Rock-climbing in pictures

When you're starting out, or you can't get on the real thing, an indoor rock gym is a must (Vertige Escalade - Sherbrooke, QC, Canada)

A gym workout - almost as good as the real thing... (Vertige Escalade - Sherbrooke, QC, Canada)

Working out the beta (mouvement sequence) for a route... friends are easily made this way in a gym (Vertige Escalade - Sherbrooke, QC, Canada)

Finally outside, getting gear ready to head up the wall (Rumney, NH, USA)

Sharing the cliffs - the climbing community is an ever-friendly and helpful bunch (Rumney, NH, USA)

Mother Nature's cooperation is obviously a necessity; menacing stormclouds cut short many a days at the crags (Lac Larouche, QC, Canada)

No climber succeeds alone; (s)he depends on a proper belay (Rumney, NH, USA)

They may not look like a supermodel's legs, all bruised and cut, but they defied gravity... and that's pretty badass

Speaking of which, whoever says gravity is a fact is lying... (Red River Gorge, KY, USA)

Women crushing at the crags - is there anything more beautiful? (Red River Gorge, KY, USA)

After a long day of climbing, laughing around a campfire with some beers relieves sore muscles like no massage ever will

Some of the best women in the east crushing at a national bouldering competition (Coyote Rock Gym - Ottawa, ON, Canada)