Apr 11 2017

Outside Magazine and Being Vulnerable

Climbing, featured, Motherhood, Pregnancy
by Beth

A few years ago I wrote a piece about our beloved dog Max, who had just died. It was the most personal piece of writing that I’d shared with the public since my divorce. To say I was nervous and afraid to share my emotions so openly would be an understatement. But Max had had such an immense and positive impact on me that I almost felt as if I owed it to him to write down my thoughts and feelings and put it all out into the world, regardless...

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Jan 21 2014

Climbing Past My Pregnancy Stigma

Climbing, featured, Pregnancy
by Beth

I'm pregnant! Wowza! Big adventures lie ahead, along with exhaustion I'm sure :) We've got a little boy coming end of April and we couldn't be more thrilled.   When I first found out I was pregnant, I did a ton of research to see what other climbers experienced, and didn't find a lot out there. I want to help change this in the climbing community, to help make it an open discussion. If you research running while pregnant, the resources are endless from novice runners to professionals; but climbing while pregnant...

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Aug 27 2013

Lessons and Love from our Dog, Max

Climbing, Dogs, featured
by Beth

The scared light-brown dog, all skin and bones, hopped out of the rescue lady’s van in the parking lot of this non-descript strip mall. One of his legs was bandaged after the surgery. His brown eyes opened, fearful and bewildered, and he seemed to be searching for his owners.   “Max is totally in shock,” said Elizabeth from the rescue agency, in her South African accent. “For the past two weeks he looked in every door, every corner, every vista for his home, not knowing that he’ll never find it again.”   Abandoned by...

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Oct 23 2012

The Nose, Crowds, and Happiness

Climbing, featured, Yosemite
by Beth

[caption id="attachment_20691" align="alignnone" width="768"] The Brazilian – epitomizing the spirit of adventure.[/caption]   For some years now climbing has been more than the actual act of climbing for me, it's been about the people in the community. Going climbing with good friends, traveling the world meeting new people, or taking first timers out to the crag or gym. These times can be as rewarding as sending the hardest thing possible.   The turning point came for me while working on free climbing the Nose of El Capitan. The crowds and clusters on the Nose...

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