Oftentimes, in the big wave realm, massive surf is likened to double black diamond peaks. The analogy makes sense – both have tall, steep slopes, and are reserved for experts only. And one mountaineer ...

Poised on a surfboard and dwarfed by a tower of water some 10 times her size, fear is one of the first emotions that big wave surfer Laura Crane feels before she hurtles down a 60-foot behemoth. “From ...