I tend to walk through life sort of looking through a pair of binoculars, and I focus on certain things and push out the rest.
The types of climbing that I choose to do I'm good at justifying. I do really try and pick things that I'm going to live through. I don't want to die, and I'm relatively cautious. I play with that line all the time. I want things that are very exciting, so much so that they can feel almost spiritual.
El Capitan is the most chapping environment in the world: windy, cold, super dry. I wake up twice a night and reapply lotion to my hands. We sand our fingertips to keep them smooth.
In rock climbing, people get strong enough, and then they pick goals they can do with their strengths at that moment.
For me, I love to dream big, and I love to find ways to be a bit of an explorer. These days, it seems like everything is padded and comes with warning labels.
There are specific things in our world that are incredibly dangerous. Wingsuit BASE jumping is the very, very top of that. Big alpine climbing objectives are maybe right below that. I've probably had 20 friends die - people who were pretty close to me. I would say about 18 of them were because of snow.
I am at a climbing area called the Wendenstock in Switzerland. This area has some of the best quality multi-pitch climbing I have seen on limestone. There is about a two-hour approach on one of the steepest grass slopes I have ever seen. The setting is amazing.
I have been to Switzerland a handful of times, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to climb.
I travel and climb about eight months a year. That's pretty great training in itself. When I am home, I do a lot of bouldering, gym climbing, and specific strength training in a effort to get stronger for climbing.
My wife always says that I function better up on a big wall than I do anywhere else in life.
As I get more experienced, I love the idea of going into big mountains and doing big climbs. But the problem is, it's getting more dangerous, especially alpine climbing.
For me, I love to dream big, and I love to find ways to be a bit of an explorer.
I feel very lucky to be able to call my hobby my job, yet it doesn't feel like one.
My motivation is internal.
I love that idea of mastery.
I've climbed in a lot of places, but only once in the U.K., at Stanage Edge in the Peak District.
If you don't have to worry about socializing because you don't like it, you can more fully immerse yourself in climbing.
I don't journal that much, honestly.
I've been climbing my whole life, so I know a lot of the feelings, the smells; these memories are pretty distinct in my mind still.
Climbing a big wall over several days is like running a giant construction project: constantly making lists, rigging ropes, organising food, figuring out camera angles - but you're in this crazy place with your best friends, and it does take on a party atmosphere sometimes, like a big dudes' camping trip.
