British Columbia·NewReagan Goodwyn, who’s been climbing since she was four years old, led the climb to the first peak of the Stawamus Chief monolith, at just over 600 metres. She then belayed her father, as he climbed up after her.Child’s skillful manoeuvring on one of world’s largest monoliths astonishes expert climberAlanna Kelly · CBC News · Posted: Aug 31, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 30 minutes agoReagan Goodwyn was eight years old at the time that she climbed the Stawamus Chief in Squamish on June 23, 2025. She has since turned nine. (Alanna Kelly/CBC)Nine-year-old Reagan Goodwyn describes her recent, jaw-dropping climbing accomplishment in Squamish, B.C., as “really fun.” But on June 23, the then eight-year-old achieved what many adult climbers can only dream of: she climbed to the top of the Stawamus Chief.Using her small hands, she led the climb, placing protective equipment into the cracks of the rock wall.It took her 5½ hours to reach the top of the first peak of the granite monolith at just over 600 metres.”I really like feeling the accomplishments, when I get to the top of a really hard climb, I feel so good,” Reagan said. “It’s cool.”Reagan has been doing traditional climbing for five years, having been inspired while watching other climbers in Moab, Utah, her family’s home base. “We went and bought a rope and some gear and started climbing,” she said.Her father, David Goodwyn, started climbing at the same time. The two developed and learned together. He was surprised when, only a short time later and at only four years old, she asked to lead a route.”I kind of brushed her off, thinking ‘There’s no way you’re too young, you can’t comprehend what we’re doing,'” he said.”But she proved that she knew what she was doing, and she proved a lot of competence with the gear.”Together, the pair went through all the equipment and practiced.”It’s just been impressive since she was young,” he said. “I think that Reagan’s the youngest person to have ever climbed the Chief.”Local climber and author Kevin McLane, who’s spent more than 58 years climbing, much of it in Squamish, said he believes that’s true.”This small girl has offered a mountain of inspiration to everyone who climbs,” he said. Togther, the pair have done hundreds of climbs and are looking to tackle more big walls in the future. (Alanna Kelly/CBC)Creative thinkingGoodwyn admits she can get a bit nervous from time to time and has a trick to stay calm.”I usually just sing songs,” she said.Other than humming and singing along, the duo has a comfortable silence when they climb. They are in sync and trust each other.David was confident in Reagan’s ability to climb the Chief.”I think she was more nervous than I was to start,” said David.During the most difficult section of the climb, Reagan did a long traverse, while her dad watched from below. “It’s just real tentative climbing and you kind of feel like you’re going to fall over backwards,” he said. “I was worried that she might not be able to reach all the holds there, but she crushed it.”Reagan not only got through but then belayed her father as he climbed up.”She was able to get a kind of sideways, foot-up chimney kind of across … and it’s that creative thinking that’s always impressing me when she’s climbing,” he said.Reagan leads the climbs with her dad following close behind. (@reagan_rocks_rides/YouTube)’Never underestimate small girls’McLane, who’s authored several books about the sport during his decades of climbing, said he was astonished when he heard about Reagan’s climb.”For someone so young, and all the more so given that she led the entire climb, that’s what really makes it stand out,” he said.The Grand Wall, the section of the Chief that she climbed, is known to be difficult for its steepness and that requires the skill of “crack” climbing.Two very fast climbers could possibly take turns leading and complete the climb in three hours, he said.WATCH | Olympian hikes West Coast Trail wearing borrowed Croc:Clara Hughes completes West Coast Trail with one donated Croc after losing a runnerCanadian Olympian Clara Hughes is best known for her ice skates, but after a recent mishap on B.C.’s West Coast Trail, she found herself in strange footwear — one runner and one donated Croc. Here’s the story of how it all started and how it finished.”She’s entirely responsible for placing protection,” he said. “Her dad’s holding the rope below, and he cannot help. She’s on her own to make sure that, should she fall, there is adequate protection in the rock.”Even at a young age and just four feet tall, she’s showing extensive knowledge and mental resilience McLane said.”She’s demonstrating to the world that [nine-year-old] girls can have that capability,” he said. “Never underestimate small girls.”The Stawamus Chief’s first peak is roughly 600 metres high. (Alanna Kelly)Regan says she looks for the natural holds or chalk on the rocks to guide her way. Having her dad right beside her is one of the keys to her success. She completed 15 pitches to climb the Stawamus Chief.”You can see all of Squamish from up there, it’s really nice,” she said.Her dad filmed her climbing the Stawamus Chief and shared it on social media, where it’s been viewed more than 14,000 times.”He motivates me to climb hard stuff and do it,” she said.As for her future, she’s eager to continue climbing and wants to do some big walls.”I really want to have more community in the climbing world,” she said. “Just get out there and climb.”Reagen Woodwyn uses her fingers and safety equipment to make her way up when doing traditional rock climbing. (Alanna Kelly/CBC News)ABOUT THE AUTHORAlanna Kelly is a CBC News journalist based in Squamish, B.C., covering the Sea-to-Sky region, including Whistler, Pemberton and the Sunshine Coast. You can email story ideas to alanna.kelly@cbc.ca.
‘She crushed it’: 8-year-old leads climb up daunting Stawamus Chief in Squamish, B.C.
