Instagram story viewer> @adventuresam> Tagged
Sam MacIlwaine(@adventuresam)'s profile avatar HD Profile

Sam MacIlwaine

@adventuresam

30K
followers
7643
following
Rock Climber | Journalist
@climbingmagazine
POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED
I am moved to tears by the outpouring of support for my essay in @climbingmagazine. When I first started to write this, it was hard to not hold back a bit. @adventuresam helped me find the strength to be vulnerable. Thank you all for seeing and accepting me for me. 🥹🤍 First photo by @alwayslossst, second by @cedarwright 🙏
10
Download
Another round of @crack_camp completed! This month we had two regular camps and one off-width camp which I was so privileged to be a part of. Much fun and shenanigans were had per usual and again we met so many awesome people. These camps really are becoming a great way to farm new friends and climbing partnerships as well as pass along as much of the stoke as we possibly can for the crack climbing community. I’m looking forward to seeing what all these campers do as the fall season approaches (stay in touch!). Thank you again to everyone who took part! And really looking forward to our next camps in the spring!!
14
Download
Each year, the American Alpine Club sees at least one report of a climber getting their knee stuck in an offwidth. The worst of these can become complex, full-day rescues, or even result in a new route name (such as "Boogie Til You Poop" in Squamish). But how exactly does one avoid it? Four years ago, our associate editor Sam MacIlwaine survived this very nightmare. After spending about 90 minutes upside down, with her bodyweight hanging on her kneecap, she made it a personal mission to never let it happen again. That didn't mean leaving offwidth, but rather, getting even more obsessed with technique. "It should be comforting to know that your knee can only get stuck in one specific crack width,” writes MacIlwaine today. "However, that width is unique to every person, and you’ll need to measure it yourself by doing some offwidth climbing." From knowing your tightest thigh lock to always keeping your leg bent in a crack, read MacIlwaine's six main tactics to avoid getting your knee stuck—plus, an escape guide if you find yourself stuck anyways—at the link in bio, or comment “read” and we’ll DM it to you. ✍️ 📸 Sam MacIlwaine @adventuresam
50
Download
Yes its still Trad Climbing, but I think it’s kind of funny (not in a bad way) that one of the hardest and most famous trad climbs is just under some bridge😂 Edit: the climb isn’t technically graded 5.14a/b!! It was proposed at 5.14b and 2/6 of the sender’s proposed a downgrade to 5.14a. And has since seen a 6th ascent by @henry.routesetting🔥 #climbing #rockclimbing #tradclimbing #climbing #rockclimbingvideos
19
Download
I also came to feel like off-width climbing is a very healing version of crack climbing. Its full body movement and big muscle group usage makes it friendly to train for. I feel like it’s an accessible genre of the sport for people who learned how to climb later in life and don’t have crazy strong comp kid fingers. The hardest part of off-widthing is the initial learning curve, after that the style becomes almost easier than any other style in climbing. I had developed a poor opinion of off-width climbing and I really struggled with that. I’d feel embarrassed if someone called me an off-width climber. It’s unfair to the genre because it actually IS fun when you get past the initial struggle bus learning curve. It’s unique and weird. It’s fun to teach people how to climb it and watch them progress quickly through the grades. My proudest accomplishments in climbing are the people I’ve mentored and who have in my opinion caught up or surpassed me in many ways. My personal goal, as I age, is to keep the sport accessible, showing that bullying and gatekeeping cannot drive away everyone. Ultimately to me, off-width climbing is about more than just the physical act of climbing. It is about embracing the unusual, challenging norms, and fostering a supportive community. The cracks may be wide, but the opportunities for personal growth are even wider. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll summon the courage to climb the route I was too fearful to add to my spreadsheet: The Century Crack. —————— Words by @tradprincess From: Wide Tour (Volume 25) LINK IN BIO to subscribe and score a free copy of 25 - good for the next 25 subscribers 📷 @mr.samuelforeman @tompaulrandall @mersendyclimberson @spencermckaay #indiancreek #offwidthclimbing #crackclimbing
10
Download
“I feel like I can try harder when I feel really safe.” - @adventuresam Offwidths – for most climbers they are a necessary evil, but for a fringe fraction, hard, often inverted offwidth climbing is the main attraction. We talk with offwidth climbers Sam MacIlwaine and Pete Whittaker to discuss the dark art of fists stacks and wide ponies. Listen on Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts. (Link in bio) #climbinggold is created by @ducttapethenbeer in collaboration with @alexhonnold Sponsored by: @thenorthface, @kodiakcakes Photos: @christianivasq, @alex_ekins
7
Download
Most climbers dread offwidths. For a select few, they’re the main attraction. In our latest episode, we talk with @adventuresam and @petewhittaker01 about the dark art of fist stacks and wide ponies. Listen on Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts. (Link in bio) #climbinggold is created by @ducttapethenbeer in collaboration with @alexhonnold Sponsored by: @thenorthface, @kodiakcakes Photos: @christianivasq, @alex_ekins
5
Download
Wide Boyz was born from offwidth climbing, that's why we know everyone reading this has a little bit of a soft spot for 'the wide' Well lucky for you @petewhittaker01 has been talking offwidths on the @climbinggold Podcast with @alexhonnold and @adventuresam Head over to Climbing Gold to get the latest dose of wide crack chat in your life. #crackisback
1
Download
$1.7 billion. That’s how much the Department of Homeland Security awarded for a project called Big Bend 4, with construction slated to begin this summer. For our latest “Endangered Spaces” episode, producer @laurendelaunaymiller traveled to West Texas to learn what this border wall infrastructure could mean for one of the wildest, most rugged, and most beautiful places in the lower 48. As concerns grow about the region’s future, local residents are coming together across political lines to protect the landscapes, communities, and way of life they call home. Listen with @sammiecarrots and @davidwillkeller on Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts! (Link in bio) Produced by: @laurendelaunaymiller Artwork by: @waltronic Video: Daniel Jungwirth Big high fives to our sponsors for The Diaries: @obozfootwear @darntoughvermont @kuatracks Special thanks to @coltwaynekeeney for providing the perfect tunes, @bigbendsentinel and @marfapublicradio for the awesome reporting, and @nobigbendwall for the hard work on the ground.
12
Download
Offwidths – for most climbers they are a necessary evil, but for a fringe fraction, hard, often inverted offwidth climbing is the main attraction. We talk with offwidth climbers Sam MacIlwaine and Pete Whittaker to discuss the dark art of fists stacks and wide ponies. Listen on Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts. (Link in bio) #climbinggold is created by @ducttapethenbeer in collaboration with @alexhonnold Sponsored by: @thenorthface, @kodiakcakes Photos: @christianivasq, @alex_ekins
32
Download
Dropping tomorrow on Climbing Gold... “Wide Ponies and Offwidths” 🎧 (@adventuresam, @petewhittaker01) #climbinggold is created by @ducttapethenbeer in collaboration with @alexhonnold Sponsored by: @thenorthface, @kodiakcakes Photos: @christianivasq, @alex_ekins
18
Download
It’s so hard to put the complexity of this Yosemite trip into words. I went into the Valley with minimal aid / big wall climbing experience, yet I still set some lofty goals for myself. Climbing El Capitán, perhaps the most famous rock in the word, has been a distant goal for as long as I can remember. I arrived in early May and I remember looking up at El Cap and feeling how desperately out of reach and daunting it still felt. Nonetheless, I got to work and started cutting my teeth on some walls that I thought would be good prerequisites. . I made quick work of the E face of Washington Column, Leaning Tower, Half Dome, The Prow on Wash Col, Royal Arches, The Steck-Salathe and E Butt on El Cap. Slowly the imposter syndrome slipped away and I started looking up at El Capitán in a new light, knowing I had what it took to climb this incomprehensibly large stone. . While the #1 goal was always to climb the Nose In A Day (NIAD), I thought it would benefit me to familiarize myself with the route and participate in a “rite of passage” by hauling bags up the Nose with a friend and spending 2 nights on the wall. After pre-hauling to Sickle Ledge and being ready to quest upward, a storm system quickly bumped up in the radar and we decided to wait until after the weather passed. 5 days later, we finally left the ground with stars in our eyes. What happened next is the stuff from my nightmares. . While I was belaying my partner and friend on the 6th pitch, he unfortunately took the largest fall I’ve ever witnessed, with no gear in, resulting in ~100’ ft pendulum fall shock loading myself and the anchor. Although he only sustained minor injuries, getting to the ground as soon as possible became the priority. Physically he wasn’t able to continue and mentally we were both very rattled. The greatest thing that came out of this trip was that my friend was able to walk away from a highly dangerous situation. . After this, I was nearing the end of my trip, had no partner, and felt the gaping void in my resume having not climbed El Cap. I took a few days to sit with my thoughts, process the accident, and assess the next step.… continued in the comments….
95
Download
back to up