Premium Member Bonus Articles

Every month I publish several bonus articles. These are only for All Access Premium Members.

Here's a summary.

• These are NOT available on the public part of my website.

• These articles are usually a bit shorter, and cover more intermediate and advanced level techniques.

• Are you an All Access Premium Member? Click here to see the articles.

The “4 to 1 ratio” for slings

The “4 to 1” ratio is a guideline of how many single length and double length slings you might want to carry on a typical alpine route.

Dialing in the length of your tether/ascender connection

When climbing up a fixed rope with an ascender, it's important to properly adjust the length of the tether between your harness and the ascender. Here's how to do it.

Caution: stacked rappel with a Grigri(s)

A stacked, or pre-rigged rappel, can be a good technique to increase your efficiency and reduce risk when rappelling. However, Petzl specifically warns not to do this on a single strand with a Grigri. Learn the details here.

Hauling systems - Clove hitch can replace a prusik

Some mechanical advantage hauling systems, such as a 5:1 or 6:1, can require two rope grabs. If you only have one prusik loop, you may be able to rig it by using a clove hitch.

Tied webbing on a tree - skip the overhand knot

Tying a loop of webbing around a tree as a rappel anchor? Keep it simple, and avoid adding an overhand knot at the master point.

How to roll a cam strap

Not a climbing tip, but still a pretty helpful hack to tame that spaghetti pile of straps to tie things on the top of your car or in the back of your truck.

Use a slipknot to sling rock horns

A small spike of rock, also known as a “chicken head”, can be used as rock protection. If you tie a slipknot and snug it down, it's much less likely to lift off as you move by. (Hint: practice tying it one-handed.)

What are the forces on the anchor when rappelling?

Something we've all wondered when leaning back on a rappel anchor that’s Less Than Ideal . . . How strong does this thing really need to be? The gear experts at Edelrid did some testing, here's the answer.

Cold hands? Do the “Penguin”

Want to warm up your hands? Try doing the “penguin”, a strange looking (and appropriately named) technique.

Close-to-the-ground rope ascending practice

Training for a big wall? Your rope ascending techniques and fitness need to be solid. Here’s how you can practice, and stay just a few meters off the ground. (Also works for crevasse rescue prusik hitch ascending practice.)

Happy camp feet with double boots

Do you have double boots on a cold weather climb, like maybe Denali? Here's a tip from two Denali experts of how to keep your feet warm & happy when you're at camp.

Tying off a piton

Trying to clip a fixed piton that’s sticking out too far from the rock? Here are two ways you can clip it to reduce leverage.

Toe warmer heat packs in your gloves

Here's a crafty way to add a little extra heat to your hands: use a toe warmer inside your gloves. It's thin, and the adhesive backing holds it in place.

Tame your crampon strap with a hair tie

Crampons straps that flop around (and might even trip you up) are a hassle! Here's one way to deal with it, using the humble hair elastic “scrunchie”.

Add a carabiner to the master point knot

Here is a simple trick to make untying your master point a bit easier - include a carabiner in the knot. Note, this is NOT for clipping anything; it's only to help you untie the anchor when you're done.

Deep dive article on ski repair tips & tricks

You carry a first aid kit for your body. You also need one for your ski gear, because not having one can turn a small problem into a major epic. Here’s the most detailed article you’ll ever read on backcountry ski repair, from the pros at Cascade Mountain Ascents.

Pacific NW mountain weather tutorial

Seattle based mountain athlete Kyle McCrohan wrote a great three part series on weather in the Pacific NW as it relates to climbers and skiers. While focused on the Cascades, there are a lot of gems that apply to many different areas, so it’s worth a read for everyone.

Keep it quiet for the tie in knot

Whatever conversation you're having, take a break when you or anyone else is tying into the rope.

Snow anchors with Black Diamond and Mark Smiley

Black Diamond recently collaborated with IFMGA Guide Mark Smiley to test the strength of different snow anchor configurations. Some of the results were pretty surprising!

“The Prescription”: accident reports from the AAC

"The Prescription" is a free monthly accident report from the American Alpine Club (AAC). Learn from the choices of others.

Why you need to drink more water in the mountains

Yeah yeah, everyone knows climbers need to hydrate properly to perform well. But do you know the interesting physiology behind actually why this true?