Drive: Emily Harrington

GOOD SPORT //

Emily Harrington, 23, is a full-time pro climber who’s been cranking for over a decade. “I started when I was 11 — I was into gymnastics and ski racing, but I got bored with them,” she says. Born and raised in Boulder, Colorado, she started climbing at the Boulder Rock Club, and within a year had won her first roped Junior Nationals. Since then, she’s won five Nationals, placed in the top five in World Cup competitions, and won France’s historic Serre-Chevalier invitational comp. On rock, she’s the second American woman to have redpointed 5.14b (Burning Down the House, in Sonora, California).

Sponsors: The North Face, Petzl, La Sportiva

Are you a gear head?
Actually, I’ve been going ice climbing lately, and we bring everything you can think of to stay warm: tea, propane heaters, down jackets and booties . . . . It’s funny, I decided to quit skiing because it’s cold and there’s too much equipment. But I feel like there are too many types of climbing to explore, so I decided to give ice and mixed climbing a try. The tools give you a foot and a half more reach, and I like that.

Do you get down with those skinny redpoint cords?
I usually use a 9.4mm or a 9.8mm. I use Petzl ropes. But I don’t really have a big preference, as long as it’s not fat and it’s durable.

Do you wear your rock shoes tight or loose?
I wear them really, really small. I’ve worn the same size since I was 11. My feet are narrow and I don’t like room in the shoes, so I just crunch my toes, which is probably not good at all. I definitely like softer shoes, too, because it feels like I can pull with my toes a lot better.

Let’s talk crag food:
I like carrots with mustard. A lot. And I love peanut butter . . . with everything. I could live off it. I went to China recently. There’s no peanut butter there, so I took powdered peanut butter.

Any advice for a day at the crags?
Keep your shoes clean before you climb. I spit in my hand and rub my shoes ‘til they squeak. Also, skincare: I use a file and little cuticle trimmers. And when my hands are really dry and cracking, I use heavy-duty cream or even Neosporin at night.