by Steph Davis
Running off the Tombstone, Moab, Utah
Exiting at Myles of Earl, Utah Keith Ladzinski
Freeing Concepción, Moab, Utah Jim Hurst
The North Face Route free solo, Castleton Tower Damon Johnston
Jumping off Castleton Krystle Wright
Mario launching a gainer off the Tombstone Keith Ladzinski
Jumping from the Roan Plateau
Jumping an antenna with Brendan
The via ferrata jump in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Mario exiting the Eiger
Mario at Monte Brento
Two-way with Mario in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Flying in Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland Mario Richard
Flying from the High Nose, Lauterbrunnen Mario Richard
Skydiving with Mario in Eloy, Arizona
Wedding day on Parriott Mesa, Castle Valley, Utah Chris Hunter
Jimmy, Steph, Mario, and Marta
Steph and Mario flying off Parriott, past Castleton Tower Chris Hunter
Fletcher, queen of the desert, Fisher Towers, Utah
Wedding jump, Parriott Mesa
Acknowledgments
Thank you:
To Greg Crouch and Farley Chase for making this book exist and to Mario Richard for existing.
To my brother and parents: Virgil Davis III, Virgil Davis Jr. and Connie Davis.
To Stacy Creamer, Megan Reid, and the team at Touchstone for hours of review and encouragement.
For draft reading: Karen t’Kint, Chad Davis, Virgil Davis, Jimmy Pouchert, Beth Rodden.
For helping: Mario Richard, Lisa Hathaway, Karen Roseme, Patti Haskins, Karen t’Kint, Chris Pope, Brad Lynch, Christian Griffith, Brendan McHugh, Jay Epstein, Alan Martinez, Marta Empinotti, Jimmy Pouchert, Robert Pecnik, Andrew Hyde, Jeff Leads, Beaver Theodosakis, Pam Theodosakis, Ken Meidell, Eric Hobbs, Brett Cardamone, Charles Cole, Laura Sanders, Jacob Fuerst, Adam Peters, Karen Bednorz, Jimmy Chin.
For pure love: Mao and Cajun.
For being: Kevin Reese, Craig Luebben, Emily Berkeley, and Betty M. Fletcher.
About the Author
© TOMMY CHANDLER
Steph Davis is an iconic name in climbing.
Steph’s résumé of climbing achievements spans twenty-five years. She was the first woman to free climb the Salathe Wall on El Capitan, and the second woman to free climb El Cap in under twenty-four hours. She has established first ascents around the world, of difficult rock climbs and high-altitude mountains from Yosemite to the Karakorum. Few climbers practice the high-risk style of free solo climbing, using no ropes or protective gear. Steph is the most accomplished female free soloist in the world and is also one of world’s top wingsuit base jumpers. She is one of just a few people in the world, and the only woman, combining free solo climbing with base jumping.
From an unusual start as a classically trained pianist with a master’s degree in literature, Steph chose to leave law school in order to pursue climbing full-time. She has become one of the most successful professional climbers in the world.
Steph has written two memoirs, High Infatuation and Learning to Fly, and curates a blog at stephdavis.com about climbing, flying, vegan cooking, training, simple living, and travel. She owns and operates Climb2Fly Productions in Moab, Utah, a climbing and base jumping stunt company.
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Illustration Credits
Jimmy Chin, John Evans, Damon Johnston, Dean Fidelman, Tommy Chandler, Brian Kimball, Jim Hurst, Krystle Wright, Alan Martinez, Heinz Zak, Chris Hunter, Eric Perlman, Keith Ladzinski, Mario Richard, Lisa Hathaway, Jay Epstein.
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Index
A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.
Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.
Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) training, 14, 17, 20–29, 35, 37, 39, 48, 87, 89, 106, 107, 145
Alan, 130, 133–40, 143, 144
Apex BASE, 158
Arco, 192
Baring Mountain, 286
base jumping, 17, 80–81, 84–87
climbing compared to, 159–61, 251
containers in, 91–95
of Davis, see Davis, Steph, base jumping of
Davis’s first sight of a base jumper, 81–83
drop zones in, 84, 85
injuries and fatalities in, 84–85, 90, 162, 163–64
Jimmy and Marta’s instructions in, 89–91, 93, 94, 131, 146, 148, 158–65, 166–71, 172, 174, 186, 189, 200
jump heights in, 86
in Lauterbrunnen, 271–82, 274, 282
limestone and, 232
at Little Colorado Canyon, 94, 96–107, 105, 217
mental differences between climbing and, 159–61
from Moab cliffs, 172–73, 193
Tombstone, 172, 174–75, 179–82, 181, 183, 185, 208–10, 209
from Monte Brento, 191–206, 191, 195, 198
National Park Service and, 173–74, 273
parachutes in, 86, 89, 92–93
pilot chute assist (PCA) in, 168–69, 179–80
skydiving compared with, 80–81
skydiving experience required for, 83, 84, 89–91, 162
tandem, 285–86
terminal, 86, 173, 193, 195
terrain flying in, 287
wall strikes in, 172–73, 175
wingsuits in, 86, 200, 201–2, 211–12
belly flying, 37–38, 39
Betsy, 61
Blake, 94, 96, 97–98, 102–4, 106, 107
Boenish, Carl, 85
Boulder, Colo., 16–17, 50, 79–80, 145, 149
Brad, 30, 97, 102
Brendan, 14, 16–28, 17, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 42, 48, 88–91, 133, 143–44
Brento, Italy, 287
Cajun, 283–84, 297, 298, 300–301
Cameron Trading Post, 99
Cash Register, 219–20
Castleton Tower, 182–88, 184, 193, 195, 196, 217–30, 218, 222, 226, 247, 284
Chris, 239–42, 244–46, 248, 297
Chris (Mile-Hi skydiver), 42, 88–90, 93–95, 96–98, 96, 102, 104, 105, 106–11, 130
Christian, 50–51
Clint, 212–14
Colorado:
Boulder, 16–17, 50, 79–80, 145, 149
Eldorado Springs, 50
Just Rite cabin in, 51–53, 52, 64, 146
Longmont, 28, 30
Rifle, 16, 151, 232–34, 233, 256
Roan Plateau, 2, 231, 232, 234–47, 235, 284, 297
Concepción, 210, 216–17, 216, 224
Craig, 58, 59
Damian, 94, 96, 97–98, 102–7, 287
Dave, 100–103, 106–11
Davis, Steph:
base jumping of, 172–73, 207, 231
accidents in, 186–90, 193, 195, 200, 243–51, 247
from Castleton Tower, 182–88, 184, 193, 195, 196, 217–19, 219–23, 228–30, 247
decision to learn, 83–84, 87, 89–95, 131, 134, 146, 158–71, 178, 179
first jump, 169–71
in Lauterbrunnen, 276–82, 282
from Monte Brento, 191–206, 191, 195, 198
from Roan Plateau, 2, 231, 240–44
terminal, 195
from Tombstone, 174–75, 179�
��82, 181, 183, 185, 208–10
wingsuits in, 200–206, 211, 284
blog of, 176–77
book tour of, 10–12, 16
climbing of, 3, 5, 6–8, 9, 13, 14–15, 16, 31–32, 42, 53–57, 87, 115, 175–76, 189, 207, 211, 224–25, 258
arch debacle and, 7–9, 115, 176
on Castleton, 219–30, 226
on Concepción, 210, 216–17, 216, 224
first climbing experience, 54
free soloing, 15, 19, 26, 29, 56–57, 65, 66–78, 114–17, 121–29, 145, 160
Internet community and, 7, 176–77
on Longs Peak, see Longs Peak
sponsorships and, 9–10, 62, 87, 115, 177, 258
education of, 5–7, 54
father of, 45
first husband of (Dean), 6–9, 63–64, 81–83, 151–54, 157, 283, 297
base jumping of, 83, 178, 198
as base mentor, 178–90, 193, 196, 202, 203
climbing of, 7–8, 60, 81
controversial arch climb of, 7–9
Davis’s break with, 9, 11–13, 16, 31–32, 75, 229, 238
Davis’s meeting of, 6, 60
Davis’s reuniting with, 177–90, 193, 205–6
jobs held by, 34
piano playing of, 53, 54, 76–77
skydiving of, 32, 33–37, 39–49, 130–31, 207
first experience of, 14, 18–29, 145, 181–82
gear for, 35–36
from helicopter, 107–11
wingsuits in, 132–46, 213–16
Davis, Virgil, 11, 27, 43–48, 43, 55, 297
rock climbing of, 44, 46, 55
skydiving of, 44–45, 46–48
Dean, see Davis, Steph, first husband of
Demeter, 155
Devil at My Heels (Zamperini), 283
Dolomites, 287
Sass Pordoi, 287–92
Dunn, Jimmie, 61
El Capitan, 119, 153, 153, 154, 156, 156, 225
Eldorado Canyon, 51, 53
Bastille, 64–66
Eldorado Springs, Colo., 50, 51
Just Rite cabin in, 51–53, 52, 64, 146
Eloy, Ariz., 300
Emily, 34–35, 36–37, 95, 137
Europe, 174, 183, 189, 271
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, 270, 271–82, 274, 282
Monte Brento, Italy, 174, 191–206, 191, 195, 198
Fisher Towers, 185, 284
Fletcher, 11–12, 11, 13, 14, 20, 27, 30, 32, 33, 37, 42, 51–53, 61–64, 63, 66, 70, 80, 112, 113, 118, 139, 146, 147, 151, 155–58, 178, 179, 189, 207, 209, 212, 234, 235, 237, 238, 248, 249, 252–68, 252, 253, 256, 261, 263, 270–72
arthritis of, 145, 157, 207, 234, 248–49, 250, 253, 256, 257, 262
car accident of, 258
Davis’s adoption of, 61, 152, 259
death of, 262–68
free flying, 38, 39–40
fun jumpers, 22, 24, 80, 141, 212–13
Golden Knights, 37–38
Grand Canyon, 98, 99
Great Salt Lake, 6
Greek myths, 155
Hades, 155
High Infatuation: A Climber’s Guide to Love and Gravity (Davis), 10
Hueco Tanks, 57
Ian (friend), 301
Index, Washington, 286
Indian Creek, Utah, 55, 283
Ingalls, Huntley, 182
Intel, 94, 97, 107
Internet, 7, 176–77
Jacob, 70–72, 115–18
Jay, 40, 42, 88–93, 98, 133, 163, 166, 287
Jean-Louis, 288, 290, 291, 292, 293
Jeff, 100–102, 108
Jimmy, 89–91, 93, 94, 131, 146, 158, 161–64, 166–69, 171, 172, 174, 189, 200
Just Rite cabin, 51–53, 52, 64, 146
Kenyon, 94, 96, 97–98, 102, 104, 106, 107
Kevin, 53–54, 59
Keyhole Route, 57
King Fisher tower, 284
Kiwi, 36–37
Knievel, Evel, 162
Kor, Layton, 182
La Sal Mountains, 284
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, 270, 271–82, 274, 282
limestone, 232
Lisa (friend), 60–61, 61, 62, 263, 297, 298
Little Colorado Canyon, 94, 96–107, 103, 105, 217
Longmont, Colo., 28, 30
Longs Peak, 41, 42, 48
Broadway Ledge, 58, 72, 73, 74, 77, 123
Casual Route, 58, 69, 70, 73, 73, 75, 114, 115, 121
Chasm View, 68, 75–76, 76, 127
Diamond, 57–60, 57, 80, 87, 94, 114–29, 144, 177
climbers on, 76
Davis’s free soloing of, 66–78, 114–17, 121–29, 145, 219, 224, 230
Pervertical Sanctuary, 112, 114–17, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127–28, 224
top of, 128
trail to, 118
Keyhole Route, 67, 67
Kieners Route, 66, 68, 69
Lamb Slide snow gully, 66, 67
North Chimney, 57–58, 59, 118, 122–23
North Face, 68, 69, 75, 78, 127
Table Ledge, 118
Mao (pet), 268, 269, 270, 297, 298, 301
Mario, 213–15, 215, 219–23, 222, 228–29, 234–38, 242, 246, 248–49, 249, 256, 257, 259, 262–68, 271–72, 276–81, 279, 283–302
Davis’s marriage to, 283
death of, 290–302
in Moab Base Adventures, 285–86, 287, 288
vision and goggles of, 294–95
Marta, 89–91, 93, 94, 131, 146, 148, 158–65, 167–71, 174, 186, 189, 194–95, 200, 214
rock climbing of, 159–60
Matt, 292, 295–96, 300
Mile-Hi Skydiving Center, 20–29, 21, 33, 40, 43, 88, 89, 104, 133, 137, 212
Mountaineers, 10
Moab, Utah, 15, 15, 17, 32, 60, 80, 83, 148–49, 151–52, 155–57, 208, 211, 234, 257, 284, 301
cliffs of, 172–73, 175, 193, 211
Castleton Tower, 182–88, 184, 193, 195, 196, 217–30, 218, 222, 226, 247, 284
Concepción, 210, 216–17, 216, 224
Tombstone, 172, 174–75, 179–82, 181, 183, 185, 208–10, 209, 254–55
Davis’s home in, 149–51, 150, 154
Moab Base Adventures, 285–86, 287, 288
Monte Brento, Italy, 174, 191–206, 191, 195, 198
Mount Baring, 286
Mount Index, Washington, 286
National Park Service (NPS), 8–9, 96, 173–74, 273
Navajo Nation, 96–97
Notch Peak, 284
Otter jump plane, 21, 23–29, 25, 32, 39, 42, 141–42, 142, 212, 213
Pastrana, Travis, 97
Perfect Circle, The, 284
Perrine Bridge, 4, 146, 148, 158, 161–62, 161, 163, 164, 165–71, 172–73
Persephone, 155
Pete, 224–25, 229
Phoenix Fly, 200, 278
Picacho Peak, 300
Poland, 174
relative work (RW; belly flying), 37–38, 39
Rifle, Colo., 16, 151, 232–34, 233, 256
Roan Plateau, 2, 231, 232, 234–47, 235, 284, 297
Robert (Robi), 199, 200–203, 206, 278, 287
rock climbing:
base jumping compared to, 159–61, 251
Davis’s brother and, 44, 46, 55
Davis’s career in, see Davis, Steph, climbing of
Davis’s (first) husband and, 7–8, 60, 81
limestone and, 232
Marta and, 159–60
Sass Pordoi, 287–92
Scott, 61, 62, 258, 259
sit flying, 45, 46, 47
Skydive Arizona, 300
Skydive Moab, 80, 213, 212
Skydiver’s Information Manual (SIM), 22–23
skydiving, 22, 37
base jumping compared with, 80–81
belly flying, 37–38, 39
cameramen in, 26, 88, 212
containers in, 91–92
counting jumps, 131–32, 140
of Davis, see Davis, Steph, skydiving of
as experience for
base jumping, 83, 84, 89–91, 162
financial costs of, 33, 35, 212
free flying, 38, 39–40
fun jumping, 22, 24, 80, 141, 212–13
injuries in, 88
parachutes in, 86–87, 88
regulations on, 131–32, 133, 138, 140
sit flying, 45, 46, 47
sport canopies in, 88–89
tandem, 18–20, 22, 24, 26, 36–37, 39–41, 88–89, 141, 212–13
tracking, 39, 132
wingsuits in, 38, 39, 132–46, 200, 201
Snake River, 161, 165, 168
Souza, 299
Squirrel (company name), 300
Switzerland, 286–87, 296
tandem flying, 18–20, 22, 24, 26, 36–37, 39–41, 88–89, 141, 212–13
Ted, 238–42, 244–46
terrain flying, 287
Titan Tower, 284
Tombstone, 172, 174–75, 179–82, 181, 183, 185, 208–10, 209, 254–55
Tuolumne, Calif., 12
tracking, 39, 132
Triax, 94, 96, 97
Twin Falls, Idaho, 161
Perrine Bridge, 4, 146, 148, 158, 161–62, 161, 163, 164, 165–71, 172–73
United States Parachute Association (USPA), 131, 133, 138, 140
Utah, 147, 154–55
Great Salt Lake, 6
Indian Creek, 55, 283
Moab, see Moab, Utah
National Park arch in, 7–9, 115, 176
Vertigo BASE Outfitters, 158
wingsuits:
in base jumping, 86, 200, 201–2, 211, 284
in skydiving, 38, 39, 132–46, 200, 201
Yosemite National Park:
El Capitan, 119, 153, 153, 154, 156, 156, 225
Outer Limits, 56
Yosemite Valley, 11, 12, 14, 151–56, 271
Zamperini, Louis, 283
Zeus, 155
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Copyright © 2013 by Stephanie Davis
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First Touchstone trade paperback edition November 2015
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