Angela Lee

ABOUT ME:

I am a 2nd-generation Korean-American immigrant, growing up in South Korea and Aliso Viejo, California. As a young adult, I had the privilege to be a transient student, experiencing life in many different countries and states. Climbing found me when I was in a very dark, unfulfilled place. It helped me claw back into the light and reconnect with Mother Nature. It pushed me to move to New Mexico, and eventually, I landed in the San Luis Valley on our homestead farm, Sol Mountain Farm.
Climbing means so many things to me. Community. Freedom. Warrior practice. Opportunity. I am driven to become the best climber I can be, find joy in the moments of flow state, and revel in the sense of love and community it brings. Climbing has given me so much, and I am stoked to give back everything I can, proudly standing as a WOC community leader, a steward of the land, and a social activist.

PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Feb 2019 | Founding our local climbing organization, the San Luis Valley Climbers Alliance
Nov 2019 | Returning to Korea for the first time in 11 years to climb the legendary Ulsanbawi
Sep 2019 | My first 5.10 onsight at Bears Ears was a pivotal moment in my climbing
Aug 2020 | Being a radical farmer with Sol Mountain Farm: legally challenging our local government for unconstitutionally silencing our free speech and support for the Black Lives Matter movement
Oct 2020 | Getting published in The Climbing Zine
Jan 2021 | Becoming a La Sportiva Athlete!

Q+A:

Who is your favorite climbing partner?

Wes O’Rourke, my partner in life. I’ve ticked my biggest routes with him, and he’s taught me a lot. Things have not been perfect and we’ve gone through some dark times of being unable to support each other and working through unhealthy power/support dynamics issues. While we’ve had both fantastic and miserable days together, I have learned and grown the most climbing with Wes.

What is your go-to hype song?

Umbilical Moonrise by Lotus – it’s over 14 minutes long and perfect for getting into the flow state on long pitches. It was accidentally on repeat through most of the NE Face of Pingora, and it happened again on Question of Balance. I didn’t mind either time.

What was the first La Sportiva product you tried?

My mom (who actually started climbing in California with her Korean mountain club before I ever climbed), gave me a pair of Mythos she scored at a flea market. The right pair was a 38 and the left was a 38 ½, and I rocked those for a good while. I still have those as loaners for taking new friends out climbing for their first time!

Which charity/advocacy organizations do you support or belong to?

I am the founder and President of the San Luis Valley Climbers Alliance (fondly referred to as SLVCA “sliv-kahhh”). It started with a public meeting in February 2019 after Wes and I decided to do something about our insulated 2-person climbing community here in the extremely rural San Luis Valley. There were many climbers around, but all scattered...we knew there was potential for a better sense of community and went to work. In two years, we’ve become a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a diverse board, replaced nearly 200 sketchy bolts thanks to the American Safe Climbing Association, and secured permanent climbing access on private land. And when Women’s Climbing Night was canceled at the only indoor climbing wall for a couple of hundred miles, SLVCA took over and created Womxn & Gender Nonconforming Climbing Nights. We have big goals with climbing access, anchor & bolt replacement, community-building, and JEDI work, and my SLVCA stoke is high.

APE INDEX:

+2 (Height 5’8”)

Bio photo: © Nate Liles  |  Banner photo: © Sol to Seoul