Alex Johnson Joins The Climbing Initiative

World Champion Climber Becomes TCI Ambassador

By The Climbing Initiative | October 7, 2021

Two and a half years into existence, The Climbing Initiative is forging a path toward a more sustainable and equitable future for our sport. By producing research, establishing best practices, and partnering directly with communities on the ground to help them flourish, we hope to use climbing to catalyze widespread economic growth, environmental conservation, and social change.

In our work, we engage with climbing leaders around the world. This includes athletes who have represented our sport on a global stage, pushed the boundaries of what we thought was possible, and used their platform to fight for valuable causes. We are delighted to announce our newest ambassador, Alex Johnson, as a human who embodies all of these qualities as a leader in the global climbing community.

Alex Johnson is a lifelong climber, two-time World Cup gold medalist, two-time World Cup silver medalist, two-time Pan American Champion, and five-time US National Champion. Though she is a decorated competitive climber, her passion lies in the outdoors. Alex has logged over 125 sends V10/7C+ and above, including The Swarm (V14); ticked several infamous highballs; and established first ascents around the world. Last summer, AJ was involved in the complete rebolting of the notorious Hell Cave/Diablo Wall in American Fork, Utah. She currently lives in Salt Lake City.

Together with Alex, we are working to foster unity and support within the global climbing community. Currently, many people face barriers to enjoying this sport, including a lack of gear access, representative role models, recognition for their achievements, and support from their broader local community. As an ambassador for The Climbing Initiative, Alex aims to inspire collective action among climbers internationally to amplify local climbing communities and their efforts to create positive change.

"It is said that music is a universal language. I think climbing is also a universal language,” says Alex. “I've seen the light that it brings; the joy is infectious. Encouragement sounds the same in any language, and it's such an easy thing to do. Whether you’re a new or experienced climber, this sport has the power to unite and empower us in so many ways. That's why I think the work The Climbing Initiative is doing is so cool, and I'm excited to be a part of it."

We look forward to sharing more about our collaboration with Alex. Please follow us on Instagram at @theclimbinginitiative and subscribe to our newsletter for updates.