“Chris grew up in Northern Virginia, just outside of Washington DC, and started climbing occasionally while in college at Virginia Tech. A few years after graduating, Chris pulled up his roots and headed out west to Boulder, Colorado; here he would develop into who he is personally and as a climber.

While he enjoys all forms of climbing, his main passion is mixed climbing. He is dedicated to progressing the sport and is always looking for new ways to train and challenge himself, and others, to ensure constant improvement.

Chris became the 1st American to climb D15 with his ascent of “A Line Above the Sky” in Italy, and has also repeated other hard mixed climbs, such as “Saphira” and “The Mustang” in Vail’s famed Amphitheater. His future goals include climbing several of the world’s hardest known climbs, as well as helping to develop new routes that will push the sport forward; he believes we are only beginning to see what’s possible.

Despite having an intense focus on his own goals, Chris feels that helping others improve is one of the greatest parts of climbing; you’ll often find him to be introducing new climbers to the sport, as well as reveling in the opportunity to be a teacher and coach. He is also a key organizer of Unleashed; an end-of-winter-season community party in the Front Range, created to celebrate notable climbs and stories, all while raising awareness and funds for several non-profits geared toward exposing individuals to climbing and the outdoors.

Outside of climbing, he’s also a Certified Financial Planner in Denver, a High Performance Driving Instructor with the National Auto Sport Association, and an artist.”