Getting to Know Mercadi Carlson
Climbing out of: Indian Creek, Utah
Occupation: Outdoor Adventure Guide & Rock Climber
Instagram: @mersendyclimberson
Mercadi is an elite “crack” climber who travels the world to scale some of the most intimidating cliff faces out there. Originally a skier, Mercadi got into climbing to explore Utah in the summer.
How Do You Overcome Fear?
“It’s an unnatural experience for the human body to go through. We are used to walking on ground, the human body doesn’t want to be hanging from a cliff. It is exhilarating to be on the side of a cliff and look out at a beautiful landscape.”
Mercadi is the first to admit that falling is part of her sport. She’s fallen enough times to know the pain and respect the dangers of her profession. But she uses her experience of falling to make her stronger.
Mercadi believes that fear is an essential element to becoming an elite climber. You can never truly overcome fear, but you can learn to embrace it. You can push yourself forward only after you accept fear as a motivation to keep you moving higher rather than as a something that freezes you where you are. In Mercadi’s words. “Sometimes the fear to stay alive is what keeps me moving and gets me to the top.”
Mercadi’s Climbing Essentials
Climbers know that every ounce of weight they bring with them must be carefully considered. We asked Mercadi to give us her absolute essentials that she brings with her on every climb (aside from her equipment).
Mercadi’s Essential Climbing Fuel:
- Bread
- Avacados
- Little Debbie Brownies
- Thermos of Megaton
- Water
How To Get Elite Grip Strength
The best way to improve your grip strength is to climb. But on top of that, Mercadi emphasizes training to climb upside down. It’s the best training for the simple reason that if you can learn to climb upside down, you can pretty much learn to climb anything.
How do you train for that? There’s a lot of custom equipment out there, but Mercadi recommends training on a Pony Shuffler from Wide Boyz.
Recommendations for Aspiring Climbers
Always push your limits. The more mileage you get on the rocks the better you get and the more confidence you get in your equipment. Don’t be afraid to get your ass kicked. Don’t settle for something you already know you can do.