow, so you’ve been…

Climbing along lutruwita/Tasmania’s iconic east coast is a huge drawcard to the island state for both Australian and global climbers alike. Images of deep turquoise seas juxtaposed against bright white cliffs, and delicately placed sea stacks seemingly held up by ambition alone, immediately fill the imaginations of the Island’s summer climbing crowd. With Gerry Narkowicz’s Climb Tasmania (third edition) acting as both an informative guide and a stunning photography book—thanks to the talented Simon Bishoff behind the lens—it’s easy to see why climbers seek to escape the mainland heat along Tasmania’s coastline each year. Before the time of location hashtags and instant access to stunning climbing images from across the world, Tasmania’s coastline was still drawing interest from abroad. With 2+ decades of UK climbing under his belt, Nick Hancock…

Ah, the humble spud. With ancient origins as a staple crop carefully cultivated by Indigenous Incans atop the Andes mountains in modern-day Peru, archeological evidence has traced it back to the shores of Lake Titicaca as early as 400 BC. Its journey to Europe and the Americas started off below deck as one of the many stolen artefacts by Spanish Conquistadors, with a few thousand years of suspicion to follow before it would start its rise to global crop dominance. Once the rest of the world embraced is wonder-tuber for the tiny nuggets of nutrients they are, potatoes have rightfully earned an enduring place in many traditional dishes, and economies, globally. Not only do these unassuming yams pack a global economic punch as the fourth-most important crop worldwide, but here…

THE NORTH FACE DANKYU PRO X KATIYO A route-setting sneaker that can climb? That’s right! The Dankyu Pro X Katiyo is a special edition of TNF’s ever-reliable Dankyu Pro, featuring an updated design by artist and internationally renowned route setter Tonde Katiyo—enough said! OSPREY ZEALOT 30 Built for those who are too busy carpe-ing all those diems to drop by home for a bag swap, the Zealot 30 will have you at work by nine and projecting that pink in the corner by five. Built with more pockets than a limestone sport crag, the zealot features dual compartments to keep your stinky climbing shoes separate from more civilised items. Highly durable, expandable, bluesign® approved, and available in a 45L for the crag. BLACK DIAMOND LONG HAUL HARNESS After almost 20…

I’m not a sentimental soul by any stretch, but I have, well, feelings about my adventure gear that don’t extend to anything I’ve ever worn to the office. My first down jacket features dozens of holes patched by climbing tape (I stood too close to the campfire—we’ve all done it!). It came with me on at least three failed attempts to ice-climb at Blue Lake, and kept me warm on icy mornings at the crag. I’ve kept a pair of flip flops I dropped halfway up a multipitch and only managed to find in the bush six months later despite my best efforts (they survived, bless their little rubber hearts!). And I still own far too many pairs of shredded pants, where I know the tale of every rip or…