Janja. Emily. Sharma.

Christina Koch made history when she became the first woman to travel around the moon as part of NASA’s Artemis II mission. Her path to space began with climbing. We find out how the lessons learned in the vertical carried through to her journey as an astronaut.

Image courtesy of NASA

Guide, climber and ski mountaineer Adrian Ballinger’s life centered around the world’s biggest mountains. His company pioneered new tactics and Adrian helped bring the mountain to a new generation via social apps. Climbing big mountains may seem like a well trodden path these days, but when Adrian looks off the top of an 8,000 meter peak he sees generations of possibility.

Image courtesy of Adrian Ballinger

Passion before comfort. It’s arguably the defining ethos of dirtbag culture. While there is handwringing and consternation in the online world about whether climbing has lost its way from its origins in Camp Four, we sit down with James Lucas and Josh McCoy to put an end to the speculation that the dirtbag is dead.

Image: Josh McCoy

Grades. Love them or hate them, they’re part of our sport. Today, we sit down with Summit Journal’s Owen Clarke, coach Juliet Hammer and professional climber Jonathan Siegrist to talk Darth Grader, what holds us back and how to break through.

Image: Nathalie Dupre

Who was the first dirtbag? In collaboration with filmmakers Chad Heddleston and Parker Michels-Boyce, we go back in time to meet Jan Conn. Jan and Herb Conn took what might have been the first climbing road trip, and pioneered first ascents across the country. Their greatest contribution to our sport though might be utilizing their time to follow their passions. In 1945, that was about as radical as it gets.

Image: Jan + Herb Conn collection