The first time Viviana Gomez Vega strapped on climbing shoes was on her 15th birthday. Her friends had invited her to Suesca, a small town that is an hour away from Bogota. They took her to Valle de los Halcones, a beautiful sport climbing area near Suesca. That simple motion of slipping the leather and rubber glove on her foot changed the course of her life. Viviana never looked back. Eight years later that same ritual begins her day, this time an accomplished Colombian climber. (Viviana Gomez Vega bouldering in Suesca, Colombia. Photo copyright Alain Denis.)
Viviana Gomez Vega is a Colombian 5.13 climber. She's on the forefront of women's climbing in Colombia. (Viviana Gomez Vega bouldering in Suesca, Colombia. Photo copyright Alain Denis.)
The moment Viviana connected with the rock, she connected with with a piece of herself. "From that day on, I've had a special connection with the rock and I thought I would like to do this for a long time. Maybe, I felt like that because at that moment I had found a lifesaver... climbing." Viviana explained when asked about her connection to climbing. (Viviana Gomez Vega leading a route in Suesca, Colombia. Photo copyright Alain Denis.)
When Viviana began climbing there were no female climber role models in Colombia for her to admire and learn from. "Back in the day, my role models were some of the people I was climbing with." Viviana said. "Besides, there were not a lot of women climbing here. Then, by reading magazines and books I learned about female climbers, such as Lynn Hill; who from then on has been a role model for me, we are about the same size." (Viviana Gomez Vega leading a route in Suesca, Colombia. Photo copyright Alain Denis.)
In addition to being on the forefront of female climbing in Colombia, Viviana has climbed challenging routes throughout South America. Her favorite climb is a 13.a trad route in Brazil's Serra do Cipo located in the popular El Salon de la Justicia. So why does she climb? "I love the feeling of escaping to another world, where you are alone with yourself at 100 meters high," Viviana explained. "I love having met some friends that have become more like siblings, I love the beautiful memories that climbing trips bring, the places that I have visited and the people from different cultures that you can share a nice climbing day with." (Viviana Gomez Vega leading a route in Suesca, Colombia. Photo copyright Alain Denis.)
Viviana fueling up before a bouldering project. Fruits or cereal bars with honey and nuts, chocolates are some of her favorite foods whether bouldering or cranking it on a 13a. (Viviana Gomez Vega bouldering in Suesca, Colombia. Photo copyright Alain Denis.)
Viviana Gomez Vega climbing a 5.13d in Suesca, Colombia. She's one of the rising stars coming out of the Colombian rock climbing work. More importantly, she's making the dream of rock climbing a reality for so many young Colombian women who before Viviana did not have female role models in the rock climbing world. (Viviana Gomez Vega climbing in Suesca, Colombia. Photo copyright Alain Denis.)
So what’s up next for this incredible young up-and-coming woman rock climber from Colombia? “I want to go climbing in Spain or to Kalymnos Greece and also Thailand. – everywhere!! There is a route called El Mago, a 13b in Machetá, a climbing area near where I live; it is a very beautiful route, even if for me it feels like a 14a because some of the movements are too long for me. I would love to travel around Europe and try many high-graded routes from rock formations different from what you can find in Colombia,” Viviana said with a grin.
Alain Denis is a Outdoors and Travel Photographer and Writer, based in Squamish BC, Canada. For Alain’s photography and travel writing visit his website http://www.alaindenisphotography.com/
