About Me

Born and raised in the Mission district of San Francisco, I was introduced to the wonders of nature before I could walk. My parents — semi professional windsurfers and outdoor enthusiasts — brought me everywhere. As an infant, I was in a backpack on hikes and on the back of my mom’s bicycle on coastal rides. They took me on their adventure trips in the Sierras, on the wild California coast, and abroad. By the time I was five I’d been to Canada, Mexico, Australia and several Caribbean islands, places that most people don’t get to visit in their entire lives. As a toddler, I scrambled over crags at Donner Pass and over rocky shores accessible only at low tide. I loved watching wildlife and enjoying the beauty of undeveloped land. My parents taught me to ski at age three. At six, I taught myself to snowboard on an oversize board and Sorrels – back then the sport was so new that child-sized equipment was unavailable. I became fond of being high off the ground, flying through the air over table-top jumps in Tahoe freestyle parks and even entered competitions – grommet division. At seven, I fell in love with Roller hockey. I played center on a championship team and was a complete ‘rink’ rat, spending every minute I could on my skates.

 

Then I discovered climbing. I first set foot in Mission Cliffs at age eight. Mission cliffs was and still is one of the premier climbing gyms in the country and happens to be only Four blocks from my home. We stopped in there out of curiosity on my way home from hockey practice. I was instantly hooked. To me climbing made perfect sense. I got my first pair of climbing shoes (5.10 Diamonds — woman’s shoes), and harness (Petzl Hirundos, pink). Soon afterward, climbing eclipsed everything else and Mission Cliffs became my second home. I still snowboarded, but my hockey skates got dusty and were forgotten.

 

At the gym I met some amazing people who had a profound effect on me and I was very lucky to meet climbers willing to take a snotty but enthusiastic little kid on outdoor climbing trips to places like Pinnacles, Mickey’s Beach, Bishop, Owens River Gorge, Red Rocks, and Mt. Charleston. Those people I am forever indebted to. Since climbing is still such a small community I have gotten to climb and become friends with people who inspired me and were my heroes at one time and the friends who took me on those early climbing trip became my heroes. One spring, I had the opportunity to fly to Bend, Oregon, and stay and climb with Scott Franklin who gave me my first clothing sponsor.

 

At twelve I began to compete. The junior climbing circuit was a terrific way for young climbers to improve their climbing and meet great people who push each other to improve. From hockey and snowboarding I’d already become used to competition, and felt comfortable performing under pressure in front of an audience. I was undefeated junior national and international champion four years in a row, then moved on to adult comps. Since then I have been on the U.S. climbing team every year, placing top three in almost every comp I’ve entered.

 

During school breaks I traveled all over the US to climb in comps and go to some amazing crags. I red-pointed my first 5.13 at age twelve, and my first 5.14 at age thirteen (which was subsequently down-graded to 5.13d.) The summer after I turned 14, I traveled to Europe and climbed at Ceuse for the first time. In Amsterdam I competed in my first junior world championship and placed second. (A disappointment — I was in first going into the finals and expected to win, but in a momentary lapse in concentration I missed a key hold and fell one hold below the winner.) Since then I have been to Europe five times in total and have re-visited Ceuse three times.

 

During trips to Squamish and Bishop, I fell in love with bouldering. I moved to Las Vegas for my senior year of high school. I established three of Red Rocks’ hardest and highest boulders during that year. My dedication for climbing fluctuated a bit through high school, but since I graduated I have dedicated myself anew to the sport. It now has taken over my life and become my true passion. In the last few years I have taken my climbing to ever-higher levels in the disciplines of sport climbing and bouldering. I have fulfilled many long-term goals of mine: tie or beat Sharma in a comp (not really), climb V14 and on-sight 5.14, and climb the enigmatic Realization. My goals are to keep raising the bar for hard climbing, podium at a world cup, become a better surfer, live a eco-friendly life, go to college, cherish my family, friends, and animals, keep traveling, and enjoy new experiences

 

Proudest Climbing Achievements
Major Competitions
1st Mammut Sendfest, Salt Lake City, 2006
Junior National Champion 1998-2001 (age 12-16)
Junior Internat’l Champion 1998-2001 (age 12-16)
Silver Medalist, Youth World Championships; Amsterdam, Nederlands, 2000
1st Jr Subaru Gorge Games; Hood River, Or, 2000
4th PCA (Pro Climbers Ass’n) Salt Lake City, 2002
2nd USCCA National Championships; Miami, 2003
2nd PCA Championships, Boulder, Co., 2004
1st overall PCA ranking 2004
1st overall ABS ranking 2004
1st ABS Nationals; Sacramento, CA (2004)
2nd North American Bouldering Champships, Mexico City, 2005
1st American (2nd overall), US Climbing National Championships; San Francisco, 2005
2nd ABS Nationals, Berkeley, Ca 2005
2nd Dyno, 2006 Teva Mountain Games, Vail, Co
1st Speed Bouldering, 2005 Teva Mountain Games
3rd Bouldering, 2005 Teva Mountain Games
18th UIAA Bouldering World Champ’ships; Munich, 2005
2nd HP40 Triple Crown; Horse Pens, Al, 2005
2nd ABS Nationals; Boulder, CO, 2006
United States Climbing Team Member, 1998-present

 

Major Sport Climbing Achievements
Over 200 5.13/14 redpoints, including:
Realization, 9a+/5.15a, Ceuse, France
Necessary Evil, 5.14c, VRG, Arizona
Let the Love Die, 5.14b (first ascent), Black and Tan, Utah
Los Borrachos De Mascun, 8c+/9a/5.14c-d, Rodellar, Spain
Bah Bah Black Sheep/ Chronique De La Haine, both 8c/5.14b, (both 1 day asc), Ceuse, FR
Wall of Glass Extension, 5.14c (first ascent), Mt. Clark, California
An Inconvienent Roof (Deep Water Solo), 5.13d (first ascent), Cala Sanau, Mallorca, Spain
Just Do It, 5.14b/c, Smith Rock, Or
Omaha Beach, Transworld Depravity, Both 5.14a (both 2nd try), Red River Gorge, Ky
Lungfish, 5.14b (4th try), 7pm Show, 5.14a, Zulu 5.14a (age 16), Rifle, Co
Der Limites, 8c/5.14b (2nd try), Ceuse, France
Fears of Ixcatan, 5.13d/14a (1st ascent), Ixcatan, Mexico
The Beast, 5.13a (age 12), Rifle
Soul Train, 5.13d (prev. 5.14a, age 13), Mt Charleston, Nv
Jail Bait, 5.13c (age 14), Jailhouse, Ca
Closing Down, 5.14a (age 15), Mt. Charleston, Nv
Surf Safari, 5.13d (2nd try, age 15), Mickey’s Beach, Ca

 

Over 100 5.13/14 onsights and flashes, including:
Iron Man, 5.14a/b onsight, Rodellar, Spain
Pequena Estrella/ Philipe Cuisinere, both 5.14a onsight, Rodellar, Spain
O Draconian Devil, 5.13d/14a, Kalymnos, Greece
Rendez Vous avec le Platon, 5.13d, Kalymnos, Greece
Captain Fantastic, 5.13c, VRG, Arizona
Loscot and 2 smoking barrels, 5.13c, El Diable, Mallorca, Spain
Rivera 5.13d, Rumney, NH
Rocket Man, 5.13d, Rumney, NH
Gigolo, 8a+/5.13c onsight, Siurana, Spain
Black Gold, 5.13c onsight), Red River Gorge, Ky
America’s Most Wanted, 5.13c, Robbers’ Roost, Nv
Spray-A-Thon, 5.13c, Rifle
Carte Blanche, 8a/5.13b (onsight age 14), Ceuse, France
Shoot’em Up 5.13a (age 13), Maple Canyon, Ut

 

Bouldering Achievements
Over 75 V8-V14 boulder problems, including:
Midnight Lightning, V8 (age 15), Yosemite, Ca
Red Rum Sit, V10 (flash), Happy Boulders, Ca
Big Joe, V10 (onsight), Joe’s Valley, Utah
Full Service, V10 (flash), Hueco Tanks, Tx
El Chupacabra, V11 (flash), Hueco Tanks
Wet Dream, V12/13r (1st ascent), Red Rocks, Nv
Clockwork Orange, V12r (1st ascent), Red Rocks
Stand And Deliver, V12r (1st ascent), Red Rocks
This Side of Paradise, V10r/x (2nd ascent), Buttermilks
Iron Resolution, V13/14r (2nd ascent), Joshua Tree, Ca
Call 911, V10r (2nd ascent), Hueco Tanks
Slashface, V14, Hueco Tanks, Evangalion V13r (2nd ascent), Hueco Tanks (same day)
Mandala, V12, Buttermilks
Buttermilker, V13, Buttermilks, Ca
Evilution, V12 r/x (2nd ascent), Buttermilks, Ca
Spectre, V13/14 (one shoe!) Buttermilks, Ca
Yabo Roof, V12 (2nd ascent) Yosemite, Ca
Goldfish Trombone, V14 Happy Boulders, Ca
The Beautiful and the Damned, V13x, Buttermilks, Ca
Esperanza, V14, Hueco Tanks Tx
Full Throttle, Crown of Aragorn, V13 (same day) Hueco Tanks, Tx
King Lion, V13r (one day ascent), Sam’s Throne, Arkansas
Circadian Rhythm, V13 (one hour ascent), Kingpin, V11/12 (flash, Same day), Poudre Canyon, Co
Bully, V11, Triple Threat Arete, V10 (both flashed), Birds Nest, V11r (same day), Lower Cottonwood Canyon, Ut
Eclipse, V12/13 (2nd ascent), Prime Rib, V10, Red Letter Day, V10 (same day) LCC, Utah
Dominated, V13, Camp 4, Yosemite Valley, Ca
Direction, V13, Buttermilks, Ca