Mary Catherine Eden

Which do you prefer?

Where did you first try climbing on rock?

I got my first experience of rock climbing when I first moved to Moab, Utah. I came off Highway 279 and saw climbers on Wall Street. I didn't know much about climbing as a sport back then, but it grabbed me straight away. I bought a book about climbing and some basic gear, and whenever someone willing turned up, I went climbing with them.

What would you tell us about the climbing community in Utah?

The climbing community in Moab, Utah is incredibly changeable. People are constantly moving to Moab and then away again. Over the course of a year it isn't exactly easy to build a stable community there. And that's how it goes season after season. Recently, though, I moved to Flagstaff, Arizona and I'm completely blown away by how much more stable the climbing community is there and how intensely it's into the sport.

Are you interested in first ascents, that is, establishing new routes?

I try the odd first ascent now and then and I'm slowly working on a crag called East Berlin in Moab, Utah. Right now, though, my main priority is hard routes in the White Rim in Canyonlands National Park, in Vedauwoo in Wyoming, and in Indian Creek in Utah. I'll get more into first ascents once I've met my other goals.

Can you tell us something about climbing offwidths feet first? It isn't a very common technique in the Czech Republic...

The feet-first technique is useful when the route goes vertically and the crack is wider than a fist. If you don't climb feet first, climbing wide cracks in an overhang is then much harder. So climbing feet first is actually easier and lets you get more stability for less work (your feet are bigger than your hands and you can hang off them). I prefer this technique whenever it makes a boulder or a route easier for me.

How much does your rack for long offwidth routes weigh in total?

That depends! It can be really light, just a few cams, or it can also be a giant six-kilo monster. The weight adds up quite a bit, because I only weigh around 45 kilos on average myself. Just to give you an idea, when Danny Parker sent Century Crack, his gear weighed 6 kilos! That's more than 10 % of my body weight! I think the biggest rack I've ever taken on an offwidth route had one size 4 cam, three size 5 cams, five size 6 cams and one size 7 cam.

Have you visited any climbing areas in Europe?

I've had the pleasure of climbing in Sheffield in England, in San Vito Lo Capo in Italy, in La Pedriza, Barcelona and Costa Blanca in Spain, and in Mallorca. My favourites were La Pedriza and Mallorca in Spain. I enjoy sport climbing on the beach and I really liked the granite cracks and slabs in La Pedriza.

And have you ever heard about Czech sandstone?

I've heard something about Czech sandstone and about the practice of using knots and slings. I'd love to go there one day and try that style of climbing!

What's your favourite climbing area in the United States? And why?

It's hard for me to pick just one area. I simply absolutely LOVE climbing. Right now, though, my favourite climbing areas are Indian Creek in Utah, The Superstitions Mountains in Arizona, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

You love taking photos and painting. How long have you been doing these two things?

I've been into art for as long as I can remember. I started painting as a teenager and eventually took up photography as well. I still paint, but I like the dynamism of sports photographs. I usually get into painting when the weather outside is too bad for climbing! Painting takes me much longer and isn't as dynamic as taking photos. When I shoot, I feel like the climber and I are creating it together, while painting is much more personal. What I like about photography is the climber's joy at being photographed, and also the chance to capture the beauty of the route and the movement. Painting is something personal for me, something I sink deeper into myself with.

What's your favourite rope from Tendon and why?

My favourite rope is the TENDON MASTER PRO 9.2 in red :-) . It's my favourite rope because it's light and durable at the same time. It handles brilliantly and I simply LOVE that red colour of it. Whenever I climb with it, I call it "my little red sports car.