https://femaleguidesrequested.com/podcast/ep-39-genevive-walker-stay-true/

Show Notes:

Genevive’s Links:

• Website
• Instrgram
• Race to Survive Alaska
• Finding Balance Off the Scale

Episode Intro:

Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested Podcast, happy Wednesday! This is your host, Ting Ting, from Las Vegas. Today, our guest is Genevive Walker. I first learned her name a few years ago when she stirred up a heated discussion on route names. This discussion quickly led to real actions within the climbing community to change inappropriate route names. I was thrilled that, through a mutual friend, I could invite her to talk about her life stories on the show.

Genevive Walker is a professional rock climber, rock climbing guide, and active lifestyle model with a passion for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoor industry. She began climbing in the Shawangunk Mountains in 2012, sparking her love for steep routes, roofs, and anything that requires kneebar trickery. After seven years in the sport, she started her career as a Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) certified by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA). Being part of the first all-female SPI cohort in 2018 opened her eyes to the disparities and inequalities within the climbing industry and ignited her mission to build community and offer representation for BIPOC climbers. Genevive is an athlete for Mountain Hardwear, DMM, Sterling Rope, and Gnarly Nutrition. She was also an athlete on Race to Survive: Alaska along with climber Favia Dubyk.

I had so much fun chatting with Genevive. In this episode, you can hear laughter from beginning to end. We talked about how Genevive found climbing and guiding, how her family views her current lifestyle, what kind of guiding excites her the most, and how she manages social media. We also touched on more serious topics such as fear and her battle with disordered eating. Now, please enjoy this delightful conversation with Genevive Walker.

Things We Talked about:

• Before Genevive found climbing
• How does Genevive’s family views her current lifestyle?
• Climbing let Genevive find another way to enjoy life
• Genevive started as a trad climber because that was the only thing available
• When did Genevive have the thought to become a guide?
• Took the first all Women’s SPI course sponsored by the AMGA, Brown Girls Climb, and Flash Foxy
• Keep expectation low and keep surprise herself
• The guiding life
• Love to work with women and climbers of color and that’s the reason she loves guiding
• Gunks, current status
• Route name debate and a movement to change route names
• Identity as a climber, model, and guide
• Excitement led to more work opportunities
• Eating disorder
• Wanting to fit in?
• The social media
• Mentorship with the ProTrack
• Partnership with Favia Dubyk
• Fear Talk