Chris Schulte

USA

Climbing is for me; it’s mine. I climb for myself, for what makes up me. I learned to climb outside. I started climbing to get to incredible places, as an excuse to go incredible places. It was getting to the places that mattered, and climbing is the obvious thing to do there. I prefer to climb alone most of the time, though with the right crew I enjoy sharing the day. FA’s and projects mean a lot to me, things that don’t have the odd mental baggage of a grade, though I climb for the line, and, one has to check in! I like lines that appear impossible, things that don’t seem to have holds; my favorites are balance and compression problems.

Birthday? August 15, 1977. The day before Elvis died.

Year you first started climbing? I think it was around 1997, give or take a year or so…

Three climbing achievements you are most proud of? I put more time into Kheops Assis in Fontainebleau than any other problem ever. I started climbing on it before I had any business thinking I could do it, and I tried it every time I went back to Font, so it rates pretty darn high. I finally finished it last February, about a week before we left France. Another one is the Flamingnon, in Hueco Tanks. This one was an epic of a different sort. With Kheops Assis I knew that if I climbed and refined, eventually I’d get it. On Flamingnon, though, I fell off the last move like 20 times. I KNEW I could do it, should do it, would do it; it was really frustrating gong through the whole boulder problem knowing that it was possible to just blow the top for whatever reason. I finally did it when I was most tired and completely disenchanted with the whole thing. I feel like I had to give up in order to succeed. Lastly, (and this one is a double) I’m pretty pleased with the experience of climbing two high lines at Mt. Evans, Colorado this spring and summer: the third ascent of Sunseeker, and the first ascent of Bokken. Both these lines are long, high, and committing, and one (Bokken) features a pretty bad landing. The most meaningful and memorable part of what I experienced while working these two lines apart from their beauty, was that I climbed both of them alone, quite a ways from the car and help. Some rehearsal was key for both, as each line features a technical mantle section up high; I made sure things were just right before committing to the go. I loved the airy feeling of climbing these in all that quiet, but at the same time, I love climbing too much to really put myself blindly at risk; these are really calculated actions.

Memory/story of the first time you ever went climbing? The first time I ever went climbing, some skateboarding friends and I went out to this little boulder garden outside of Durango, Colorado. The plan was to get up on top of the highest boulders there and smoke some grass. It was a good 30 feet to the top, and about 5.7 the whole way. I remember being really cozy up there, and it was a really pleasant experience, even with the little rescue we had to perform when one of the crew got stuck about 15 feet from the ground…

Favorite climbing area and why? There are two, really… But the leader is Fontainebleau. I love the style, the stone, the history, and the people. The approaches are mellow, the landings are usually flat sand, and the holds are so kind on the skin one can climb for a pile of days in a row. After is Yosemite, only just behind. Because it’s Yosemite. It’s gorgeous. The rock is incredible. Colorado is great, too. And Switzerland. How’s that for one favorite area?

Best climbing experience? I did this tall line in Font called La Merveille: it’s like the Mandala of Font, and about the same grade, but the crux is at the top instead of the bottom, and all the footage I’d seen of people trying or doing the line, they had done this sketchy, delicate dyno at the top, like 20 feet off the ground. I got up there, and jacked my feet up SUPER high, and reached as far as I could… And the finish hold just appeared in my hand, just as my feet popped. It was all so gentle and kind of surprising. It felt great.

Worst climbing experience? When I first started climbing, I wanted to be a super hardman alpinist. One day, a buddy and I went up to Silveton/Eureka to see how many long ice climbs we could do in a day. We got distracted halfway up the first one by a lean mixed dihedral cutting off from the main route. We saw a pin from the belay waaay up there, and figured it went, so we set out. Horribly sketchy climbing, NO pro, sun went down, got cold... Finally topped out and hauled out the headlamp for the descent and flipped it on. It flickered, and died. We rapped off a huge buttress in the dark, left a lot of gear, and made it to the ground about a half hour after Search and Rescue showed up with hot coffee. We found out later that the pin we saw was bail gear; another friend had gone up there and said F-this, and bailed. I started going to the desert much more often after that.

What's your dream trip? Where? With who? All of ‘em are dream trips, really; the top of the list is usually Font. I really want to go to New Zealand and South Africa; I’d like to do some exploring in China, as well… that could be a fun trip. Most of the time, I climb alone. That’s really part of the experience for me; I kinda need a lot of quiet time. My girlfriend is by far my best climbing/travel partner, we got a good rhythm. I also appreciate a Canadian crew who’re outta sight, and a solid English crew who’re a riot.

Guilty pleasure? I don’t feel guilty about anything that gives me pleasure.

BD gear you use every time you go climbing? Typically the Mondo Pad comes with me every time I go out! Thick square footage!

Something that annoys you while climbing? Competitive people who try and hate you off a climb so they can do it five minutes faster than you. Chatty bullshit. Noise. Split tips.

What/who inspires you in climbing? Anytime anyone does something they think they couldn’t do; what a nice surprise that is for everyone... As for who: a few unnamed, but known, silent partners out there. Y’all are my favorite climbers, and I really enjoy going out there and trying with y’all.

Favorite après-climb meal? I really like to cook. I was a chef for a number of years, so it varies a lot. I like French and East Indian food. And carnitas. And chocolate cake and full-fat buttermilk, together.

Favorite climbing flick? I love everything that brother Keith (unclesomebody) has done. L’etranger, Between the Trees. Honest climbing videos. Really clean.

What's in your iPod? Everything from Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson to BOOKS One and The Grateful Dead. Alan Watts.

Strangest place you've ever woken up? Boulder, CO. It happens like six or more months out of the year.

Strangest person you've ever woken up with? Myself. Second place is my girlfriend.

Three things you'd never road trip without? One: Black Diamond Mondo pad. Two: Five Ten Jet 7 or Team shoes. Three: “guilty pleasures”.

Superstitions? Karma? Talking about things as if they’re done, before they’re done? I’m not really superstitious.

What's your dream job? Professional rock climber! That or billionaire ninja..

How are you training when you are not climbing? By eating. Unless I’m hurt, I’m never “not climbing”. Climbing is my way and method. All kinds of things are training, though… Whatever you can make of it! But, I don’t really climb in the gym, that’s not my bag.

If you could steal one thing and not get caught, what would it be? The ongoing choice of immortality? The power of flight? Your hearts? Your face? Billions of dollars?  A magic carpet! I have no idea. We seem to get exactly what we deserve… sometimes…

If you could have dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would they be? How ‘bout Herman Hesse, Hanrunaka Hoshino, and Lao Tse?

Do you have any tattoos or piercings? Nope. All original equipment, with the exception of some necessary repair parts.