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Speed Soloing the Chief: An Interview with Marc-Andre Leclerc

Earlier this month, twenty-year-old Squamish local Marc-Andre Leclerc solo-climbed Squamish’s Chief three times in 17 hours: the historic Grand Wall route, topping out on the wall via Upper Black Dyke; the 1970 Burton-Sutton aid line, Uncle Ben’s; and the classic University Wall. What Leclerc found difficult was not the technical grade, the speed or the endurance required, but making the switch among three techniques: free soloing, roped soloing and ropeless aid.

What the New NPS Wilderness Climbing Policy Means for Climbers and Bolting

For decades, the future legality of fixed anchor use in Wilderness areas remained uncertain. Because land management agencies had no national guidance to assist local planners and managers, each local park and national forest was left to interpret the Wilderness Act–as it pertains to fixed anchors–on its own, and with wildly varying results. Last month the NPS issued Director’s Order #41 to finally clarify the agency’s management policy in Wilderness areas. Jason Keith of the Access Fund tells us what is means for climbers.