Member Spotlight: Oct 2014
Mark Schultz and Elena Moreno, members since 2011.
Nominated by the Edgeworks staff because they help make the gym a great place to climb!
How did you start climbing?
Elena: I had camped, scrambled and hiked at Joshua Tree once in college and fell in love with the feeling of using all 4 limbs to get higher off the ground, touching dry, beautiful rock all along the way. I had never been around climbing and knew nothing about it. Then I took a women’s climbing class at REI about 13 years ago. We spent the majority of the class on learning to belay. I had no idea what belaying was. I just wanted to climb. When we finally got the chance to climb the pinnacle, I was enthralled with it every step of the way and just kept going. I was the only one in that class who made it to the top. I was hooked.
Mark: I started climbing with the Olympia Mountaineers when I was in high school. I spent the next few years climbing everything I could, then took a 21 year hiatus from technical climbing. in 2008 A friend invited me to Stone Gardens to take the intro to gym climbing class and I was hooked again. I have been back at it pretty consistently since then.
Why do you climb at Edgeworks?
Elena: Oh, so many reasons. 😉 You’re 10 minutes from our house! Seriously, though, the people and the routes are the top 2 reasons. Your front-desk staff know us by name, say hello and goodbye, and always welcome our honest feedback on routes. The other “regulars” in the gym are sweet and hilarious and feisty, and we love that. And the routes, yes! We’ve always loved your routes and your route-setters, and even though we’ve seen some come and go, there is one thing in common with them all–they genuinely care that people feel challenge, and enjoy the challenge (well, even if a little grunting is part of the deal).
Mark: Because Edgeworks is great. It’s big enough to keep us busy and challenged with lots of great routes and small enough for us to get to know everyone there. We really like being part of the gym community.
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Where is your favorite place to climb outside?
Elena: They’re each so unique! I guess Vantage has a special little place in my heart.
Mark: I’ve only been climbing outside again for the past 4 years so I’ve had limited exposure to quite a few local areas. I’m just stoked to get outside no matter where it is but, Squamish was definitely awesome and I’m looking forward to getting back to Index.
What do you do when you’re not climbing?
Elena: Daydream about retiring early and road-tripping to every National Park.
Mark: Build stuff, hike, make art, do crossword puzzles, think about climbing…
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What are some interesting facts that you’d like to share with the Edgeworks community?
Elena: I often refer to Edgeworks as “my TV” since I’m pretty sure I/we spend as much time at the gym on a given night as most people spend on their couch, watching TV. And… I make homemade tortillas (ever since Mark taught me.) Who’s supposed to be the Mexican in this relationship!? 😉
Mark: Ants, in fact most insects, don’t have lungs. There is an underground alien base on the moon. Jayson’s beard has a name and I’m the only one who knows.
