Chris Sharma Free Climbs a Giant Redwood Tree

Like most kids, Chris Sharma grew up climbing trees. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, Sharma’s earliest climbing experiences involved scaling the limbs of trees in his parents’ backyard. In 1992, a 12-year-old Sharma traded trees for both indoor and outdoor rock climbing when he discovered the sport in one of the earliest indoor climbing gyms in the U.S. He quickly went on to be recognized as one of the best rock climbers in the world, winning both national and international climbing competitions as a teen, and ultimately pushing global standards into the realm of climbs rated at 5.15. (For a primer on climbing grades and terminology, click here.) His iconic first ascents of routes named Realization (5.15a) and Jumbo Love (5.15b) were the first of those respective grades in the world and milestone achievements in the sport of rock climbing.

Winter Layering - Mixed Climbing in Switzerland

Kandersteg in Switzerland has long been a mecca for alpine climbers. In 2015 Rab athlete Jeff Mercier made an incredible link up of three classic mixed routes - in a single day. Jeff relies on Rab clothing and equipment on all his projects, and in the high mountains down insulation is still the ultimate insulator.

Dave MacLeod - Fight The Feeling (8c+/9a)

From bold trad to sketchy rime to hard sport, Black Diamond athlete Dave MacLeod has something of an obsession with first ascents in his native Scotland—a land not known for its ideal climbing weather. A little sleet and rain, however, has done little to dampen Dave's passion for scouring the island for new climbs. His latest FA, Fight The Feeling, is an interesting tale of an FA legacy being carried on from one generation of climbers to the next. This video is part of our Climbing 2013 digital catalog. Through photos, videos and narrated slideshows, the Climbing 2013 digital catalog highlights first ascents and first free ascents from recent years, as well as the crucial pieces of Black Diamond gear that helped make them a reality. In addition, the digital catalog showcases historical images from past first ascents—chosen by our athletes—that have fueled their own personal FA pursuits.