Finding the Beta to Process Fear
For the past couple months, I’ve dreaded climbing. It took me a while to realize this, because I still wanted to go climbing. But every time we headed out to the crag I felt a pit of anxiety in my stomach. I actually was relieved when snow stymied our approach or we picked a crag…
I’ve Got You
“Take!” the fear clearly shaking in my voice. “I’ve got you,” replied my friend. “Go for it.” But he didn’t take. Usually I would be angry if my belayer ignored my commands when I was cruxing, but, in this instance, I knew immediately he was right. I wasn’t falling, and it was at least worth trying…
Lisa Slagle
Beacons of Badassery is an interview series shining light on strong women. After spending most of my life trying to prove that I’m strong enough to be one of the guys, I’ve realized that instead of trying so hard to fit a certain expectation, we should be redefining what it actually means to be strong….
Checking My Knot
A year ago, I moved to Colorado. It was an onsight attempt, since I had never even visited before. But I committed to the move and started route-finding. And while I’ve definitely gone off route more than a few times, this has been the best climb of my life. It’s been an intense year, and…
Be Careful Or You Might Become a Badass
“Which route do you want to get on?” my friend asked, glancing at the guidebook and back at the routes ringing the cave. The choice was mine, since I’d been talking the whole trip about how much I love steep, overhanging climbs – but every route in this cave at Rifle was several grades above what…
Satisfyingly Slow
My default setting is to dive deep into a project – whether it be a boulder problem or creative endeavor – and not stop until I’m successful. I’ll devote hours, days, weeks, months to focus on that one thing. You could call me dedicated, stubborn, or even obsessed, and those are all accurate descriptions. But since I’ve…
Someone Has to Take the Lead
“Who wants dessert?” I was out to dinner during Outdoor Retailer with a group from ClimbStuff (this post is not sponsored by them, but I am an ambassador because I genuinely think they’re awesome – and this dinner only further reinforced that feeling!). We’d had a great meal and a wonderful time getting to know each…
Climbers Vary
I wear a “Climb Like a Girl” tank all the time, and I do climb like a girl, because I am a girl. But I’m not the stereotype of a girl. I’m tall. I hate techy climbs with little crimps. Slabs are my nemesis. Give me juggy overhangs all day. On the Ashima to Alex…
A Challenge I Could Do
We pulled up to Wall Street, the soaring walls of red sandstone right along Potash Road. It was a sunny, warm, but not desert hot, day in Moab, and the crag was packed with climbers. After scoping out the routes nearby, only one line of bolts was open. After a quick consultation with the guidebook,…
Following the Cairns
I am sitting on a ledge up a steep hill and below the routes we are climbing for the day. Getting up here had been an epic struggle for me, and as I waited to climb, all I could think about was why I had even made the decision to head up here in the…