Journal

The Journal is dedicated to the sports and people that make Black Diamond what it is.

  • Wednesday, January 2, 2013

    VIDEO: BD athlete Josh Wharton making the first ascent of Two Dragons (M7) in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

    Black Diamond athlete Josh Wharton lives in Estes Park, Colorado, a small town at the doorstep of Rocky Mountain National Park and its plethora of four-season climbing adventure. Below is a video John Dickey shot and edited that showcases Wharton's efforts to make the first ascent of a tradtionally protected mixed line in the park's... [READ MORE]

  • Friday, January 4, 2013

    VIDEO: BD athletes Klemen Premrl and Tim Emmett making the first and second ascents of Wolverine (WI11) at Helmcken Fall, Canada

    There's steep ice and then there is STEEP ice. Tucked away in Wells Grey Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada, Helmcken Falls offers the wildest, steepest and most difficult ice climbing in the world (some climbs are nearly as overhanging as they are long). Filmer Wikor Skupinski was on the scene last year and captured the following... [READ MORE]

  • Wednesday, January 16, 2013

    BD Crash Pads, Episode 1: Conrad Anker's Gear Room

    Here at Black Diamond, our athletes' all-consuming drive to spend as much time in the mountains, at the crags and on the trails as possible tends to make for some interesting living situations. Modded-out cargo vans, backwoods shacks, parents' basements and musty expedition tents—the idiosyncratic places they reside when they're not doing... [READ MORE]

  • Wednesday, January 23, 2013

    5 Things You Didn't Know: Will Gadd

    From first ascents on massive alpine walls to the podium of the Freeskiing World Tour to the world's hardest onsights, Black Diamond athletes are no strangers to the spotlight. But oftentimes a newsworthy accomplishment, whether it be in the alpine, at a ski resort or at the sport crag, is only half the story behind our world-class team of... [READ MORE]

  • Monday, January 28, 2013

    VIDEO: 14th annual Kandersteg Ice Festival

    The 14th annual Kandersteg Ice Festival was a huge success in early January 2013, drawing hundreds of participants from all around Europe for three days of workshops, climbing, presentations and competitions. This video from the event does a great job of capturing the excitement and fun that makes Kandersteg such a fantastic community event.... [READ MORE]

  • Tuesday, January 29, 2013

    BD employee Chris Thomas reports on successful ascents of two peaks in Patagonia, including Cerro Torre

    Black Diamond employee Chris Thomas got the green light to take 4 weeks off of work on a Friday, booked the plane ticket on Saturday and flew to Patagonia on Tuesday. Within a week he was below the coveted spires of Argentine Patagonia, specifically Cerro Torre, one of the grandest summits in the climbing world. Below is the email Chris sent... [READ MORE]

  • Wednesday, January 30, 2013

    PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Carbon Megawatt ski

    Innovation is what drives everything here at Black Diamond. If we're not making gear better, stronger, lighter, faster, more durable and easier to use, then we're not doing our job. In this ongoing series of monthly posts, we'll be giving you an inside look at some of our most innovative products through one-on-one interviews with our team of... [READ MORE]