Welcome to the
Rock Mill Beta Blog
Stories from your local climbing community
The prep work and the pivots, the mishaps and the golden moments, the training, gear, maps, meals and the people you met along the way. The Rock Mill Beta Blog is a space to delight in the adventures of fellow Rock Mill climbers – and get some beta for your next trip. We hope you find threads of inspiration from these stories, and that when you’re ready to plan your own adventure, you’ll know who to ask.
Have some beta you'd like to offer up? Email your story to info@rockmillclimbing.com
Kurt Smith: A Lifetime of First Ascents and Access for Climbers
Hidden underneath layers of humility and an old-school approach is a climbing legend.
Climbing
Beta Night on April 23, 2026
Dirtbagging Around the World
Jackson Tankersley
For the past few years, Jackson Tankersley has embraced the dirtbag lifestyle, using climbing as a way to explore new cultures, communities, and plenty of Type 2 fun around the world. Now he's bringing a few of those adventures back to his original climbing community in Akron. Below are a handful of short films from his travels through India, Morocco, and Tasmania.
Ultra-Running
Beta Night on May 22, 2025
Accidental Alabama Ultras — and Other Short Stories
Written by Jeff Bonatti, Edited by the RM Marketing Team
These stories are a reminder: the joy of endurance and adventure sports lies less in our own distinct successes or failures, and more in the friendship, grit, and conservation efforts that make our favorite activities possible.
Ultra-Running
Beta Night on May 22, 2025
Todd takes on the Stagecoach 400
Written by Todd Dickerhoof, Edited by the RM Marketing Team
Todd Dickerhoof set out to push his limits on a bikepacking route across Southern California. What followed was four days of brutal terrain, unexpected acts of kindness, and a whole lot of sand.
Ultra-Running
Beta Night on March 4, 2025
Time Traveling in the Emerald Tunnel
Written by Chris Chartier
Ultra-running in Mohican State Park. Chris has completed the Mohican 100 trail run 3 times and the Mohican 100 Mountain Bike Race 11 times and developed new ultra-distance routes in Mohican. This spring he’ll once again attempt to complete both the 100 run and the 100 MTB race.
Climbing
Beta Night on January 22, 2025
Kurt Smith: A Lifetime of First Ascents and Access for Climbers
By Kurt Smith
Hidden underneath layers of humility and an old-school approach is a climbing legend.
Canoeing
Beta Night on November 8, 2024
A Journey Through the North
Written by Jake Sexton, Team Rock Mill Climbing Coach
Established as a water trail in the early 2000s, the 740-mile long Northern Forest Canoe Trail first caught my attention in 2012 while I was looking for overnight canoe camping trips to take. The magnitude of such a journey hooked my imagination immediately, but as often happens, life’s responsibilities kept me land-bound.