Chris Thomas

USA

After growing up in the hideously flat state of Maryland, Chris moved to Utah and started working for Black Diamond in 2004. Chris seems to be pretty ADD with his outdoor interests, never being able to settle into one niche for long instead tending to get super psyched on one aspect of climbing or skiing at a time, obsessing about it psychotically 24-7 for a couple of months, and then switching to something else and not looking back for a while. Chris admits such an approach is not exactly productive, but at least it’s fun.

Chris’ obsessive-compulsive nature has paid off well in his short climbing career however, scoring him a free ascent of El Cap’s Freerider (VI 5.12c-ish), first ascents of winter routes up to M10 (traditionally protected) and WI 6+, and a handful of first ascents in the Alaska Range spread out over five separate expeditions. Lately he’s been trying to free a bunch of the older aid lines in Little Cottonwood Canyon (15 minutes from work) and other SLC granite areas where there’s TONS of potential. Other hobbies include being a closet Dido fan, layman’s physics books, making fun of road bikers who shave their legs, hockey and trundling big boulders while drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in far-away places.

Birthday? 08/03/1983

Year you first started at Black Diamond? December 2004.

What does working at Black Diamond mean to you? Making a difference at a great company that values making kick ass gear, supporting outdoor philanthropic causes/organizations, and most importantly, going climbing and skiing as much as possible. It’s the perfect balance of work and play; it’s hard to imagine working anywhere else.

Worst job you've ever had? Organizing children’s “sound books” in the toy section for Walmart. I contemplated self-mutilation daily…

Favorite sports/activities? Climbing, skiing, grilling, drinking. Preferably all at the same tim.

Favorite climbing area and why? Adirondacks, New York. Splitter cracks, insane ice and mixed climbing, great people. I miss that place.

BD gear you use every time you go climbing/skiing? Climbing: Camalots, ATC Guide. Skiing: Megawatts. It’s the only ski I use anymore.

What's in your iPod? Lucero, Dido, Shostakovich, and Biggie Smalls… all on random shuffle.

Strangest place you've ever woken up? At a bar in Bangkok.

Strangest person you've ever woken up with? I’d rather not say… people I know will be reading this.

What's your dream job? Tough call. Something intellectually stimulating enough to keep me interested, surrounded by good, motivated people, flexible schedule and rewarding work. At risk of sounding cheesy, I may have already found it…

If you could steal one thing and not get caught, what would it be? Kolin’s VW Euro van. My P.O.S. Saturn just isn’t cutting it as a road trip mobile.

If you could have dinner with three people (dead or alive) who would they be? Ben Nichols (lead singer for Lucero), Sidney Crosby and Mugs Stump