Kate Rutherford

USA

As a climber and artist I love to find the beautiful lines in the world and experience them at close range. I grew up in the wilds of the Alaskan bush, learning about living in the wilderness, watching the natural history and scrambling across the landscape. From there I learned to climb at the Colorado College, where I also earned a biology degree.

Climbing springboarded international travel for me. Some of my favorite climbing adventures have been on big walls in Yosemite, the Moonlight Buttress in Zion, belaying out of boats in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, first accenting in Namibia, climbing Poincenot and Fitzroy (w/in 80m of summit) in Argentina, sport routes in China, and exploring Canada’s plethora of granite.

I combine my love of rock climbing with art, making beach stone jewelry, go check it out at suspendedstonedesign.com. Though I call Vashon Island, Washington “home”, I live the gypsy life in an awesome black sprinter van, leave for Patagonia tomorrow, and can’t wait to go to Yosemite this spring.

Birthday? January 26, 1981

Year you first started climbing? 1999

Three climbing achievements you are most proud of? Moonlight Buttress (5.12+), Zion, UT. The Optimator (5.13a), Indian Creek, UT. Hard Sayn’ not Knowin’, first ascent on Agu. Mermoz, Argentina.

Memory/story of the first time you ever went climbing? We went to a lake and top roped a boulder with my family. I think I was 12, it was great.

Favorite climbing area and why? Zion is my favorite climbing area, the red rock and splitter cracks soar above the Virgin River. The narrow canyon walls are such bright beautiful colors, and the climbing had perfect cracks mixed with big adventures. Some say it is the alpine climbing of the desert.

Best climbing experience? Climbing the Moonlight Buttress with Madaleine Sorkin in 2006 was the best ever climbing experience. Fun, great climbing, beautiful rock, a single crack for a thousand feet, great partner, and it was our first big goal we ever tried and accomplished.

Worst climbing experience? I fell pulled a piece and hit my head really hard. I’d rather not talk about it. I had to have 12 staples.

What's your dream trip? Where? With who? Greenland with two strong Canadian ladies.

Guilty pleasure? Potato chips!

BD gear you use every time you go climbing? Oz carabiners

Something that annoys you while climbing? Being hungry

What/who inspires you in climbing? Lynn Hill and Hayden Kenedy

Favorite après-climb meal? Burritos

Favorite climbing flick? I don’t really end up watching them… makes me feel guilty.

What's in your iPod? Paul Simon, Blackalicious, Publish the Quest T

hree things you'd never roadtrip without? Fresh fruit, maps, climbing shoes.

What's your dream job? I have it.

How are you training when you are not climbing? I try to run, but I really would rather just climb.

If you could steal one thing and not get caught, what would it be? A house... in Yosemite.

If you could have dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would they be? Einstein, Isabelle Iende, and my grandmother Polly.

Do you have any tattoos or piercings? Nose and ear piercings.