HBO’s The Climb: Where Are The Contestants Now?

Earlier this year, you may have watched on as Chris Sharma, Aquaman star Jason Momoa, and Megan Martin, pro climber and American Ninja Warrior champion,  journeyed with ten amateur rock climbers across the world on the world’s very first competitive rock climbing television show.

The show’s final episodes aired in January of 2023, so what have all the climbers been up to after the show? What did Brad do after leaving Sant Llorenç? Or April Marr after the final deep water solo? Read on to find out.

April Marr

TikTok star @aprilfmarr and The Climb fan-favorite, April, reported that in 2023 she has spent 28 days total on rock, sending all kinds of hard 7a-7c (French Sport grades). Day-to-day, April balances taking care of her kids while living in a castle in Scotland with her passion for climbing.

Enjoying her times at famous UK crags such as Kilnsey, Glencoe, and Dunkeld, April must navigate the classically unpredictable and shoddy weather between exciting ascents. April reports that it’s been a “very wet July” so she’s been “back indoors on plastic training hard and chatting loads .”

After filming The Climb, April sent two of her hard projects a 5.13a and 5.13b and continues to get out on tons of rock, successfully focusing on getting more fun onsights and quick ascents.

Brad Burns

Audiences were shocked when young-gun who out-performed most of the climbers left the show earlier than expected. After filming The Climb, Brad returned back to MSU to finish his studies in cell biology and neuroscience. He continued to follow his passion for rock climbing, guiding and studying to take the MCAT and to Sun Valley, Idaho for an internship with a nonprofit called Higher Ground.

“I got to work with people with cognitive and physical disabilities through the medium of recreation therapy, taking them skiing, climbing, and more. It was eye-opening and rewarding,” Brad said. 

After The Climb’s release in January, Brad quenched his thirst for adventure once again and flew out to Denali, Alaska in April of 2023. After a successful, yet cold journey up the mountain, he returned safely back home. Now back to guiding rock climbing, Brad successfully planned the 2023 Ten Sleep Climbers Festival as the president, and began prepping for med school. Now balancing his studies at the University of Washington in Wyoming WWAMMI medical school program with climbing, Brad is truly doing it all. 

Cat Runner

After winning The Climb Season 1, Cat Runner has embarked on multiple adventures.

“I’ve been able to travel and explore new destinations for climbing both throughout the US and globally. I’ve been able to pursue more opportunities that support my passion for photography and community organizing and have been able to dedicate more time developing the Queer Climber’s Network,” he said. 

Since the release of The Climb, Cat Runner sent his first 5.14 God’s Own Stone in his hometown crag of the Red River Gorge in February and was spotted in Rocklands, South Africa. Cat also managed to complete his SPI course, the first step toward becoming an AMGA certified Single-Pitch Instructor. 

Dominique Perry

Finalist on The Climb and Los Angeles native, Dom is spending his time at local crags to the city, surfing as much as possible, and training at the LA gyms.

Dom continues to pursue his climbing passion, working as a coach at Sender One, Playa Vista. He is on the advisory board of Common Climber and climbing as an ambassador for La Sportiva.

Deco Braga

After the release of The Climb on HBO in January, 2023, Deco began diving deeper into expanding his climbing-focused business Fabrica de Formas, a Brazilian design company that develops climbing focused projects in creative contexts like climbing experiences, gym design and live events.

Still managing to train twice a week and climb V8…Deco told us that Fabrica de Formas is planning to open a brand new bouldering gym sometime in 2024 in Curitiba, Brazil. Alongside climbing hard and pushing himself, expanding access to climbing in Brazil is close to Deco’s heart and he founded the non profit, Reclimable, that aims to gather used climbing gear from all over to restore and give away to social projects in Brazil. 

Deco told Outdoors.com, “There is still lots to be done, but the future is looking very bright, and I have The Climb to be thankful to as most of what’s happening professionally with my lil part on the show.”

Maiza Lima

Between working on building a beautifully designed house with her husband in the Red River Gorge, Maiza has struggled to balance climbing, but gets sessions in between drilling, sawing and laying concrete. “We are so excited about the house,” she said.

Maiza is a professional guide for She Moves Mountains, a company whose mission is to create an educational space for women (cis, trans) to realize their strength through outdoor retreats and skills clinics. In September, she will be taking the AMGA Rock Guide course to take her guiding career to the next level and hopes to relocate back to Seattle to be closer to family soon.

Mario Stanley

“It’s been easy to sink back into what is normal because I’m a kids climbing coach and my priority is the athletes in front of me, their little faces,” Mario said. Mario says that climbing is going well, but has not been focusing on climbing as much but targeting his passion of putting up new routes and bolting more in Texas.

He is currently in Malawi working with the nonprofit the Global Climbing Initiative to teach route developing and bolting. Mario and climbing partner and pro climber Genevieve Walker, plan to put up a First Ascent in Mulanje while in Malawi, which Mario says may be the first ascent put up by a team of black climbers if they succeed.

“The main thing I learned from the show is that life needs to be done faster for me. There is so much to see and do. Not stressed, but like being in the flow on a route,” he said.

Robyn Ragins

Remembered for her incredible smile and positive outlook on life, since The Climb’s release Robyn has graduated from University of Utah. A kid’s climbing coach, Robyn is spending her time coaching more than ever and getting out on rock as much as she can. Since the show, she has now sent her first V10 boulder, 2nd Place, in Castle Rock Idaho.

Tiffany Soi

You may remember Tiffany’s struggle with injuries on The Climb, including battling the choice between a potentially serious re-injury of her back and competing on the deep water solo in Episode 1. 

After investing a lot of time in holistic physical recovery, Tiffany said, “I’m in the least pain I’ve been in, and moving the best I have done, in years – while it’s far from perfect, and in spite of injuring my knee and hamstring on a recent first ever trip to Rocklands, I am finding joy and appreciation of moving in experiencing my one precious body – and find hope in what’s still open to me in the future.”

She’s currently making big shifts in her life to do more of what she truly loves in creative and performing arts, and also to savor more precious time with her husband, while continuing to offer yoga and wellness classes through her business Climb Flow.

Alice Hafer

Alice is now a writer for Outdoors.com, and focusing on writing a book in between climbing sessions outdoors at Donner Pass in California. After The Climb, she sent her second 5.14 and Alice continues to speak out about anxiety and mental health awareness, giving talks and workshops at climbing and women’s specific events around the world. She is soon to take part in the new Vertical Mind television series with author Don Mcgrath, to be released in 2024.

Source: https://outdoors.com/hbos-the-climb-where-are-they-now/