9/06/2019

Gear Check - Grivel by Shingo Ohkawa



"Whether it's here in our backyard, Utah's Wasatch mountains, or at the roof of the world in the Greater Ranges--exploratory climbing is my game: seeking out unclimbed, alpine rock has been my obsession since I first tied-in.  Realizing new routes in the high country requires a diversity of skills; it's not enough just to be adept at rock climbing.  Often, just reaching the base of the climb involves a complex approach across snow and ice--not to mention what sort of obstacles may loom above, en route to the summit, once the wall is surmounted...
Whereas my teammates continue to push the envelope in the realm of steep ice and modern mixed climbing, I've focused more on honing my classical alpine repertoire: moving with speed and efficiency over snow, ice, and rock, adapting to dynamic mountain conditions and, with luck, opening a new line with style--and, returning from the top, safely!  Every now and then, you'll find me throwing tools, ascending a long icefall--even scratching about, up the odd M-pitch... That's why I rely on Grivel for my varied, mountain-travel needs; throughout our 200-year history, we've continued to apply old-world, hot-forged manufacturing techniques to the ever-evolving demands of alpinists, ski-mountaineers--and, even, lowly rock climbers, like myself!"- Shingo






by Shingo Ohkawa-
Shingo is a Grivel athlete and one of the Wasatch Range’s visionary climbers with a drive for pioneering new routes that is always at full-throttle. He is endlessly contributing to the development of new routes in the Lone Peak Cirque as well as Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons. Shingo is a very pay-it-forward climber. Not only is he expanding the climbing potential in the Salt Lake City area but he is also a volunteer liaison with the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance.


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