About Climbing Magazine

Since 1970, Climbing Magazine has been the leading voice of the climbing world. We break the news, interview record-setting climbers, analyze accidents, share a diverse panel of opinions, review climbing gear, and investigate the most pressing issues facing our sport.

Climbing’s mission

Our publication’s mission is to serve the climbing community as the top destination for news and stories for climbers of all backgrounds, from beginners to seasoned dirtbags and professionals.

The history of Climbing Magazine

The 56-year legacy of our publication began in a basement in Boulder, Colorado, where the late Harvey Carter founded Climbing Magazine with just $900. Carter is rumored to have made over 5,000 first ascents across Colorado and the American West.

Since Carter established the publication, many legendary climbers have taken the lead. The legendary alpinist Michael Kennedy edited the magazine from 1974 until 1998, evolving the publication toward the respected role it serves today. Other editors include Duane Raleigh, Matt Samet, Dougald MacDonald, and Julie Ellison, the first woman to lead Climbing. Many former editors continue to contribute articles to Climbing.

Climbing has also published stories by a long list of icons who are just as accomplished on rock as they are with the pen. Some of our authors include Lynn Hill, Jim Bridwell, Jim Erickson, Greg Child, Sasha DiGiulian, Cedar Wright, John Long, Anna Hazelnutt, Tom Randall, and Alison Osius, to name a few.

In 2021, Climbing merged with Rock and Ice, creating the hub for digital storytelling about our sport. Although our print magazine has been on hiatus since 2022—and our editors miss the days of ink on paper—we remain committed to sharing the same caliber of long-form reads, cutting-edge journalism, and original photography that you’d find in a print issue from our deep archives.

Today, Climbing is the biggest climbing publication in the world and the longest continuously operated climbing publication in North America.

What Climbing covers

The types of stories we tell are as varied as the routes we’ve climbed. We publish longform features, breaking news, accident analyses, gear reviews, interviews, skills tutorials, satire, and op-eds. We also share stories about access issues, environmental threats, and everyday climbers, as well as essays that illuminate different perspectives about the passion we share.

Climbing publishes several annual projects. In January, we share Climbers We Lost, a tribute to the climbers who passed away the year prior. The Golden Piton awards, first established in 2003, acknowledge the most impressive achievements of the year, exploring each winning ascent through a story. And for over a decade, we’ve analyzed what went wrong in hundreds of big falls through our community-driven Weekend Whipper series.

You can read about our journalistic ethics and editorial standards here.

Climbing masthead

Maya Silver (she/her) is the editor-in-chief of Climbing Magazine. She’s covered the outdoors, travel, the environment, and food for over 15 years, and is the author of four Moon travel guides to Utah. Though she is based in the Uinta Mountains of northern Utah, she would almost always rather be in the desert on warm sandstone. Read her work at www.mayasilverwrites.com.

Anthony Walsh (he/him) is the senior editor at Climbing Magazine. Based in the Canadian Rockies, he swears off climbing in -40° each winter, but is easily coerced with the magic of a deep freeze. Anthony has written for Outside, Ascent, Backpacker, Gripped, SKI, and Maclean’s magazines. Before Climbing, Anthony was a freelance adventure photographer and videographer. Follow along @tonysgotacamera.

Sam MacIlwaine (she/her) is the associate editor at Climbing Magazine and a former Yosemite Climber Steward. Her work has appeared in Climbing, Outside, Gripped, The Climbing Zine, and The Moab Sun News. She holds a B.S. from Columbia University and can often be found hanging upside-down by her ankles in an offwidth roof. Follow her on Instagram at @adventuresam.

How to connect with Climbing 

Writing for Climbing Magazine

Interested in contributing to Climbing? We’re actively looking for new voices and contributors who can break news, get the interview, write powerful narratives, and tell a strong story. Read our Submission Guidelines, and pitch your idea here. We also accept Weekend Whipper submissions on a rolling basis.

For social media content or collaboration requests, DM our social team @climbingmagazine.

Got a Tip?

Have a tip on something you believe we should cover—but don’t want to write it? Submit your tip using this form.

Feedback

If you would like to share feedback or questions about our coverage, take our Reader Survey.

Follow Our Coverage

Want to be the first to hear about a new historic ascent, just-released gear, or a must-read investigation? Here’s how to stay in touch:

• Subscribe to our biweekly newsletter 
• Follow us on Instagram @climbingmagazine 
• Get a digital subscription for just $4.99 a month. If you want access to Outside TV, Gaia Maps, Trailforks, and more apps, choose the Outside+ subscription for $7.49 a month.

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