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Christian Zao

@christianzao

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I climb rocks 🪨
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Climb our FA and give it a grade!

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So I moved to mammoth for 6 months…. Those 6 months changed my life in numerous ways that I didn’t see coming! First season I ACTUALLY went snowboarding, even picked up skis a couple times… explored an ancient pine forest with the oldest tree on earth, watched the aurora and meteor showers while soaking in hot springs, met TONS of new lifelong friends, climbed (not enough) some rocks, and really just learned how to live for myself this season. There is SOO much more I want to say, but I’ll leave it at this. Before I came up here, I was doubting the decision every second of every day. Now I couldn’t be more grateful at my past self more making the leap. So if you’re on the fence about a big change… DOO IT!! You’ll be thanking yourself later. Also the BIGGEST shoutout to everyone I met and the mammoth community for making this season one to remember. Another one for @jimmie.arrigo.now for putting up with me all season and for being a baller zombies player. One more for @lexizao for giving me some initial inspiration to pull the trigger. I’m gonna miss this place but I’m DEFINITELY coming back for a round 2/3/4/5/so on….. by @christianzao

I finally ticked a dream route!!
The last part of my Yosemite trip might’ve been a little ambitious, but @kevinyin1 proposed we climb half dome! I honestly wasn’t super confident until we started talking logistics, and even then I still wavered a bit. Thankfully we decided to give it a go and it went really well! I learned so much about climbing and big days, but I learned a ton about myself on that rock. Anyways, we spent a “un”expected night on big sandy ledge, 17 pitches up. It was soo cold!! There’s a lot to share and so many more objectives in mind now! I cannot wait to return! This was one of the routes that inspired me to start climbing! I still can’t believe it honestly! by @christianzao

Finally made it out to do Fishhook Arete (5.9 III) and can confidently say it’s the best climb I’ve ever done. What a great way to bag another 14er! Had great crack and face climbing with tremendous exposure. Check out the most memorable moments including when I dropped my cam… got my eyes on Mithril Dihedral next 👀 by @christianzao

Ever since I stopped setting routes everyday, I’ve been trying my best to stay in climbing shape, soooo! took up bouldering! First season I’ve spent actually trying boulders and I gotta say, I get it now! Bouldering is sick!! Big tall walls will always be the best though eg. Anyways, here’s a little collection of my top 10 boulders that I did this season plus a couple extras that I thought were cool. There are soooo so many more that I didn’t get to try/didn’t get but I live here now anyway. Did not climb NEARLY enough but I’ll take what I can get. I realize the text is all cut off and I tried to fix it buuuut I can’t 😊 so here’s the 10 list. 10: Heavenly Path V1 9: Molly V5
8: Every Color You Are V6
7: The Hulk V6
6: The Clapper V6
5: The Gleaner V6
4: Iron Man Traverse V4
3: Black Magic V4
2: Morning Dove White V7
1: Seven Spanish Angels V6 by @christianzao

So I went to Yosemite for 12 days recently… the first half of the week @lukeventolini and I went for an attempt up lost arrow spire direct. Couple things, I spend the coldest night I’ve ever spent outside there. The wind and falls kept raging allll night. Then the polar opposite happened, during the day the sun was relentless and forced us to bail from the 6th pitch. We left defeated, but basked in the valley under the sun and swam in the cold Merced to recuperate. Next day we ran up to the meadows and climbed some raddd multis there. Those first few days in the valley were life changing!! Gave me a new perspective on what the possibilities in life are. Extremely grateful for the time I spent out there. by @christianzao

A few weeks ago I went out to THE Indian creek for a little over a week. I was so psyched for the endless splitter crack climbing leading up to the trip, but experienced so much more than just climbing. This place put a new perspective on life for me and gave me sooo many different lifelong memories. THANK YOU @jimmie.arrigo.now and @lukeventolini for making it such an amazing trip, eager for more already. Oh also, the sandstone over there is somethin else… felt like some Martian rock by @christianzao

Took my first trip of the season to the Sierras a week or so ago. It was one of the most memorable and impactful trips I’ve had in the mountains. I experienced not the first, but the strongest urge to move to bishop after 3 days. Day one I felt great onsighting hard sport in Owens River gorge. Day two was another incredible day climbing a sierra granite splitter. Day 3 was this adventure. Took us about 8 hours car to car. We recovered in some mountain hot springs under the stars, staring the mountains we just ran around in. Im rambling a lot so I’ll end with saying that I have so much love and appreciation for this beautiful life we live and this beautiful planet we live on. Extremely thankful for everyone in my life who make it what it is!! by @christianzao

Been trying to continue to do the things that make me the happiest. Climbing being one of the big ones!! Very grateful for the friends that have been there and checked in. Yall are HEROES. I just gotta keep making great memories with great people. Anyways here is a collection of some highlights in life recently. Also, I FINALLY saw Burros in red rock last trip. It was incredible and lifechanging by @christianzao

Bit of a weird post this one.
Recently I’ve been going through a lot of life changes that involve relationships and family. This turmoil has brought me to some of the lowest I’ve ever been, and brought feelings that I’ve never felt before. I began to question everything that brought me happiness and joy, all in pursuit of one thing. I guess now I’m just trying to force myself to continue to climb and continue to socialize. However, throughout all this I realized how important friendships and family are in life, especially the ones that stick around to check in on you. I’m extremely grateful to have a plethora of absolutely fantastic human beings that are helping me through everything. If you know what’s happening, thank you so much for checking in and supporting. It’s meant more than you can imagine. Struggling with loss is something everyone goes through and I’m going to make it through this a smarter, kinder, and more humble human being. I really wanted to make this post both for myself, but mainly for the people who have been there for me. THANK YOU. Without all of your support, I wouldn’t be able to go through the ol day to day. I love yall and I love this beautiful planet we live on. Sorry for the rant, feel free to ignore and tune in to regularly scheduled rock climbing coming soon 👍 by @christianzao

A collection of stuff from some great trips recently. Went out to Red Rock for the first time of the season and it went about as good as I could have asked for. Aside from a couple bumps in the road (don’t ask about our cloud tower descent 😭) we kinda cruised everything we tried 😎. Day 1 was cloud tower, a bit gnar, but amazing. Inspired me to climb some reeeal 5.12. Day 2 was unimpeachable -> blade runner. Absolutely incredible. Ended it off with a single pitch banger in the loop. I also got out to black mountain and almost nabbed two v8s… I guess next time will be a great trip! Might have to take a small break from climbing trips for a bit… but really hoping I can get out some more this season!! Very grateful for everything and everyone in my life right now 🥹 by @christianzao

Got a tease of valley climbing on astroboy. Truly a magical place, can’t wait to spend some more time there…. by @christianzao

Trip #2 to black mountain w @rickymcferrin. Yet another fantastic day out!! Getting really psyched on bouldering after this one! Had to get the money shot on once upon a time 😎. Romped around some really cool stuff!! Eager for the next trip already. by @christianzao