Ambassador Spotlight | Solomon Barth
Hometown: Trappe, PA
Q: What’s your climbing style?
A: Majestic
Q: What is your proudest accomplishment in climbing, and outside of climbing?
A: Placing third at SCS Open Nationals/All of my vegan converts (**cough Ashima cough cough**)
Outside of climbing?
That one is harder to define. I guess it’s that I’ve been able to live my life the way I want to. I’m very fortunate, for sure, but I’ve also worked hard and sacrificed when necessary to allow myself to have big life goals and to focus on accomplishing them.
In both cases, I hope my proudest accomplishment is still yet to come.
Q: What advice would you give to your first-year climbing self?
A: Focus on climbing with intention. Every time you pull onto your project make sure that you have the intent of improving upon your previous attempt whether that is placing your feet better, trying a new beta, or just trying harder.
Q: Who do you take advice from and why?
A: Kerry Scott! Because she is amazing. Duh! But more seriously, Kerry and I grew up climbing together and she has not only seen me change and develop as a climber. Still, she has been in the same shoes as me as a student and rock climber struggling to find the time and energy to follow my passion.
Q: How has your training for climbing changed in the last year?
A: My goals have shifted from competition to climbing hard outside. My training has shifted accordingly as I have begun incorporating more finger strength training such as finger boarding and moon boarding and have decreased my emphasis on coordination and gimmicks.
Q: How has climbing affected the people you surround yourself with?
A: As climbing is my whole life, relating to non-climbers is sometimes hard. But whenever I find out that someone else is a climber, we suddenly have so much to talk about!
Q: What have you done to give back to the climbing community?
A: In my time off from training and school, I set at the Stanford climbing wall. I love the setting because it is an opportunity for me to share all of the climbing styles that I have been exposed to in my 15 years of climbing with the rest of the community.
Q: What have you learned from failure?
A: Each failure is just another step towards success. I have learned that nothing worthwhile is done on my first try. The things that mean the most to me are the things that I have already tried and failed many times.
Q: Who are the climbers that inspire you the most, and why?
A: Kerry Scott and Timothy Kang! These two people are more passionate about climbing than anyone, and success in climbing is all about passion. For me, Kerry and Tim are inspirations in their love and commitment to climbing
Q: What is your favorite climbing location, and why?
A: Anywhere with a moon board.
Q: Why Butora Climbing?
A: While I really love the shoes, the thing that I love the most about Butora is the community. No matter where I am, I always know that I can find a friend in a fellow Butora athlete.
Q: What are your favorite before and after climbing meals?
A: Avocado Sriracha Honey Toast.
Q: What is your spirit animal?
A: A horse.
Q: What differences have you found in climbing Narsha versus climbing in Acro?
A: As I generally prefer a softer shoe, the Acros are my go-to overall performance shoe. But the extreme stiffness of the Narshas, really comes in handy whenever I am making that tough extended heel hook or really need to put a lot of weight through my feet.
Q: What are some tips you would give to new outdoor climbers about crag etiquette?
A: Always brush your ticks, be polite, do not overcrowd the boulders or crags, and clean up after yourself and others.
Q: What tips would you give someone stuck on their project? How do you stay motivated when you are stuck?
A: Climb with intent. Every time you pull back onto your project make sure you intend to improve upon your previous attempt whether that is a beta refinement, more commitment, or just trying harder.
Check out our next Ambassador, Katlyn Radkay
