Vertical Life

Vertical Life is a climbing magazine in Australasia, available in both digital and print options. Here at Vertical Life we love climbing, be it beanied bouldering, clip-up sportclimbing, old-school daddy-tradding, big-wall suffering, alpine extremism, spandex-clad competition climbing, desperate-times-call-for-desperate-measures buildering, the lot – if it involves monkey business we will cover it.

Vertical Life

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

50 ISSUES OF VERTICAL LIFE

Read • THE CRAG

Watch • POWERSTAR

Listen • HAMISH MCARTHUR-HIS SURPRISING PATH TO OLYMPIC SUCCESS

Rest days at DYURITTE/ARAPILES • Rest days amongst the Pines at Dyuritte can be a tease for some with the glowing orange sandstone beckoning you… “C’mon, lose the little skin you have left, you know you want to.” For others it can be a welcome delight with slacklines aplenty to fall off and juggle on, a trip to the OTR bins for a tasty treat, slow mornings with at least six cups of the finest AeroPress coffee and talking through the world’s problems with your mates (who, chances are, you met just two hours ago). Unless—like Kate—you wield a camera.

Barron Gorge-ous • A HIDDEN GEM IN FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND

Oceania MACKENZIE (SHE/HER) • Two time Olympian Oceana Mackenzie is a dedicated comp climber who’s decisively shown what Aussies are capable of on the world stage. She chats with Brooke Nolan about training hard, staying grounded and having fun along the way.

50 ISSUES OF VERTICAL LIFE

HAPPY 50TH VL! • We’re thrilled to welcome one of VL’s founders and former editor Simon Madden for a guest appearance in this milestone edition. He reflects how it all began, what has changed along the way—and the enduring power of print media!

REEL ROCK 19 IS HERE! • OUR FAVOURITE AUTUMN CLIMBING FILM TOUR IS BACK WITH THREE EPIC REELS.

BEHIND THE SCENES: DEATH OF VILLAINS

BEHIND THE SCENES: RIDERS ON THE STORM

THE PEOPLE OF THE PINES • DYURITTE/ARAPILES

ZORBA PARER • Dyuritte always felt like home to Zorba. A few years ago, at a crossroads in life, he returned to The Pines — and this time, he just stayed.

AARON LOWNDES • Owner of The Climbing Company Natimuk, Aaron leads a team that introduces nearly 3,500 kids to climbing each year. This gives him, and the guides he employs, a front row seat to witnessing how people grow and develop through the sport.

LOUISE SHEPHERD • Louise Shepherd is a pioneering figure in Australian climbing, celebrated as one of the top female climbers of the 1980s. She was the first woman to tackle routes in the mid-20s, with standout ascents like Tales of Power (26/27) in the US and Lord of the Flies (26) in the UK. At Mt Arapiles, she made history with her onsight of Trojan (25), becoming the first Aussie female to ascend at that grade. Louise has turned her passion into a profession, working as a climbing guide at Dyuritte/Arapiles and introducing young people to the sport that has shaped her life.

SIMON MENTZ • From a teenager flailing about the crag on old sailing rope, to guiding and collaborating on guidebooks, it was an evening in The Pines when Simon realised he wanted to be a climber.

GEOFFREY GLEDHILL • With nearly six decades of climbing under his belt, Geoff Gledhill has a deep appreciation of the sport, the lifestyle, the environment and the benefits these things combined can bring to people and communities.

Leather meets Lace • THE FIRST FEMALE ASCENT OF ALPHA LEATHER

FROM THE Field REVIEWS • ARC’TERYX ATOM SL VEST

THE EDGE OF REALITY • MY OXYGEN-FREE ASCENT OF MAKALU

FEAR OF FALLING • Psychologist Dr Kate Baecher takes a deep dive into how to understand and overcome fear as you learn to lead...