Q: What gear would a newbie need to start aid
climbing?
Gearing up for aid climbing isn't too difficult,
especially if you're a free climber. You just need
to buy specific pieces of gear. Here are the items...full answer >>
Q: I'm 15 years old. What's the
cheapest, best way for me to get involved in
climbing?
The answer is so simple that I suspect you already know
what it is—climbing gyms. I know for a fact that
there are several excellent...full answer >>
Q: Should I take lessons? Where do I climb in
Washington, D.C.?
I like to remind people that the first year of climbing is
statistically the most dangerous. Start with a guide and
then move on to top-roping and...full answer >>
Q: Does height make a difference?
It really depends a lot on the particular climb. The most
important thing is strength-to-weight-ratio. A tall
person can reach right past...full answer >>
Q: I'd like to hook up with competitions in
New Mexico, but have no contacts.
Your best resource will probably be the American
Alpine Club which is based in Golden, Colorado. Their
telephone number is...full answer >>
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more questions
"A lot of people don't realize it, but the only thing you really need to climb big walls, or any big route, is determination," says Mark Synnott. OK. But what else does it take to best a big wall? Just e-mail Mark and he'll give you the skinny on everything from grub to gear to getting started. And he should know.
Mark has bagged more than 50 big walls including Argentina's Cerro Torre and first ascents on Canada's Baffin Island, southern Asia's Karakoram Range. And when he's not climbing, he's helping design new North Face equipment or contributing to magazines like NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, Outside, and Climbing.
Photograph by Gordon Wiltsie
Filming a Fuming Glacier in Iceland