Career Highlights

  • First, along with Dean Potter, to enchain three Grade VI in Yosemite incl El Capitan, Half Dome and Mt Watkins.
  • Held the Nose Record, along with Dean Potter, @ 3hrs 23 mins.
  • Established first ascent “Tonta Suerte” on west face of Mt Fitz Roy, Patagonia.
  • Established first ascent “Festerville” on north ridge of Aguja Standhardt, Patagonia.
  • First alpine style ascent of Torre Egger, Patagonia.

Favorite places to live/ climb/ visit:

Sierra, Sierra, Sierra

Favorite type of climbing: 

Multi-pitch alpine climbing, and enchaining multiple formations

What most people don't know about me:

I play drums in a surf rock trio called Par Avion.

I read fiction and non-fiction passionately and study vocabulary voraciously.

    Interview

    • Climbing

      When and how did you get into climbing? What keeps you interested? What fascinates you?

      I discovered climbing in 1989 while working in Yellowstone National Park, WY when a fellow employee mentioned a free climbing clinic in Hyalite Canyon, outside of Bozeman MT. A local outdoor store Northern Lights was hosting the clinic and I top roped and fell in love. The problem solving, immediacy, fellowship of the rope and the setting continue to drive my passionate exploration and application of climbing.

      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 uncle Bill, my father’s brother, was an absolute influence and hero. I call him an accidental mentor, as he wasn’t necessarily trying to be a positive influence, but he was the best white water kayaker, had a groovy house in the country, listened to loud rock and roll from a sweet home stereo system, was drafted for the Vietnam War, drove a Porsche and always took me and my six siblings to cool art and natural history museums and the Philadelphia zoological society. Also he went to Yellowstone and brought back color images that he snapped and I was so inspired I eventually went there at 19 years of age and never looked back.

      I am absolutely both an accidental and purposeful mentor of many decades. I am a reflection of the good work and good word that I release into the world at large.

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

      • My birth
      • My leaving home at 19 and discovering climbing
      • Whitewater kayaking the 226 mile of the Grand Canyon via the Colorado River (something I have subsequently done 20 times!)
      • Establishing Tonta Suerta on Mt Fitz Roy, Patagonia Argentina
      • Having an aneurysm in February, 2020 while on location filming in Chilean Patagonia
      • Having my child Cody River ONeill 12/23/22
      • Recently finishing (11/12/24 - 11/21/24) a 10 show, live music, tour called Catch & Release with my band Par Avion

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

      Having an aneurysm in February, 2020 while on location filming in Chilean Patagonia.

      I fortunately had no lasting effects.

      What is your favorite climbing related story / experience?

      Assisting my brother Sean, who is a t-12 paraplegic, in doing his first of three ascents of El Capitan. We spent nine days living on etc wall and he left his wheel chair behind and took to the vertical incredibly well. This experience allowed to of the deepest dives in adaptive climbing as a pioneer, and the cofounder of www.paradoxsports.org.

      I also recently conceived and directed a short film called Soundscape that has won a dozen intentional awards:
      Logline
      Soundscape shares the sightless experience of climbing a mountain via echo location, touch and imagination.

      Short synopsis
      Soundscape features Erik Weihenmayer, a global adventure athlete and author who is fully blind, as he ascends a massive alpine rock face deep in the Sierra Nevada. Using expert camera work from Mikey Schaefer and emotive, novel animation to bring to life a concept by adaptive climbing pioneer Timmy O'Neill, the film is a surprising and soulful adventure.

      https://vimeo.com/826084957/840cd8806e
      Password: touchthetop

    • Training

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

      The only thing I am strict about is breathing.

      I am dedicated to maintaining a strong, flexible and willing mind, body and spirit. I practice yoga, perform a specific strength execise series 2 - 3 times per week and endeavor to be in sport as often as I can, whether it is climbing, kayaking, biking, hiking and playing with my toddler!

      I wish to climb and adventure as long as I possibly can and know that diligence in application, as well as proper physiological care are key.

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

      Only you can hold yourself accountable to your word and apply a daily and weekly regimen.

      Set simple achievable goals and attempt whole heartedly to achieve them, and if you don’t, forgive yourself and try again.

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

      I prefer outdoor climbing always and will gladly climb at an indoor setting for myself and for others who need my assistance.

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

      No and No.

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

      I am 50 / 50! I have an equilibrium in regards to sharing and doing.

    • Psychology

      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?

      You do not have to be born to climb and in fact I believe all children begin as climbers, needing that exercise to develop their bodies and sense of movement, etc.

      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 set near goals, meaning achievable in the next 6 to 12 months.

      Goals and dreams are synonymous and both, I believe, are required to move yourself forward and work on improving your mind/body/spirit and proximity to achieve them.

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

      I do not necessarily deal with extremely hard climbing problems, but find myself drawn to moderately hard climbing problems. My joy is found in covering massive ground and gaining dilated perspective both in a physical and terrestrial manner and also in regard to psychology (i.e. person and partnership), and beauty both natural and intellectual.

    • Future of climbing

      Is there anything you would like to change about the current developments in climbing?

      No, human nature and therefore everything that humans do, create and offer has a positive and negative side, just like a battery needs both terminals to function. I believe more people need to apply the climber’s mindset, not necessarily the movement, which is the inherent team work, self and other reliance, resilience, problem solving and elective challenge.

      Where do you see the sport going in the next years, what will change and what is your role going to be in it?

      The sport is going to continue to become more broadly known, practiced and applied and I will continue to sing the praises of the climbing life as I play the music of climbing in action. I am 55 years young and will become even more of an advocate, ambassador and diplomat for the people, places and purpose of climbing