The biggest thing in the empty desert outside Farmington, New Mexico, where Pat Goodman grew up, was the rugged form of Ship Rock. “Everybody within a hundred miles can see the Ship Rock, which is really the ancient remains of a volcano that towers above the barren New Mexican landscape,” Pat remembers. By the age of 10, Pat knew he wanted to climb it. “Its crumbling fluted walls are shrouded with Navajoland mystique. It was only natural for us to want to want to do it.”

After a studying in [TK COLORADO], Goodman went on to spend his early-twenties touring around the American West, seeking an increasingly more challenging diet of boulders and cracks, before migrating East to Boone, North Carolina. Most recently, he’s raised the bar in the southeast for brick-hard, borderline-too-dangerous trad climbing, including Fitzcarraldo (5.13b R), and Jade Rabbit (5.13d/14a R). In between work stints as a custom wood-flooring specialist, Pat finds time to make annual pilgrimages to the mountains to pursue his original passion for adventurous new lines in wild environments.

Tell me about your high-school climbing apprenticeship in New Mexico?

New Mexico’s stacked with rock. I learned how to climb on absolute garbage, the importance of going light, and how to suffer. Everything I climbed when I was learning was a new route. Everything. There were no rock gyms in those days, and everyone was climbing outside, doing their own thing.

Brad Jackson was one of your most influential mentors. How’d you meet him?

I was 18 years old (two years after Shiprock – ed.) when I met Brad Jackson. Seth and I were climbing Friday the 13th, in Vedauwoo, Wyoming – it’s a tricky 5.11 crack. He happened to be walking underneath and yelled up to us that it made a sightseeing some kids up there. He was climbing on the other side of the formation, and yelled up to us that when we were done we should come hang out. He I was 18 years old (two years after Shiprock – ed.) when I met Brad Jackson. Seth and I were climbing Friday the 13th, in Vedauwoo, Wyoming – it’s a tricky 5.11 crack. He happened to be walking underneath and yelled up to us that it made a sightseeing some kids up there. He was climbing on the other side of the formation, and yelled up to us that when we were done we should come hang out. He eventually toured us around Wyoming, introduced me to Brad Scarpelli, and also introduced me to handstacking. And all of a sudden, I started climbing cracks a lot harder then I was before. He’d say, “Put your purse down man get up there and do it.” Brad was the first person who told me I was strong enough not to fall. That was a huge confidence boost.

What’s been your favorite expeditionary experience?

In the summer of 2005, I spent 34 days in the wilderness of Canada’s North West Territory. Along with Hank Jones, I paddled down class IV whitewater, hiked endless miles through rough countryside and groveled up soaring granite walls – not to mention the bonus helicopter ride off the edge of a (still) unclimbed peak. Almost nothing went as planned. So it was a true adventure!

How important is it to climb with people better then yourself?

It’s super important. You are always more motivated, and there’s always something you can learn.

Last fall you on-sight free-soloed Scenic Cruise, a notoriously sandbagged, 1700 foot 5.10+ in the Black Canyon. I have to ask: how’d that go down?

It was actually pretty dumb. That whole trip I’d been soloing a lot, and had a lot of confidence built up about my judgment, about my ability to make the right judgment. My comfort zone, my mental and physical boundaries… Everything was just in the right headspace.

This was the first time I had ever climbed in the Black Canyon. When I walked down there to the base, I was like ‘I’ll just walk down there to scope it’. And I did it. I just started climbing. Past the crux pitches, the adrenaline started to wear off, and I started to think about what I was doing, and then the higher I got the more freaked I got. My mental dialogue was back and forth between solid and not solid. It grounded me. It was a good experience, but I don’t want to do it again. The shit people solo now, it’s small peanuts, but to me it was a big deal.

What advice would you give to beginners today?

Don’t solo the Scenic Cruise! No, just kidding… Rock climb because it takes you cool places. There’s always somebody better then you. In everything we do. I’m not real good with advice.

What MH gear and clothing is in your quiver for a typical day at the crag?

The Splitter Pack, Hooded Compressor jacket, Butter-man half-zip, Ventito Short Sleeve and Pierro Pants.

Highlights

• Indian Beauty Queen, (V+ 5.10 A.1) first known ascent of peak 5394, Manikaran Spires, India
• Jade Rabbit, (5.13+/5.14- R/X) first ascent, Moon Rocks, North Carolina
• Fitzcaraldo, (5.13b R) first ascent, New River Gorge, West Virginia
• Linville Rampage, (34 pitches up to 5.11, 23 miles) 11hrs 45 minutes, solo, Linville Gorge, North Carolina
• Fifth consecutive 1st place finish at the NRG Rendezvous Trad Climbing Competition. New River Gorge, West Virginia

Catch up with Pat on :
Bolderznwallz.blogspot.com