Portia Menlove was born and raised in Salt Lake City. She spent time doing outdoor sports with her family. Portia was immediately draw to climbing as an ADHD kid and started climbing all the time at the Wasatch Front Climbing Gym and going on trips with older climbers. Portia competed in youth and adult bouldering competitions, including the Junior Competitive Climbing Association, Professional Climbers Association, Mammut Bouldering Championships, and Nationals. In 2005 Portia won Nationals and was on the US Climbing Team. Portia discusses inspirational female climbers, friendships surr ..read more

Larry Love was born in Oroville, California where he grew up playing outdoors and enjoying sports. His dad was a plumber and his mother was a cook. After his parents were divorced, he and his mother moved to Salt Lake City where he attended the Sherman Elementary, Granite Junior High, Granite High, and Olympus High Schools. Right after high school he entered the Army Reserve, where he served for eight years. He attended the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, graduating in 1968 in physical education with a coaching emphasis and a minor in German. He played volleyball for the "Y" f ..read more

Cerre Francis was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and suffered from hip dysplasia. Treatment for her condition involved multiple surgeries and a body cast during her first year. Her family was not particularly oriented to the outdoors so early in her life she was limited to taking lessons that her parents signed her up with. Her high-energy nature led her to more adventures in the outdoors when her family moved out of urban St. Louis. She first experienced climbing when a friend, who was an experienced climber, took her to a cliff. She surprised her friend by making the climb without any falls on ..read more

Jessica Taverna developed a love for the outdoors when she spent a semester working on a farm in Vermont during junior high school. In college, a friend of hers took her climbing and she loved it. She moved to Washington DC to work and became involved with the climbing community there. Jessica chose to come to graduate school in Salt Lake City because of climbing. She talks about her climbing experiences in Utah and the climbing community. She describes the climbing industry´s impact on the sport and on the environment. Outdoor Recreation Interviewer: John Worsencroft.   View Jessica Tave ..read more

John Cronin grew up in New York City and Long Island. He started rock climbing in 1987 and quickly left to live by the Shawangunks, NY, to climb. Within a year, John started doing climbing competitions, including a few international World Cups. John really enjoyed the mental and physical aspects of competitions. In 1992, John moved to Salt Lake City to continue training for competitions and climbing locally at American Fork Canyon, Little Cottonwood Canyon, and other areas. John recounts memorable first ascents and repeats during a very intense 12 year climbing career. John left Salt Lake City ..read more

Sarah Wolfe grew up on Navajo Nation reservation with her mother and sisters. Her primary interests were singing and playing musical instruments and creating programming around culture and the arts. She moved to North Carolina after college and eventually became very involved in the climbing community through the North Carolina Chapter of the American Alpine Club, Triangle Rock Gym, and Carolina Climbers Coalition. She moved to Eugene, Oregon, for her now husband to complete his graduate degree. During that time, she created the Oregon Climbs newsletter to connect and inform climbers across th ..read more

Jacinda "JC" Hunter grew up in Wenatchee, Washington, before moving the Utah. JC spent her childhood backpacking in the Cascades with her father and did track and field in high school. After graduating from high school, she started climbing at the Rock Garden in Provo, Utah, and climbing outside. JC worked as a nurse and recounts returning to climbing after several years of being pregnant and barefoot with her four children, getting the first ascent on Fantasy Island, and first female ascent on Breaking the Law. JC talks about being a female sponsored athlete and love of deep water soloing. JC ..read more

Alex Lemieux grew up outside of Montreal and recounts playing hockey, doing gymnastics, and skiing in his youth with his older brother. In high school Alex became a ski instructor and continued to work his way up through the certifications. Alex was introduced to rock climbing in high school and that soon became his other passion. While on a three-month climbing road trip in the United States, his van broke down outside of Salt Lake City. While waiting for the van repairs, Alex and his then-partner found jobs in Salt Lake City and became full-time residents. Alex became a ski instructor at Par ..read more

Adriana Chimaras was born in Caracas, Venezuela and grew up in Miami, Florida. After graduation, Adriana moved to Portland, Oregon, and starting climbing. After a long climbing road trip, Adriana settled in Salt Lake City and starting coaching at Momentum Climbing Gym in Millcreek. When approached by Amanda Leonard to create some type of event of event at Joe's Valley, Adriana immediately said yes. Adriana and others created the Joe's Valley Bouldering Festival with Emery County locals, which continues to grow. At the heart of the Festival is bringing the two communities together - locals and ..read more

 Ted Wilson discusses being hired to work at the Grand Tetons. He was chosen to be a part of the Tetons rescue team because of his rescue skills. He describes a few rescues he was a part of. After one rescue, the sheriff's office, who hadn't done anything to help, took all the credit for rescuing a group of kids. The most harrowing, and most famous, rescue Mr. Wilson took part in was a three day rescue on the north face of Mount Owen in 1967. A man and woman were signaling for help on the mountain. The rescue team assembled and put together a plan. It took them two days to plan the rescue ..read more