Carrie Van Lanen
A Wisconsinite born and raised, I have always held a deep love for outdoor pursuits. I was allowed the freedom to explore from a young age, spending days at the “Frog Pond”(Cherokee Marsh) down the street and seeking independence and adventure on our family cross-country camping trips.
I first discovered rock climbing as a middle school student at Boulders Climbing Gym in Madison, and fell in love. Boulders opened many doors for me. I joined the Youth Climbing Team and dabbled in competitive climbing. My coaches took me to Devil’s Lake and I’ll always remember the exhilaration of my first outdoor climb, Watermarks. I became a Boulders employee and shared my enjoyment of climbing with others, teaching summer climbing camps and routesetting through my young teen years. Though life took me in many other directions in the years that followed, my love of the outdoors never waned. I graduated from UW Madison with a BS in Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies, always finding solace and strength in outdoor pursuits.
It wasn’t until 2016 that I recommitted much of my attention to climbing. Since then, I have pursued it with fervor. While steadfastly working in hospitality, daydreams of adventure led me down many a Mountain Project wormhole, and vacations were designed with climbing in mind. Traveling to classic climbing destinations like Joshua Tree, Moab, Hueco Tanks, Red Rock, and Shelf Road only fueled my desire to make the climbing community and outdoor exploration a more integral part of daily life. In 2021, I became a full-time outdoor climbing instructor with DLCG and a part-time routesetter at Boulders Climbing Gym. I also shifted to a nomadic lifestyle, allowing me to spend my winters climbing and instructing across the Southwestern US. I’m so happy to say the dream is now my reality!
People explore climbing for so many different reasons, and there is much we can learn about ourselves and others through adventuring together. Whatever it is that calls you to Devil’s Lake, I’m excited and grateful to share in adventure and grow with you!
CERTIFICATIONS
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
Wilderness First Responder
SafeSport Trained
ACA Mental Health Certified
