Lynn Hill is surrounded by such mystique that her identity must be split in two. On one hand, Lynn is practically a legend. Climbers constantly hear of her visionary philosophy, incredible athletic ability, and admirable accomplishments. She probably has perfectly straight teeth. She probably has no cavities.

On the other hand, Lynn Hill must also live a mundane daily life. Like the rest of us, she must deal with watering houseplants, making utility payments, and visiting the dentist. The true Lynn Hill must be a combination of devine prophet and down to earth individual.

Certainly reasons exist for the climbing world's reguard for Lynn as an idol. She is one of the most influential and well-known climbers in the world. In addition to her first (and still only) free ascent of the Nose on El Capitan, Lynn has continuously instigated revolutions in climbing for over a decade. The synergy between her visionary approach and outstanding athletic ability has allowed her to continuously redefine conventional limits. Not only was she the first woman to climb 5.14 outdoors, Lynn has won the World Cup Series twice. Her past is peppered with many such outstanding first ascents, onsights, and redpoints.

In addition to her climbing achievements, Lynn has led a lifestyle true to her climbing vision. From living in the Valley to traveling Europe, Lynn Hill has sampled a variety of rock types and climbing lifestyles. She has, at different points in her life, worked in pizza parlors and bars, run around with ragamuffins and rogues, won world cup events, and sipped French wine on the Riviera. Through these experiences, I reasoned that Lynn Hill must posses some kernel of wisdom to share.

With this in mind, I caught up with Lynn and we talked about recent developments in her life. As I suspected, she revealed herself as a down to earth, friendly individual, and we had an amicable conversation, despite my furtive glances at her teeth.

What are your current projects and activities?

I do work despite what most people think, and that does take some time away from climbing and some of the other projects I like to do. However, this fall, I'm taking a six-week trip to France. A full climbing vacation, although I will be doing some work. Then I'll return to the states to do some work before I leave for Morocco. Then I'm thinking about continuing on to Thailand from there.

Why Morocco?

Because I think it would be fascinating to go to a Muslim country where the issues and roles of women are quite a bit different than here in America. At the same time, I like different climbing areas, touching different types of rock, and being in different places. I just like the combination of cultural experience and climbing experience.

Where do you live now?

I have a house in Bend, Oregon, and I currently live on the road.

On the road? Why is that?

Because there are too many things to do and I can't say no.

So you don't live full time in France?

Well, I've decided that I could take advantage of the best of both worlds by doing it in the reverse order. Before I was living in France and commuting back to the States. At this point in my life, it's better to be based in America and commute back to Europe. It was a really good experience for me live in France, learn French, see Europe, and just be outside of America - to have a different perspective. I have a big advantage when I go back. I even still have a car there, and I can get around easily, appreciate the nuances of culture. I can also appreciate the subtleties of the food and the wine. It's a great place.

I was talking to Yuji Hirayama and Hans Florine who were both up on the Nose on El Capitan (Yosemite). After working on the hard pitches, they came down frustrated and skeptical of being able to free the hard pitches. Why is it that you are still the only one to have free climbed the nose?

I did see Yuji three days ago in the Valley. I climbed with him, and I talked with him about their experience. Yuji said he thought it was 8b+ (5.14a) which I was quite surprised to hear because Yuji is a fantastic climber. He's very supple, good at crack climbing, and very clever. He's good at figuring things out. I thought he would just tick it off and it would be a warm up for his onsight attempt of the Salathe.

However, that was not the case. He said he thought he had less of a chance of freeing the nose than onsighting the Salathe. Of course, he hasn't tried the Salathe yet, but that's how hard he thought it would be. It's so insecure up there (on the Nose) and you've climbed a long way. You can really easily exhaust the small muscles in your fingers, and you're in so many odd positions underneath the great roof. It's such a long pitch, and it's difficult to give it many tries, and finger size is an issue.

So it could be that the Nose is more difficult than you thought?

Well, not for me. It's probably one of the few routes in the world that favors me or someone with a similar body size. So often, routes are half a grade, a full grade, or almost impossible for someone of my body size. It just happened that this classic route on El Capitan happens to suit me.

I've read an interview in which you tell about living in Las Vegas working at Pizza joints and boxing other women to make money. Did you ever foresee a point when you'd be making a living off climbing?

No, especially at that time. It wasn't really an option. Nobody that I knew was making a living off climbing, and I couldn't imagine why somebody would pay someone to go out climbing. And now I realize that you don't get paid to go climbing. That's not it at all. I actually do work, and everyone who works in this industry has a role. It's just that the industry has changed so much. There's a lot more people out there climbing, and I just happened to be of the pioneer generation.

I noticed at the X Games that the French were more responsive to the public. They waved to the crowd, and did interviews with more enthusiasm than Americans. Are the French just more aware of the need for pro climbers to market themselves?

I think their behavior is partially a result of a difference in culture. There's a lot more of a showy flair to French culture. In the outdoor world it's OK to boast achievements in France. In America, climbers tend to understate things. American climbers even tend not to wear loud colors.

In addition, camera crews focused on the better American climbers like Chris Sharma and Katie Brown. Those kids are 16 years old, and that's an awkward age to be open to the media and the public. I think there's a combination of factors responsible for the difference between the behavior of French and American climbers.

Now that your livelihood depends on what you do in the climbing world, do you ever feel like your motivation to climb is a little different or do you ever feel any pressure to achieve something that's newsworthy.

Yes and no. I've had the privilege of being one of the pioneers as far as sponsorship goes. You can compare it to surfer on a wave; I caught the wave early and got into position. Now the wave is breaking behind me, and some people who are trying to get on the wave behind me feel like they have to do mind-blowing things or even dangerous things, but I feel like the most important thing is to contribute something of value to other people in some way.

Sometimes this contribution is the hardest thing. Sometimes it is making a statement. Like the Nose is a statement. Whatever size, body type you are, you can achieve great things with a strong belief and conviction. That was one phase of my life. Before that I had competition. Before that I did some bold difficult trad routes that combined physical and psychological difficulty.

I feel like I've touched a lot of different areas of climbing. I still want to touch more holds. I want to check it all out, and just stay out there before the wave breaks. As long as you have vision, I don't feel like I have to compromise because that's what I like to do. I want to explore new areas and explore different angles.

Any thought on the new generation.

I think the new generation missed out on the traditional era where the constraints on equipment, danger, and adventure were a little different.

Now the name and reputation of a route are known in four languages. Now the aesthetics of the movement are more important, so you trade some things for others.

I talked to Katie Brown, and she's placed gear on a 5.6 in Red Rocks, but she's more interested in performance, and I respect her ability to climb difficult climbs. It just proves to me that it's mostly in the mind, and if you have the vision, it's just a different way of expressing it. It's a matter stepping on the shoulders of the previous generation and bringing it to a new level.

Any recent accomplishments to speak of.

I just did Bachar / Yerian. Some friends of mine were going up, and I said, "I'll go!" before I even really thought about it, and I knew what I was getting into.

You're probably the first woman to have done the Bachar-Yerian?

Yeah, I think I am. No other woman has led those pitches I'm sure. I let the second and third pitches, the too scariest pitches. The first pitch is scary too - You've got to sling chicken heads - but it's only 5.8. The final 4^th pitch is just a scramble.

Sometimes I sandbag myself. If I put myself in a position where I have to do something, I do it. Sometimes I kind of like to have to do it.

This interview was made by Rock and Groove(Copyright). See linkpage.