A local playground sparked a passion for climbing in 16-year-old Kyra Nelson from Tigard. When she discovered a mini rock climbing wall, her mother, Tracy Nelson, enrolled her in climbing classes at The Circuit and ClubSport Oregon Adventure Center. Over a decade later, Kyra continues to pursue her love for climbing. She has been competing for four years and has participated in events across Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.
“I’ve always loved climbing on everything,” Kyra, a sophomore at Horizon Christian High School, shared. “I just wanted to join a team for a little bit and try it out.”
The bouldering season began in October, and Kyra is off to an impressive start. She has already competed in three competitions this year, winning first place in her age division each time. Currently, she ranks at the top of the Under 19 division in USA Climbing Region 12.
Kyra’s next challenge is the regional competition in Bend, Oregon, scheduled for January. A strong performance there could qualify her for the divisional competition. Her ultimate goal is to advance to the national competition this summer.
“I like seeing improvement,” Kyra explained. “There are grades, and the harder the route, the higher the grade. I enjoy reaching new grades.”
One aspect of bouldering that Kyra appreciates is the variety of courses. Each climber has four minutes to complete a course without seeing it beforehand. When the round begins, they face away from the climbing wall and then have four minutes to climb as high as possible.
“I’m a bit nervous, but I love the format,” she said. “It’s really fun. The four minutes go by quickly, and it can be stressful.”
Climbing can be physically demanding, and injuries can occur. If a climber gets cut while climbing, they must stop until the injury is treated, and the clock continues to run.
Kyra recalled a competition last year when she injured her fingers while climbing.
“It took up all of my time,” she said.
Her most significant injuries include a broken wrist and a strained tendon that sidelined her for two months.
To prevent injuries like ripped fingers, Kyra focuses on finger exercises and consistent practice. She also engages in arm, leg, and core training and climbs two to four hours daily.
Tracy Nelson expressed that watching Kyra climb 18 feet high isn’t too frightening despite the risks.
“If they fall off, they know how to land,” Tracy said. “They’ve got big mats on the floor. I’d be more scared if she were climbing outdoors.”
Although Kyra has tried outdoor climbing, she found it intimidating—not due to height or danger but because of spiders lurking among the rocks.
“I didn’t like how many spiders were in all the rocks,” she admitted.
While bouldering is not offered as a sport at her high school, many colleges have club teams. Kyra hopes to continue climbing in college.
The sport is growing rapidly; competitive climbing has been featured in the last two Summer Olympics and will be included in the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
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