iClimb: Climbing films go digital

Climbing has arguably made better use of digital media than any other outdoor sport. Big UP and other filmmakers sell their films as digital downloads, while both Climbing and Rock and Ice offer digital editions of their magazines for less than what the paper version costs. Athletes like Kevin Jorgeson have even used their smartphones to post pictures and video from in-progress big wall climbs.

iClimb takes it further by putting climbing movies and media together in a neat, iTunes-like package. On one section of the site, customers can buy and download full-length flicks by Chuck Fryberger and other climbing filmmakers. There are a few old classics, like Masters of Stone I/II, available on the site as well.

What I found most interesting were iClimb’s “sessions” videos, short, professionally-produced mini-movies that users can download for a small fee or stream for free. It looks like it’s designed to let viewers watch “a la carte,” buying just the clips that interest them instead of committing to a whole movie.

“Altitude Sickness,” by Chuck Fryberger, is iClimb’s first sessions clip. Check it out below:

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