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Tara deCamp

@tadecamp

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Passionate about nature, climbing, and community. Based in the hollers and sandstone cliffs of the Red River Gorge.

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Still riding the high from Arc’teryx Dealer Academy: equal parts education, outdoor adventure, and summer camp where a group of outdoor retailers became fast friends.

We toured the Arc’teryx factory to see the craftsmanship and repair work behind the gear as well as the incredible attention to quality, previewed upcoming products, watched inspiring films, experienced the Arc’teryx Climbing Academy, and heard stories from earlier generations of leaders around a fireside chat. We hiked, climbed (I tried offwidth for the first time and LOVED it), ate incredible food, danced, learned the subtle strategies of shoehole, sang karaoke in our Canadian tuxedos, and experienced the wonder that is Shrimp’teryx.

More than anything, I’m incredibly grateful to @arcteryxacademy and the incredible team at Arc’teryx (especially @audreysawers @philip_carberry and Riley) for bringing us together and creating such a thoughtful, fun, unforgettable experience. Getting to learn, laugh, climb, and connect with so many wonderful people from across the outdoor industry was truly special. I came home with new knowledge, great stories, a few new favorite outdoor gear pieces, plenty of scrapes, and a whole lot of new friends. Shout out to everyone who made the experience incredible. Come visit me any time here in the Red River Gorge! 🫶 taken in Squamish, British Columbia by @tadecamp

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2 months ago

Pictured: good times in Reno for GOA, where I got the chance to sneak away for an evening to boulder by Lake Tahoe with a longtime climbing buddy. Had a blast connecting with everyone and checking out new gear, shoes, and apparel for next year!

Not pictured: getting scared on the downclimb, the alarming number of snacks we consumed, layering every possible clothing item we could to be warmer on the flights home, and sticking out like sore thumbs as some of the only ones participating in the themed outfit days. 🤠 by @tadecamp

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4 months ago

Had the best weekend celebrating my beautiful cousin Brittany’s wedding with the people who matter most. It feels increasingly important as life goes on to cherish time spent with family and loved ones.

As a kid who moved around a lot but spent most summers here at the beach with this side of my family, it felt nostalgic and somewhat like home being back in the low country with its gorgeous live oaks, Spanish moss, salty air, and colorful flair. Sneaking in a quiet morning kayak tour around the marshes—paddling past herons, seeing several baby dolphins, checking out hordes fiddler crabs waving their claws, seeing an osprey nest with mama and babies, and spotting dolphins strand feeding—was the cherry on top.

Brittany and Taylor had an absolutely stunning ceremony, and it was so wonderful to laugh and dance with family. Cheers to the Cherwinskis! 🥂 by @tadecamp

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5 months ago

Winter and early spring ‘26. Winter was largely spent slowing down and regulating my nervous system. I got into yoga, meditation, and breath work and enjoyed having more free time to just be, tend to my inner light, and listen to my body. The theme for spring has been deepening connections with old acquaintances I’m now excited to call good friends, people who make me feel safe, seen, and loved. And, of course, trying to rock climb and be outside when I can.

Excited for what’s to come this year and to continue to come back out of my shell. 🦋 by @tadecamp

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5 months ago

Back in Hueco! My happy place ✨ Made some new friends, folks who actually climbed at the same home gym as me at the same time back in DC—such a fun coincidence! Sent my multi-season proj, T-Bone Shuffle! Every year I try it once, get to the last move, and step off because I’m too scared to risk falling into the scary pit. This time there was a sea of pads so I felt ready to truly commit my first try! And, of course, had to do some laps on Orifice Affair because it’s one of my favorite and imo most aesthetic lines in the park. ☀️🤠 taken in Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site - Texas Parks and Wildlife by @tadecamp

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8 months ago

Everyone is posting the list of routes they sent this fall. My tick list this year isn’t a list of routes. It’s the small, unglamorous ways my life shifted while I didn’t have time to climb.

1. Finding myself again after a season that broke me.
After the year I got bullied, I was left with pretty severe PTSD. I avoided public places, left the crag if certain people showed up, jumped when a car came down my driveway, struggled to function in groups, had nightmares, and lived in constant fight-or-flight. This year, after a lot of work in therapy (talk therapy every few weeks + weekly EMDR), I finally felt like I was on the other side. Progress has felt slow, but looking back, it’s huge. I feel like myself again, and I worked really hard for it.

2. Pouring more of my heart into volunteer work.
Getting more involved with the RRGCC has been some of the most meaningful work of my year. It feels really good to contribute to a shared mission, and to feel like others value what I have to contribute after a long season of feeling like no one does.

3. Choosing people who feel aligned with my values.
I’ve been more intentional about who I invest in.

4. Choosing regulation over numbing. I’ve been taking small steps to limit my screen time and choose habits that support me instead of just numbing me out.

5. Finally visiting Foxtown. This has been sitting on my to-do list for a few years, and I finally made it happen. Thanks Scott!

6. Building a home workout setup. I realized my current life situation didn’t allow me to maintain the level of fitness I wanted with my old habits. I made some sacrifices and created a home setup so I have fewer excuses.

7. Getting a reliable car was a big deal, and the first time I’ve done it on my own.

8. Earning a new degree. I am amazed I had the time management to do this amongst it all.

9. Sending a few hard-for-me routes. Even with limited time, I still managed to tick a couple that challenged me.

10. Feeling more trusted and valued at work.

11. Slowly decorating my house on a tight budget. I don’t have a lot to spend so I’m curating slowly.

12. Learning to care for my plants and support the patch of earth around my home. taken in Zoe, Kentucky by @tadecamp

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10 months ago

In July, @gertythegirl organized a women’s bolting clinic for ladies interested in route development. @erikkloeker and @orange_flow volunteered as mentors and did an incredible job graciously sharing their experience and knowledge. In a space that can feel intimidating and where most route developers are men, it meant a lot to have people intentionally making room for women who are psyched to learn but want to do it right, with guidance and respect for local norms.

Gerty took this photo of me on one of the routes we developed that day. The route itself might not be a future classic, but the learning process and experience we had that day were pretty special. I am super grateful to the leaders of that day for facilitating.

It has been pretty cool observing the new wave of development unfold in the Red with so many new access opportunities—and all the opinions and decisions people are making along the way. On one long stretch of cliffline, where does one sector end and another begin? What draws one person to a particular line when others passed it up? How much cleaning is necessary before opening a route? What tools are folks using? Who gets to name a crag, and what kinds of names are we choosing? Where are we placing bolts, and why?

One thing is for sure: I am super grateful for all the developers putting in hard work behind the scenes, fighting off things like turkey mites and poison ivy, so that all of us choss chasers have more climbs to play on. 🫶 by @tadecamp

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10 months ago

Adopting Dolly based on a strong burst of intuition was the best life choice I ever made. She is my soul cat. She has helped me through so much and changed my life for the better. 🩶 by @tadecamp

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10 months ago

Fun morning being @gertythegirl’s assistant getting clips of @whambamthanksforthesam on one of his recent FAs! Sam has excellent taste in rock climbs. I’d actually scoped this beautiful vert section of wall to bolt but never found the time to get after it. When we met up to film today, I was delighted to discover that these were his lines! It’s such a treat seeing new routes come together, hearing the developer’s thought process, and seeing your friends enjoy the fruits of their labor. by @tadecamp

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a year ago

Birthday celebrations. Life feels a little more dialed in this year—like I finally stuck the crux move and feel solid on the holds. It feels good to feel like myself again, to be on the other side, to experience joy and to feel centered. Grateful to the special people who helped me celebrate this new pitch of life and for those who belayed me through the last one.

1 & 2 - swing house, getting to stay in an immersive art exhibit!
3 - thanks to Connor for the private glassblowing class! It’s very difficult and made me appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into it.
4 - my fourth tandem skydive with a great crew. Thank you Will for the awesome birthday celebration!
5 - greetings, weary traveler.
6 - cuties at the aquarium. I’ve always loved marine life. Feeding the stingrays shrimp by hand was an especially fun sensation.
7 - Tay & Monzo - had the pleasure of reuniting with some very special people who made the 2021 season an excellent one.
8 - My mom completed her Pilates teacher training recently and gave me a private mat class on my porch. 🥰 I love the subtle, precise, controlled movements of it, the focus on core, and overall body awareness. I could see this really being my jam. Extra special to share this with my mom.
9 - Dad 🖤 Super grateful my parents came to visit for my birthday. Even though I was under the weather with a gnarly sickness that left me exhausted with no voice, they were happy to spend time with me. Every year I am eternally grateful for my family and for parents who love and support me.
10 - I just thought these frogs were neat. by @tadecamp

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a year ago

Galentine’s — only the best day of the year! Feeling grateful to be surrounded by so many strong, smart, kind, passionate ladies and to have so many reasons to celebrate them. 💕 by @tadecamp

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2 years ago

I struggle pretty hard with fear and anxiety while lead climbing. Sometimes it’s confusing for people around me. “It doesn’t seem like you’re having fun,” a partner will sometimes comment. Sometimes I’m not. Being terrified is not necessarily fun. Ultimately for me, climbing is not just about fun and joy (although it definitely is), but also about the satisfaction of seeing what I’m capable of and pushing my limits.

In my mind, pushing my limits in climbing proves that if I am strong enough to push through the fear, anxiety, and discomfort to ultimately send a challenging route, then I also have the strength to reclaim myself from psychological abuse, from sexual assault, from trauma, from emotional neglect, from bullying. I have the strength to challenge crippling anxiety and PTSD. Climbing empowers me and gives me the confidence I’ve lacked for a lot of my life to stand up for myself and persevere through hardship.

We talk a lot about how climbing is a selfish and meaningless pursuit. In a way, it is. But I think it also has the power to change lives for the better. That’s why I feel passionate about climbing being a safe and accessible space for everyone, especially those whose life experiences have led them to feel self-doubt or low self-worth. Maybe it can give someone the confidence and power to positively change their life or to simply survive. Or maybe it can simply offer much-needed joy when times are hard. by @tadecamp

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2 years ago