Amanda Berezowski

Current town: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
In it: 8 years
Age: 24
Sponsors: Verve, Bluewater, Revolution
Proudest sends: The Seam (V10), Worm World Cave (V9), and Sesame Street (V9), all in Squamish, BC

For Amanda Berezowski, climbing is life. Well, it’s what she wants life to be, at least. The low-key Canadian crusher lives on Vancouver Island, tending to a plant sanctuary during the week and killing boulders on the weekend. Figuring out how to make climbing her weekday routine has proven more difficult than any boulder she’s faced. From considering fashion or art school to her recent interest in learning French to improve her job opportunities in Canada to competing in the Canadian Tour De Bloc bouldering circuit, Berezowski is driven, though usually literally by other people. To get out every weekend, Berezowski must wake up at the crack of dawn to catch a ferry to the mainland. From home, it’s a mere four hours of boats, hitchhiking, or Greyhound bussing to Squamish, where she’ll throw her tent down and boulder until it’s too dark to see anymore. Repeat the climbing process the following morning with just enough time to hitch back to the ferry and cross the water to home, where she’ll prepare for another long workweek with hopes of good weekend weather. Given the limited amount of time she actually has to send, her tick list is that much more impressive.

What kind of climber would you say you are?
Bouldering for pushing strength, being social, and being able to try so many problems in a day. I am so addicted to this right now! Or sport—I love to do both since they complement each other. I am also starting to get into trad. I’ve always wanted to sleep on a portaledge.

Do you enjoy comp climbing? What’s the draw?
Yes, I love it! I went to my first competition within my first month of climbing. Competitions are great for training mentally and physically, and they give me so much motivation. I am able to learn my weaknesses and set goals to achieve them faster. The energy is great, too; it makes me feel stronger.

What is your favorite thing about climbing?
It’s too hard to pick one thing. A combination of everything: beautiful scenery and movement, learning how far you can push yourself mentally and physically, and the feeling of accomplishment from sending or progressing. Traveling the world to all the most remote places and being surrounded by a very happy, creative community makes me smile every time I think about it!

What do you do for work?
Usually I am coaching a youth team and setting at the local gym. Right now, most of my time is spent working full-time at a plant nursery.

Aside from climbing, what are five things you absolutely couldn’t live without?
As long as I am happy, that’s all that matters. Things that help: 1. The support from family and friends. 2. Music. 3. Good healthy food. 4. Random, creative, happy people. And 5. Road trips; they make life beautiful.

Who is your biggest inspiration in climbing?
Thomasina Pidgeon—Squamish local and so strong! Elan Jonas McRae—a 15-year-old I coach who is super inspirational and impressive.

Where do you see the growth of the sport going?
As long as people respect the climbing areas and treat the environment well, I see it kind of like surfing. It would nice if there was more money involved. I definitely think it should become an Olympic sport.

Best place you’ve ever road tripped?
British Virgin Gorda. Oh, wait. Does taking a ferry count as a road trip? Squamish.