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Leah N. Miller

Leah N. Miller

Climbing

Pronouns:

Hometown: I have a few, but my heart beats with Detroit, Michigan

Current Location: Metro Denver, Colorado

Favorite Zone: Pictured Rocks Nat’l Lakeshore, Michigan (ice climbing) and the Red River Gorge, Kentucky (rock climbing)

Proudest Achievement: Finding the courage to follow my passions: from engineering to entrepreneurship to climbing instruction and beyond.

Favorite Advocacy Org: Detroit Outdoors

Biography

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I was born in Detroit, Michigan, but was raised in the Deep South. Despite the heat and humidity, I spent quite a bit of time playing outside as a kid, but climbing was not in my awareness. I stumbled upon climbing after college, while I was developing electric vehicle batteries as an engineer in Southeast Michigan. Climbing introduced me to a world of new friends, adventure, camping and a new way of mentally and physically challenging myself. It also showed me how to meditate while in motion and taught me how to take action while confronting fear. Those lessons helped me find the confidence to become an outdoor leader and climbing instructor, and to start two businesses. My dream is to use climbing as a medium to help others grow their confidence, and through my current business, Komela Gear, I want to contribute to a legacy of making climbing and other outdoor activities accessible and inclusive for all people.

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ATHLETE MENTORSHIP INITATIVE

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The SCARPA Athlete Mentorship Initiative presented by Mountain Hardwear has been created to connect and engage the SCARPA and Mountain Hardwear Athlete teams with accomplished athletes from historically marginalized communities aspiring to take their sport or career to the next level. The mission of this program is to connect mentors with mentees focused on the sports we serve to provide participants with opportunities for personal, athletic and career development with the goal of helping to create a more inclusive and diverse community of athletes.

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Q & A

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  1. How did you get involved with your respective sport?: I first tried gym climbing about 9 years ago and was immediately hooked. I was lucky enough to quickly find a group of friends to climb with regularly at the gym and go on outdoor trips to climb rock and ice.
  2. Who were your influences early in life?: My family. They laid the foundation for finding joy through spending time outside, in a yard, exploring a neighborhood, visiting local parks and trails or going on road trips to larger parks and points of interest.
  3. What draws you to the outdoors?: Reconnecting with nature is grounding and calming for me. Spending time outside has always been a part of my life and will remain a lifelong friend.
  4. What’s your dream trip or expedition?: I would love to visit Tanzania and attempt to summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. Even though I’m a little intimidated, I would be stoked to ice climb Montmorency Falls in Quebec, Canada.
  5. What makes a good skiing/climbing/running/hiking partner?: A good climbing partner has a solid sense of risk management, for themselves and others, and is prepared to manage those risks. They are also stoked to climb and celebrate the efforts of their partners.
  6. How are you going to pass on what you learn in the mentorship program to others?: I will continue to work as a part-time climbing instructor, sharing my climbing knowledge and stoke with others, especially with underrepresented climbers.