In this episode of the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast, Adam Williams talks with Katie Brown, the renowned rock climber that Climbing magazine named the “best female climber of the millennium” in 1999, and the author of ‘Unraveled,’ a memoir of Katie’s journey through darkness and back.

Adam talks with Katie about her growing up in isolation that was, at least in part, dictated by religious fervor in the household. She shares about how she walked the confusing tightrope of that isolation, of the expectations of god and her parents, and the fact that she was a rock climbing phenom of historic proportions, traveling the world, winning all kinds of big competitions, becoming a world champion as a teenager … And all while suffering deeply and unseen in silence. 

That suffering included disordered eating, self-harm and the mental, emotional and physical tolls of years of struggling to be the world’s best climber through all the turmoil. Alone. Katie would end up leaving the sport. Sort of, disappearing. Many climbers and fans of climbing had little or no idea why. Until ‘Unraveled,’ Katie’s memoir, was published a year ago.

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The We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast is a collaboration with the Chaffee County Departments of Public Health and Housing, and is supported by the Colorado Public Health & Environment: Office of Health Disparities. 

You can see show notes, read the show transcript, and learn more about the Looking Upstream podcast (and related storytelling initiatives) at wearechaffee.org, and on Instagram and Facebook @wearechaffee.

We Are Chaffee (wearechaffee.org) partners with KHEN radio (khen.org) in Salida, Colo., for local broadcasting of the Looking Upstream podcast.

Credits

Adam Williams, host, producer and photographer; Jon Pray, engineer and producer; Andrea Carlstrom, Director of Chaffee County Public Health and Environment; Lisa Martin, We Are Chaffee Community Advocacy Coordinator; and Heather Gorby, graphic and web design.