Shawn Axelrod started Climbing Addicts in 2015. It was one of the first companies to bring colored climbing chalk to the market to help address the "chalk graffiti" happening on the rocks at our crags. Common Climber featured Climbing Addicts in our Marketplace section, where we interview owners of small climbing businesses.

We also interviewed Shawn in our Overcoming Boundaries edition where he talks about his congenital heart condition and how it has impacted his climbing. 
 
In 2022, Josh and Alyssa Christensen became the new owners of Climbing Addicts, carrying on Shawn's vision for caring for our crags and reducing the visual impact of outdoor climbing. Now, Common Climber interviews Alyssa to find out about their story and vision for Climbing Addicts - and how Shawn is doing. ​

First, tell us about yourselves and where climbing fits in your life?
 
Growing up, Josh developed his passion for backpacking, hiking, and adventure in the Catskills. I grew up hiking the 46 Adirondack high peaks, kayaking, and eventually working as a whitewater rafting guide. Josh and I met in college and immediately bonded over our mutual love for adventure and the outdoors. 
 
We got married in 2014 and started our careers: Josh as a machinist and me as a music teacher. We built a house with our own hands outside of Buffalo, NY (and for those who keep asking us… no, it’s still not finished!). Preoccupied with work and house projects, adventuring took a back burner for a while. 
 
Shortly after we had our first daughter in 2018, Central Rock Gym in Buffalo opened. I was struggling with postpartum depression and PTSD from a traumatic childbirth, so when Josh suggested that we try climbing together, I thought he was out of his mind. I remember arguing with him, “We’re parents now, we have responsibilities. Plus, I’m exhausted! We’re seriously going to be climbing up walls while sleep deprived?!” But despite my reservations, he finally wore me down and I joined him at the climbing gym. 
 
I still remember my first climb. I was full of doubt (and maybe even a little pissed) as Josh taught me the figure 8 knot, and my best friend, Caitlin, entertained my baby. But then I started to climb, and those feelings slowly dissipated. The higher up the wall I climbed, the more free I felt, leaving room for joy and empowerment to flood in. That was the moment that changed the trajectory of my life. I realized that climbing was the thing I needed to heal, and I was hooked from that day.​

Josh and Alyssa Christensen, the new owners of Climbing Addicts colored chalk, climbing in the New River Gorge. (Photo Credit: Renee Rippe)

Climbing has become an integral part of our family life. When we aren’t at the climbing gym, we’re bouldering on the basement wall that Josh built during the pandemic lock-down. Our daughters, now 5 and 3 (as of 2023), are as in love with climbing as we are! We take them on outdoor climbing trips and they love playing at the crag. I can’t imagine how different our lives would be if our climbing gym in Buffalo hadn’t opened. ​

Climbing Addicts chalk comes in three colors: Wall Street Gold (which is great for red sandstone and tan rock), Indoor White (which is great for the gym), and Yosemite Gray (which is great for many granite locations and grey/black rock). The small size comes in these recyclable containers, and soon the large size will too. Soon Climbing Addicts will be switching to even more environmentally-friendly chalk sourced from sea water.

How did you find Climbing Addicts and decide to take over the business?
 
Our good friend, Nick Gunner, became friends with Shawn Axelrod in Colorado during his travels. Shawn really took Nick under his wing and taught him the ropes with climbing and the “leave no trace” philosophy. When he returned home, Nick spoke so highly of Shawn and was eager to pass on what he had learned.
 
When Shawn was ready to retire, we learned about the opportunity of buying Climbing Addicts through Nick. Everything about it felt right. Neither of us wanted to stay in our chosen careers forever. We saw Climbing Addicts as an opportunity to eventually have the financial freedom to quit our full-time jobs so we could travel, climb, and adventure together more as a family. 
 
In our nearly two years of owning Climbing Addicts, we’ve made some progress! I was able to leave my teaching job last year. I’m now homeschooling our daughters and working the business from home. ​

Where are you based out of?
 
Our basement in Holland, NY, outside of Buffalo. It’s 2 hours from Mount Nemo/Rattlesnake Point in Canada, 5 hours from the Gunks, and 7 hours from the New River Gorge. Being well-acquainted with climbing areas on the East Coast, we’re looking forward to exploring out west as the kids get a little older! ​

What is your vision for Climbing Addicts and where are you in that process of creating and implementing that vision?
 
Having kids has made us extremely mindful about preserving outdoor spaces, more so than we already were. One of our visions for Climbing Addicts is to keep educating people about “leave no trace.” It’s not just about using Earth-toned chalk on the rocks to preserve the beauty of our beloved crags. It’s about picking up trash, reducing pollution, and eliminating waste wherever possible. It’s about being kind and respectful towards all living creatures, and leaving the wilderness as we found it for future generations to enjoy. We’d love to see the use of colored chalk (AND brushing away your chalk marks on routes) taught as basic outdoor climbing etiquette. We’re continuing to donate 2% of profits to Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to support the amazing work they do. 
 
Another vision we have for the company is to become plastic-free. Currently, our small packaging size (100g) has transitioned to cardboard tubes that can be recycled curbside, reused, or composted. In 2024, we’ll be switching our large size (200g) over to cardboard as well.

Climbing Addicts Wall Street Gold (right) versus white chalk on the rock. The goal of colored chalk is to reduce the visual impacts of climbing.

Do either of you have a background in business? Tell us how this impacts your Climbing Addicts story.
 
Nope! We’ve been figuring everything out as we go. It’s been quite a whirlwind. ​

What are each of your roles in the business?
 
Now that I’m home, I’ve taken on the majority of the work surrounding marketing, customer service, and filling orders. I include the kids in the business as well! They love helping me pour the chalk into the packaging, weighing it, and walking the orders out to the mailbox. Josh handles technology issues, re-ordering supplies, paying bills, filing taxes, etc. (always the not-so-fun jobs… thanks hun!). It’s a team effort for sure! ​

​One of the things Shawn was really proud of was the quality of chalk he was using for the product and the process he created to color the chalk. Tell us about what you have learned about that process and if it will change now that you have the reigns (and why or why not)?
 
Shawn was using very high quality chalk and we were proud to continue using it when we took over the business. However, traditional mining of chalk is terrible for the environment (whether it is in China or France) and causes tons of pollution. When looking for an alternative solution, we discovered that magnesium carbonate can be sourced from sea-water, which is an entirely different process that is eco-friendly. Plus, sea-water chalk is chemically identical and works the same as a drying agent! In the Fall 2023, we transitioned to sea-water derived chalk, sourced from Japan. We are so excited about this environmentally friendly step for our business! Climbing Addicts is the first climbing chalk company in the US to make this change!
 
The way we color our chalk, with 100% naturally derived minerals (safe for hands and rock), will stay the same for now. The two colors we currently have (Wall Street Gold and Yosemite Gray) are designed to blend in with a wide variety of rock colors, and have been proven on crags across the United States and Canada.

Eliana (age 5) following in the climbing footsteps of her parents.

How is Shawn doing?
 
It seems like he’s doing as well as can be! The last time Josh talked to him, he was enjoying life and traveling a lot. He says he hopes to move to Italy!

What are your plans for getting Climbing Addicts out there?
 
I’ve been slowly reaching out to gear stores and climbing gyms across the country, and sending out lots of samples! Climbing Addicts is also on Amazon, but I want to encourage our customers to buy our chalk from your local gear store whenever possible (if it’s not at your local store yet, please reach out to us and we’ll contact them!). Amazon takes a very large cut of the profits, and local stores need as much support as they can get.
 
We’re also looking for athletes to sponsor! Kait Parks just became our first Canadian athlete. Living so close to Canada, we climb in Ontario often, so it’s been our goal to expand to the Great White North. ​

Co-owner Josh Christensen assisting Mira, age 3.

What kind of reaction or reception do you see for colored chalk in the climbing community? Do you have plans for educating or shifting perceptions (growing your audience and customer base)?
 
Most climbers are very receptive to the idea of colored chalk, as they have the same concerns we do. No one wants to see white graffiti in natural spaces, and since chalk is insoluble and doesn’t truly wash off in the rain, the climbing community seems to be taking steps to preserve the beauty of our rocks - or at least having important conversations about it. 
 
Some climbers, of course, argue that colored chalk isn’t going to make a difference. Those are the people that tell us, “I make a real difference by picking up trash at the crag. There are bigger environmental problems that we need to focus on.” I mean, OF COURSE we should ALL be picking up trash! But why does it have to be a “choose one thing” scenario? We believe we can pick up/carry out trash, be respectful of plants and animals at the crag, AND reduce visual impact on the rocks!
 
Whether we like it or not, climbing has become an extremely popular sport. There aren’t just a few people at the crags anymore, so the impact on the rocks is more profound than it’s ever been. We need to all start thinking about how to reduce our footprint (well, handprint) if we want our landscapes to be beautiful for future generations.
 
Unless you’re one of the few climbers that doesn’t use chalk outdoors (you have our respect!), we believe that our Earth-toned chalk is the next-best option for leaving the crags beautiful. ​

Alyssa and Mira Christensen, the Climbing Addicts family.

What has been the most exciting or rewarding thing you have encountered so far in this business venture?
 
Being more involved in the climbing community! Climbers, in general, are incredibly kind, supportive, and inclusive people. Serving this community while working on preserving the outdoors has been exceptionally rewarding.
​
Any last thoughts or words? 
 
We are excited to see what the future holds for Climbing Addicts. If you’re an athlete looking for sponsorship, please reach out to us, we’d love to partner with you! Thank you to all of our returning and new customers. Our family appreciates your support more than you know!