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Jessica Adler
InstructorClimbing School InstructorIn 2015, Jessica Adler went bouldering at Stone Gardens in Seattle. Her first time climbing, she climbed till her hands were bleeding. She tells the story with sinister delight, as she recalls, she taped up her hands and returned to the gym the next day. Later that year, she would join a local women's climbing club and meet her climbing mentor, and eventually start alpine climbing.
In 2017, Jess would start teaching basic mountaineering courses through Boealps (a local nonprofit climbing club based out of The Boeing Company's headquarters). And in 2018, she started instructing at Stone Gardens- Bellevue.
She loves alpine climbing, although she claims to hate cardio and the cold. Her favorite climbs in Washington are: Davis-Holland to Lovin' Arms (Index), Lay of the Land (Exit 32), Moonstruck (Tieton) and The West Face (NEWS - WA Pass).
She's also an avid traveler and has climbed in: Cuba, Canada, Mexico, Thailand, Spain, Morocco, Iceland, Russia, Vietnam, Israel, and across the U.S.
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Truc Allen
OfficeDirector of RetailTruc started climbing 31 years ago and started climbing at EW when it was SG back in 2008. Whenever he's asked the question about what he loves about climbing, he likes to think that he loves the process, or a specific list of climbs, but it's the places it takes him that always truly comes to mind. When Trus isn't climbing, he's either surfing, spending time with the family, working on his photography, or doing a variety of different backcountry and mountain things.
When he first started climbing, his fear of heights was pretty intense. But over the decades, while the fear is still there, he sees it as a pretty big part of what makes the experience (would it be boring if it wasn't scary/exciting?). Focusing on breathing, believing in himself (no matter how much he may be lying to himself) and understanding/trusting the the gear he uses helps too. Truc's favorite place to climb in all of the world would be his home country of Vietnam, with a pretty close second in Fontainebleau, FR. As far as favorite sending snacks? Salami, tin can fish, or good old fashioned trail mix!
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Owner, General Manager, IFMGA Guide
Tod Bloxham was born and raised in Washington State, spending his adolescence exploring the mountains of the North Cascades. By the age of 18 Tod had logged well over 500 miles of North Cascades trails and backcountry and had hiked 2,700 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, becoming the youngest solo through-hiker to travel the entire PCT from Canada to Mexico. As a climber, Tod has been climbing and skiing the backcountry since 1991, logging hundreds of ascents of rock, ice and ski routes in North America and abroad.Life in the outdoors and work must coexist for Tod; professionally, Tod has been guiding since 1999, is an IFMGA Mountain Guide, and as the owner of Edgeworks Climbing, Tod is either helping his beautiful wife show the wonders of the outdoors to their two girls, sharpening his skills on the alpine and trad climbs he pursues, or helping people discover that the outdoors and climbing can be a lifelong pursuit that is inspiring and invigorating.
Certifications / Qualifications:
IFMGA / AMGA Licensed Mountain Guide
AMGA Alpine Guide
AMGA Ski Guide
AMGA Rock Guide
AMGA Rock Instructor
Wilderness First Responder
AIARE L1/L2 Avalanche Course Leader
AIARE L3 Avalanche Forecaster -
Nate Clark
OfficeYouth Programs DirectorNate grew up in Connecticut, but didn't discover climbing until 25, when he was a grad student at UC Santa Cruz. He quickly fell in love with the problem solving and physicality of climbing, and when he and his wife moved to Washington in 2014, he started working in the gym a few months later.
Besides climbing, he loves dogs, cycling, backpacking, and cooking for friends and family.
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Trinity Collier
Front DeskFront Desk SupervisorTrinity grew up in Issaquah, with both her parents who love the outdoors. Every year at the local fairs the only thing she wanted to do was the rock climbing walls. She finally went to an official climbing gym in high-school and was hooked. She has been climbing ever since.
When not at the gym you can find her doing paddle board yoga at Rattlesnake Lake, playing with her dog, or going hiking.
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Michael Cunningham
SetterRoute Setter
Michael started climbing at the age of 18 as a hobby but quickly became obsessed with mastering every aspect of the sport including competition, coaching, and route setting. He qualified for open nationals in 2021 after climbing for only two years and is constantly looking for ways to improve and push himself both as a climber and as a person.He deeply values the climbing community which has helped him reach levels of athletic performance and mental well-being that seemed impossible when he first walked into the gym four years ago. As such, he strives to constantly strengthen and improve this community and looks forwards to a future where climbing promotes authenticity, self-improvement, and societal progress.
Certifications / Qualifications:
USAC Level 2 Coach
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Tyrell Dozier
InstructorInstructorTyrell has been climbing for eight years. He likes most forms of climbing but is particularly fond of the thrill of being on the sharp end of the rope. You might see him hanging out half way up the lead walls or cheering on the climbing team during hard workouts.
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Ayrie Dutt
InstructorYouth InstructorAyrie loves climbing and drawing. Shes been climbing for 8 years, and has been competing on a team for 6 of them. She has a silly Australian labradoodle named Freddie. On the side, she also enjoys sketching some of her favorite artists and animals using graphite!
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Jess Feeman
SetterAssistant Head Route SetterJess discovered her passion for climbing through youth summer camps in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. This led her to compete on Planet Granite Climbing Team in the Bay Area throughout high school. After moving to Seattle to study neuroscience at University of Washington, she began exploring the Pacific Northwest. She joined Husky Winter Sports, a UW nonprofit, where she taught snowboard lessons every winter, stoking her interest in outdoor education. A love of teaching, climbing, and the outdoors ultimately led her to a job at Stone Gardens. Away from the gym, Jess can be found hitting the slopes in winter months, backpacking and climbing in summer months, and playing local shows with her band year round.
Certifications:
USAC Level 1 Route Setter
USAC Level 1 Coach -
Nick Fuentes
InstructorApprentice Rock Guide
Born and raised in San Antonio, Nick worked as a professional chef for 15 years. After discovering rock climbing, he overhauled his life to pursue adventure--including spending years on a mystical journey across the desert southwest, exploring the climbing scenes in Nevada, Utah, southern California, and Arizona. His guiding work brought him to the Pacific Northwest, where he enjoys chasing the footsteps of Fred Beckey and exploring the beautiful destinations of Washington State.Nick’s love of climbing has changed his life in the most remarkable ways and given him a profound sense of self awareness. His passion for rock guiding and instructing compel him to share climbing with as many people as possible. When he’s not out guiding, you’ll find Nick teaching at Edgeworks Bellevue.
Certifications / Qualifications:
AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
Wilderness First Responder
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Climbing School ManagerJacob was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. At the age of 3 his mom and grandpa decided to put him on a pair of skis to see what would happen and needless to say he's been in love with the mountains and adventure ever since.
Usually while on an adventure, Jacob looks up and says, "let's climb that" or "lets ski that" not knowing exactly what mountain it is, but his thirst for adventure and desire to see remote parts of the United States is what leads to all his fun - type II fun that is! When not at work you will find Jacob skiing, climbing, mountaineering, kayaking or biking.
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Route Setter, InstructorGino walked through the doors of our Ballard location in 2012 and has been hooked on climbing ever since. 2 years later, Gino joined our route setting crew and has been developing his philosophy and technique towards his craft ever since.
Gino also has a deep passion for teaching and gets a lot of fulfillment from developing lessons that aim to help everyone get the most out of climbing concepts and practice. He finds that his own understanding of climbing expands through teaching and route setting, which explains why he enjoys doing them so much!
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Director of Climbing School + Guiding, IFMGA GuideKurt grew up in Oregon, started backpacking at age four, and began climbing when he was eight. Since then, he has climbed, skied, and guided throughout the Cascades, Alaska Range, Sierra, Rockies, and the mountains of New England, Canada, Norway, and the Alps. He loves exploring and putting up new routes the Cascades in all seasons.Kurt is an IFMGA Mountain Guide and has been guiding since 2003. He is an instructor for the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) and has served on their Board of Directors. Kurt has also worked as a climbing ranger at Mount Rainier National Park. He founded the Washington Anchor Replacement Project, which replaces aging climbing hardware across the state. Kurt is the author of the climbing guidebook Snoqualmie Rock and a co-author of Backcountry Skiing: Washington.
Kurt loves helping people along their own paths in their outdoor adventures. Whether it’s sharing key beta, technical skills, or teaching his children how to ski, he loves seeing people expand their skill sets, gain self-confidence, and have fun in the outdoors.
Certifications / Qualifications:
IFMGA / AMGA Licensed Mountain Guide
AMGA Alpine Guide
AMGA Ski Guide
AMGA Rock Guide
Wilderness EMT
AIARE L1/L2 Avalanche Course Leader
AIARE L3 Avalanche Forecaster
Leave No Trace Master Educator -
Christian Horton
OfficeFinance & HR ManagerOriginally from Massachusetts, Christian moved to Seattle in 1998 and has been climbing and skiing throughout the Northwest ever since. From ski descents of Mt. Rainier to long slab climbs in Darrington, he has always looked for new adventures and new places to explore. His favorite place to climb is Index.
Christian started at Stone Gardens back in 2001 and managed the Seattle gym for the last decade before moving into his current role. He remains committed to making the gym an open space where everyone from brand new to experienced climbers can have fun, challenge themselves and learn new skills.
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Emma Lemert
Front DeskFront Desk SupervisorEmma has been an avid seeker of the outdoors since she can remember. She started climbing 4 years ago on her collegiate climbing team, and instantly fell in love. She was president of the team for 2 years until graduating with a BS in Marketing.
Outside of the gym, she can be found wrestling with mighty boulders in the PNW, and hopes to find her way to some of the fantastic climbing havens around the world. When she's not climbing, you can find Emma on a run, hike, kayak, or skis.
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Jake Love
InstructorTeam Head CoachJake is a passionate (read: obsessive) rock climber with nearly a decade of experience bouldering and sport climbing. Though he spends plenty of his time in the gym, Jake prefers the feel of real rock in his grip, and has spent much of his life climbing at the amazing outdoor locations across Washington State and the West Coast. A boulderer at heart, Jake's favorite place to climb is The Buttermilks, the land of highballs, in Bishop, California.
Jake also runs the YouTube channel BadWater Bouldering with his twin brother. The channel releases free weekly bouldering videos for the climbing community to enjoy. To this day, his proudest video (and send) is Evilution direct on the Grandpa Peabody Boulder in the 'milks. Be sure to say hi if you see him out in the boulders!
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Abbie Madlem
OfficeDirector of OperationsAbbie was raised in the Puget Sound, where she was instilled with a love of the outdoors. She spent her days backpacking, snowshoeing, kayaking - you name it. She first came into contact with climbing as a kid at the pinnacle in REI. It looked super high and super scary, but she got over that fast and once on the wall she didn't want to come back down.
When not climbing, Abbie can be found hiking, biking, crafting, finding new places to explore, or curled up on the couch with a good book.
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Assistant Rock Guide
Carl is a Washington native who began climbing when he was in high school. His passion for climbing has guided all of his most important decisions in life and he has worked as a climbing instructor in various forms for more than 10 years. He considers it a great privilege to share the joy and self-discovery climbing brings with those he has the opportunity to teach.
He is a certified Single Pitch Instructor and Assistant Rock Guide, actively engaged in the process of becoming a Certified Rock Guide. As a well-rounded climber, Carl is equally comfortable on steep sport pitches, technical gear-protected cracks, massive alpine routes, water ice, and ski mountaineering missions. He loves experiencing different types of terrain and dialing in systems to excel in each discipline.
Certifications / Qualifications:
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
AMGA Assistant Rock Guide
Wilderness First Responder -
Climbing School Instructor, Shift Lead Evan grew up in Tacoma, hiking and backpacking the mountains of Washington with his family as a child. It wasn't until he was an adult that he was shown indoor rock climbing for the first time at Edgeworks! Since that point on, climbing has been a part of his life that has taken him to multiple climbing destinations across the United States and beyond. From the Shawangunks Mountains of New York to the Valley of Yosemite National Park. Of course, chasing alpine summits in the Cascades will always feel like home.Teaching new climbers and spreading the love of the outdoors is what fuels his spirits. He's stoked to be able to encourage climbers to learn new skills, be responsible outdoor stewards, and hopefully to cultivate a sense of appreciation for these mountains in which we all play.
Certifications / Qualifications:
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
Wilderness First Responder
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Zach Neubauer
OfficeAssistant Operations ManagerZach got into climbing in college where he ended up working at the climbing gym. Before moving to Seattle he was working in Germany at an outdoor recreation center. After moving to Seattle he found himself working retail and shortly after at Stone Gardens.
While he primarily wrestles pebbles, he has been known to get on a rope. Outside of climbing Zach likes to drink coffee, cycle and cook
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Zack Novak
GuideIFMGA GuideZack grew up in the middle east and fell in love with the outdoors while exploring the harsh Judea Desert landscapes as a teenager. With well over a decade of Outdoor Education and Guiding, Zack is now proud to call North Bend, WA his home. Zack has a deep passion for education and helping people realize their full potential in the mountains and at the crags.
When he's not out working in the mountains, he is usually out climbing, skiing or riding bikes for fun.Certifications / Qualifications:
IFMGA / AMGA Licensed Mountain Guide
AIARE Course Leader
Wilderness First Responder
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Kyle Rowe
SetterRoute SetterKyle has been route setting since 2010. He started as a volunteer setter in college where he received his B.S in Clinical Physiology, and transitioned into setting part time at a gym in Idaho where he worked for about 5 years until he moved back home to Washington and continued setting here in Bellevue.Bouldering is Kyle's personal passion/hobby. He's climbed internationally in France and Spain as well as all over the western United States. Kyle believes climbing on lots of different rock types and environments helps with his creativity as a route setter. His other hobbies include hiking, foraging, podcasts, traveling, cooking.
Certifications / Qualifications:
USAC Level 1 Route Setter -
Michelle Scheele
OfficeMarketing DirectorMichelle has been involved with Edgeworks since the spark and the dream planted itself in Tod’s mind while on their honeymoon in New Zealand in 2002. After spending 10+ years working in non-profit fundraising and adding two beautiful daughters to their family (Hailey and Kayla), Michelle officially joined the Edgeworks staff in 2013.
While you won’t often see her sending routes and pulling plastic in the gym, you will find her in yoga classes or belaying/chasing her kids up and around the wall. On weekends she can be found running around the North End in Tacoma, adventuring with Tod and the kids, skiing, or visiting family in Bellingham. Cooking, photography, and travel top her wish list of “hobbies”.
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Joel Sheppard
SetterRoute SetterWith over 14 years of experience and countless hours spent honing his craft, Joel is a seasoned professional in the world of route setting. As one of the most tenured members of our team, he draws his inspiration both from cutting edge comp climbs and from his favorite outdoor zones, such as Rocklands ZA, Squamish BC, Hueco Tanks TX, and Index, WA.
When Joel is not busy putting up climbs in the gym, he can be found playing music, woodworking, metalworking, or developing new climbs on the perfect granite boulders west of the cascades.
What really matters though are the climbs, and Joel’s routes slap! So next time you are climbing at Edgeworks Bellevue, treat yourself to some of the best climbs we have to offer.
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Matthew Sherrard
ForerunnerForerunnerMatthew is very passionate about climbing and has a creative mind when considering the setting aspect of climbing. He started climbing in 2020 and considers himself to be a V10 climber. He loves climbing outdoors at Squamish, BC and Leavenworth, WA.
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Charles "Charlie" Simental
SetterRoute SetterHey Everybody! You can call me Charlie if you like. Charlie came all the way from Houston Texas to come set routes because it's one of the best jobs in the world. He is mainly a boulder because with ropes he has no endurance whatsoever. You can ask him about anime, chess, or climbing (it's the best).Certifications / Qualifications:
USAC Level 1 Route Setter -
James Sommerfeld
SetterHead Route SetterJames grew up in the Pacific Northwest. He discovered climbing at Edgeworks Bellevue over a decade ago (when it was Stone Gardens) and dove in head first. Since then, climbing has been at the center of his life. He can often be found packing pads around Index or Leavenworth in search of the next send.Certifications / Qualifications:
USAC Level 1 Route Setter -
Carley Stordahl
FitnessYoga InstructorCarley has been climbing off and on for over 10 years and practicing a variety of yoga for 15. She has a degree in clinical physiology and a minor in nutrition which brought her into the fitness field as a personal trainer, group fitness and yoga instructor. Climbing and yoga have been such a positive influence on her own health and well being, teaching yoga in a climbing gym feels natural and a great next step in her journey.
With her passion for vinyasa yoga, Carley took her 200 RYT in Nosara, Costa Rica in January of 2020. Carley enjoys guiding students to find awareness and connection to the body no matter if you're an athlete or someone who needs a more therapeutic approach. Her classes often focus on alignment, muscle activation and transitions.
She has a love for the outdoors equal to yoga. When she's not teaching yoga class you can find Carley rock climbing or out on a trail in the wild with her two dogs.
Certifications / Qualifications:
200 RYT -
Brad Szlezak
OfficeOperations ManagerBrad does not climb to hunt grades but climbs for the friendships and exploring new areas. His top two favorite places he has climbed are Horse Pens 40 in Alabama and Jackson Falls, Illinois. Typically, you will find Brad on ropes but he does occasionally boulder as well. Outside of climbing, Brad likes to hunt, fish, surf, mountain bike, garden and most of all spend time with Family.
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Zack Wentz
InstructorApprentice Alpine Guide
Zack started his guiding career as a climbing instructor while completing his degree at the University of British Columbia. He studied Forest Sciences with a focus on Snow and Avalanche Forecasting where he researched the effects of vegetation on snowpack instability, which he presented at the 2018 International Snow Science Workshop. He has worked as a guide and avalanche instructor across the American West, Canada, Southeastern U.S., and Sierra, while his personal adventures have taken around the world, including the French and Austrian Alps, New Zealand, and all over North America.
Zack is pursuing full IFMGA Mountain Guide certification and aims to balance guiding with research in avalanche forecasting. Zack enjoys connecting others to the beauty and lessons that the mountains have to offer, but seeks out big splitboarding lines on big peaks in the best conditions. He also works with the Northwest Avalanche Center to provide avalanche awareness classes, and is engaged in improving public safety messaging around avalanche risk management.
Certifications / Qualifications:
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
AMGA Assistant Rock Guide
AMGA Apprentice Alpine Guide
AMGA Assistant Splitboard Guide
AIARE Avalanche Instructor
CAA ITP Level 2
Wilderness First Responder -
Front Desk Supervisor, InstructorKelsey's first experience with climbing was on Bainbridge Island. Her friend bought her climbing shoes and a gym membership and ever since then, she's been hooked!
Having a career as a teacher, Kelsey is passionate about education and getting students outside at an early age. No matter the season, you will always find Kelsey outside, whether that's skiing in the snow, running in the rain, climbing in the sun, or biking in the wind, fun will always be had!
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Director of Route Setting
Justin began his routesetting journey back in his home state of Massachusetts in 2008. Fast forward 14 years: His passion for climbing evolved into a career. He is a level 4 USAC certified routesetter that has developed routesetting teams across the country and set at high-level climbing competitions all over the US.His focus over the last few years has revolved around the professionalization of route setting and the creation of mentorship and education programs. He strives to constantly push the bounds of commercial and competition style routesetting to expose climbing communities to new styles of movement.
When Justin isn’t setting or climbing, you’ll find him behind the lens of a camera or kiteboarding in the wind.
Certifications / Qualifications:
USAC Level 4 Route Setter -
Ghee Yang
SetterRoute SetterGhee found rock climbing after injuring her knee marathoning. Needless to say, she’s never looked back.Ghee worked and climbed at Stone Gardens for many years before starting route setting. Her favorite aspects of the job include the creativity, collaboration with others, positive vibes, and spontaneous dance breaks. She very much enjoys both sport climbing and bouldering, nearly always finding an excuse to couple climbing and traveling. Some of her favorite destinations have been in South Korea, India, Thailand, Utah and Oregon.
Certifications / Qualifications:
USAC Level 1 Route Setter
