Sailing and Climbing Q&A With an Expert Guide

Bienvenida a Cuba, the land of salsa, tropical landscapes, colorful street fronts — and espléndidas climbing spots. Most Cuban climbers set their tents and their sends in the Valle de Viñales, the Caribbean’s premier climbing destination and home to some of the finest limestone in the hemisphere. While this simple recipe pleases many crusher’s palates, climbing guide Heidi Wirtz likes to add a little spice to the mix. Heidi aims to introduce an element of mindfulness and confidence-building to the climbs. With a balanced blend of cragging and cultural excursions, intertwined with yoga sessions, slacklining, and dance sessions, her retreat provides her clients with an engrossing, encouraging, and all-encapsulating Cuban experience. Want to learn more about Heidi’s Cuban retreat and how climbing can help you find inner peace? Tune in to her FREE WEBINAR!

Climbing South Italy’s Amalfi Coast feels like sampling a fine Tuscan wine — once you’ve had a taste, everything else feels like a step-down. Named after the historical town at its heart, Amalfi abounds with colorful hamlets, lavish villas, Michelin-star restaurants — and exquisite climbing. With a sporty selection of slabs, faces, overhangs, and deep water solos for all skill levels, it’s guaranteed fun under the Mediterranean sun. Amalfi’s shores are best climbed by sea. The sailing and climbing combo gives you unmatched flexibility, letting you access otherwise inaccessible routes, explore hundreds of hidden gems, and minimize the travel time from rock to rock. Plus, you get to fish your own food, chill in pristine seas, and sleep under the starry skies, lulled by the waves. Want to hear more about the Amalfi Coast and why it’s recently undergone a climbing Renaissance? Tune in to this live Q&A session hosted by climbing and sailing pioneer Lorenzo Pernigotti! In an hour-long conversation, you’ll get to ask Lorenzo anything you’d like to know about what it’s like to sail the Divina Costiera, scour for secret routes, and send the days away on one of the most scenic shorelines on the continent.

Since humans could walk, we’ve been summiting mountains.  Alpine climbing is one of the purest and most rewarding experiences you could have in the great outdoors. Nothing beats the rush of pushing your body and mind in a spectacular montane environment. It’s not only about reaching the top, though. It’s about being one with the wilderness. About learning to respect the mountain and the legacy of those that came before. Getting to know the person on the other side of that rope, as well as yourself. However, going from non-climber nor weekend cragger to peak bagger is no small feat. If you don’t want your ascent to go downhill, you’ll need to learn challenging movement techniques, master a wide variety of gear, garner extensive experience on variable terrain, and much more. We don’t want to leave you aspiring alpinists hanging, which is why we’re hosting a FREE WEBINAR on starting and progressing your alpine climbing! Learn how to take your first steps into the world of alpine climbing, as well as advance your alpine skills to the next level, from an expert IFMGA guide with years of experience leading expeditions all over the world. With good fundamentals and a well-laid-out progression plan, nothing can stop you from reaching your peak!

If you’ve been bitten by the bouldering bug, you’re familiar with the deep satisfaction of sending cool problems on an indoor climbing wall. That feeling is what drives us to keep pushing on, no matter how many times we fail. But while many enthusiasts are happy to stay crushing in the comforts of their gym, others set their gaze on the great mystery beyond the walls. After all, the sport is called “rock climbing”—and for some, no plastic hold can compare with the real deal. That’s where we come in! In this special one-hour session, you’ll learn what it takes to make the transition from gym to crag smoothly and safely. Taking your skills outside is not as simple as slapping some chalk on your hands and going to town—you need to know your equipment, employ correct technique, and follow proper etiquette. Join an experienced, AMGA-certified guide as they run down the differences between indoor and outdoor climbing, explain all the intricacies of scaling crags, and teach you how to get into the right mindset for making the switch. Ready to take your climbing from indoors to the Great Outdoors? If so, don’t miss out on this one!

With its jagged pyramid straddling the Swiss-Italian border, Matterhorn might just be the most recognizable peak in the world. Everyone has heard tales of the striking faces and the rugged ridges—but do you know what it takes to actually reach the top? Summiting Matterhorn is every aspiring alpinist’s life-long dream. However, overcoming the mountain’s steep and unforgiving flanks requires excellent physical fitness, technical finesse, and sure-footedness. Plus, even if you’re comfortable in your crampons and can scramble like a spider monkey, the high exposure, navigational complexities, and pitfalls riddling the routes make the climb a formidable challenge. That’s exactly why you should get this free hour-long webinar! Whether it’s fitness and skill requirements or gear and logistics, an expert guide with years of mountaineering experience covered everything you need to reach this iconic summit.

Towering over the vast savannas of Tanzania and Kenya, Kilimanjaro is the most sought-after mountaineering objective in Africa. It’s also a place to find camaraderie, forge meaningful connections, and grow into your own confidence. Seven different routes lead to Kilimanjaro’s fabled summit, 19,340-foot Uhuru Peak, each one as rewarding as it is challenging. Venturing above the clouds and reaching that mighty peak may seem like an impossible feat, but you will soon learn that anyone can do it—you, too! Every challenge presents an opportunity—to leave your comfort zone, to shatter stereotypes, and to forge a path for other adventurous women to follow. If you’re curious to see how free-spirited women can create a welcoming environment in some of the most challenging landscapes out there, then you owe it to yourself to check out this free one-hour webinar recording. This webinar is designed for those who want to learn, ask questions in a welcoming space and connect with other outdoor-loving women who share the same passion for adventure and the mountains.

Welcome to sunny Kalymnos, a sport climbing mecca blessed with a dizzying array of world-class routes and limestone so marvelously grippy it must have been crafted by Haephestus himself! Climbers from around the world flock to this gorgeous island in search of adrenaline, making the prospect of finding crowd-free crags slimmer and slimmer every year. So how do you find the best climbs without rubbing elbows? The answer is—sailing! Combining the luxury and flexibility of a sailboat with the thrill of sending top-tier routes, a sailing and climbing tour of Kalymnos means less downtime and more sun-soaked sublimestone for everyone. In this one-hour session, skipper and avid climber Lorenzo Pernigotti gave you a peek into the most exquisite rock climbing by the sea, and showed you the best way to access it. Just imagine: one second you’re cruising the calm Mediterranean Sea with a refreshing cocktail in hand, the next you’re sending routes and problems while the sea spray cools your legs. Check out this free webinar recording to learn more about this unforgettable outdoor odyssey and find out why climbing and sailing are a match made in heaven!

One thing rock climbers are always looking for are fresh areas to explore. From newly-bolted routes, undiscovered crags, and pristine walls, Central Mexico has all of that in spades. Here to tell you all about its hidden gems is Climbing Guide, Simeon Heimowitz. After spending 15 years climbing and developing routes in El Potrero Chico’s limestone paradise in the north, Simeon decided to journey southwards and explore what Central Mexico had to offer. What he found were the exhilarating multi-pitch climbs of Peña de Bernal, the tallest monolith in the world; the intricate rhyolite cracks of Cascada de la Concepción, a secluded spot shielded by a massive waterfall; and the cobbled conglomerate of Las Peñas de Dexcani, whose staggering cliffs were formed by ancient eruptions. To Simeon it was clear as day—Central Mexico is a treasure trove of world-class climbing. Mexico is teeming with North America’s next great winter climbing destinations. If you’re looking for tons of new options, pre-polish-and-crowds, Central Mexico is your ticket this Rocktober and FA-vember. Check out this one-hour session and hear from an expert guide who has developed routes all over the continent and written three guidebooks on rock climbing in Mexico. Simeon answered any questions you had after his presentation.

Very few feelings in this world compare to climbing your first rock. Pressing your body to its rough surface, feeling your muscles tense up, your heartbeat quicken, then seeing yourself rise solely through your own strength and willpower. It’s exhilarating, it’s liberating, but most of all—it’s so much fun! And if you think climbing is reserved only for the biggest and the strongest, you couldn’t be further from the truth, because climbing is for everyone. Here to welcome you into the world of rock, sweat and cheers is a fierce group of female rock guides who hold all-women weekend camps in the country’s top climbing locations. A group of female rock guides from The Mountain Guides; Aimee, Szu-ting, Izzy and Jess have it all covered—from multi-pitch meetups in Eldorado Canyon, through learning trad and crack climbing in Red Rock and Moab, to pushing for harder grades in the City of Rocks. So whether you’re just starting out or working on proper gear placement in lead scenarios, they’re here to show you the ropes. Check out this one-hour free webinar and learn from some of the best rock guides in the business and, who knows, maybe even find your next climbing partner.

Sardinia as seen from the sea is all splendor. And for climbers, the remote paradise is a siren’s call. With nearly 6,000 sport routes and 1,000 multi-pitches, skipper and climber Lorenzo Pernigotti came up with the perfect idea—combine luxury sailing along the island’s coastline with top-of-the-line climbing in one unforgettable package. This week-long sports holiday kicks off with a cruise into the sunset at the Portisco Marina, and from then on it’s day after day packed with excitement and pleasure. Under the supervision of IFMGA guides acquainted with every hidden cove and world-class crag of Sardinia’s coastline, you’ll climb some of the best granite, basalt and dolomite in Europe. Then, after a day on the rocks, it’s time to kick back and enjoy the breathtaking nature around you. Cool off with a scuba dive, enjoy a cold drink with a fishing rod in hand, or soak up some sun on a sandy beach as the gentle bob of the Mediterranean murmurs in the background. This is a trip like no other. In this one-hour webinar, Lorenzo told us about his journey in search of the best rock climbing spots by the sea. He painted a picture of Sardinia’s sublime beauty and illustrated what a week with his crew looks like from their floating base camp.