"I climb because I love the challenge. The puzzle solving factor in climbing is my favorite part, there are so many different ways to get up the same climb."
1. What do you do when you are not climbing? (Other hobbies/ sports)
Im always climbing! But seriously, Im never not thinking about climbing from, writing guidebooks, to setting boulders, climbing has taken over my life! The only other “hobby” I have is editing videos, but even that came from climbing. Also a big part of my spare time is used watching climbing videos or movies to further advance my skills.
2.If you had to name one thing that gets you totally psyched about climbing, what would that be?
The thing that gets me super psyched about climbing is pure difficulty, I don’t tend to care about aesthetics as much or at all, for all I care it can be an eliminate two feet off the ground, as long as its hard, it’ll get me psyched! But a beautiful climb that’s also insanely hard is that much better!
3.What is the most memorable climb/ boulder problem that you have ever completed or attempted?
It’s really hard to pick just one, but if I had to I would say “Venus In Scorpio” in the Gunks. I first visited this boulder problem with my coach Charlie when I began climbing, ever since then I’ve imagined doing that boulder, after being there the day Charlie sent It, it got me super psyched! A few years later, at the end of an already long day, I decided to go give Venus a few burns, I only had about an hour and a half of daylight left anyways. After doing all the moves easily this year I knew it was gonna go down, it was a matter of when. I pulled on to give it one last go before it got too dark and thirty second later I was on top of a boulder I dreamed of doing for a long time!
4.Do you have any ongoing projects that are just killing you?
There are way too many projects for me to count, but there are two that stand out. I recently traveled to Red Rocks for a bouldering trip and tried a bunch of hard things, when all of my friends were trying the classic Wet Dream, I decided I’d test my luck and give “Squoze” v13/15 a few burns for fun. I managed to do all but two of the moves first try and get really close on the two I couldn’t do, sadly I only was able to spend ten minutes on it before we had to leave, hopefully I can get back on that one soon! The second boulder that stands out is “Collateral Impact” v12/13, unlike squoze Im currently five sessions deep into projecting this one. This boulder is super hard for me because I’ve been stuck trying the same beta for a while, recently my friend Ray found some nice new beta involving a heel-toe cam, hopefully I can get out and try it soon!
5. If you never discovered climbing, what would you be doing now?
Id probably be racing BMX, that was the first sport I really enjoyed until climbing.
6. Favorite music to send to!?
I like all types of music, send music usually depends on the mood I’m in, if I’m trying to stay calm I’ll listen to the Beatles. If I’m trying to get super psyched I’ll listen to some 90s rap, like Biggie, Wu-tang and MF doom.
7. Climber that you most look up to?
Climbers I look up to the most are local legends like Andy Salo, he has so many hard FAs in the gunks and is a super humble and nice dude. Another gunks local I look up to is Paul Jung, him, Andy, and their crew developed so many areas and problems that Ive set out to send.
8. Top 3 Climbing locations?
I haven’t been to places like Font, Bishop, or Hueco, and I’m sure id love all three, but out of the places I’ve been id have to say my top three climbing locations are Joe’s Valley, Gunks, and Red Rocks.
9. Why do you climb?
I climb because I love the challenge. The puzzle solving factor in climbing is my favorite part, there are so many different ways to get up the same climb and sometimes you have to make up a new way. Another reason I love climbing is the community, I’ve never been apart of a more tight knit community where everyone is friendly with each other no matter what.
