Amanda is a tattoo adorned, metal loving mother of two who crushes hard and is deeply loved and respected in the Brisbane Rock climbing scene. You'll most commonly find her hanging inverted from the rock in Coolum and Flinders with a huge smile on her face.
WHY DO YOU CLIMB?
This is almost like asking why do you breathe? I need climbing to live and to be. I need the feeling of freedom, to be challenged, to push myself. To make myself proud.
3 PROUDEST CLIMBING ACHIEVEMENTS
1. My recent climbing season seeing me tick off my hardest climbs yet! "Like a Man on Pepperoni" (27) "Hybrid" (27) and very quick work on "Dr. Pepper" (28)
2. Having my photo taken by Simon Carter and sent out worldwide for the cover of 2016 Klettern Climbing Calendar, 2017 Word Climbing Calendar centrefold poster, Rock Climbing Down Under coffee table book and numerous prints.
3. Being the founding member of BNE Womxn Who Climb group. This started as a couple of womxn who would get together when the gym closed to practice bouldering when the men weren't around and has grown to 780+ members who train, live, plan events, climb and support each other in good times and bad in a safe and supportive community.
MOST MEMORABLE CLIMB
"Fat Yak" (22), a Multi Pitch in the Blue Mountains.
Fpur of us went to head out early for a day of adventure! My friends Ben and Thoma who are incredibly strong and much more experienced took my mate Jay and I out for the day. Jay having just cut off his thumb in an accident at work and myself being quite new to climbing where going to do Fat Yak while Thoma and Ben went to try something much harder a few lines over from us. Off we headed to Perrys Lookdown in the early hours of the morning super excited!
The hardest pitch is a grade 22. At the time I had maybe climbed one 22 and Jay was newly missing a thumb. The 1st pitch was 22 and we nailed it and started to look forward to the easy pitches to follow. Somewhere along the way we got the lines mixed up as the 20s felt like the hardest things we ever tried. There was tears and laughter. It was well and truly dark by the time we finally got to the last pitch and my headtorch had died. I was stuck in a small cave area I couldn't quite reach out off. Luckly Thoma had abseiled down with some light and I used him as a footer and we managed to get home just before midnight.
To this day I have no idea what pitches we did or how I got myself out of trouble on some really hard moves. My friend Jay passed away few years later and I'm so thankful for the most memorable and fun adventure we had.
CURRENT PROJECT / GOAL
Last season my goal was to climb 26 and I managed to climb well above that. My new goal is to really push myself and see how far I can go.
BEST ADVICE TO NEW CLIMBERS
Enjoy the ride! This is your climbing journey. When times are hard don't give up or be hard on yourself. What you are doing is AMAZING! No matter the grade. Intermediate goals are inspiring! Tick them off!
FAVOURITE QUOTE
"If you smell, what The Rock is cooking"
FOLLOW AMANDA
Instagram: @mandamins
