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Patrick Dunn

Patrick Dunn

Climb

Pronouns:

Hometown: Manahawkin, NJ

Current Location: Bend, OR

Favorite Zone: City of Rocks or Yosemite

Proudest Achievement: Becoming a climbing guide

Favorite Advocacy Org: OUT in the Wild

Biography

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When I was 18, on a trip to visit my brother in New Hampshire, I climbed at a gym for the first time and I instantly fell in love. I climbed on and off for years but as a gay man there was a sense of not belonging in the climbing community that kept me from really diving in. Then, in 2011 I moved to Santa Cruz, CA and it was there that I finally found a community that I felt welcome in. I spent those initial formative years cutting my teeth at Shuteye Ridge, Yosemite and Red Rock, NV. Early on I developed a deep love of traditional climbing and had amazing partners that showed me the wonder of long multi-pitch and alpine climbing. The full value of pushing into the mountains and spending hours on the side of a massive piece of stone solidified my obsession and reverence for the sport. In 2016 I moved to Bend, OR with hopes of becoming a climbing guide at Smith Rock. In 2019 I received my SPI and have been guiding ever since. This year I launched OUT in the Wild, a guide company for the LGBTQ+ community. Climbing has not only taken me to amazing places but it has expanded my relationship with myself, teaching me endless lessons of resilience and self acceptance. To me rock climbing is not always about the send or achieving the goal, but about the process and journey along the way. I hope to share my experience and perspectives with folx like me who might not have felt welcome and create a more inclusive climbing community.

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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. Who is your mentor?: Jordan Cannon
  2. How did you get involved with your respective sport?: I fell in love with climbing because of a connection to friends, community and because it taught me to believe and trust in myself. Without the people in my life who accepted and supported me in my early days of climbing I'm not sure I would be climbing today.
  3. Who were your influences early in life?: The people who influenced me most were those who expanded my perspectives around social and cultural issues and who fought hard for the rights of other people. Those relationships cemented my passion for continuing to do that work today.
  4. What draws you to the outdoors?: A chance to connect more deeply with myself and those I share outdoor spaces with.
  5. What’s your dream trip or expedition?: To horse pack through the Sierra Nevada for a couple months and climb as many peaks as possbile. Or, an expedition to the Bugaboos or the Cirque of the Unclimbables for Lotus Flower Tower.
  6. What makes a good skiing/climbing/running/hiking partner?: Someone with similar drive and values. Skill level can be different especially with a good dose of humility. ability to hold space for both the highs and the lows of the sport, like when your rope gets stuck 2 rappels from the ground when the sun is setting ... laughter helps a lot too.
  7. How are you going to pass on what you learn in the mentorship program to others? : I'm extremely excited to pass on what I learn here in my own programs with OUT in the Wild and hopefully in future mentorship opportunities.