EP 01: Lizzy VanPatten
Feb 1, 2020
Lizzy VanPatten is a rock climber and the founder of She Moves Mountains, a guiding company with the mission of helping women realize their strength through rock climbing. We talked about Lizzy’s brief music career, building a business, breaking into 5.12 trad, assessing fear, and her gratitude practice. You can learn more about Lizzy at shemovesmountains.org
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Stitcher, Google Podcasts
Check out other episodes with Lizzy:
Follow-Up: Lizzy VanPatten (Jan 7, 2021)
Patreon:
Follow-Ups:
thenuggetclimbing.com/follow-ups
Videos:
Rollergang Video - Lizzy and Sara rollerblading
“It Hurts” - Lizzy’s (amazing) music video
Goofy Facebook Video - "We may never climb 5.13..."
Routes Mentioned:
‘Beckey Route’ 5.6, Liberty Bell, WA
The Frey climbing area, Pategonia
Cochamó climbing area, Pategonia
El Chalten climbing area, Pategonia
'Beckey-Chouinard' 5.10, Bugaboos, BC
‘Extra Lean’ 5.12-, Indian Creek, UT
‘Der Sportsman’ 5.11+, Prusik Peak, WA
‘Winter Sustenance’ 5.12, Trout Creek, OR
‘Full Clip’ 5.12+, Trout Creek, OR
‘Reservation Blues’ 5.12+, Trout Creek, OR
‘Crack-A-No-Go’ 5.11b PG13, Smith Rock, OR
‘Crime Wave’ 5.11b PG13, Smith Rock, OR
‘The Moonlight Buttress (Free)’ 5.12+, Zion NP, UT
‘Churning in the Wake’ 5.13a, Smith Rock, OR
Apps:
Lizzy’s Business:
She Moves Mountains - Home Page
Nuggets:
1:25 – Rollerblades (and Rollergangs)
2:31 – Lizzy’s brief music career, transition into rock climbing, and her first trip to Patagonia
12:03 – Starting guiding, seeing women come alive, and becoming a business owner
19:06 – Taking big leaps and why it’s hard to feel embarrassed
26:23 – She Moves Mountains growth and where things are at now
29:50 – How Lizzy makes her guides feel stoked while giving herself freedom
35:47 – Self-doubt and the importance of building a solid team
37:49 – One piece of advice for herself and running her business to pay her guides well
42:30 – Finding challenge through projecting and climbing ‘Der Sportsman’ first try
47:33 – Lizzy’s first 5.12, climbing 5.12 in four different locations, and ‘Winter Sustenance’
51:08 – Sending 5.12 fourth try and flashing two 12+ routes on top rope
52:09 – A nasty fall Lizzy took this summer
58:07 – The importance of having a goal
1:02:25 – Training for ‘Moonlight Buttress’ and projecting fear
1:07:08 – The curse of being a technical climber, pistol squats, and trying ‘Churning’
1:10:20 – Calm meditation app, highs and lows, Lizzy’s gratitude practice, and the negative bias
1:18:58 – The one thing Lizzy is most grateful for right now
1:20:44 – She Moves Mountains apparel
1:23:05 – She Moves Mountains upcoming events
1:27:39 – Lizzy’s final thoughts on facing and assessing fear
1:31:12 – Quote from Anaïs Nin