Steph Davis: High Places, Simple Living
When I started writing for Climb for Change, my mentor Chantal Schauch, gave me sound advice – “if it inspires you, share it."
Steph Davis has inspired me since I began climbing five years ago. As a female in a male dominated sport, I love that Steph pushes boundaries in climbing and BASE jumping. To name a few of her accomplishments, Steph was the first woman to free climb the Salathe Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite and to summit Torre Egger in Patagonia (find a more complete listing here).
Yet Steph remains ‘grounded’ even as she soars, successfully tacklling mind-boggling feats and becoming a sponsored athlete for prAna, Clif Bar, MSR, Evolv, backcountry.com and Mammut. This grounded, simple living mindset exudes from Steph’s blog High Places and book “High Infatuation: A Climber’s Guide to Love and Gravity." Both publications are met with an outpouring of positive response from the outdoor community.
Steph’s opening to her blog High Places resonates deeply with me:
People always ask, “why do you climb?” I’m always asking the same thing. The short answer is, “Because I love it.” But there’s so much more… connecting deeply with friends and with the natural world, challenging my notions of what’s possible, living life as intensely and as simply as I can. Climbing gives lots of time to think […] One of the best parts of climbing is meeting other climbers.
Now, due to the dangerously engaging quality of Steph’s writing, I suggest you proceed to her blog with caution. Be prepared to spend a significant portion of your time (especially if you are a climbing geek) immersed reading the letters of fans and Steph’s genuine responses. She addresses questions on topics that range from relationship advice, dealing with fear, injury rehab, climbing technique and more. Readers also frequently leave their own pearls of wisdom and advice.
People seem incredibly drawn to Steph’s amazing lifestyle, and her ability to settle for nothing less than pursuing her passions in life: climbing, animal activism, vegan cooking, wingsuit flying, BASE jumping, running, yoga, writing and skate skiing. Simple living? Absolutely. But then again, perhaps less is more.
Free Solo and BASE, Castleton North Face from steph davis on Vimeo.
*Photo credit: http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/desert-climbing/
