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WARNING!!!
Activities described and depicted within this site carry a significant risk of personal injury or death. Rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and all other outdoor activities are dangerous. Solid Rock / Climbers for Christ does not recommend that anyone participate in these activities unless they understand the risks involved, are experts, have qualified professional instruction, and are willing to personally assume all responsibility
associated with those risks.

Accomplished Climbers Who Endorse Solid Rock’s Mission

l Doug Englekirk l Tori Allen l Kitty Calhoun l Pete Zabrok l Jeremy Collins l Michael Clark l

The climbers below understand the importance of having a relationship with God. Although they have accomplished much in the sport of climbing, it means nothing to them when compared to knowing Jesus Christ as the one who forgives their wrongs and is in charge of their lives. They invite you, along with the nearly 780 members of Solid Rock - Climbers for Christ, to become part of God's family.

Learn how to become part of God's family.

Doug and his son Nate making bacon for the climber's breakfast at Roctoberfest '03 at Red River Gorge.

Doug Englekirk

Doug's major acccomplishments include: First Place in Sport Climbing National Championships 92, 93 and 94, two top ten finishes in the World Cup in 91 and 92 and ranked #1 climber in the USA in 93-94. His first ascents include Genesis (VI, 5.11, A4+ El Capitan) and Free at Last (5.14a, Mt. Charleston, NV) Other hard free routes include: Grand Illusion (5.13c, Sugar Loaf) and To Bolt or Not to Be (5.14a, Smith Rocks). He is still climbing hard and redpointed The Phoenix (5.13a crack, Yosemite) and Freerider (VI 12d, El Cap).

When Doug was in the middle of the climbing competition scene in the 1990's he said, "Most people know I'm a Christian. They respect my climbing ability, which gives me an opportunity to show others who God is by the way I carry myself. How do I handle victory or defeat? What do I do when things don't seem fair, like a judge's decision in a competition? Do I make a scene, or do I show God's light?"

Learn more about Doug:

Marriage - Love on the Rocks

Higher Calling

Tori Allen

Tori started climbing when she was young and has excelled at it. Her accomplishments in climbing are centered on competitions. When Tori was fourteen (in 2003), her competition record was:

1st-2004 Teva Mountain Games (Adult Speed Bouldering)

2nd-PCA summer trade show comp (ADULT-bouldering)

1st-X-Games, set wall record by four seconds (ADULT-speed)

3rd-Jr. World Championships (difficulty)

1st-Jr. World Championships (speed)

1st-Touchstone Cup (ADULT-speed+difficulty+bouldering)

1st-PCA winter trade show comp (ADULT-bouldering)

Tori recently said this about her relationship with God, "Since I was a very small child, everything my family did centered around serving others as an extension of our faith. Even once I got into climbing, I tried to live each day as an Extreme Christian who did not conform to the world or people around me. Currently, my faith in Christ allows me to find peace in the middle of opposition, see my life as a service to Christ instead of a series of happenings that get me attention, and use every opportunity to show others the difference that Christ has made in my life in the hopes of starting a relationship with them that might one day lead them to question me about how I could find peace and strength in the things I do or the situations I face. Basically, I want others to take a closer look at why I am different and ask me about it."

Learn more about Tori at her website at www.toriallen.com

Photo: Jon Krakauer courtesy of Mountainzone.com

Kitty Calhoun

She says, "I am a Christian, a mom, a storyteller, I work as an ambassador for Patagonia, and my ascents include the Cassin on Denali, Bouchard Route on Chacraraju, East Face of Dhaulagiri, West Buttress of Makalu, West Face of Middle Triple Peak."

Learn more about Kitty:

Quitting is Not an Option!

Interview at Mountainzone.com

Resume at International Mountain Climbing School

Tricia and Jeremy Collins at Vedauwoo, WY

Jeremy Collins

Although he is a very solid climber (see below), his main focus is being a climbing illustrator and artist. Jeremy is the Chief/Senior Illustrator for Rock and Ice Climbing Magazine, and his illustrations are found in many climbing publications and videos (Alpinist, Front Range Freaks, Vbouldering, Hooked, Friction Addiction, Trail Runner). He did the artwork for a climbing “how-to” book for the beginning indoor climber. It is called, Betty And The Silver Spider (Doktor Krank Comics). Rumors are he is well on his way to completing the second in the series on anchors with writer Craig Luebben. Stay tuned…

Highlights of his climbing career have been: Over 150 First Ascents to his credit up to 5.12c; Positive Vibrations and Red Dihedral on the Incredible Hulk (10c and 11a, both Grade V)in the Sierras; Vertigo, Naked Edge, NW Corner of Bastille and Super Slab in Eldo(all 11a/b); Nose In A Day on El Cap (on-sight, with no big-wall experience, freeing up to 11b); Scenic Cruise in Black Canyon, CO (V 5.10d), Abracadaver in Cochise Stronghold(IV onsight 11a/b), Casual Route on the Diamond (10a), Cloud Tower and Levitation 29 at Red Rocks (12a and 11b, both Grade V), Turf Spreader (11b) and Breshears Finger Crack (12a) in The South Platte, East Buttress and East Face on Mt. Whitney in a day, and the Harding Route on Mt. Conness (10c, Grade V). He takes his climbing seriously but not himself. He states he likes his routes like his hamburger, “ground up, spicy and well done!” A young climber recently asked him at a slide show "how many 5.13's have you done?" Jeremy laughed and said-"Man, I don't climb HARD, I just climb ALOT!"

Jeremy's desire is that God’s love and the Gospel shines through him, his climbing and his artwork to those around him.

Learn more about Jeremy:

Jeremy promises to get his two sites, www.jercollins.com

Video of Jeremy at Smith Rock (14 MB)

Amazing Red Rocks Link-up

Visit a few pictures and some of his artwork!

Michael Clark

Michael Clark became a climber first and then a professional photographer. In college while earning a degree in physics, he learned to climb. Climbing became an obsession and he ended up turning down job offers in physics to go climbing. It was climbing that brought him back to photography (which was his obsession in high school). At first, his return to photography was to record the amazing places he traveled to and later to inspire others. His work has been published in Sports Illustrated, Outside, Climbing, and Rock & Ice to name just a few. (See his complete client list!)

This is what Michael says about his time in the field. “Out in the field, living and shooting conditions are almost always rustic and sometimes extremely scary. No matter how many times you do it, rappelling over the edge of a 2000 foot cliff will get your heart going every time. Camping at -35 degrees Fahrenheit or solo-aiding a route to put a rope up. Standing in the line of fire of a mountain biker going Mach 10 off a cliff. Hanging off a tyrolean traverse over a 40-foot waterfall as a kayaker drops in. It is all in a day’s work and the higher the sweat factor the better the shots. I am always looking for a new angle to shoot from. I do a lot of location research before a shoot and then I spend time sketching images that I’d like to create. I don’t consider myself just a documentary photographer. I strive to create images that are jaw dropping, artistic and clever. I want the viewer to see the photo and wonder, "how in the world did he get that shot?"

Michael realizes the privileges he has. “I am extremely blessed and passionate about my work and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I thank God every day for the life He has given me and I have found that dreams really can happen.”

Visit Michael Clark's Website at: www.michaelclarkphoto.com

Pete Zabrok

Pete Zabrok has done over two dozen big wall routes on El Capitan, including ones at the A5 grade. His list of routes includes: Never Never Land (A3), Eagle's Way - Solo (A3), Lost in America - Solo (A3+), Bermuda Dunes (A4+), Scorched Earth (A4+), Lunar Eclipse - Solo (A3+), The Shortest Straw - Solo (A4), Excalibur (A3), Zenyatta Mondatta - Solo (A4), Sea of Dreams (A4), Tangerine Trip - Solo (A2), Muir Wall (A2), Jolly Roger (A5), Native Son - Solo (A4+), The Reticent Wall (A5), Aurora (A4), Iron Hawk - Solo (A4), Pacific Ocean Wall (A3), Sunkist (A3), Mescalito (A2+), Lurking Fear (A2+), Zodiac (A2), West Face (5.11d), Salathe Wall (A2), and The Nose (A1). Prior to his entering Free Climbing Retirement, he made hundreds of first ascents mostly in his home province of Ontario, Canada. He is now known for bringing new standards of luxury and indolence to his big wall ascents.

You'd never guess that Dr. Piton at Rock & Ice Magazine was a Christian, but if God can forgive a crusty reprobate wall rat like him for all sins, past, present and future, then there is indeed HOPE.

He says, "My hope comes not from what I have done or will do (i.e. behaviour - like, he's Canadian, eh?) but rather from what has already been done for me (redemption through Christ). As a child of God, I accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus' death in spite of the fact that I don't deserve it. I take comfort in knowing that I don't need to PRODUCE the fruit - being the vine is God's job - I merely need to abide in Jesus and be the branch."

He is a great student of the Bible (God's Word) and would be happy to help you find stuff in the bible. He admits he has a tremendous problem with pride and was recently humbled when he dropped his partner's haul bag from a thousand feet up [sheesh]. He believes that love is not merely a feeling but a choice. He says, "Love is what you DO for someone when you don't FEEL like loving him. The struggle, of course, is practicing this love....."

"With my God I can scale a wall." Psalms 18:29