Openhand Press

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Open Hand Press is a climbing archive. It covers board climbing, outdoor bouldering, training, and the gap between gym strength and real rock — mostly from Nova Scotia, with occasional trips further afield.

It is not a coaching resource. It is not a gear shop. The writing tries to be specific, honest, and process-oriented. There is no highlight reel here.


Where to begin

Interested in local projecting?

Grizzly Sessions — Six sessions on a West Pennant compression test piece, from first look to the send. Conditions logged per session, beta at the end.

Interested in climbing trip reports?

Bishop 2025 — First trip outside Canada: Sierra granite, the Buttermilks, and the power of community.

Red Rocks 2025–2026 — A week on sandstone, two V10s, and the realization that a plateau is usually mental.

Interested in training?

Training Log — Nov 2025 to Apr 2026 — A full winter board season: the method, the volume, and an honest reflection on what worked and what didn’t.

Training Log — Apr 2026 to Jul 2026 — Spring outdoor season: heel hooks, building consistency, and outdoor climbing taking priority.

Interested in board climbing?

Board Archive — A searchable, filterable catalogue of benchmark board sends, with embedded beta videos and shorter-climber notes where relevant.


What this site covers

  • Outdoor sessions — session-by-session logs of problems worked and sent, mostly in West Pennant and around Nova Scotia
  • Trip reports — Bishop, Red Rocks, and wherever comes next
  • Training — cycle plans and post-cycle reflections, not generic programming advice
  • Board climbing — board sessions, benchmark tracking, and working movement indoors with intention