This week we’re spotlighting Angie Payne: a Midwestern bred boulderer whose inspiring climbing feats have been pivotal in the advancement of the sport as we know it.

This Cincinnati native became introduced to climbing at the age of eleven in a local gym, and soon after launched what would manifest into an impressive career in the competition scene. After moving to Boulder, Colorado in 2003, Angie won three ABS National Championships and made top finishes in numerous premier bouldering competitions. Her accomplishments, however, span far beyond the competition scene.

Almost nineteen years since she first touched rock, Angie has cemented her place as one the strongest female boulderers in the world. Both an active indoor and outdoor climber, she has stood at the forefront of expanding the boundaries of difficult climbing. In 2010, with immense perseverance and focus, she sent The Automator in Lower Chaos Canyon at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado—making her the first female ever to boulder a V13 problem.

Watch Angie’s journey to send The Automator:


That same dedication to projecting hard climbs compelled her to defeat her multi-year “nemesis,” Freaks of the Industry (V13) this August, also found in Lower Chaos Canyon. This boulder problem was a massive achievement for Angie, who wrote in her blog a year prior to the send,

My journey on this boulder problem has been one of the most epic and emotionally-taxing endeavors of my bouldering career, but I truly love the process.

Aside from these astounding breakthrough V13 ascents, Angie boasts a generous list of other double digit successes on her outdoor climbing resume.

With such a potent drive to challenge and improve herself as a climber, its no surprise that she was featured in Chris Noble’s Women Who Dare: a book that highlights the top 20 most inspiring female rock climbers in America. Angie is no stranger to what it means to try hard—whether that be for competitions or her outdoor projects.

See what it means to train like a V13 boulderer:

 

Over the span of her impressive career, Angie’s passion for the sport has persisted and grown—leading her to explore some of the most incredible climbing destinations that span the globe. Keep crushing boulders Angie! We can’t wait to see what’s next!

Watch footage from Angie’s trip to the unexplored boulders of Greenland:


Angie Payne is a professional rock climber sponsored by Mountain Hardwear, Five Ten, e-grips, Organic Climbing, LifeSport, and Mac’s Smack. 

To learn more about Angie, explore her website, Facebook, and Twitter, and check out her epic iPhone photography skills on Instagram.