A Conversation with Connor Herson
“It actually says a lot about a person as a climber how well they climb a climb below their limit.”
Gonzo
Photo: John Kasaian | @johnkasaian
COVERGROUND January 13 2025
Most 15-year-olds aren’t spending their weekends free climbing The Nose on El Capitan, but if you’re Connor Herson, that’s just another family trip. For most climbers, simply getting up the Big Stone once in their life is a dream come true. But years later, Connor’s still at it—proving that his teenage triumph wasn’t just a one-off peak, even if he jokes otherwise. The young rock assassin might need to pace himself or he’ll run out of hard routes to send in North America.
A Conversation With Connor :
"What are you studying at Stanford, and how do you balance climbing at a high level with your academic responsibilities?"
"Im studying electrical engineering and this is my junior year, and in the first two years, I was really trying to climb hard, train, and, keep that balance. Last year, I was going to the Valley almost every weekend. It was nice, but some climbs—actually, Meltdown—I was projecting it a little over a year ago every weekend while balancing school, and it was pretty brutal. I wasn’t making great progress on the climb and was constantly stressed about schoolwork. But once I adjusted my expectations, it was fun to find ways to challenge myself in both worlds at the same time.
Right now, though, I’m kind of taking a different approach. I took fall quarter off just to climb. That meant from mid-June, after finals, all the way until about a week ago when winter quarter started, I was climbing and not thinking about anything else. It was really, really nice. But now I’m back in school, and this is kind of nice too. I feel more ready to focus on school and treat this as an off-season for climbing. I might take a week or two off from climbing completely, maybe just train in the gym or do a few fun Valley climbs, but I’m not worrying about performing at a high level right now. The goal is to take the stress out of climbing for now and then push hard again—probably in the summer."
"How has the transition been, going from only climbing with no school to now being a full-time student again?"
"It's interesting. I feel especially this year, where I've been separating things a bit more, it really feels like two parallel lives. It was actually a weird adjustment coming back to school after the six-month break. During those six months, I was really that person living out of the back of a Subaru Outback, traveling around, climbing full-time, and only thinking about climbing. Then, going from that to repacking and jumping straight into being a full-time student—I didn’t have much transition time. It felt as if someone just picked me up and dropped me into an alternate world."
Photo: Connor Herson “Honk if you like trad dads”
“Did you have specific turning point when you were a kid that set the tone for climbing in the future?”
"I've always enjoyed having long days in the mountains, being outside, and going on fun adventures. That's been true for as long as I can remember. I can’t point to one specific moment where I got super psyched on it, but I was just climbing in the Sierras with my parents, gradually going on bigger and bigger climbs, and having so much fun.
When it comes to pushing my physical limits, climbing in the gym, and even comp climbing, I can think of one day that stands out. I must have been about eight at the time. Up until that point, I wasn’t really that into it. I’d go to the gym but mostly just read, play with my toys, or do something else. My parents would take me to the gym, but they never forced me to climb, and I think that was really important. Picking it up as something I wanted to do, rather than something they wanted me to do, made a huge difference."
"Given his accomplishments as a climber, would you say your dad was a big influence in motivating you to climb and pursue success in the climbing world?"
"I think it was less about his accomplishments and more about his total willingness to support my climbing. Actually, both my parents were like that—they would go to the crag, even if there wasn’t a climb they were excited about, just to belay me and support my climbing. That really meant a lot to me.
Being able to go on these huge adventures in the Sierras, like climbing Cathedral Peak when I was really young, was something I wouldn’t have been able to do in any other family. That kind of support has had a huge impact on my long-term love for the sport. To this day, I still love a really long day in the mountains, where there’s no emphasis on performance but just a lot of climbing. A classic example is climbing The Nose in a day, even aid climbing parts of it, or heading into the High Sierras to do some easy routes.”
"Do you have any specific techniques for preparing mentally and staying focused before tackling difficult routes?"
"I'm not sure if I could point to any specific meditation or breathing exercises, but I think, in a broader sense, staying motivated and keeping that stoke alive comes from changing things up a lot. Climbing is such a unique sport because there are so many different disciplines and ways to approach it—it almost feels like you're doing different sports.
For example, compare a MoonBoard session in the gym to a day in the High Sierras on a 10-pitch route—they barely have anything in common. Growing up, I would go through phases. I’d spend time training for comps and competing, then I’d go sport climbing outdoors. After that, I’d have a Valley season where I’d do a bunch of walls in Yosemite, and maybe I’d follow it up with some outdoor bouldering.
Being able to shift focus like that has been a great way to keep my motivation high. It’s so easy to get stuck in a cycle of only trying one style of climbing, and that can make things feel stale. I think this approach has really helped me maintain my love for the sport over the years."
Connor’s selfie after sending Magic Line (5.14c).
"Are there any routes you’ve tried but haven’t sent yet that you’re planning to go back for?"
"Yeah, a lot of the time. I’ve played around a bit on the Dawn Wall, and those traverse pitches really inspire me, but I think I need to be at another level for those. I’ve also tried Dreamcatcher in Squamish a few times, but there’s a boulder section at the end that feels just beyond my current power level. I’d love to go back with that extra bit of power."
"Do you feel like you have an edge or an upper hand since you’ve been climbing for so long, especially on rock?"
"It feels like it depends on the rock in the area I’m at. On vertical granite, I’d say it does play a role. I think just doing a ton of volume, even on moderates, is so helpful. One of the things that stands out to me most about climbers like Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell is how well they move on easier terrain. They can onsight any 5.11 in the Valley, which is no easy feat, and I think that’s a big reason they excel on their big link-ups and huge days.
Of course, you need to be able to send the crux pitches, but you also have to handle all the 5.11 and 5.12 pitches without burning any energy in the process. That’s where my upbringing has maybe given me an advantage. It actually says a lot about a person as a climber—how well they climb a route below their limit."
"Do you have any advice for the next generation of climbers who look to you as an inspiration, especially as a young and accomplished climber?"
"We climb because we love it. We don’t climb because it’s a job. If we wanted to make money, we’d go work at a tech startup in Silicon Valley, right? We climb because we love it, and at the end of the day, it’s a hobby. Don’t get caught up in performance. Obviously, we all want to climb hard, and I encourage you to push yourself as much as you can—as long as you’re still enjoying it.
Make sure you keep that love for the sport and think about longevity. Ask yourself: what’s your relationship with climbing going to be in 50 years?"
"What draws you to certain routes? Is it the aesthetics, the grade, or the history behind them?"
"A number of reasons, and it could be those reasons. It could just be that it challenges me in a certain way or targets a weakness, something physical or an area of climbing I really want to improve. If there’s a climb that really focuses on that, it would draw me in.
Also, other factors, like you said, if you see an aesthetically beautiful line, I want to climb that thing. You know, you see photos of the Salathé Headwall, how could you not want to climb that?"
"Going back to a question about kids, what do you think climbing can ultimately teach them as they grow up?"
"I think the problem-solving aspect of climbing is one of the most fascinating parts of the sport, and it can come from pretty much any type of climbing. It really stands out in competitions, where you have to be creative and think outside the box to make a climb work for your size, strengths, and weaknesses. Taking something that might seem daunting and figuring out how to make it work is really interesting to me. That problem-solving process reminds me a lot of certain engineering classes—it’s a similar way of thinking.
Getting outdoors is, of course, another huge benefit. Any sport played outside is ultimately good for you. And lastly, I’d say the community. The climbing community is great, and I’ve been a part of it for so long. It fosters a lot of valuable life lessons, like respecting the land. A big one, especially if you’re dirtbagging, is learning how to live cheaply.
It also teaches communication, which is key to an effective climbing partnership. It’s not just about safety commands but understanding how the other person is doing and being able to support each other. In the bouldering world, working on a climb with someone else, bouncing ideas off each other, and figuring out beta is super helpful as you grow as a climber."
"What's your preferred style—trad or sport—if you had to choose one?"
"Why are you making me answer this? If I had to choose between having my cams or quickdraws taken away, I think I’d keep the cams. They just offer more versatility, especially in the United States. A lot of the best lines in North America tend to be trad climbs, with cracks that allow for natural protection. Trad climbing also lends itself to more aesthetic lines and involves a lot less manufacturing compared to sport climbing.
Plus, cams open up access to beautiful places, Alpine climbs, and lesser-traveled areas. That being said, don’t take my draws!"
“Whats your controversial climbing opinion?”
"Oh, I’ve got plenty of those. Here’s one: there has been way too much talk and people getting upset over the term 'day flash.' Like, why are people so worked up about it?
Another one—competition climbing and professional climbers can sometimes feel way too serious. I’ve always been inspired by climbers who push themselves and perform at a high level but can still poke fun at themselves and have fun with it. There are quite a few top-level climbers who are great at this. For example, Shawn Raboutou does it really well. It’s something I’d love to see more of, especially in climbing media, films, and the stories we tell.
I think the bouldering world gets it but the sport and trad climbing worlds are still catching up. Someone who’s also amazing at this is Seb Berthe. He’s probably the best trad or big wall climber in the world right now, and he’s trying hard and working hard on the wall, but he’s still having fun with it and not taking himself too seriously outside of climbing."
It was a pleasure chatting with Connor. It’s clear he has a bright future both on and off the wall. I can’t wait to see the future of climbing unfold through his achievements—tackling routes that I watch happily on the ground. If the next generation of climbers shares even half of Connor’s enthusiasm and wholesomeness, the sport will undoubtedly be in great hands.
It’s always inspiring to see what athletes like Connor can accomplish, especially while balancing the demands of academia and pushing limits on the wall. Hats off to him, and here’s wishing him the best of luck with his future goals and endeavors. Until next time, Connor!
To keep up with Connor, be sure to follow him on Instagram: @Connor.herson
Here are some of the notable routes Connor Herson has climbed:
Youngest person (15) ever to free climb The Nose (5.14a) Yosemite, CA
Free climbed The Heart Route Yosemite, CA
Fifth ascent of Meltdown (5.14c) Yosemite, CA
Climbed Empath (5.14d) on trad gear Tahoe, CA
Climbed Cobra Crack (5.14b) Squamish, Canada