Rock Climbing Changed My Life
The inspiration behind what I do (and the Rope and Stone Newsletter)
I don't remember what motivated me to purchase a three-month climbing gym membership back in 2015. Maybe I was just bored. But from that point on, my life changed.
At the time, I was taking a gap year between finishing my undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado in Boulder and starting my Master’s International program at Illinois State in Bloomington-Normal, IL.
So, during my last three months in CO, I climbed incessantly indoors.
A detour to the Midwest
Then, it came time to move to central IL. After loading up a Uhaul truck and driving my life to the flatland, one of the first things I did after unpacking was join the local rock climbing gym. The gym, Upper Limits Bloomington, was a refurbished grain silo, which is pretty spot-on for the Midwest.
Before I knew it, I was climbing every week, getting stronger, and improving my skills. It didn’t take long to make new friends at the gym. Eventually, my new social circle invited me to go on my first outdoor climbing trip to Jackson Falls, IL.
The trip blew my previous understanding of rock climbing out of the water. Between the camping, hiking, and climbing on real rock– I was 1,000% hooked.
Little did I know I would continue down the rabbit hole the following year.
From the flatlands to the Andes
After a year on campus in IL, I once again packed up my things. It was time for the Peace Corps portion of my Master’s program. I would be volunteering as an educator in a rural Andean town while simultaneously carrying out a research project that would later become my thesis.
This time, I traded out the Uhual truck for a backpack and three duffel bags, one of which included my climbing gear. Because I was going to be stationed in the Andes, I knew I would be near rocks. Therefore, I figured I would at least be able to go on climbing trips during my vacations.
Little did I know that I would be climbing every single weekend.
I lived in a town called Matacoto. Matacoto is eight hours north of Lima in the department of Ancash. It sits directly in front of the country’s tallest mountain, Nevado Huascarán. One hour away from Matacoto was the capital of Ancash, a large city called Huaraz–the heart of the Peruvian climbing scene.
So, needless to say, every Friday or Saturday, when I was finished with my work week, I packed a bag and headed for Huaraz. From there, I climbed like there was no tomorrow.
In my two years there, I used the local sport climbing crag called Los Olivos as my outdoor climbing gym, climbed in the rock forest of Hatun Machay, did my first multi-pitch at Laguna Antacocha, ventured into the glacial cirque of Quebrada Llaca, and bouldered on the endless blocks strewn throughout the valley. The pinnacle of my climbing in Peru was a single 18-hour push tent-to-tent up a 2,000-foot granite big wall called La Esfinge.
During my time in Peru, I became the best Spanish-speaking gringo climber at the crag. Meanwhile, back home in Matacoto, I facilitated climbing workshops with local Peruvian guides for the high schoolers at my school. I also established new bouldering routes and developed a guidebook during my free time.
I was living, eating, and breathing rock climbing.
The combination of climbing in different zones around Huaraz, integrating into the local climbing scene, and facilitating climbing experiences as part of my Peace Corps service was like a dream come true.
Eventually, I realized it was a dream I wanted to continue making my reality.
Back to the U.S. and back to climbing (and guiding)
My two years of climbing in Peru spurred a massive shift in my life’s trajectory. The climbing I accomplished while serving in the Peace Corps threw me headlong down the rabbit hole in search of a new way of life…one where climbing was central to my career.
It’s been eight years since I put on my first pair of climbing shoes in that gym in Boulder, CO. And It's been five years since I got home from Peru. Since then, I’ve not only continued to climb, but I’ve begun an immensely gratifying guiding career.
At this point, I am a certified Single Pitch Instructor and Apprentice Rock Guide with the American Mountain Guides Association. I am also a New York State Tier I rock climbing guide, with additional licenses for hiking and camping. In addition, I hold a Wilderness First Responder certification to assess sickness and injury, provide first aid, perform CPR, and administer certain life-saving medications.
As a guide, I get to spend my time outside in picturesque places. Specifically, the Gunks of NY are my local stomping grounds.
My commute is a hike over dirt and stone, my office is on the edge of a cliff, and my deliverable for the day is a safe and adventurous climbing experience for the human being on the other side of the rope.
The Idea for the Rope and Stone Newsletter
My career as a climbing guide and everything it makes me feel will be the centerpiece(s) of the Rope and Stone newsletter. I won’t bore you with technical climbing tips or how-to articles. Instead, I hope to entertain you with introspective musings and anecdotes from the cliff, share reflections, and publish creative insights.
If I can get you to see, feel, or understand what I do as a climbing guide– then I think I’ve done my job. Even better– if I can motivate you to try out rock climbing or, better yet, join me for a day of climbing, then I’d be thrilled.