The Mountaineers
Each week we bring you a personal story from one of our members. For our member profile this week we talked to Sasha DiGiulian.
10 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
How did you get involved in climbing? Was there one place or person that was instrumental in your introduction to the sport?
I started climbing in 1998 (when I was six) after my brother’s birthday party at a local climbing gym (Sportrock) in Alexandria, VA. I stumbled upon my first competition at age seven – and won my “11 and under” category. From there, I started competing in local, divisional, national, and then international competitions. Claudiu Vidulescu was my coach from when I was about seven years old until I was about 14. He taught me a lot about discipline, not settling for “good enough,” and always showing up, working hard, and challenging myself to be better. He had a “no bullshit” mentality that carried over into life. My mom was also (and still is) very instrumental in my early growth; she learned how to belay in order to support my climbing practice and outdoor endeavors – and drove me around the country - and flew with me around the world, to support me. She has always been my number one fan; and my number one source of inspiration.
Why do you like climbing and are there other ways you like to spend time outside?
I love the freedom that climbing creates; it's a mind-body catharsis that enables me to be fully present in what I am doing, and fully focused on exact sequences. Climbing serves as this space in my life where all of the other chaos is muted, and I am simply existing, pushing myself - and figuring it out. I also love going on long hikes with my dog, Moosechaga, skiing - both downhill and in the backcountry – trail running, swimming, and biking.
How do you set goals and what keeps you inspired to meet those goals?
In order to set the right goal, I first listen to my heart. I need to really believe that it is something that I want to dedicate myself to in order to really go for a big goal. The next step is curiosity of it being possible or not – which helps me define my timeframe of going for that goal. Another component that lends its way into my process of goal-setting is driven by location – I love traveling, exploring, and discovering new places. These days, I am really driven to explore more of my unknown – whether that’s in a location I’ve never been to, on a wall I haven’t climbed before, or a storied line that comes with rich history.
What was it like being the subject of a documentary film?
Vulnerable, intimidating, and empowering. Writing my own book just before the documentary was a good warm up to expressing myself in a visual format because I opened up many foundational doors to memories that I had not revisited. I learned a lot about myself through both processes – albeit, the book was easier because I had full control of telling my own narrative. I realized in writing my book and in filming the documentary that the only way to tell my story would be to really own my full self, and to lean into that, unapologetically. I know that I am not for everyone; I can’t be. And I know that I will not have the privilege to meet every single person that has a parasocial relationship with me, that has formed an opinion of who I am, and be able to either satisfy that opinion or debunk it. And I learned that I need to be okay with that; and through the process, I became okay with that. Because in the process, I became more okay with who I am.
As our 2025 Adventure with Purpose Gala Keynote, what does the idea of adventuring with purpose mean to you?
Adventuring with purpose to me means finding a meaning greater than myself. It means leaning in to how I can be more than a vehicle for my own growth, but to also inspire - and intertwine ways in which I can enhance my community while going for something that deeply inspires me. As individuals, we are more than the rocks and the mountains that we climb – we are humans on a journey to learn, discover, and make the places and the communities that we love better. Adventuring with purpose represents this idea of truly identifying a sense of meaning in the abstract – to cultivate a path that perhaps hasn’t been taken before, and has meaning and purpose beyond the self. Climbing is an innately selfish sport – however, finding purpose through our own goals can bring a deeper sense of meaning to who we are, why we are, and what drives us, inspires us, and brings us closer to the places that we love.
LIGHTNING ROUND
Smile or Game Face? Smile
What's you 11th Essential? Smartwatch
What's your favorite post-activity meal? Salmon
What's your favorite close-to-home adventure? Climbing in the Flatirons
If you could be a rockstar at any outdoor activity overnight, what would it be? Surfing
MORE ABOUT SASHA
Sasha DiGiulian is one of the most recognizable female climbers in the world, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible. She began her climbing career at six, and has since achieved Female Overall World Champion, undefeated Pan-American Champion for a span of a decade, and multi-time US National Champion. She was the first North American woman and third woman in the world to climb a grade 5.14d, (9a), and has traveled to over 50 countries accomplishing 30+ First and First Female Ascents, including over 50 5.14 ascents. She’s the recipient of the Golden Piton Award, Arco Rock Legend Award, and the American Alpine Club Robert Hicks Bates Award and in 2024, Sasha released the HBO documentary Here to Climb, which documents her climbing career pushing boundaries and redefining success on her own terms.
Sasha believes in the transformative power of sports on youth and female development. As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated space, she stands for equality in sport, access, pay, and treatment of women athletes. Sasha’s accomplishments, positive attitude, and poise helped bring rock climbing to the mainstream and solidify it as a true sport for women and men alike. She is the author of Take the Lead: Hanging on, Letting go, and Conquering Life’s Hardest Climbs, as well as the founder and CEO of Send Bars, a superfood nutrition bar company based out of Boulder, CO.
2025 Gala Keynote Speaker
Sasha will be the Keynote Speaker at The Mountaineers Annual Gala Adventure with Purpose on April 26, 2025 at Fremont Studios in Seattle. The event is our biggest fundraiser of the year and all proceeds through ticket sales support our nonprofit mission. Consider joining us to see Sasha and support our outdoor programs and mission.
