SASHA DIGIULIAN

“WOMEN ARE capable of climbing just as hard, and even harder, than men,” says climbing phenom Digiulian. No argument there, especially considering the Boulder, Colorado, native has put up groundbreaking first ascents around the globe, including big-wall climbs in Madagascar, Brazil, Switzerland, and Italy. Her most recent climb, of the Canadian Trilogy in Banff National Park, included a trifecta of walls considered the most difficult in the Rocky Mountains.

It’s a huge change of direction for the 26-year-old, who got her climbing start in the gym and became a fixture of the competition circuit for nearly a decade. Her early years were a blur of podium finishes, and she captured world champion for female overall and was the undefeated Pan-american champion from 2004 to 2012. “I only succeed when I am doing what I am passionate about,” she says.

Lately that has involved protecting the environment and encouraging a more diverse group of people to get interested in climbing through various nonprofits, including the Women’s Sports Foundation, where she sits on the board; the Access Fund; Right to Play; and Up2ussports. “Sasha is dedicated to the sport of climbing and sharing its values with a wider and more diverse population,” says legendary alpinist Conrad Anker. “She is determined to make the world a better place by empowering women to participate in sports.”