20 Questions
Favorite areas or routes:
In the U.S. my favorite climbing areas are Rifle, CO and The Cathedral, NV. Pretty much with Rifle the convenience as well as the uniqueness of the movement can’t be beat, and with The Cathedral the superb rock quality combined with dynamic difficult routes are what makes that place special. My favorite route is the Guttless Wonder 5.14b FA at the Poux, CO—the cleanest and best sport climb that I have ever seen and done with some of the coolest and most enjoyable moves on any route that I’ve been on—five stars. When it comes to bouldering, Hueco Tanks just can’t be beat.

Describe your climbing background:
I started climbing in Minnesota after deciding to quit hockey after eight years of slap shots and two minutes for roughing. Originally interested in trad climbing because my mom worked at a sporting goods store and could get the pro deal hookup on BD Camalots, my early days were actually spent indoors at a climbing gym. After my first winter in the gym, I pretty much turned into a gym rat that bouldered and sport climbed. Two years ago, I moved away from home and have been living and road tripping in and around Colorado. I haven’t entirely forgotten my original interest in trad climbing and have since gotten spanked in many areas including the Gunks, Indian Creek and Lumpy Ridge.

Describe a memorable climbing experience:
One particularly memorable moment for me was when I was in the Red River Gorge. It was a time when I found out just how hard I was able to climb when I put my mind to it. It was at the end of the day—I had already come extremely close to sending a 14a, one-hung a 13c twice and spent over an hour on a 13d. Tired but still motivated, I decided to try my luck at flashing the 13b next to the 13d I have previously climbed. I had a general idea of how the route went and figured what the heck. I started out already gassed and barely able to climb but ended up making it to the last bolt and falling before clipping it. During the previous 20 feet before I whipped I couldn’t feel my hands. I was spitting and frothing at the mouth, making crazy noises that I had never made before and basically was functioning on pure primal will. Even though I fell off, I was so excited that I did as well as I had.

How do you see climbing evolving in the next five years?
Everything is getting more difficult. Routes and boulders will be longer and harder. Ridiculous big walls will get freed and Tommy Caldwell will get another career threatening injury, thus making him even more unstoppable perhaps only negatively affected by Kryptonite (oh wait that doesn’t’ stop him either).

Care to comment on: pre-clipping more than one draw on sport routes or pre-placed gear on trad routes, chipping or comfortizing holds, glue vs. no glue?
No. Aw what the heck, I think that pre-clipping is a personal safety thing and is up to the individual. Now if you pre-clip more bolts than other people some might not agree with your style of sending, but if it doesn’t bother you then it doesn’t bother me. I personally like the single pre-clip as a precaution, and sometimes two if I might possibly die. No chipping or comfortizing. Glue, I think should be used as a safety precaution for example if something large could come off and really hurt somebody, but if tons of glue is needed on a route then maybe a different route needs to be found. For sure the route equipper is responsible for making a route not excessively or unnecessarily dangerous.

Any near-death experiences?
I did pull off a 300+ pound block when I was bouldering that, if it had landed on me (which it very nearly did), the razor edge on it would probably have lopped off one if not both of my legs.

Are you a fan of climbing history? Explain?
I’m a fan of looking at ascents from long ago and thinking—oh my god I wouldn’t do that with the sweetest gear available today—crazy.

What are your future plans or goals in climbing?
Lots of FAs, 5.14+ this spring and more overnight backcountry bouldering trips—the U.S. doesn’t know what a resource southern Nevada is.