20 Questions
Describe your climbing background:
My background is mainly traditional, and it is still my favorite. My climbing started with scrambling up peaks in the Sierras, Cascades and the Rockies. I progressed through all of the grades, and I feel that this has helped to make me a more solid climber.

Was there a big breakthrough or defining moment for you?
Learning how to speed climb big walls and also when I got invited on my first big mountain trip.

Describe a memorable climbing experience:
Sitting in the sun with my toes dangling over 2,500 feet of air, smiling from ear to ear, almost overflowing with happiness as I belayed my partner, Lizzy Scully, to the top of the South Howser Minarette after completing the first free ascent of this amazing tower.

What are you up to when you’re not climbing?
Practicing yoga, surfing, running and hanging out with friends. Usually keeping too busy, unless I am sitting in a soggy tent waiting for the weather to clear.

Any training advice or suggestions?
Climb on “real rocks” as much as you can! Also, I really believe that practicing yoga helps keep me free of injuries as well as improves my performance on the rock, both mentally as well as physical.

Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by beautiful lines, towering rocky mountains and those climbers that make it all look easy.

How do you see climbing evolving in the next five years?
People are going to get more into onsight-freeing big alpine walls in the greater ranges. Climbing 5.13 in the mountains will be the norm and everyone will be base-jumping at the top.

Care to comment on: pre-clipping more than one draw on sport routes or pre-placed gear on trad routes, chipping/comfortizing holds, glue vs. no glue?
I don’t have strong feeling either way about pre-clipping more than one draw on sport routes. It depends how it was bolted. If it makes it safer for “you” then go ahead. Pre placed gear on trad routes can be a bit of a grey area. It seems to me that if you pre place gear that it is now a sport climb, and should be documented as such.
Chipping/comfortizing: If your going to chip holds, then why not let the mixed climbers have at it?? Glue: Don’t know much about it, though it does seem good for holding the bolts in the rock in Thailand.

Do you have any vices and what are they?
Hot tea.

Any near death experiences?
When my boyfriend tried to kill me in Patagonia this past season. Actually, he didn’t try and kill me. A giant block shifted loose on one of the rappels and came down on me. Fortunately there was a little overhang to cower under but the rock did put three core shots in one of our ropes.

What are your future plans or goals in climbing?
I would like to continue to get more involved in giving back to the communities that I visit throughout the world.