The Daily - August 10, 2021 - 18

SAMUEL CROSSLEY
Pulse
S U M M E R 2 0 1 9
THE
F U T U R E E P I C
Jordan Cannon
freed El Cap's
Golden Gate
(5.13b, 41 pitches)
in 20 hours, 26
minutes last year.
Jordan Cannon is as core to
modern Yosemite rock climbing
as it gets. He free climbs
big walls, moves fast, and loves
linking up giant formations
in a single day. This year the
quiet, private athlete took on
the biggest challenge of his life
to come out publicly as gay-
which made him an overnight
star. " I've joined a whole new
community that I wasn't a part
of before, " he says. " Now that
I'm a part of this group, I do
what I can to be a good leader
in the climbing world. "
Climbing hasn't always been
an easy road for Cannon, who
is now sponsored by Arc'teryx
and Scarpa. In 2018, he took a
150-foot fall on the Nose on El
Capitan that, luckily, left him
only battered and bruised. But
mentally, it shook him up. To get
back on the horse, he heeded
the advice of his climbing hero
Peter Croft, who said, " You can
either let this make you a better
climber or a worse climber. "
Cannon dusted himself off and
went on to free El Cap's Golden
Gate in 20:26. This past season
he partnered with Scott Bennett
to fi re off the Yosemite Triple
Crown-El Capitan, Half Dome,
and Mount Watkins-in less than
23 hours.
F U T U R E E P I C
Proud and Crushing It
When he came out in Outside magazine in
June, pro climber Jordan Cannon took on his
biggest challenge. By Chris Van Leuven
18
/ OUTDOOR RETAILER SUMMER 2021
What big project are you preparing
for now?
I'm joining Scott [Bennett] for
a big link-up in Rocky Mountain
National Park. I've never
climbed in Rocky, so I'll get to
acquaint myself with that area
while climbing with him.
What is the piece of gear you
are most hoping to fi nd at the
Summer Show?
The Scarpa Rush-Scott and I
have been waiting for those for
a while. It's Scarpa's new take
on a trail running/approach
shoe hybrid. That will be our
shoe of choice for traveling
between peaks in Rocky.
Why is it important for you
to be at the Outdoor Retailer
Summer Show?
I always enjoy it. I go to make
connections in the industry and
gather new sponsors. For my
fi rst one in 2016, I went with
Randy Leavitt, athlete manager
at Maxim Ropes. He's a former
pro climber, and he was my
OR mentor. He helped me plan
meetings and told me how to
talk to people. I did my fi rst
Enormocast [podcast] episode
at that show. After that event in
Salt Lake City, Randy and I went
climbing in nearby Maple Canyon.
The following year, I went
to Outdoor Retailer in Denver
and I climbed in Eldorado Canyon
and the Flatirons.
How has your life changed
since coming out in May?
A huge weight has been lifted,
and I feel seen as my true self
now. It's made my day-to-day
life and mental health happier.
I'm not as depressed or anxious
as I was in the past. And it's
made my connections with my
friends stronger. Because I got
this off my chest, it's given me
more focus and drive-and it's
improved my climbing.
The Daily - August 10, 2021

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