True Baller

Age: 29
Current town: Boulder, Colorado
In it: 14 years
Proudest sends: Every send is a proud one, but I’m still waiting for the proudest.
Sponsors: 5.10, Moon Climbing, Metolius, Organic, Pacific Outdoor Equipment

The only hint to the fact that Phil Schaal is finishing his third decade on this planet is his wise sense of calm and focus. Schaal quickly gained notice in the climbing community with his extensive double-digit tick list last year, including the RMNP testpiece Jade (V14/15). This easygoing New England native is in peak physical condition, and with his unmatched determination, his sending streaks will surely continue.

What was it like growing up climbing in the Northeast?
Growing up there was a blessing in disguise. There aren’t too many people to climb with, so learning how to climb/train was kind of a self-pursuit. But the amount of rock and style of climbing back East is unmatched. It’s a wonderful place to climb, if you have good weather, mind you.

What motivates you?
Having a goal or challenge that I’m working toward. I have a thing about seeing things through and finishing what I’ve started. There are also obvious things that motivate me, like amazing climbs that you see once and that remain in your head until you climb them.

Where’s your favorite place to climb?
After getting back from bouldering all over Sydney, Australia, I’d have to say Sydney. I started climbing in urban areas like Indian Rock in Berkeley, and to this day, I love urban climbing. Sydney has the best urban cragging I’ve seen, and the beaches are cool, too.

You crushed during your trip to Australia.
What motivated you to go down under? I needed a change of pace, something different than what I’ve seen or done. My friend was in Boulder over the summer and offered to give me the grand tour. We planned on focusing our time in the Grampians, but unfortunately, they were having severe flooding there. It rained for the first 10 days of my trip. But as soon as we went to Sydney, the sun came out, and the rest of the trip was “sweet as.”

“Sweet as”? Is that is your favorite Aussie slang?
Hard as… Sweet as… It’s like anything that you are describing that ends with as. I guess they cut the noun off the end of the sentence. It sounds cool.

I hear that you are hopping on some newschool gear testpieces like Iron Monkey [5.14] in Eldo. What is the next step in your progression of climbing?
Yeah, I’ve tried Iron Monkey a bit. I’ve always trad climbed, and although I haven’t done much lately, I still love to spice it up with some gear climbing. Iron Monkey is basically a boulder problem on pretty good gear. I’d love to get that done this year.

You’ve been blogging a lot lately. Is that a must-do for pro climbers these days?
I like blogging for many reasons. I like sharing with my friends in a way that is not competitive like 8a.nu is. As far as a must, I’m not sure. Blogging helps get exposure since most news is posted up on the Internet now anyway.

What do you do when you’re not climbing?
If I have free time, I’m at the basketball court working on my stroke. I love playing pick-up games, too.

What’s next for you?
Good question. I never really know. I never thought I’d be going to Australia, but it just kind of happened. If an opportunity presents itself, I’m usually up for anything. I’d love to get down to South America, like Chile. South Africa would be a dream, too, and I’m always thinking of going to the U.K. to try lines like Hubble.