Roger Strong

USA

Roj came to BD first as a sponsored athlete in 2002 while pursuing his former career as the captain of a commercial crab fishing vessel in the Bering Sea of Alaska: a job he did for over 20 years until his dream job with the BD Sales department finally opened up. (You can see him profiled and posing on the first two seasons of the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch.)

He's been climbing for nearly 25 years and feels lucky to have climbed all over the globe, opening new rock, mixed, alpine and big wall routes in Alaska, Canada, Mexico and the U.S.  Roj loves being on anything vertical, steep and long, mixed with horrible weather to keep him feeling like he's still getting his ass kicked on the boat somewhere. He attributes any success that he's had in the mountains to his close relationships with his wife, family and friends coupled with the rigors he's endured on the deck of the crab boat.

Birthday? February 12, 1967 (same as Abe Lincoln!)

Year you first started at Black Diamond? As a climbing athlete in 2002 and finally a sales rep in October of 2005.

Memory/story of your first week at Black Diamond? My boss, Chris Grover (a.k.a. the Grove) had just hired me after a couple months of him marinating and me begging. I was supposed to go on the road with Craig and Eddie (my mentors at the time) to start learning the job. My wife Merridy broke her shoulder learning to kiteboard (way against my better judgment)…they showed immediate compassion and were like “dude, stay home and take care of your wife!” I knew right then that BD ‘got it.’

What does working at Black Diamond mean to you? At first, it was this huge honor, working with people that were some of my climbing and ski heroes. It’s become much more of a family of very like-minded people that share the passion of indulging in the mountains, obsessed with making THE best gear possible, and doing our best to help the retailers and customers that support our mission.

If you weren't working for Black Diamond, what would you be doing? I’d be the same sorry-assed crab fisherman in the Bering Sea, jonesing for the next round of time off to go chase the next mountain adventure.

Do you have any pets? Sort of…Merridy just gave birth to our baby girl, Maya, only she’s going to be able to talk back at us some day…oh boy.

Favorite sports/activities? Climbing (duh), human-powered backcountry skiing…I can’t believe my wife got me hooked; kiteboarding, all you BD bike weenies need to trade in the lycra and get a kite!!!!

Favorite climbing/skiing area and why?
Squamish B.C. – The access, the community, and you get it as hard or as easy as you want any day of the week)
Canadian Rockies – THE best and biggest array of accessible, moderate to cutting-edge ice and mixed climbing on the planet, period.
Index, WA – Come and get your…ass…kicked…nuff’ said.

Best climbing/skiing experience? Wow, hard to pick…been blessed with so many…every one seems to get better with age and make all the rest even more special.

What's your dream trip? Where? With who?
Patagonia with Merridy and Maya. Merridy and I run up one of the stellar rock routes on Aguja St. Exupery while some rad local watches the kid for a couple of days…
Cerro Torre with one of the bros.
New routes in AK…with any of the bros.
New routes in the Rockies…with any of the brethren.

Guilty pleasure? Long massages from Merridy…then…

BD gear you use every time you go climbing/skiing? Cobras, especially when I bring them out on a sharp, pimpy Smith Rock project that I can’t send…kidding, but tempted.

What/who inspires you? Anyone who gets after it at any level with an easy, humble attitude, and then unselfishly gives back.

What's in your iPod? Godspeed You Black Emperor, J-Dilla, Prefuse 73, Boards of Canada, Public Enemy, The Thermals, The Melvins, Boozou Bijou.

Strangest place you've ever woken up? Juvenile Hall…long story.

Strangest person you've ever woken up with? Cell mate…see above. Thank goodness crab fishing saved me.

Superstitions? Left shoe, flip-flop, climbing boot, on first…ALWAYS…(KP got that from me.)

What's your dream job? Finally got it…

If you could steal one thing and not get caught, what would it be? No comment, that’s how I ended up in juvi!!!!

Do you have any tattoos or piercings? Four tats from a long time ago…it was a fishing sort of thing.  King crab and compass rose under each armpit…weird, I know.