Climbing: Did you train specifically for it? If so, what do you think helped you the most?

Siegrist: Not really, although I did ride my mountain bike a bunch more to help with the altitude.

Climbing: How many days/attempts did you spend working the project?

Siegrist: I think I worked on the route about 10 days.

Climbing: Do you trad climb as well right now, or is sport climbing your main focus?

Siegrist: I have done a number of long alpine and multipitch routes, but just recently I have become much more interested in hard one-pitch trad climbs. It is for sure the next frontier for me- there are so many amazing trad routes around here and most of my sport projects are getting cleaned up.

Climbing: What was the hardest part of Grand Ole Opry for you?

Siegrist: A few sections were very reachy as I am only 5'5. Plus I fell from the last move of the final crux on redpoint at least 7 times so that became a bit disheartening, but dedication prevailed.

Climbing: Tell me a bit about your studies at Naropa? Why is it important to you to get an education even while keeping climbing at a hard level? Have you considered just climbing full-time, or would that not be enough to keep you interested?

Siegrist: I am an Environmental Studies Major at Naropa here in Boulder. I don't really see rock climbing, as much more than a passion of mine, I want to eventually teach middle school science. I am thinking about lowering myself to full time climbing bum status after I finish at Naropa, but I definitely never thought I would climb as well as I am and I don't ever expect it to pay the bills- well maybe the internet bill, but not the rent.