Why We Climb: Max Powell

WHY WE CLIMB Into the minds of a new generation

MAX POWELL

WHY WE CLIMB

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Why do we climb?

In these articles, we get to glimpse inside the minds of Jamin Morris, Richard Marotta, Max Powell and Nathan Bonnie. Coming from very different backgrounds, each one has found their place in climbing. A common thread between them is that climbing has had a huge impact on their lives. From something as simple as getting stronger to helping overcome struggles with mental health. Climbing has helped to pave the way for change in their lives.

Illustrating this was the driving force behind “Why we Climb”.What initially started out as photographing locals at the gym, sharing information on routes and conversing about latest news, has turned into a project that illustrates climbing’s more profound effects.

When/Why did you get in to climbing?

I got into climbing about two years ago, when I was 13. I was doing Duke Of Edinburgh award and I had to do a sport. I’d been climbing twice before with my friends so I decided to do that. I started off at the Boulder Barn but that shut down. Boulder Barn was amazing - it had a real tight knit community. It only cost four pounds to drop in, shoes were free and everyone there was awesome. Not to mention, the guy who owned it was a legend.

What’s your favourite type of climbing?

Powerful, cut loose, dynamic boulders. In bouldering you get to focus on one crazy hard move. Whilst with spor t it’s really hard to work sections, bouldering’s a lot more chilled. You can have breaks for longer, you don’t have to worry about the safety aspect that sport climbing has.

What is one of your most memorable moments in climbing?

My most memorable moment is when I first went climbing outside in Cornwall.

I didn’t have a mat, and it was horrible and wet everywhere. I stood on my hoody, so we had to walk back in soaking wet clothes. My shoes were dirty and my chalk was everywhere. It was amazing.

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Which climber has inspired you the most?

Adam Ondra’s dedication is inspiring. But the climber who I look up to the most is Alex Megos. The fact he was 21 when he did “Lucid Dreaming” (V15) says it all. Tom Randall is a British trad climber, who owns a company called Lattice. They do tests on climbers to figure out specific training programs for them. Alex Megos did the test and scored two times more in strength then anyone who’s ever been tested on the Lattice. He’s a beast.

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How has climbing influenced you as a person?

Since I started climbing, I’ve got much stronger and I’m eating healthier. I’m always knackered and my skin’s always destroyed, but it’s worth it. Before I started climbing, I played guitar. I still do a bit now, but you’re just locked up in your room, which can get boring. With climbing, if you’re with a good bunch of people, and have good routes to climb, you’re always excited. I find the progression in my skill and strength develops easier than I thought it would, which is inspiring. When I started two years ago, I was climbing V2-V3. But now I’m climbing V6-V7. Climbing makes me a lot happier. I think the climbing community is one of the best out there. I bike a bit as well, and that’s an amazing community as well. But compared to the Boulder Barn, there’s never been a climbing community like that, it was insane. Everyone was just so friendly

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“Climbing makes me a lot happier. I think the climbing community is one of the best out there�

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What goals do you as a climber have for the future ?

Do think climbing promotes equality?

I’m quite interested in route setting. I like the aspect of climbing where you can be so imaginative and inventive with holds. I’d like to boulder harder and find a project that pushes my limits and that I can make a part of my life. I really want to go to Biblins where there are V10’s. Outside the hardest I’ve accomplished is V6, but I want to push that.

Everyone is here to climb. If you’re bad at climbing, there’s no pressure. Everybody’s so laid back and so supportive of each other, it’s a great space to tackle issues.

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“I’m quite interested in route setting. I like that aspect of climbing. How you can be so imaginative and inventive with holds.”

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What does climbing feel like for you?

Physically, climbing offers so much variation because each discipline of climbing requires different attributes. You need good technique and all around strength and flexibility to be able to do hard climbs. That’s why people generally focus more on individual disciplines, so they can become the best at that one. Climbing is also a mental game. There’s fear involved and having to find a way to cope with that fear can be hard. I find in bouldering I don’t get scared so much, so I can just focus on doing routes and crazy moves. That’s why I like it the most.

What do you see for the future of climbing?

I don’t know what the future of climbing holds. Adam Ondra finishing his project “Silence” opened up a whole new grade. He said in an interview he may have downgraded it. He can do 9b+ in a week and it took him 5 weeks to do “Silence”. He’s potentially saying it could be 10a but there’s no 9c that he can compare it back to.

There’s Dave Mcleod who did an 8a sport route, an 8a boulder route and an 8a alpine route. The amount of professional climbing is growing rapidly. Jerry Moffat and Ben Moon were some of the first people who properly started training specifically for climbing. Then they got Hubble which is the first 9a. It’s not like dirtbag climbing in Yosemite anymore, it’s more athletic.

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“Its not Yosemite anymore, it’s more athletic.”

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PHOTOGRAPHY AND INTERVIEW

BY JORIAN BIGGS