Carlos Suárez and climbing

Carlos Suárez is a Spanish climber who has been in the mountain world since he was only 13 years old. Once he started, he was very clear that this was his thing and that it was what he wanted to dedicate the rest of his life to. His extensive career has allowed him to visit such incredible places asAnnapurna or Yosemiteand he has been able to open routes alone or climb an 8a without a rope.

But not only is climbing present in his life, but he combines it with other adventure sports such as skydiving or more recently B.A.S.E. jumping, of which you can see more information here.

As if that were not enough, he combines his profession and his hobbies with other facets that do not lose sight of the mountain, such as the preparation of books (he has 4 to his credit), the holding of conferences or collaboration in some La Sexta programs together with the journalist Sara Carbonero.

Below we leave you the interview so that you can learn a little more about this crack of climbing.





Yumping.- From a very early age, at only 13 years old, you have dedicated yourself to the world of mountains. Were the beginnings hard?
Carlos Suárez.-No, not at all. I was lucky that my mother paid for me to take a course with Ramón Portilla and I had very good close references from the beginning, as well as the Peñalara club.

Y.- Mountaineering requires many safety measures and can sometimes be risky. Was it difficult for you to have people accept your lifestyle as a profession at home?
C.S.- Yes, it has always been difficult to understand.





Y.- What did you feel when you saw yourself for the first time at more than 8,000 meters above sea level, in Cho-oyu?
C.S.- I felt that I was not as strong as I used to be in the Alps or similar places. Normally you go with a much more limited margin of action.

And.- Which peak do you remember most fondly?
C.S.- Mount Asgard for what it represented and the subsequent Base jump that I did afterwards.

And.- When has it been most difficult for you to continue?
C.S.- A few years ago I didn't see any way out despite having spent years trying to live professionally. There are other professions around the world of much more profitable mountain.





Y.- You have an enviable track record in the world of climbing. You have not stopped achieving success and you are still unstoppable. What is the title that brought you the most joy?
C.S.- More than the titles are the experiences that I have lived, even some that have not been successful like on Cerro Torre but that have taught me a lot.

And.- Is it difficult to make friends in the world of competition?
C.S.- It always ends up being reduced to one or two, which is honestly more than enough.

And.- How far would you like to go in the world of mountaineering?
C.S.- After returning from the Himalayas in winter, I wanted to return to a big mountain like K2.





Y.- You have won titles in the climbing speed modality. Could you explain to our readers what it is?
C.S.- It is about pure and simple speed in not much difficulty. It is a modality with which the competition curiously began in Russia and that has never had greater significance.

Y.- Where do you prefer to climb? Rock or ice?
C.S.- Rock, clearly.

Y.- You have performed one of the most spectacular feats in the world of climbing: an 8a without a rope. How did you live it? Would you repeat?
C.S.- No, that taught me where my limits were in a somewhat controlled way. Back then, very few people in the world had done it, I had no references and the approach to the head was very demanding. I was looking to find a personal, honest, sincere path that would teach me something authentic outside of all falsehood.





Y.- Apart from your passion for the mountains, which you have been working on all your life, we see that you practice other adventure sports. How did you decide to get started in the world of skydiving?
C.S.- It was a natural evolution. It was something I wanted to try ever since I paraglided from the top of Naranjo de Bulnes. That made me think about another dimension of the mountain and the time came thanks to Leo Houlding, an English friend.

Y.- Later you have chosen to start practicing the B.A.S.E Jump modality. Why did you decide to take the step?
C.S.- I saw them in Yosemite fall down a wall and that was when I decided that I would do it sooner or later, then Leo came to give some conferences in Spain, I translated for him and he taught me everything I had to do.

And.- What do you prefer, the sensations offered by reaching a peak or jumping into the void from a ravine?
C.S.- Both things are extraordinary things that make you live incredible moments.

And.- What other adventure sports do you practice or would you like to practice?
C.S.- I've done some surfing for a few years, some diving and the occasional highline.





And.- What other hobbies do you have apart from extreme sports?
C.S.- Read, write and play golf.

Y.- You also have other facets, such as writer, presenter, speaker at conferences, editor in sports publications... Which one do you feel most comfortable with?
C.S.- Perhaps with writing but it is nothing more than a hobby, I would like to be able to write better. Regarding the job of presenter, it was only a one-year experience on La Sexta with Sara Carbonero, nothing more. Conferences are something I do occasionally, although every year for a long time now.





And.- If you ever retired from the mountain world, what would you like to do?
C.S.- I would hold on to a desk like the end of a Coen brothers movie says.

And.- What advice would you give to someone thinking about getting started in the world of climbing?
C.S.- Simply that he was aware of the risks he could run, nothing more.

And.- Your next goal?
C.S.- Uff, some free BASE, maybe in Greenland...

We leave you this promotional video about the latest book that Carlos Suarez has written, Dying for the top.



And you, do you also climb? You can tell us here.