Glossary: V#- Bouldering grades go from V0-V17. Arete- An outward-facing corner. Sent- Completing a route after having already tried it. Projecting- Working on a climb. Campus- Climbing without using your feet. Heel hook- Using your heel to pull into the wall. Spotter- Stands below the climber for safety.
The word "problem" has negative connotations, to me, it refers to a grand vertical adventure up the face of a mountain. The first time I faced a rock climbing problem I was in seventh grade. I was a climbing novice. The route was a V2 cave arete problem on the top floor of The Rock Lounge, the best little training gym ever. It was not technical, but at that time, it felt insurmountable. I was projecting with a boy who was a naturally talented climber. After a few sessions, he sent it, campusing the entire thing, his feet never touching the wall. Having not yet built up my upper body strength, I was incapable of climbing it that way. I had to think differently. I ended up sending it not long after by using a series of heel hooks and pressing with my feet to push myself forward. It was intoxicating. I decided then and there that I was going to join the local climbing team. A few days later, I walked into the mirror-lined yoga room where the team warmed up. For a while I just observed, noticing the way the group interacted. They really were a team, laughing, talking, and encouraging each other. I didn’t yet know that one day the people I was watching would become my family. I realized I had so much to learn. I knew that the team would help me. Even the warm-up that first day challenged me. While the experienced climbers mechanically cranked out sets of 25 beautifully formed pushups, I reveled in the challenge of doing a few awkward ones. After we warmed up I started up a scary bouldering problem, I fell but my coach Marcus caught me. The trust that blossomed at that moment developed into intense supportive connections with my coach and teammates. I grew from a novice into a co-captain of the team. COVID-19 struck in my fourth year of climbing, leading to a mandatory hiatus. When I was finally able to climb again, I delighted in the company of other climbers and the familiar pain of scratchy sandstone on my delicate quarantine skin. One day I went out to a bouldering area called Sailing Hawks with an old teammate. As we started the uphill approach to the boulders I welcomed the familiar feelings of my crashpad straps rubbing against my collar bones and the unyielding sun rays. At our first boulder, I stretched my fingers on a gentle warm-up. As the day grew later the routes got harder. I mustered the courage to challenge myself and felt rekindled trust in my spotter. Eventually, we made it to my project, a V5. For a while, we sat at the base of the vast overhanging rock, talked about life, and looked at the details in the sandstone as we rested. We had inexplicably already spent 7 hours bouldering, but I needed to try my problem. I was fueled on the adventures of the day and rejuvenated by our rest in the shade of the boulder. I was ready. Marcus’s words rang through my head when I reached for the final hold, “pain is temporary, try harder”. As I grabbed it, my goals for the future, and all the opportunities that would come with them became slightly closer. The climbing community has brought not only passion and drive to accomplish what I want, but also numerous deep and lasting relationships with my team members. People always assume that a soulmate is one person, mine is my community of climbers and the feeling of utter exhilaration I get on the wall.
Ouray Ice Park winter 2020
My momma decided to go with us me. It was her first time and she did so good! We had so much fun! I am super proud of her and grateful to have such a supportive family!
The Rock Lounge winter 2020/21
Cascade Falls summer 2020
Sailing Hawks Bouldering Area summer/fall 2020
Kirov, Russia March 7, 2020
Oulu, Finland February 29, 2020
I competed in the youth world championship in Russia and the Finnice european cup in Finland for speed and lead mix climbing right before the corona virus got really bad. I missed three weeks of school which was a bummer but, luckily for me the school was really supportive and I was able to make up everything that I missed. This experince was really valuble for me in so many ways. It was a good lesson in money management, I had to save and fundraise and make sure I wasn't spending to much. This trip exposed me to culture that I didnt know about and helped me form my own oppinion of places I hadn't been before, as opposed to bealieving steriotypes.
Ogden, Utah December 15th 2019
This was taken during the 2019 region 301 bouldering regionals. I got 8th and made it to the next level of competition.
Bozman, Montana May 11, 2019
This was taken during the 2019 rope regionals. I didn't do very well I got nervous and it hindered my performance. I did make it to the next level of competition anyway though.
Oulu, Finland March 2, 2019
This was my first international climbing competition and I was amazed. I could never have imagined such an amazing experience! My favorite part of the entire trip aside from the climbing was meeting the other international competitors! What an awesome community I get to be a part of! I feel really lucky.
Salt Lake City, Utah 2018
I started climbing in january of 2016. I was at summer camp and I beat a bunch of boys at a speed climbing competition up a climbing wall and was hooked. I joined a climbing student interest group at Mountain Middle School. Within a month I was on the local team! In 2018 I joined the USA ice climbing team after trying mix climbing with my coach and some friends.