Chris Weidner
All Stories

Chris Weidner: Not impossible: Local climbs hardest route after 59 years at the sport
Jonathan Lagoe worked his way up a gently overhanging wall of sculpted sandstone high above Boulder, clinging to edges so tiny they would accept only his fingertips.

Climbers are Olympians for the first time
Now is a sensational moment in the history of rock climbing. We’re living what was, just a decade or two ago, unimaginable: Climbers are Olympians.

Hell freezes over: A Flatirons success story
Within the past 12 months, new regulations have been implemented at popular climbing destinations nationwide, including Yosemite National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park and Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon, with more...

Remembering Iran, where the unexpected happens
Ten years ago I was fortunate to join 12 other Americans on a climbing and cultural exchange in Iran between the American Alpine Club and the Alpine Club of Iran.

The tenuous art of ‘belay-graphy’
Climbing photography doesn’t come easily, especially when the climber is the photographer. In this tenuous art form, there’s only one rule: Don’t kill your partner.

Natalia Grossman wins two golds, shares podium with best friend
More than 2,500 spectators crowded the competition venue in Salt Lake City, where two back-to-back Bouldering World Cups took place during the last two weekends of May.

Zooming out: Access, equity and opportunity in climbing and beyond
During the past year, I’ve written about racism, climbers of color, DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) issues and specific DEI initiatives as they relate to climbing and society at large.

Sticks and Stones: Why words hurt and what Climb United is doing about it
“Sticks and stones ...” I’ll bet you can finish that sentence. While this rhyme may be cute and well-intentioned, the part about “words can never hurt me” is absolutely false....

To the edge of the world and back: Memories of travel, gratitude for home
The two of us stroll to what feels like the edge of the world. I drop my pack to the wet earth and, crouching low, peer over the edge. You’d...

Many other things greater than ourselves
In the wake of last week’s horrific gun violence in Boulder, I struggle to write. Words for the trauma in my hometown escape me, as my heart goes out to...