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ATHLETE PROFILE
MARCUS GARCIA
ENCOURAGES EMOTIONAL VULNERABILITY IN CLIMBING Words by Erin Phillips | Photo by Jess Chambers
M
arcus Garcia, a Durango local, is a
forgive even himself. “I needed to start showing
professional athlete known for bold and
up for myself, so that I could show my daughter
varied rock and ice climbing, as well as a coach
Garica’s got a soft spot for the kids. He
Something that sets Garcia apart as an athlete
owned a climbing gym, The Rock Lounge, that
is not just the obvious physical risks that he’s
closed during the pandemic. “Being able to
willing to take in these vertical environments,
provide that gym to the kids in Durango was
but the emotional ones as well.
such an important thing to him and having that
In 2019, Osprey released a documentary
taken away was really hard,” says Foster. But,
called The Mentor, which follows Garcia’s
that hasn’t stopped him from building deeper
heartfelt journey from climbing the route that his
relationships now, with both his family and the
mentor Jimmy Ray Forester died on to becoming
climbing community as a whole.
a climbing mentor himself. But the story didn’t end there for Garcia.
“Showing vulnerability and fear is mistaken as weakness when really it’s the most courageous
After the film came out, he had a lot of
thing to do,” says Garcia. “In the climbing
unexpected feelings come up. “I thought I was
culture, there is a focus on proving how strong
grieving because I lost my friend,” he shares,
and powerful you are physically, but emotional
“but I had actually lost my identity. I had to figure
vulnerability is lacking. These two should be
out why and what, specifically, I was grieving.”
encouraged together.” One thing Garcia does
Liam Foster, one of the climbers Garcia
with his students is create time for journaling and
coached, says when he first met Garcia, he was
sharing openly about what they’re experiencing
quiet and reserved. “I think part of him still had
with the team.
so much pain from Jimmy that he was hesitant
Foster, a very accomplished climber himself
to make real connections with some of us on the
(the youngest person, at age 17, to climb the
team. He didn’t want to put us through what he
hardest mixed route in the world), learned so
went through. You can tell, since then, he’s put a
many things from Garcia, but especially that
lot of work into himself and opened up.”
climbing doesn’t have to be a selfish sport — that
With tears in his eyes, Garcia recalls when
60
how to show up for herself.”
and mentor to the next generation of climbers.
through working together, we accomplish more.
his own teenage daughter, who he was rebuilding
When Foster was 12, he was introduced to
a relationship with after years apart, watched a
Riders on the Storm (5.14). He spent six years
public showing of The Mentor and asked him in
projecting the route with Garcia. “We would go
front of the crowd, “How has forgiveness been a
up to this ledge, our own little private crow’s nest
part of your healing?” He had resented having
overlooking Durango, and be completely present
a family when that kept him from going on the
in a time in both of our lives when it was very
climbing trip Forester died on, and over 10 years
hard to do so. We both were uncertain and kinda
later, he responded to his daughter with open
scared of the future, so we could go through it
honesty and the realization that he needed to
together,” Foster remembers.
