Californian climber Connor Herson is like the Clark Kent of climbing. He has an innocent charm and is an academic nerd but come the weekend, he leaves his PC and Stanford textbooks on the desk, puts on his cape, and whizzes off to some crag housing routes of kryptonite and dispatches them with what seems effortless aplomb. Who is this kid and what motivates this modern marvel to make comic the hardest cracks and big walls North America has to offer?
 
Connor was born into a climbing family. His mum and dad were accomplished on rock and were always outward-bound exploring and sending new routes. This provided Connor a firm foundation to begin his climbing journey, something he recognises. Speaking of this he shared with me, 
 
“I wouldn't be where I am today—in climbing, in school, and life in general—without the endless support of my parents. They gave me the tools I needed to find my own path and my own identity.”

Jim Herson and Anne Smith are a refreshing example of parent climbers. They love climbing sure, but they provided a young Connor room to find his own context in the world. Anne shared with me an experience with Connor when he was nine.
 
“As a kid Connor liked being outside, swinging around on ropes and multi pitches excited him but he wasn’t interested in pushing himself for quite a while. He wasn’t ready and that was just fine.”
 
Near this time, Connor entered a local top-rope youth competition, his mom told me, “Mainly because his sister was doing it.” The competition was fierce, and Connor was hoping to get a lock on last place. Anyway, he zeroed in and reached the last move of the climb. Confidence, a stranger in the Connor of that time, welled up in him, and he launched himself up that plastic, finally clinching the final holds and sticking. Instead of finishing last he placed ninth, but for Connor it was a ten out of ten. Anne saw something switch on.

​“There had never been this kind of drive previously. He started trying a lot harder after that and his fire has been blazing pretty much ever since.” Connor made the Youth Nationals Semi Final the following year and eventually became the Youth National Champion a couple of times. 

Connor Herson (IG: connor.herson) onsights Moonlight Buttress (5.12c/7b+) Zion, Utah. (Photo Credit: Christian Adam, IG: @christian_adam_; Black Diamond, @blackdiamond)

For the most part, Connor was like any kid, more interested in play and books but his parents' stoke for the game and inclusion of Connor in their climbing fire were the foundations for the climbing inferno he has become. Plastic and Competition was helpful but the first time his flame was recognised was in 2017 when, at thirteen years of age, he sent his first 5.14 - God’s Own Stone, at Red River Gorge.
 
He had another teenage hobby at the time - sending 50 5.14’s by his 18th birthday. You love young people’s dreams, but you take notice when they achieve them. Connor achieved his in style, sending a FA at his local crag, Jailhouse Rock (California). It was a link up of three hard climbs - Motherload into The Shield crux into Gas Chamber extension - and he named it, Underage Linking (5.14d). The name was a play with the crags theme and that he was still underage for drinking.   ​

These ascents and the completion of his 50 5.14 goal is weighty, but Connor transformed from Clarke Kent to Superman on the World stage in 2018 when, at 15 years of age, he completed a free ascent of The NOSE in Yosemite. Connor become the sixth person to free the iconic big wall. The style of his ascent was remarkable; no fixed rope climbed, in one push, leading all pitches within three days. Who does that?   
 
I found Connor to be a balanced young man. Like many of his young contemporaries he is not outspoken, does walk like a giant (he’s 5’7), he is respectful of others, and hungry to explore his world and his potential. An All-American icon becoming.
 
I see a lot of Tommy Caldwell in him but what is more, climbing for Connor exists in a shared universe with academic pursuit and coming of age. Currently he is studying Engineering. He still has not declared a major, though he thinks he will likely complete one in Electrical Engineering. I asked him about the two Connors, the Academic and the Climber. His answer was telling of the man he is becoming.

​“I wouldn't say that there are two Connor’s. I am me, and I have several major parts of my life. In school, I sometimes connect what I'm learning to climbing, and vice versa. While it is true that I lead two parallel lives, they are quite intertwined. For instance, if I'm taking the train to a climbing gym, I'll do homework while I’m commuting. Like most people my age, I'm constantly finding and redefining my identity and how it pertains to my different passions – whether that's finding the balance between comp and outdoor climbing or figuring out what I want my social life in school to be like.”

Connor Herson climbs "Empath" (5.15a) on gear in Lake Tahoe, California (Photo Credit: Christian Adam, IG: @christian_adam_; Black Diamond, @blackdiamond)

Today Connor continues to dive into the books during his week and drive at dawn to some crag to project visionary climbs on the weekend. Both require introspection to find the answers he is seeking. I wanted to know, who is the Connor he finds? He shared,
​
“Although I'm 20 years old, I don't feel like I have the self-understanding of an adult. I'm still constantly finding myself, so I don't have an answer to this question. Maybe in another 20 years I will, who knows?”
 
Plato said, A wise man is a man who knows he does not know. Maybe it’s the depth of lived experience and the climbing he has achieved but this young man has wisdom. His sponsor Black Diamond has picked up on this and has used his balanced approach to climbing and study as a cornerstone in the promotion of their talent. It plays to reason as his modus operandi to this thing called life stands out as a model to follow.  At the pace he is packing his climbing resume and his brain with his studies, there is plenty to be impressed with as an audience. I asked Connor if he could impart some beta to young climbers on education and its importance.
 
“I'd remind young climbers to keep their options open, and to always have a plan B. Anything could happen when you grow up: you could continue pursuing climbing and become a pro, or you could lose interest and just continue climbing as a hobby and nothing else! So, whether it's academic or elsewhere, just make sure to have a plan B and to experience other parts of life.”
 
Connor fills the bits between climbing and academia with everyday stuff we all find happiness with. ​

“I equally enjoy hanging out with friends and time alone. When I'm not climbing or doing schoolwork, I'm probably going for a run or a hike, reading a good book, or hanging out with my friends.”
 
Connor does not have a secret of maintaining a study/climbing balance but recognises it hasn’t always been easy to maintain them both. At times he has become stressed and frustrated. It’s good to know he is not Superman, just simply a young man. “I don't want to pretend to be a guru who knows everything and has everything figured out, so I won't try to tell young people what to do. For me, it's been incredibly beneficial to both my climbing and my academic pursuits to keep the balance, but I recognize this might not always be the case with everyone. Just find what feels right and works, roll with that.”
 
Climbing often attracts deep thinkers, I believe a fair bunch of us have solved one or two problems of the world sitting on a belay ledge or in the middle of solving a crux. Some of us become tuned into nature or find ourselves in some climbing zeitgeist. Connor's antennas are still tuning in, he is just loving the climbing life and going hard at it as often as life lets him. Walking into a crag he’s keeping it simple. 
 
"I just go to the crag and climb. I'm not a very spiritual person, and normally I'm just excited to start climbing. I don't overthink it or anything. When walking in, I'm either just having a conversation with whoever I'm climbing with or trying to find the trail (if it's a crag I've never been to). When arriving at a crag, there's nothing special about my headspace or anything. It's just a day out with friends or family."​

Connor Herson on "Peace"(5.13d/8b) in Tuolumne Meadows, California. (Photo Credit: Christian Adam, IG: @christian_adam_; Black Diamond, @blackdiamond)

​He's made friends with a bunch of climbs too. This may be a reach, but he has probably spent more time getting to know these than he has people. He does have favourites like Peace (13d) in Tuolumne Meadows, Crack of Destiny (14b) in Squamish, and the Salathé Headwall (13b) on El Cap. For Connor these are ephemeral climbs with impeccable rock, amazing positions, uber climbing, and are straight out of a dream.

​Connor is blessed with a climber's build; lithe and strong. He has not felt the gravity of age - yet he is becoming increasingly aware from watching and listening to more senior peers around him, that that freight train is coming. He cares for his body and stays clean of the dirt that attracts other young people.  He still notes pulling down has had one impact, “It’s my fingers” he said. “Climbing has impacted my fingers - they're so fat!” I need to cry; I have not been so lucky. I can hear Tommy saying, “At least you have a full set!”  

​Friends are important to us all, like who is going to put up with your whimsical projects? Connor has some great ones who support him in the everyday world and up high. One of them is Hobbs Kessler. They met as kids at a National Youth Climbing Championship. Connor enjoys climbing with him and looks up to his attitude. Hobbs respects his pal too. Hobbs shared with me,
 
“Connor’s personality hasn’t changed over the years, just a little smarter and more mature. I think the reason Connor is given a youthful persona is he has a very noble approach to climbing and success. He climbs because he loves the act of it, the challenge of being out there with his loved ones.”
 
It can be hard at times to find a specific climbing partner. Connor makes plans for when he can square a time to climb and at a location he finds appealing. Just this past summer he has climbed with both his parents, his sister, and at least 10 different partners, such as Carlo Traversi, Nat Bailey, Ben Harnden, Connor Jahrunge, Fan Yang, Brent Barghahn, Tom Herbert, Sonnie Trotter, and so many others. I think it may be hard to keep up with Connor. Hobbs shared why it isn’t hard for Connor to find a friend to crush some routes. 

“Status doesn’t motivate Connor to climb. He is as happy to see his friends send as he is about sending his own routes. He will gladly give up a day climbing to support his friends on something they are psyched on.”  ​​

Growing up in the climbing world he has been influenced by some and finds inspiration in others. Just this year he met Sonnie Trotter. Connor told me, “I've always looked up to him, but he's also one of the kindest people I've ever met, and I respect him so much.” He also looks up to both Lynn Hill and Tommy Caldwell for their futuristic visions on El Cap (and elsewhere). For Connor, “They both have thrived at another level.” I reached out to Tommy who had some compliments of his own for his young protégé.

"Connor certainly is an inspiring lad. We used to think thriving in Yosemite meant complete single-minded devotion to the craft of Yosemite climbing. Connor has proven that if you are good enough, you can in fact have it all. And in the process, he has taken some of the toxic ego out of the place.”​

Connor's superpower is his relationship with challenge. He see’s challenge as a companion, like a someone who brings out the best in him. He respects it as he does his friends. Connor has always been able to rise to a challenge with great poise and has little fear of failure (or he hides it well). He doesn't seem to worry about falling when he is climbing; rather he is present and giving the climb his all. Now that’s a solid relationship.

One of the traits people admire of Connor is his focus on the wall. When he pulls on, he expects to send the climb, and if he doesn't, he comes off the wall fighting. He can be hard on himself when he falls, juxtaposed, he is always quick to forgive himself and will happily gear up for another attempt. Hobbs remarked on this,

"I don't think he is the most naturally talented climber, not physically at least. His tenacity and the sheer amount of climbing he has done, even at his young age, is what has allowed him to accomplish so much."​

Connor Herson on "Kilogram" (5.14- / 8b+/c) in Tuolumne Meadows, California. (Photo Credit: Christian Adam, IG: @christian_adam_; Black Diamond, @blackdiamond)

So where does a young climber go when he has busted through barriers many serve a lifetime of climbing trying to accomplish? 
 
He is committed to challenging himself, seeking out natural lines and bolted projects that are aesthetically beautiful. Watching climbers around him he is tuned into caring for his body so it can go the distance. I wonder if his engineering mind is visioning gear for the future as those like Robbins, Chouinard, Jardine and Middendorf did? The connection of the two Connors may benefit the world of climbing. 
 
I interview many climbers and listen to their take on climbing. Connor seems to have the right stuff, not just to make a mark on climbing, but to influence its future. Climbing or elsewhere, we will recognise the name, Connor Herson, as a person of significance. I’ll finish with a take from Hans Florine, Mr. El Capitan himself. 

“Connor is the quintessential master of all. Academically crushing it at Stanford and matching the highest difficulty standard on the mecca climbing area of the world, Yosemite. Will he take up acting, politics, or kite surfing next? Look out Tiger Woods.”​​

Whatever it may be, I am sure we will always be looking up to Connor and what he sends our way.
 
Post Note: As of writing, Connor sent the ridiculously tenuous crack, Meltdown (5.14c) in Yosemite Valley and at his age, he is only warming up.