A few years ago, fresh from a five-month hiatus from climbing in order to write a book of poetry (I know, right?), I had an epiphany that continues to affect me today—and not just any old epiphany, either, but one of those serious, earth-shattering, I-can-still-feel-it-in-my-bones sort of thing. It came on suddenly, so strong I nearly fainted. I was at the climbing gym that … [Read more...]
Sami Singleton—One of the Nation’s First Climbing Olympians?
Rock climbing will be making its Olympic debut in 2020, leaving many younger climbers across the nation vying for a spot on the team. Among them is Utah’s own Sami Singleton—an up-and-coming athlete worth watching. Utah’s Rocky Mountains offer some of the best in the world for rock climbers. But oftentimes, the mountainous state often produces its own star climbers. Starting … [Read more...]
Catering to Climbers: International Mountain Equipment
Whether someone sought to scale the walls of a local canyon or test their strength and skill on an artificial climbing wall of the nearby climbing gym, or even attempt to summit the world’s highest peaks, if they were in Utah, they likely passed through the doors of International Mountain Equipment (IME). The specialty shop has been catering to the climbing community since … [Read more...]
An Ethos on Climbing: Shingo Ohkawa
Shingo Ohkawa believes that climbing has been a wonderful sport for him due to the inclusive nature of climbers rather than the exclusive cliques climbing groups produce. When in Salt Lake City, Shingo Ohkawa can be found working at the climbing equipment shop, IME (International Mountain Equipment). There, he finds himself in an interesting and sometimes, conflicting spot … [Read more...]