Some of my fondest climbing memories have been spent with friends, huddled around the same 15 foot tall boulder, figuring out the precise sequence to send, and laughing all the while. I love bouldering outside--it's really awesome! However, there are a few things you should know before you take your inside hobby into the great wide open.

The climbing approach, the trail or walk in to the base of an outdoor rock climb, can be a weird concept for newer climbers who have learned in a gym setting. I’ve heard from some that it can be intimidating climbing outside the gym because there is so much more you need to know and it can take some time before you can get there. But approaching the crag is one of my favorite parts of any excursion.

Not long ago Black Diamond released the ATC-Pilot--a brand new assisted braking belay device that’s perfect for the gym or the crag. I was skeptical at first since there are numerous similar devices already on the market, but I’m a huge gear nerd so I had to try it out.

You make it to a yoga class. You're laying down at the end and you're ready to relax in Savasana, the last resting pose. As you settle in, the teacher tells you in their softest and most reassuring voice to let go, to surrender.

When I’m in Rifle, all I want to do is climb. From the moment I wake up, I’m ready to take off and jump on the warm-up routes. I sleep with the guide book next to my pillow. On a sheet of scratch paper sticking out of the book is the list of routes I carefully chose the night before. I’m still a bit impatient, like a kid at Disneyland, but I’m working on it. As the sun creeps over my van, I get out and walk around and pace around my climbing partner’s car, who is usually still fast asleep. I might even bump into his car a few times to get the ball rolling.

As climbers, most of us have felt the awesome impacts that climbing can have on us as individuals and on our local communities. Ideally, the continued growth in climbing and the development of new climbing areas in new communities will continue to have a positive impact and foster our community. That is our goal for Loreto and Comundu, two small communities in the incredible Sierra Giganta Mountains in Baja California Sur.

BOULDERER IS A WORD It's true, rock climbing requires some technical knowledge. We need to know how to tie a variety of knots, as well as ways to manage slack and get down from the summit safely. We need to have gear (many of us tend to go overboard with racks upon racks of carabiners, slings, cams and other various baubles). We need marathon endurance to tackle gigantic, wandering routes that disappear into the clouds. Right? … Well, not exactly.

'Tis the season! Whether your heart is set on Red River Gorge, Indian Creek or Red Rocks, it's officially climbing season somewhere. You've watched the weather, acquired all the gear and downloaded the crags on your app...now what? Make sure your t's are crossed and i's are dotted by checking out these quick tips for planning your climbing trip.

Climbing is a challenging sport. It requires a great deal of technique, strength, flexibility, endurance and power. Many climbers have honed their technique and skill – but there's one looming part of the puzzle holding them back from those bigger, more challenging climbs.

The perfect climbing team shares your psyche, pushes you to be your best and helps you laugh at all the silly little things that life throws at you. They make you more creative, more compassionate, more connected to the climb. Together you dream up cool adventures, embark on fascinating journeys and stand on distant summits. A great team makes climbing even more rewarding.