Q: Tell us the story of how you fell in love with climbing – who turned you onto it, where, at what age?
A: My dad took me to the local climbing gym in Davis, CA, the Rocknasium, when I was 14. It was somewhat of an afterthought on a Sunday afternoon, but as soon as we arrived and I started climbing, I fell in love. I am pretty sure we stayed until closing that night, and I was back every day after school the following week.

Q: You’re a free climber, what does that entail and why is California a place to free climb?
A: Free climbing is climbing using only your body and its strength to climb up the rock. It still uses all of the safety equipment – rope, carabiners, cams – but these are only used in case you fall. With aid climbing, you are allowed to use the equipment and your body to climb up the rock, but free climbing is all about the strength and endurance of your arms, fingers, legs, etc. California has many climbing areas that offer beginning to challenging levels of free climbing. From Donner Summit in Tahoe down to Joshua tree, the diversity of free climbing around the state is great and allows climbers of all abilities to push themselves.


Q: What is your all-time favorite climbing spot in California, and why?
A: Yosemite is my favorite place to climb, period. It is an epicenter of climbing worldwide and provides so much variety in styles of climbing. From climbing on small rocks in the Valley floor (bouldering) to 3,000 f oot climbs up El Capitan and everything in between, the climbing in Yosemite is absolutely stunning.

Q: What is the most underrated climbing spot in California, and why?
A: Hmm, perhaps Way Lake just above Mammoth – it is relatively newly discovered but is top notch for quality climbing and has an incredible alpine setting. It is definitely on my top places for summer climbing.

Q: What is your proudest achievement in climbing?
A: This is a tough question, but I guess I would have to say the first ascent of Meltdown in Yosemite. It is a 70-foot climb in Cascade creek that took me about four or five months of work. When I first started climbing on it, I could only climb about two feet in a row before my muscles would fatigue and give up. The climbing was very strenuous and it was a big puzzle that I had to solve…where to place my feet, where to place my hands, what order to do it in for the most efficiency…which in the end is very satisfying to accomplish.

Q: If someone was interested in learning to climb, where would you send them in California and what pointers would you give them?
A: Climbing gyms are an incredible place to learn how to climb and learn the basic safety requirements of the equipment, etc. And luckily, California has a high concentration of gyms across the state and even some of the UC schools have a climbing wall on campus. At the gym it is important to learn how to belay (hold the rope for your partner) and also to think about taking a movement class or a beginning rock climbing class. One very large misconception about climbing is that it is all about arm strength, but I have some of the leanest looking arms around and climbing is a lot about using your legs and balancing up the wall.
If you are close to the mountains, there are also climbing schools to take lessons from and you can experience real rock. Yosemite Mountain School is a wonderful place and Joshua Tree has a similar school as well. The most important thing to remember is to have fun.

Q: What are some of your favorite places to eat pre- and post-climbing?
A: I'll usually have a home cooked meal for both pre- and post-climbing, but if I am treating myself some of my favorites are:
Pre-climbing – tea at Local 123 in Berkeley, pastries and sandwiches to go from the Davis Food Co-Op, and baked goods from Great Basin bakery in Bishop.
Post-climbing – Mountain Room in Yosemite, a burger at Cafe Rouge in Berkeley, and ice cream at Bi-Rite in San Francisco.

Q: Where is the best view in California, and how hard is it to get there?
A: My favorite is the top of El Capitan. At night you can see the lights of the Central Valley and during the day there are 360-degree views from the Sierra high country to Half Dome to the foothills. Getting there either entails climbing El Capitan or hiking one of the three trails that lead into it – from Foresta it is about 10 miles one way, from Tioga Pass Road it is about 8 miles, and from the Yosemite Falls Trail it is about 8 miles.

Q: When you’re not climbing, what else do you love to do in the Golden State?
A: I love to ride my bike, hike and go out for good food. The biking in Yosemite can be really good in the quiet tourist season, and around Davis and the east Bay hills. Hiking is great in Tuolumne and the hills of Berkeley. My favorite places to go out for good food are Delfina and The Slanted Door in San Francisco, and Camino in Oakland.

Q: What are some of your favorite hiking spots in California? Is there a particular trail that you call your favorite?
A: The Sierras are my favorite places to hike. Tuolumne and the high country offer unbeatable views with pristine surroundings. But my favorite trail is an unmarked trail around the Glacier Point road in Yosemite. It is an old way to the Badger Pass ski resort, but has great wildlife and I hardly see anyone else on the trail. The hiking around the Bay Area is also great – you can drive 10-15 minutes and be totally surrounded by nature. I particularly like hiking in Tilden Regional Park.

Q: You’re from Davis, what are some of your favorite things to do around the Davis area?
A: I really like good food and good ingredients, so I always visit the Davis Food Co-Op for fixings for a good healthy meal at my parents’ house. Farmers’ Market on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings are also really fun to see people I haven't seen in a while and to sample the amazing local food and produce. I still head into the Rocknasium to climb when I am in town. It has a great local feel and good climbing for easy to advanced levels.

Q: You now live in Yosemite, what are some of your favorite things to do in Yosemite when you are not climbing?
A: Hike, lay in El Cap meadow and stare at the climbers climbing, and swim in the Merced River (in the warm months).

Q: Where can you find the best sunset in California?
A: I have two favorite places. The first is on Turtle Back Dome in Yosemite. It is a quick 10-15 minute hike up a service road, and sitting on the granite slabs watching the sunset is wonderful. My second is along Skyline in the Oakland Hills. If you time your bike ride correctly you can catch the sunset and be eating dinner shortly afterwards.

Q: Tell us about your most memorable California road trip.
A: When I was about 18 years old, I went with my friend on a week-long high Sierra trip. We climbed three things: The Incredible Hulk outside of Bridgeport, The Third Pillar of Dana right above Highway 395 on the east side of the Sierras, and the east ridge of Mount Humphries above Bishop. For a week we lived out of a van, bathed in the streams, and ate concoctions like nacho pie (layers of tortilla chips and cheese in a frying pan) and more van-made burritos than I can count. I came back home tan, fit and ready to live out of a car for another year. I had so much fun.

Q: What do you love most about being a Californian?
A: I really believe it's the best place to live, with the diversity of the mountains and cities – you can experience so many different things so close together. It's amazing to me how I can eat some of the best, freshest food in the world in the Bay Area, and then drive a few hours and be in total wilderness in the Sierras. You just gotta love it here!