Colin Haley

Mercer Island, WA

When/where were you born?

Seattle, 1984

Started climbing when/where?

North Cascades, 1994

Favorite climbing area?

Alpine Climbing

What was your scariest climbing moment?

When I was sixteen I went and climbed the Torment-Forbidden Traverse (North Cascades) with my friend Andreas. On the approach to the climb, we were traversing across a slab above a 60 meter cliff, unroped because the terrain was easy. I slipped on a section that had glacial runoff pouring down the slab, and immediately began sliding towards the edge. I gained more and more speed on the wet polished rock as I tried unsuccessfully to grab a hold, finally stopping myself a couple meters from the edge of the vertical cliff. The lesson is to never lose your focus, even if the climbing feels really easy.

Who are your heroes/role models?

Hermann Buhl, Walter Bonatti, Renato Casarotto, Jurek Kukuczka, Wojtek Kurtyka, Janez Jeglic, Silvo Karo

Do you have any knicknames

Child of the Abyss

Do you have any pre-climb rituals?

Eat, hydrate, and listen to loud music!

What do you do when you're not climbing?

Ski and study geology at the University of Washington.

What are your climbing goals?

To climb difficult and aesthetic routes on the world's most difficult mountains.

Why do you choose La Sportiva?

La Sportiva makes both the highest performance boots and rock shoes, and is always pushing new innovations.

What sets La Sportiva apart?

The design is superb and the quality of construction is excellent.

Parting thoughts?

The summit is the summit - anything less is an attempt.