From “most likely to be president” to “most likely to be an Olympian,” as high schoolers, we often get caught up in the clichés of what the future holds after graduation. Yet what about the current national champions in our midst? Meet the third-best youth rock climber in the United States, Franklin senior Charlotte Wylde.
Wylde’s climbing journey began humbly: “I would climb anything. I would climb the swing sets, trees, sides of buildings,” says Wylde. She first joined a formal recreational climbing team when she was just eight years old. Around the age of nine, filled with excitement and eagerness, she took her adoration for the sport to competitions. Nevertheless, at her first competition, she came in last place, then last again at the next one, and again, and again.
“This was crucial in my development that I stuck with it and endured all of these hardships because it sucked, I hated coming in last and all my friends were better than me,” Wylde says. Feeling demoralized, Wylde decided she wanted to take her climbing to the next level, committing herself fully to the sport. “When she joined our competitive team, she had a different drive than most,” shares Joe Adams, Wylde’s climbing coach of eight years. “She never wanted downtime and never wanted to leave the gym. When she was young, she would put in attempt after attempt to the point where either she would leave exhausted and victorious, or exhausted and crying.”
At the age of 10 or 11, Wylde began moving up the ranks on the team. As she advanced, she began feeling stressed about competitions and developed fears around falling. Wylde’s outcomes in competition began to intertwine with her picture of her self-worth. When the pandemic hit at the age of 13, the young climber was burnt out and ready for a physical and mental break.
While climbing gyms remained closed as the pandemic lockdown bore on, Wylde’s climbing spirit was reignited: “I couldn’t wait to get back [to climbing] and I came back with a new fire and commitment.” This was also around the time she began outdoor climbing, and she was immediately hooked. Her first trip to climb Smith Rock in 2021 was “eye-opening, frightening, exhilarating,” and she couldn’t get enough. “It opened up a new world, and it was so much fun,” she says.
While Wylde’s true love may be outdoor climbing, competitions provide an equally special experience. During the summer going into her sophomore year, Wylde placed fifth at nationals, where she competed against the top one or two climbers from every state in the country. The following year, she placed sixth, and this past year she was on the podium with a bronze medal for third. This earned her a spot at the Youth World Championships in Guiyang, China, where she placed an impressive 25th against the world’s most competitive climbers.
Wylde competes in both rope climbing — climbing a tall wall that requires you to bring a rope with you and anchor yourself into the wall as you go — and bouldering — scaling a short wall consisting of climbs with a range of powerful moves — but it’s rope climbing where she truly shines and where her national and world titles came from. Wylde has learned that these accolades don’t come overnight but take immense hard work and dedication — she spends 2-3 hours per day in the climbing gym, five to six days a week.
Competing at this level not only takes extreme physical capability but also immense mental toughness. “Every time I do better in a competition, there’s more stress. As amazing as it is, the bar is just set so high,” she reflects. “If I were to come in fourth this year, it would feel like I moved down, even though back when I first started, I would be so ecstatic.” Yet, throughout her climb to success, Wylde has learned the importance of perseverance: “I lost for so many years and didn’t make it to nationals for eight years.”
Now, Wylde uses her patience and determination for something new. “I’m still on the journey of knowing that it’s okay to not perform my very best at each competition. There will be hard days, I’m going to have a slip, and I want to be okay with that. One bad performance shouldn’t dictate all of my climbing or worth,” she shares.
Between outdoor and competitive climbing, Wylde experiences a duality — while competition has held an important place in her life, outdoor climbing is her true passion. “Charlotte is a full-blown rock climber all the way to the top. She is a competitive indoor climbing machine! Outdoors, she’s sending climbs I’ve always dreamed of climbing, and there’s no sign of [her] slowing down,” says Adams. “I’m very proud of the growth Charlotte has made as a climber and a human.” After this competition season, Wylde will be prioritizing outdoor climbing. “[When I first started outdoor climbing] it was a whole new sphere that I wasn’t used to and I just fell in love with it.”
After she walks across the stage at graduation, Wylde will be pursuing environmental science at the University of Washington in hopes of going into conservation and working for national parks. She will be taking a step back from competitions and hopes to continue pursuing her outdoor climbing goals. Her current goal is to conquer the Vicious Fish Route at Smith Rock which she has previously attempted: “I was having a big mental block with falling and the rock was just so intimidating, but I managed to do all the moves. My goal for the end of the season is to complete the route,” she explains.
Throughout her climbing journey, she has learned that balance is key and “one given day and performance doesn’t dictate everything,” she says. “Embrace all of it, things go up and down. Life is not meant to stay the same.” Adams describes Wylde as a “true champion” in this way: “One of Charlotte’s biggest accomplishments has been her ability to accept off days and days without getting to the top.” During off days, Wylde enjoys vegan and vegetarian cooking, ceramics and collaging, and hiking or any outdoor activity. Adams is proud of her ability to “know now where the line between training and recovery really [is] and what it feels like to be her best.”
If she’s not in the ceramics classroom with her mind on the mountains, you can find her conquering them at Smith Rock, Ozone, or Broughton Bluff. “I would describe myself as energetic and obsessed. They tell me, ‘Charlotte, you need to stop climbing now and let your muscles rest,’” she shares. “I will beg my friends to come climb with me. I think about Smith Rock all the time.”
In preparation for the upcoming state and national competitions, Wylde shares advice for all athletes: “There’s a reason you go to practice every single day, find what pushes you and motivates you to be there.” If you think you might be interested in trying this unique sport for the first time, reach out to her or her brother, Lionel Wylde, to join Franklin’s Rock Climbing Club, where climbers at all skill levels can learn new things and have a fun time at the Portland Rock Gym.
“Charlotte Wylde is always there for the community. She supports athletes of all ages. Through instruction, team get-togethers outside of practice, and moral support,” says Adams. “She knows her talents and she sees them in others. That spark to recognize others has been there from day one.”
After climbing for a decade, it’s hard for Wylde to pinpoint one favorite part about the sport she has dedicated her heart to. Nevertheless, there is one thing that stands out: “There are certain moments on the wall where it’s too late to go down, but it’s also really hard to go up and I get a bit of a ‘fight or flight’ response. I’m really, really scared, this is so hard. Everything is burning, everything is hurting, and choosing the fight rather than letting go is such a beautiful moment.” Moments like these fuel Wylde’s passion for her sport, and highlight how her incredible array of capabilities makes her an inspiration to all.
