Climbing magazine was first published in 1970. Since then, it has been one of the leading climbing publications in this country. It is now the longest running and most widely distributed publications dedicated solely to rock climbing and mountaineering. This study examines Climbing magazine from 1991 – 2004. Quantitative data was collected for prominent photos (those on the front cover, the table of contents, and in the “Gallery” section of the magazine) and the number of feature articles about female climbers. Also, qualitative data was collected for the content of any feature article about a female climber. The study was conducted from a feminist perspective, and examined the female athlete within the cultural context of patriarchy and hegemonic ideals. Results indicated strong use of ambivalence in reporting on the female climber. Ambivalence was manifested through several avenues including, emphasis on relationships and heterosexuality, role conflict, emphasis on domesticity and children, infantilizing, emphasis on life drama, and comments about the female climbers' physical size and appearances. Also present in the reporting was commodification and sexualization of the female climber. Lastly, a theme of “female as climber” emerged from the data. The results of this study indicated that quantitatively, Climbing magazine differs from other media sources with regard to representing female athletes, as the amount of female climbers represented in the prominent photographs is consistent with reports on the climbing population. The quantitative representation of female climbers in Climbing magazine is consistent with other representations of female athletes in the main media. Hegemonic ideals of femininity are maintained through the use of ambivalence, and commodification of the female climber. In addition, the homology of images that is reported in other studies was shown to exist in Climbing magazine. As a result, Climbing magazine does little to counter the prevailing message that a female athlete must be judged just as much by how well she fits the culture's ideal of femininity as she is by her athletic prowess.