Randy Hankins

USA

In the summer of 1968 (between 7th and 8th grades), I watched a climbing-oriented slideshow given by the climbing ranger at Teton National Park and was TOTALLY hooked. Then in 9th grade we were assigned to read Annapurna by Herzog and that, along with my interest in backpacking and top-roping at scout camp, solidified my love of rock climbing. In 1974 my parents insisted that I learn "properly" and I was off to the Tetons and Exum Guides with some climbing friends to learn to lead climb and purchase my first climbing gear. That was the official start to a 30+ year climbing career that took me from the granite slabs of Oklahoma to all the major climbing areas of Colorado like Eldorado Canyon, RMNP, the South Platte, Black Canyon and the Flatirons to Tuolumne, Yosemite and JTree in California to the Dolomites of Italy and beyond.

I moved from Oklahoma to Boulder in 1983 to pursue climbing and the outdoors on a grander scale than I could in Oklahoma, and in 1985 I started working as a sales dude at the Boulder Mountaineer and then in 1986 took over the reins of La Sportiva USA (Transalp at the time) for Bob Culp. By the summer of '88 Sportiva had grown from a small company with ONE model of shoe (the Mariacher) to the #1 selling brand in America. I continued to grow the brand and the sales after becoming V.P. of Sales & Marketing in 1988 after the distributorship was bought by La Sportiva Italy. In 1992 I left Boulder and La Sportiva for a brief stint at Mountain Tools in Carmel, CA, returned to Boulder to work for The Access Fund when it was relatively new and then moved to Salt Lake City on New Year's Day, 1994 and have been enjoying my time and the chance to make a meaningful contribution at BD ever since.

Birthday? September 8, 1955

Year you first started at Black Diamond? 1994

Memory/story of your first week at Black Diamond? I started at BD as the Shipping Manager, inheriting a rowdy crew of seemingly warehouse misfits who later surprised me with how much work they got done and how good a job they did.

What does working at Black Diamond mean to you? I love the people and the passion at BD and after nearly 18 years I still find inspiration and family here.

If you weren't working for Black Diamond, what would you be doing? Being a rich and famous steel sculptor…

Worst job you've ever had? Inspecting sewage treatment plants for the Oklahoma State Department of Health back in the ‘70s.

Do you have any pets? Just peeves…

Favorite sports/activities? Climbing, beach volleyball, golf, making art, bookbinding, reading…

Favorite climbing area and why? I have a lot but probably either Eldo or RMNP, depending on my mood or the season. Eldo is so gorgeous in the spring and fall and the bullet-hard rock is so inviting. Lumpy Ridge and the high peaks of RMNP hold a lot of great memories for me as well. I also had a lot of fun running it out on the granite domes of the South Platte. And Quartz Mountain in Oklahoma, where I started climbing, will always have a special place in my heart. Still some of the very best granite I’ve ever been on.

Best climbing experience? Climbing Directissima on the Chasm View Wall on Longs Peak with the late Jim Blanford. My first hard 5.10 above 13,000 ft. The best because it was a breakthrough to a new level for me as well as being there with my good friend and climbing partner, Jim.

Guilty pleasure? Pillsbury Homestyle microwave popcorn with a Coke… Battlestar Galactica (the newer one)…

BD gear you use every time you go climbing/skiing? Chaos Harness, HotWire Quickdraws, ATC, Camalots.

What/who inspires you? Growing up, my climbing heroes were Jim Erickson, Duncan Ferguson, Bob Culp, Roger Briggs, Michael Covington, Layton Kor and other Colorado climbers. Once I got to Boulder, actually climbing regularly with Jim Blanford, Jim Michael, Dan Hare, Charly Oliver, Greg Wright, Keith Egan and Bob Culp was an honor and a privilege. Ron Kauk was a big influence as well, although I never got to climb with hiim. The Big Three of Oklahoma climbing, Duane Raleigh, Jon Frank and Jimmy Ratzlaff were a huge inspiration for me in the early 80s as were the Panciera brothers and Greg Schooly in the 70s. And my brother Mike, whom I taught to climb when he was 14 and who, with only one hand, became a MUCH better climber than I ever was. Best footwork I've ever seen (except for maybe Mark Herndon!). Otherwise, I’ve always been inspired by clean granite, great lines, distinct summits and cool climbing partners.

What's on your iPod? James McMurtry, Antje Duvekot, The Cure, Oakenfold, Coldplay, New Order, Death Cab for Cutie, Dire Straits, Michael Franti, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Smashing Pumpkins, Mozart, Nina Simone, Iron & Wine, etc. Obviously, I like a wide variety of music…

Strangest place you've ever woken up? Probably in the back of a U-Haul truck with no heat in the middle of winter with 30 of my friends when our school bus broke down and we illegally rode in the back of the rental truck all the way from Las Vegas, NM to OKC.

Strangest person you've ever woken up with? Myself I suspect… ;-) But there WAS that one night…

Three things you'd never travel without? iPhone with headphones, a book of some kind and a sketchbook or journal…

Superstitions? Not really…

What's your dream job? See “rich and famous sculptor” comment above…

If you could steal one thing and not get caught, what would it be? The Library of Congress…

If you could have dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would they be? Terence McKenna, Robert Anton Wilson and John Dee.

Do you have any tattoos or piercings? Not yet!