Sonnie Trotter

When and how did you get into climbing and what kept you interested / fascinated in the sport?

I began climbing in 1995 at an indoor climbing gym, but I fell deeper in love when I learned to climb outside, this fascination has kept me passionate for 26 years.  It’s a full package, a connection to the natural world, movement, problem solving and hard work are all things I enjoy on a daily basis.  

Who was your childhood hero and do you consider yourself a role model now? Does it influence you at all that other people look up to you?

My first life hero’s were my mom and my dad.  In climbing it was Wolfgang Gullich, then it was Chris Sharma and Tommy Caldwell.  Today I have hundreds of hero’s and people I admire

What were the most important milestones in your life so far, both in climbing and in everyday life? Did you immediately recognize them as such or only later on?

I don’t really see any of my climbing achievements as milestones, I see it all as a journey of a thousand steps. I climb as much as I can, sometimes I feel strong and rested and want to push myself, and some days (or even weeks) I feel tired but still go out to move over stone. 

My greatest milestones in my life journey are meeting my wife, getting married, buying a home for us to live in and of course becoming a father of 2 very loving and active children. 

What were your greatest failures / setbacks / injuries? How did you cope with them and how did you come back from them?

I tore a tendon in my finger one day on the hardest route I ever climbed, and it took nearly 2 years for me to become 100% again.  I was devastated at first, but I realized quickly that I love so many other styles of climbing and that motivation for adventure carried me through.

What is your favorite climbing related story / experience?

One of my all time favourite days of climbing is free climbing El Capitan on the ‘Pineapple Express’.  It was 24 hours before a massive season ending snow storm hit Yosemite Valley.  My family was getting sick and we were all in Yosemite Valley together.   Tommy Caldwell offered to support me and belayed and cleaned all 28 pitches in a 13 hour push.  It was the first time I climbed entirely for myself, completely focused on pushing my limits, without belaying a partner, and I owe it to Tommy.  It was a very special day for me.

Do you have a strict training schedule for when and how you train throughout the year?

I do not have a strict training schedule, perhaps I could benefit by one, but I mostly climb when I feel like it or the weather allows.  I get most of my inspiration from climbs outside, and when I fall in love, my approach is to try hard until I complete it.  At home, during the off season, my favourite way to stay in shape is to hang board on my fingers and do one arm lock offs, I enjoy these a lot.

What advice can you give to somebody looking to improve their training routine?

Climb as much as possible, and use a finger board at home or in the gym, safely of course:)

What do you think of indoor climbing gyms in relation to climbing on actual rock?

I think indoor climbing is extremely fun and comfortable, but I think todays competition style is not my favourite and I much prefer climbing on rocks whenever I can.  I would choose rock climbing over the gym every single day of the year if I had the choice.

Are you able to do a one-arm pull-up? How about a single finger?

Yes, I have done one finger, one arm chin ups, but I haven’t tried for a while.

How much of the success as a pro climber is due to show and how much due to actual climbing skill?

I think most if not all of my success in climbing can be attributed to skill.  I’ve never been a powerful person.  I climbed almost everyday for the first two years, and I learned how to move my body with a lot of efficiency and I even learned how to climb when I was really exhausted, so that helped me with my mental fortitude as well. I was able to try hard even when I felt uncomfortable.  After developing the skill, I really began to push my grades when I focused on finger board training.  I don’t do things like campus board, or moon board very often anymore, because I find they can lead to injury more easily if one isn’t too careful.

Is it possible for anybody to eventually perform a one-armed pull-up or get to the top of the Eiger/Matterhorn, or do you really have to be born for it?

Of course genetics play a large part in athleticism, however, I think with the proper attitude, hard work, and especially consistency over time, people can achieve incredible things, far beyond what they initially believed was possible.

How important is it to set goals in professional sports? What are your goals / targets you are working towards in climbing and in life?

I think having a target is very important to improve. I work towards climbs that inspire me, once I fall in love with a route, it’s hard for me to let go of the process, luckily, there are thousands of routes, so there’s no shortage of goals.

How to you deal with extremely hard climbing problems? Do you ever get frustrated and give up on them or do they motivate you even more?

Hard climbs often motivate me even more when I can’t do them quickly, but I must be able to believe that I am capable, that’s a large part of the equation.  For me, it’s sticking a balance between too easy and too difficult, but first and foremost it must be a pretty line.