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Nerissa Cannon

Nerissa Cannon

Climb

Pronouns:

Hometown: Planet Earth

Current Location: Cedar City, UT

Favorite Zone: Vedauwoo

Proudest Achievement: Summiting the 14er Mt. Bierstadt using my hiking wheelchair and an incredible rope team.

Favorite Advocacy Org: No Barriers USA

Biography

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In the Fall of 2018 I took a trip to The Gunks with the adaptive sports organization Paradox Sports. I was struggling with a route, and one of the guides told me matter-of-factly, "Normally I would tell someone to move their feet in a certain way, but that's not your style." That sentence became the key for me in redefining how I pushed forward in life as a person and athlete with a disability. Climbing has become the ultimate teacher for me while I learn how to be vulnerable, rely on others, use tools to adapt, and reconnect with what my body still CAN do instead of becoming distracted by my limitations. Along this journey I have found that my "style" is complimentary to off-width crack techniques, and I have begun to focus on wide trad climbing. When I'm not climbing (or otherwise frolicking outside), you might see me with my hair in rag curlers, performing in a play, sipping a cocktail, reading, and/or working on one of many overlapping construction projects with my husband.

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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 read in John Long's "How to Rock Climb" about off-width cracks. The technique sounded similar to how I was already using my body to climb. A prominent off-width athlete invited me to Vedauwoo to learn more, and I was HOOKED!
  2. Who were your influences early in life?: Steve Irwin. His passion and love for the earth, wildlife, and family was completely infectious even through a TV screen.
  3. What draws you to the outdoors?: The simplicity. Life gets distilled into what is most important when I am outside. Lessons and metaphors are made clear, and I'm able to bring those teachings back with me when I return to a 9 to 5 grind.
  4. What’s your dream trip or expedition?: I have big wall aspirations! The big wall I have in my sights is Utah's Notch Peak, the second tallest continuous rock face in the USA.
  5. What makes a good skiing/climbing/running/hiking partner?: The best partnerships are rooted in vulnerability. You must feel safe enough to be fully honest at any moment. It's also vital to strike a balance between each other's strengths and weaknesses - physically, mentally, and emotionally.
  6. How are you going to pass on what you learn in the mentorship program to others?: I will share what I learn in the AMI program by intentionally reaching out to my community for one-on-one connections; seeking out opportunities to be an example of vulnerability, listening before responding, and loving before judging.