Stefani Dawn

Photo Credit: Bryn Sillorequez

.Creator of Common Climber and co-founder of Climb-On Maps

Stefani first took a rock climbing class back in 1990 where, completely uninitiated, she was thrown onto steep slab and (bloody) crack climbs. She didn't climb again for 20 years. In 2007 Stefani fully caught the climbing bug and has been climbing non-stop. With good mentoring and formal classes, she learned the ropes, including leading sport, trad, and multi-pitch climbs. Her favorite types of climbing are easy trad multi-pitch and technical sport 10s.

For just over 15 years, Stefani had a career in academia (she has more degrees than she knows what to do with.) After working her way "up the ladder" to some very stressful leadership positions at universities, and then battling a series of serious illnesses, Stefani decided to leave that world. The only thing she wanted to do was climb, and center her life around rock climbing.

Stefani is now the creator of the website Common Climber and, with her husband Rick Momsen, is the co-owner of the climbing approach and walk-off mapping business Climb-On Maps (where they have mapped some of the largest and often confusing rock climbing areas in the U.S.)

Stefani started Common Climber to create a forum for positive expression about people's experiences with rock climbing at all levels. She hopes that this will be a natural extension of the love of the sport, allowing people to share internal experiences that occur on the rock. Fear, anxiety, frustration, joy, and pride are just a sampling of the natural emotional spectrum associated with climbing (and life, of course). She believes that acknowledging and sharing our internal experiences will strengthen the connection of the climbing community, as well as one's personal connection with climbing itself. To learn more about why Stefani started Common Climber check out:

Why I Started Common Climber (by Stefani Dawn) - If the only voice and messages we receive about what being a climber means are the ones we receive from the popular climbing media, then we will almost always be disappointed in ourselves.

In the past, Common Climber has been more of an informal site, but in late 2019, Stefani made the shift to a formal online magazine. She hopes Common Climber will be a positive, complementary alternative to rock climbing media, without big-business advertisers and offering unique content that is written by, for, and primarily oriented around the Common Climber. She is also hoping that the climbing community will value a different financial model approach to keeping this resource going (that is currently being worked on...)

Contact: stefani@commonclimber.com

Stefani Dawn's writings on Common Climber (listed alphabetically which includes A and The ):

A Unique, Big City Crag: Buenos Aires, Argentina Climbing – You’ve probably never seen a crag like this one!
Backpacker/Trad Climber Tries Alpine: The Mt. Ogden Spanking (Part 1) (by Stefani Dawn) - An experienced backpacker and multipitch trad climber forays into to world of alpine climbing and learns that alpine climbing is more than the sum of its parts.
Backpacker/Trad Climber Tries Alpine: The Mount Whitney Whipping (Part 2) (by Stefani Dawn) - Mt. Ogden (Part 1) was training for Mt. Whitney. The author applied what she learned from the Mt. Ogden experience to Whitney and...
Bliss: Climbing in the Blueys (by Stefani Dawn) - Epics, mini-epics, near-epics, and zones of craptitude make for good stories...But, most of the time things are pretty dang chill. Fun. Enjoyable. Cool. Sometimes there is even bliss.
Bolting and Ground-fall Potential (by Stefani Dawn) - Learn how to visually determine whether a bolted sport climb is poorly protected.
Bouldering: JTree Made Me Do It (by Stefani Dawn) - The author has been rock climbing since 2007 and has intended to boulder, but other than an occasional gym session, never seemed to get around to it - until now -- "JTree made me do it."
CLIMBING CHECK LIST
Work your way down the list and hit every single climbing area in a state that has more than 40 climbs! The list shows the number of climbs that are bouldering, sport, or trad.
1. Climbing Areas in the U.S.: Part 1: Alabama to California
2. Climbing Areas in the U.S.: Part 2: Colorado to Michigan
Climbing, Community, and the U.S. Election (by Stefani Dawn) - A rock climber explores the importance of rock climbing and community in light of the 2016 U.S. Presidential election
Climbing Drinking Games (by Stefani Dawn) - Have a little fun with: Guidebook Roulette; 15 Minutes My A**! and "Nice!" at the Crag.
Climbing Gyms: The Gateway Drug (by Stefani Dawn) – WARNING: Climbing may be addictive. Sort of.
Climbing Resolutions: A New Year's Conversation with Myself (by Stefani Dawn) - A climber has a New Year's conversation with herself...Can you relate?
Diversity in Climbing (& the Outdoors) is Not a Bandwagon (By Stefani Dawn) - Diversity is not a bandwagon. Bandwagon implies short-lived popularity. This is a movement to create some needed shifts in our sociological landscape. So what are some things we can do as this landscape changes?
Don't Take Granite for Granite (by Stefani Dawn) - Every new crag and rock type brings a unique experience. But one type of rock - granite - is the most unpredictable.
Dorothy, We Aren't On Havanah Anymore (by Stefani Dawn) - Have you ever gotten on the wrong climb and realized it a little too late?
Failure is Part of the Price: Rand Abbott Attempts the First Adaptive Lead Ascent of The Nose (By Stefani Dawn) - Rand Abbott is one of the few adaptive lead aid climbers in the world. In the Fall of 2021 he attempted to be the first adaptive lead aid climber to ascend The Nose. The first attempt was a "successful failure." Find out why.
Fuck "Gumbies" and "Noobs" (By Stefani Dawn) - I’m just going to say it. Fuck “gumbies” and “noobs.” No, I’m not talking about the people that these words supposedly personify. I’m talking about those words.
Guide Books Follies (by Stefani Dawn) - Ever had an epic (or a mini) because a guidebook left out important information?
How Auto-Immune Disease Affected My Climbing (By Stefani Dawn) - It’s funny, but it’s not. I was on pitch 5 of 9 and I just…how do I put this tactfully?... shit myself. It wasn’t a lot, but it was uncomfortable, disheartening.
I am a Woman: Brie Chartier Shares Her Transition Journey (By Stefani Dawn) - Brie Chartier is an AMGA single pitch instructor and a transgender woman. This year, at the age of 47, she underwent gender affirmation surgery and, by fully embracing both her womanhood and outdoor and LGBTQIA+ advocacy passions, she finally feels whole.
It's a F-ing Chimney (By Stefani Dawn) - I used to avoid chimneys like the plague. If a route description said chimney, I’d move on to find a different route. Here’s why...
Improv at JTree: Three Characters Attack Bad Bolts With Humor, A Device, and Dedication (By Stefani Dawn) - Joshua Tree has been around a long time, and so have many of its bolts. Kevin, John, and "IE," a lean, mean bolt-replacing team, would joke that those things haven't been around as long as they have...
Joshua Tree: Heinous Approaches (by Stefani Dawn) - When boulderfield meets desert the approach can be unpredictable - sometimes it's no big deal, sometimes "hell boulderado."
Joshua Tree: The Bolting Pressure Cooker (by Stefani Dawn) - Meet Farai and Kelly, "new school" route developers in Joshua Tree. For some, using the words “new-school,” “route development”, and “Joshua Tree” all in the same sentence can be hair-raising/red-flag inducing/trouble-making. For others it elicits great relief and gratitude. What exactly does “new school” mean in JTree?
Kevin Powell: Photos, First Ascents, and Finding Joy (By Stefani Dawn) - He stood on the 5.10 JTree slab, 20 feet up, and drilled the first bolt. This is not your get it over in 15 seconds with a power drill, this is with a hand drill...on lead... slip in these helmet-less days would result in carnage no one wanted to see or experience.
Mastering Joy on Easy Street (by Stefani Dawn) - Sometimes there are moments when a special experience reveals the right goals.
Montana, My Home: Claire Larson (By Stefani Dawn) - When Claire announced that she was going back to Bozeman, friends and family initially questioned her choice. They wondered, “Why not go back to San Francisco where there is a large representation of transgender people? Why place yourself into a community that is full of homophobia and transphobia?” “Because I love it there,” was her response. “Because I climb rocks, ice, and mountains. I cannot separate being trans from my climbing.”
Multi-Pitch Tips: Why I Carry Two ATC-Style Belay Devices (by Stefani Dawn) - Some might say it's overkill, but I have two great reasons why I carry two guide-mode capable ATC belay devices on all multi-pitch climbs. One of which saves time...
My Husband Climbs Stronger Than Me - (by Stefani Dawn) - I am a woman. I’m a climber. I am strong. My husband is stronger. Is that defeatist or sexist of me to openly admit that?
No Health Insurance Changed How I Climb (by Stefani Dawn) - When my husband and I quit our jobs and started our own rock climbing-related business, we lost our health insurance. This definitely impacted how we approached our climbing (and some of it's embarrassingly funny).
Onsight vs. Flash vs. Redpoint vs. Pinkpoint vs. Tronsight - (by Stefani Dawn) An incredibly serious tongue-in-cheek discussion about the nuanced differences between these "you either did it -- or you didn't" sending terms.
Overcoming a Brain Tumor: Interview With WeighMyRack Founder Alison Dennis - Alison shares her experience with brain cancer and climbing's role in her recovery.
Rock Star Groupie (by Stefani Dawn) - A climber finds herself following a route-setting rock star. Who is it and why?
Rope Buying 101 (By Stefani Dawn) - A frank guide (based on experience) to buying your first rock climbing rope and the why’s to back it up.
Shit Happens - Or, Why You Need a Walkie Talkie (By Stefani Dawn) - If you’ve ever read forums about multipitch climbing you’ve probably seen threads (aka. arguments about 30-seconds away from a fist-fight) about best communication practices... Frankly, the simplest way to deal with communication on a multi-pitch climb is to get a freaking walkie talkie... Stef takes you on a mini-epic, illustrating the why of walkie talkies.
Single Pitch Instructor Adaptive: It's About Climbing Independence (by Stefani Dawn) - Rand Abbott has been trying to become a certified guide, but he keeps hearing "no" because he is in a wheelchair. There is a need for leadership and adaptive climbing representation in the guiding world. Rand seeks to overcome these biases against those with disabilities, aiming to develop the first Single Pitch Instructor Adaptive guide certification. In November 2022, Rand also hosted the first adaptive-climber-lead adaptive climbing clinic in partnership with the California Climbing School in Joshua Tree, California.
Sketchy Anchor Bolts! (by Stefani Dawn) - Sometimes you reach the top of a climb and the anchor bolts are super sketchy. What do you do besides cross your fingers and hope for the best?
Sliding-x Anchor (by Stefani Dawn) - Video and photo tutorial on how to build this useful anchor.
Social Climbing Networks Come to the Aid of Lonely Climber (by Stefani Dawn) - Mountain Project and Meetup.com save a lonely climber.
Sorcerer and the Kidney Stone (By Stefani Dawn) - Ow… ow…. Owwwwwww…. I sure as shit am not going to die on Necromancer – the dark black patina-covered wall in Red Rock Canyon named after a person who communicates with the dead…
Starting Over (by Stefani Dawn) - We all love climbing. We are dedicated to it. We’d do it every day if we could. But face it, we’ve all been there - be it from injury, work demands, location, or lack of partners – we have to start over, again, and again, and again. And it sucks every… single…time...
The Bane of Northwest Climbing (by Stefani Dawn) - @#$%^&* moss! Enough said.
The First Climbing Gym Union? (By Stefani Dawn) - A group of dedicated climbing gym employees are trying to start the first climbing gym union.
The ONE Item to Stockpile (by Stefani Dawn) - As climbers we love our equipment, but of all the gear we use there is ONE item worth stockpiling.
The Zone of Craptitude (by Stefani Dawn) - A climber enters "the zone" - a different kind of zone...
Three Ways to Use a Stick Clip (By Stefani Dawn and Rick Momsen) - A photo and video tutorial on how to use a stick clip to: (1) Clip a draw (with the rope) to the first bolt (the basic clip); (2) Insert the rope into an empty draw already on a bolt; and (3) Remove a draw from an overhead bolt.
Todd Gordon - “We had teenie weenies and big egos!” he said with animation and a Cheshire grin. This is Todd Gordon, the rock climbing "mayor" of Joshua Tree.
Tony Calderone (by Stefani Dawn) - Perseverance. Tenacity. Grit. Commitment. Transformation. These are the words that describe what I know of Tony Calderone. Controversial. Opinionated. And, perhaps a few other choice words, also float around the rock-climbing ethers of his stomping grounds in Utah and Idaho.
Top 10: Climbing Best Practices (by Stefani Dawn) - Being a better climber doesn't mean crushing the hardest grades, it means consistently using best practices. Find out the TOP 10!
Top 10: Increase the Climbing Grade When... (by Stefani Dawn) - A climber ponders climbing grades and invents a new game…Increase the climbing grade when...
Trad Climbing is for Chicken Sh*#s (by Stefani Dawn) - A trad climber, who is on the lower end of the bravery scale, explains why trad climbing is good for those who get scared easily.
Which Way Should I Carry My Trad Rack? (by Stefani Dawn) - Any f'n way you want! This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of three different ways to carry a trad rack. Choose the way that works for you.
Why GriGris Suck (By Stefani Dawn) - "Although my previous interactions with the GriGri have been less than satisfying, I thought perhaps being forced to use it might allow me to refine my technique and gain a mature appreciation for the device – perhaps like learning to appreciate the finer side of brussel sprouts or liver. But, now that I have had the full-on GriGri experience, let’s just say my attitude has shifted from a mild shunning to a full-on 'I hate this piece of shit.'"
Why I Started Common Climber (by Stefani Dawn) - If the only voice and messages we receive about what being a climber means are the ones we receive from the popular climbing media, then we will almost always be disappointed in ourselves.
WTF 5.7? (by Stefani Dawn) - Some climbing grades (especially in trad), more so than others, are simply unpredictable and can blind-side you.
8 Reasons I Carry A Full Rack on Every Trad Climb (By Stefani Dawn) - "I stood at the bottom of that 40 foot 5.5 crack with my full double rack up to a #5 cam. My friend and climbing partner looked at me with a wry smile, pointed at my excessive gear, and said with a laugh, 'What’s all this? Is there a whole other mountain up there?'"
18 Climber Types: What Type of Climber Are You? (by Stefani Dawn) - It can be helpful to know who you are as a climber.

Book Reviews:

Hangdog Days: Conflict, Change, and the Race for 5.14 (Book by Jeff Smoot) - Review By: Stefani Dawn
The Shortest Straw: Search and Rescue in the High Sierra (Book by Dean Rosnau) - Review by Stefani Dawn - Climber and author Dean Rosnau takes readers on a vivid, graphic, and very human journey of search and rescue experiences in the High Sierra of California.
Book Review: The Sharp End of Life: A Mother's Story (Book By Dierdre Wolownick) Review By Stefani Dawn) - Some books you read because they are about climbing. Others you read because they tell an inspirational or relatable tale. And then there are those books you pick up because they peek into the life of someone famous. The Sharp End of Life: A Mother’s Story by Dierdre Wolownick ticks all of those boxes. On top of all that, it’s a smooth, easy page-turner. Let’s dig into each of these elements a bit more, so you can decide if this is a book for you.

Gear Reviews:

Location Reviews:

The Basics