Climb United is about bringing us all together, through the thing that unites us: our passion for climbing. In many ways, fully sharing our passion for climbing requires us to break down the barriers that make it harder for some individuals and communities to access climbing. In other instances, it means highlighting that we are all climbers. But even as we are all climbers, we each experience climbing, and any given climbing day, in our own way.
Below, dive into a day of climbing, with our friends Eddie, Genevive, Mario, Sonya, and Rodel.
Eddie Espinosa
AAC: Tell us about yourself, Eddie!
EE: I moved here when I was around three years old from the Philippines. My parents planted the seed to explore early, and took us camping and hiking early on in and around the Cascades. Fast forward to my adult life where I've held many roles...I've been a climbing guide and instructor; a brand manager for an outdoor gear company; I've coordinated expeditions; climbed frozen waterfalls, boulders, and long rock climbs. My work now is to help facilitate climbers, new and old, to find the transformative power of being in our wild places through community, education, and self discovery. I work to uplift those folks who have been traditionally challenged to access these places, and most importantly my role is to raise my sons to be stewards of this land and approach all of our outdoor communities in the spirit of service.
AAC: Tell us about this particular day of climbing, captured here.
EE: No trip with kids is ever perfect. For as many good images as there are, there is easily twice as much chaos and coordination just to do the simple tasks. Planning a climbing day for them actually takes more work than a multi-day North Cascades alpine objective. And even more memorable than the sense of accomplishment from your partners on those countless peaks are the looks of wonder and joy from the eyes of a child.
Photos by Trúc Allen (@trucallen).
And it's not the adventures that have gone perfect I look back on with a smile; the best moments have been seasoned by things that have gone awry. Open bivvies, getting off-route, running out of food...these add the spice to the trip that provides them free rent in my life's timeline.
AAC: Tell us about a time you achieved flow in climbing or a climbing day that was just perfect. Geek out. Spray the beta. What made it all come together?
EE: A few days come to mind where I simply felt weightless, whole, and a part of the mountain rather than a visitor. It wasn't necessarily the route or the terrain, but it mostly centered around who my partners were. Leading out on unfamiliar terrain with the comfort of a secure belay on the other side of the rope, the look your partner gives you when you make the final moves, or cresting the final ridge to share the summit with them, are memories that I cherish. And it's not the adventures that have gone perfect I look back on with a smile; the best moments have been seasoned by things that have gone awry. Open bivvies, getting off-route, running out of food...these add the spice to the trip that provides them free rent in my life's timeline.
AAC: Where to next?
EE: My oldest kid is strong enough to start joining me on some easy alpine climbs on nearby peaks. For myself, I need to do some more exploring in the Sierras. Immediately though, I'm off to the Michigan Icefest to swing some tools and help support our volunteers out there. This summer will be spent balancing coaching my son's baseball team, trips to Yosemite, and as many national parks as we can fit between Seattle and Yosemite.
Photography by Trúc Allen (@trucallen).
Genevive Walker
AAC: Tell us a little bit about yourself, Genevieve!
GW: I’m a climber, athlete, and Single Pitch Instructor who has been living on the road for the last five years. Even though road life afforded me the opportunity to meet a ton of amazing people along the way, the feeling of community and connectedness was still missing. After temporarily relocating to Colorado I started to meet other women of color in the community who connected me to a network of Black and brown climbers all over the country. This sparked a huge self-reflection and motivation to uplift climbers in my community through teaching. I received my SPI certification in 2019, started guiding with mostly female-owned companies, and began teaching skill-based clinics. Most of my guiding work is centered around female and non-binary spaces but I’m in the process of figuring out how I can shift my focus towards Black and brown spaces. Even though I’m still figuring out my career goals in life, I’m excited to have found clarity in the path I want to take.
AAC: Tell us about a time you achieved flow in climbing or a climbing day that was just perfect. Geek out. Spray the beta. What made it all come together?
GW: A time that sticks out for me has nothing to do with sends or performance but about community. It was a bouldering day in Unaweep Canyon with a bunch of old and new friends. The place was empty until about ten of us showed up with crash pads, music, and so much food. Looking around, the majority of us were non-white. People were sending hard and chillen even harder. We bounced around to a few different areas that day and the energy kept rising. Some people sent, some found new projects, but what mattered the most was the fact that we were all together, like a giant family gathering. Sure, I could spray about a boulder I sent that day but it held no meaning to the experience. Having the chance to spend the day with people in my community is what made that day so special.
AAC: Tell us about this particular day of climbing, captured here.
GW: The community of climbers, friends, and long-term road lifers that come together in Tensleep is what draws me in year after year. I’ve been spending my summers in Tensleep for the past four years but this one was more special than the others. I remember sitting under the pavilion, chatting with friends, and seeing not one, or two, but five Black people chillen at camp in such an organic way. What I mean by that is there was no meet-up or event happening. There was no organization or trip planned. It was just a typical day at camp. I’ve never experienced anything like that. Up until then, I’ve come across one other Black person at the crag. We talked, shared laughs, and at that moment I felt a weight, that I didn’t even know was there, lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I could be myself.
I instantly connected with a guy named Tyee through our shared love of travel and living on the road. Throughout the summer we exchanged stories, talked about life experiences, and just enjoyed each other’s company. One day we went climbing with a few friends at a crag that we had to ourselves. Everyone was joking around, cheering each other on and feeding off everyone’s energy. I belayed Tyee on a 12 he was projecting. We worked out beta together as he made his way to the chains. At the end of the day, I realized that was the first time I climbed outside on ropes with another Black person outside of an organized event. My brain exploded and my eyes almost filled with tears. This is what I want to experience all of the time. If it wasn’t for the relationships that formed along the way, I wouldn’t be here. Working hard and sending the gnar is one aspect of climbing, but the community it fosters is what keeps me going.
In Tensleep and in other places, I've experienced the locals’ distasteful looks, unwelcoming signs and stickers scattered amongst local establishments, and aggressiveness expressed by passing cars at camp. Some of these aggressions are towards the climbers in general, but as someone who is not white, I see and feel it every time I go into town for groceries, a restaurant, or to a bar. This type of behavior isn’t isolated to Tensleep unfortunately. These places just don’t feel safe to visit and until the issues are addressed these crags will not provide the same amount of accessibility to the entire community. These are just some of the reasons that climbing with Tyee was so profound for me.
I remember sitting under the pavilion, chatting with friends, and seeing not one, or two, but five Black people chillen at camp in such an organic way. What I mean by that is there was no meet-up or event happening. There was no organization or trip planned. It was just a typical day at camp...At that moment I felt a weight, that I didn’t even know was there, lifted off my shoulders. I felt like I could be myself.
AAC: Where to next?
GW: My next big trip is to El Potrero Chico in Mexico to guide a ladies’ retreat in a couple of weeks. I usually head down every spring and fall to guide retreats and love every second of it. I’ve been visiting the area almost every year since 2016 and am still in awe that I get to guide down there and share my love of the area with others. In the meantime, I’m based in Chattanooga for the winter enjoying the southern sandstone, then come spring I’ll head to the Red River Gorge for a couple of months to get my endurance back. After that, I’ll be back west bouncing around Rifle, Maple, and Tensleep.
Photos by Cody Kaemmerlen (@cody.kaemmerlen).
Mario Stanley
AAC: Tell us a little about yourself, Mario!
MS: I am a coach and mentor to the youthful in mind and body in Texas. Our climbing community is growing and I feel that we as a community must acknowledge how rapidly our sport is growing. I want to ensure climbing in all its forms is for anyone that wants to try it. I'm looking forward to the day when I see the world on my walls.
AAC: Tell us about a time you achieved flow in climbing or a climbing day that was just perfect. Geek out. Spray the beta. What made it all come together?
MS: At the start of summer in 2018, Memorial Day weekend, I was climbing in Last Chance Canyon in New Mexico. This high desert terrain combined with rolling weather that time of year is the perfect cocktail for a sufferfest!
I was working on a route called Flamer with my buddy Josh. We were just taking burns on this thing. The crux is a short up and right bouldery traverse. You set up to stick the blind stab, and most people cut feet here. If you can keep them on, I’ll give you style and baller bonus points. Form there, its a high foot or hand-foot match to good holds that are at the chains.
I recount the experience and sensation in detail due to the shear number of my attempts. It’s the classic climber story of “I’ve done all the moves, I just haven’t linked everything up yet." I look forward to rekindling this fire on Flamer this year.
Photos by Travis Perkins (@travperk_photo).
I'm looking forward to the day when I see the world on my walls.
AAC: Where to next?
MS: Next is a big thing in a little place called Lake Belton. The mission is to document every send that I do. I want to know what it feels like to climb out an area, but I’ve never tried. I’m giving myself 3 years to burn like hell and try to send everything at Belton. Belton is a quick 6 hour round trip from DFW, and home to great lakeside limestone cliffs ranging from V0 - V9 and 5.8- 5.14. We'll see where these 3 years take me.
Photos by Travis Perkins (@travperk_photo).
Sonya Wilson
AAC: Tell us about yourself, Sonya!
SW: I've always been a wild child of the 70’s. I grew up in Las Vegas with Red Rock Canyon nearby. Often my deaf classmates and I would escape school to be outside exploring and climbing something. In my professional life, I'm a long-time educator and adventurer with a passion for the outdoors. Over the years, I've completed various outdoor courses from REI, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and Red Rock Rendezvous (RRR).
In 2012, I started a Facebook group called ASL Climbing Network, for Deaf and hearing climbers who know American Sign Language (ASL) including climbers learning ASL. Through this, I've hosted numerous outdoor and indoor climbing events for my local community and hope to do so for the foreseeable future.
AAC: Tell us about this day, captured here.
SW: ASL Climbing Day at Point Dume in Malibu, CA was epic! The heart of community brought it all together. Being at the beach and climbing at the same time was something everyone enjoyed.
That day everything came together easily in a space where everyone is supported and works together to be inclusive, encourages each other, and makes new friends. Every time we have come together with a shared love for the outdoors, it is evident that nothing is stronger than community! Deaf people, hearing people who sign, and hearing people who are learning ASL, come together in this community to enjoy climbing days at Point Dume, Stoney Point, Malibu Creek, all through the ASL Climbing Network I started. Recently, we hosted the 3rd annual ASL Camp and Climbing weekend in Joshua Tree and it was beyond incredible!
The outdoors should and can be a place for everyone, but the outdoor industry has some work to do to ensure that this is the case. When access is clear, equality is apparent, diversity is valued and inclusion is a priority, nature will truly be for everyone. Seeing my community together enjoying the outdoors makes my heart swell.
My vision is to create a bridge connecting Deaf and Hearing communities who share a passion for the outdoors. We can achieve this by building a network of a more inclusive, accessible, equal and diverse environment for all who attend outdoor events. It's super important to create a culture where these key components are a given and not an afterthought.
Photos by Brian Cole (@brianmikecole). Sonya Wilson, and friend Tiffany Campbell.
My vision is to create a bridge connecting Deaf and Hearing communities who share a passion for the outdoors. We can achieve this by building a network of a more inclusive, accessible, equal and diverse environment for all who attend outdoor events. It's super important to create a culture where these key components are a given and not an afterthought.
AAC: Where to next?
SW: In the near future, I hope to host more ASL Climbing Days and ASL Camp and Climb weekends in places like Joshua Tree, Malibu Creek, Point Dume and Stoney Point! I strive to do what I can to bring the 3 communities I love so much together: Outdoors, Deaf and hearing communities. The outdoors and adventure is for us all.
Rodel Querubin
AAC: Tell us a little about yourself, Rodel!
RQ: When not in the studio or on-location as a professional photographer, I spend much of my time passing on my love of climbing and snowboarding, primarily focused on the BIPOC community. From April to December of 2021, as the BIPOC Initiatives Chair of the AAC—Twin Cities Chapter, I helped plan, organize, and host over 60 BIPOC climbing events, ranging from bouldering sessions, to outdoor climbing clinics, to a BIPOC climbing outing at Devil's Lake Craggin' Classic in partnership with the Chicago Chapter, to organizing free climbing days for the ESL students of El Colegio High School.
As an Arc'teryx MSP Community Ambassador, I was able to secure funding from them to support many of our initiatives. I plan on continuing this work into 2022 and as long as I'm able, adding focus to community outreach and building partnerships. This will also be my second season teaching free BIPOC snowboarding lessons with Saint Paul Parks and Recreation and BIPOC Outdoors Twin Cities, funded by the Capitol Region Watershed District. Whether climbing or snowboarding, my heart is filled seeing folks try new things, continue their development, and find a connection not only to the sport but to each other.
AAC: Tell us about this particular day of climbing, captured here.
RQ: We often discuss during our BIPOC events what barriers folks face in getting into climbing or continuing with it, and while there are the typical answers of financial burden and systemic barriers (whether in the gym or outdoors) what I've found most common is a feeling of lack of community—specifically, folks need people they feel comfortable around to grow with and share common stories and experiences. Sometimes it's about finding folks that don't talk down to beginners. Oftentimes it's not really about the climbing at all. It's about being vulnerable.
It was described best once by one of our participants: "It's like you're carrying a very heavy pack, one you carry all the time. And in these spaces you get to take it off. Unburden yourself. Some never even knew they were even carrying that weight until it's gone."
My hope, and it's always a work in progress, is to continue to build these events where people can thrive and flourish, like on this particular day, where without burden, or expectation, or self-consciousness, people can express themselves truly and find their own climbing community.
Photos by Jeff Alley. Rodel Querubin, one of the forces behind AAC Twin Cities Chapter.
My hope, and it's always a work in progress, is to continue to build these events where people can thrive and flourish, like on this particular day, where without burden, or expectation, or self-consciousness, people can express themselves truly and find their own climbing community.
AAC: Where to next?
RQ: I'm off to Michigan Ice Fest to help with some BIPOC Intro to Ice clinics and help navigate the ice fest for our contingent of 11 scholarship winners—8 folks for our first year of our AAC Twin Cities Chapter BIPOC Ice Climbing Scholarship, and 3 folks for the second year of our Mark Mahaney Memorial Scholarship. We're already helping them get some time on the ice here in Minnesota and supporting their gear needs so they can have an epic time in Michigan.
Thanks to our chapter's fundraising efforts and sponsor support from Arc'teryx MSP, all our scholarship winners will have travel and lodging covered, and thanks to the folks at Michigan Ice Fest they all get entry and one clinic covered. Our primary scholarship winners (top 2 for each) are also getting an additional clinic as well as gear from Arc'teryx MSP, Petzl, Scarpa, and Black Diamond. This has been the culmination of a lot of fundraising, planning, and generosity from community members and our local vendors and I'm so excited to climb and instruct such a diverse and inspiring group this year - of the 11, 7 women (including all the MMMS winners and our two primary AAC-TC BIPOC Ice Scholarship winners) and 9 BIPOC folks. We're hoping to continue the climbing adventures with all of them after Michigan Ice Fest as they all expressed stoke for all things climbing!