Climber Crush Wednesday: Claire @tinybearclaire

Happy Climber Crush Wednesday! Today we are featuring a route setting, bad ass, lady crusher! Everybody put your hands together for Claire, Head Setter at Grotto Climbing Gym!

1. What are your pronouns? She/Her/Hers

2. How did your climbing journey begin and how has that changed today? (Such as the evolution of your climbing.) I was introduced to climbing when I was six years old. My dad would bring us to the climbing gym after school where we would play and he would climb. I didn’t start enjoying climbing until I was a bit older. For my sixteenth birthday, my dad took me to get my workers permit so I could work at the Touchstone Climbing gym that opened just a mile away from our house.  I’ve been working in the climbing industry since! My climbing journey hasn’t changed so much since I’ve started. Climbing has very much been a constant in my life.

3. You've recently been promoted to Head Setter at the Grotto Climbing Gym. CONGRATULATIONS on a remarkable milestone! Do you have any tips or words of wisdom for other womxn hoping to get into setting? Thanks! If you asked me a month ago what my long term goals were in the climbing industry I would’ve said “oh ya, long term like in 5 years I hope to be a head setter.” It all happened so fast. I still can't believe it. Something that I would’ve liked to hear when I first started setting would be, relax. Don’t stress so much, don’t try so hard, try not to feel like you need to prove something to someone. When I first started, I was really frustrated at myself because I wasn’t learning and improving as quickly as I wanted. It’s important to remember that setting is hard, being a good setter is even harder. It takes time and it’s important to trust the process. 

4. Where do you find inspiration for setting? How do you challenge yourself and stay creative? I love setting, it's been my favorite job in the climbing industry hands down. I find a lot of inspiration through coaching. I like to set with someone in mind, most of the time it’s the children/young adults that I coach.

5. Describe some of the challenges, if any, you may have faced to get you where you are in your career today. How did you overcome them? I think most of the challenges I’ve faced were/are mental. I’ve struggled quite a bit with not believing in myself and feeling like I don’t deserve the good things that have happened to me. This is where having a support group comes in handy. It’s important to be confident in yourself but it’s hard to be all the time. When I am having a hard time believing in myself I remember all the people that believe and trust in me. My thought process is “I love and admire and look up to this person, and they believe in me. They must have a good reason! I must be good at something!”

6. What is the most rewarding part about your job? Honestly, all of it! I love being able to create something climbers can learn from and have fun on. Watching people get psyched on the new set makes all the hard parts of routesetting worth it.

7. Do you have any future projects or climbing goals? Just trying to get outside more! Since moving to San Diego in the summer of 2019 I haven’t explored climbing outside at all! I’ve been so busy, I haven’t made time to climbing for fun. That's definitely a goal for the year, to climb for fun. 

8. Is there anything that you'd like to share or say with the LADY CRVSH CREW community? LADY CRVSH CREW does an amazing job of creating such a welcoming and engaging community. Y’all are doing amazing things! Keep it up!