Pursuing a better understanding of himself through the myriad of climbing disciplines, Sam Elias is one of America’s most talented all-around climbers. From double-digit boulders and 5.14 ticks, hard mixed onsights and winter competition podiums, to free climbing El Capitan and summiting Mt. Everest, Sam has traveled the globe for the last 15 years, exploring, developing, and pursuing his craft with a soulful and artistic style.
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Sam has been passionately driven by climbing since 2005, when he moved to Kentucky’s Red River Gorge to pursue it full-time. Currently based in Salt Lake City, Sam spends the majority of the year training for and chasing hard sport climbs around the world, and striving to find balance in his climbing life.
“I don’t pretend to know what the hell to do with a life,” he says. “I was born into one, and I’m just trying to make the most of it. To whom and where and when I was born created a framework, albeit a privileged one. I’ve taken that framework and made it my own through the things that called me, once I learned how to listen and could decide for myself. They are physical and mental activity, expression, creativity, challenge, and progression in nature with like minded others balanced with time for solitude, reflection, introspection, learning, calm, and rest. These are what I want, and believe are the constructs of a good life.”
