Mitch Martens

Mitch leads a pitch on Touchstone Wall (5.10 a/b, C2) in Zion National Park, Utah.

I began rock climbing in 2019. I was a skier and hiker, living simply, working at a natural foods grocery store in the mountains of Colorado. One day a co-worker friend invited me out climb and I excitedly agreed. I was instantly hooked with that first taste of complex movement, adventure, and camaraderie.  

Shortly afterwards, I moved back home to Madison, Wisconsin to pursue a dream of working in mental health, beginning with an education in psychology and environmental studies at UW – Madison. I begin grad school for clinical mental health counseling in the fall.

 While living and going to school in Madison, Devil’s Lake became somewhat of a second home. For the past 5 years, I have spent much of my free time finding serenity while exploring quartzite bluffs at The Lake.

When I am not climbing, I am being with nature in another way, listening to music (probably hip-hop), conversing with friends and strangers about the deeper things in life (or the silly things), and always thinking, feeling, learning, and growing.