Elan Jonas-McRae on Lucid Dreaming (v15). Photo courtesy of Matt Haig ©
For every climbing community, there is one or two very strong climbers that tend to stay just outside the limelight. They are often not as outspoken as others and are always dedicated to their craft. For Vancouver Island, Elan Jonas-McRae is one of these climbers. Having one of the best years of his climbing career thus far, Elan is ready for anything. Some of his highlights include Force of Nature (v13/14) in Moe’s Valley, Utah, Direct North (v14), The Swarm (v14), both in Bishop, CA, and The Reckoning (v14) in Squamish, BC. He also finished the 2014 IFSC Lead World Cup season in 16th place. Needless to say, Elan has started to find his own way and he is just getting started. Squamish Magazine thought it would be a good idea to get to know Elan and here what he had to say.
Hey Elan, how is it going?
Great thanks.
To give our readers a little bit of background on who you are, how long have you been climbing?
I’ve been climbing for just under 10 years now. I started climbing by taking part in a week long camp with a friend at the climbing gym in Nanaimo (Romper Room). Shortly after, I started climbing regularly once or twice a week until I was making visible progress and then joined the youth team. The gym had everything I needed to start learning technique and start getting strong. After a few years, I found it more beneficial to start setting my own training routes and I learned how to push myself really hard.
You currently train at The Boulders in Central Saanich, BC. Why do you choose to train there?
The Boulders and Kimanda Jarzebiak have supported me and understood my potential for as long as I can remember. And the gym always has hard routes to train on and coaching for areas that I need to work on. This not only includes getting stronger but also lots of mental preparation which is just as important in the World Cup. I train at the Boulders usually 2-3 days per week and as much as I can during busy parts of the year and find that training there with Andrew Wilson and Kimanda really help my climbing and specifically my weaknesses.
The remainder of the week I train on my home wall, which is covered in holds and perfect for building hard circuits. This wall has really helped me this year and I can see obvious improvements from it, and it is really ideal for extra on-sight practice as well. When I’m not training on my wall or in Vic I still climb at the Romper Room and enjoy hard boulder sessions with the many friends I have who climb there.
Are there specific training techniques you have added to your schedule for the World Cup?
At the moment I am incorporating more stretching, power and lower body workouts into my training days. These are the areas bringing me down at the moment and if I can round these things out, I’ll be a better climber overall. And competing on the circuit is all about being as well rounded as possible!
Elan on qualifier route at IFSC Training Camp. Photo courtesy of Christian J. Stewart ©
Two weeks ago you participated in the IFSC Camp at The Boulders. How was the experience?
The first ever IFSC training camp was an amazing experience! The camp ran extremely smoothly and I was left with lots of different things to take away. I especially enjoyed many of the times where nothing was on the agenda and I was able to just build boulder problems with Adam and the other strong climbers and then work them together. This is something that usually isn’t possible at world cups with the exception of maybe sharing one or two warm up boulders.
You ended up getting an opportunity to climb with the professional climbers in the mock final. How did it feel to be on the same footing as some of these athletes?
The mock comp was really fun and beneficial but the opportunity to climb in the ‘super final’ was definitely the highlight. Although the other routes weren’t easy, they didn’t re-create a World Cup feel nearly as close as the super-final did. This was because of all the strong guest athletes that were participating and the fact that the route looked much more demanding right from the start. The only other times where I warm up and compete on the same routes as these guys are at World Cups so this was a close as possible to that minus the pressure of performing.
Elan on super final route at IFSC camp. Photo courtesy of Christian J. Stewart ©
You had a big year last year. Can you tell us about a few of the memories that stick out the most?
2014 was for sure a break-through year in my climbing for a variety of reasons! When I think of the moments that highlighted my year, I come back to a few specific ones. Completing the The Reckoning (v14) in January 2014 is one of my proudest accomplishments to date. It took everything I had and left no room for any errors in sequence, footwork ,and commitment. When it finally came together, I felt light and unstoppable, until I got on the next project that is! Also, highlighting the year were a few comps where I climbed slightly better than previous bests. The lead World Cup in Imst, although not my best finish overall, was the first time I finished top 15 on any route in a World Cup. This was with a 13th place finish on q1. Building on that, I managed 14th place in Mokpo and 10th in Wujiang despite being injured. And in the latter, was only half a hold from finals! It got me psyched knowing that finals are possible. Bishop was also a highlight, but I left a bit disappointed having come so close on Lucid Dreaming but having to depart without a send.
Elan on top of The Swarm (v14). Photo courtesy of Matt Haig ©
Elan on beginning moves of The Reckoning (v14). Photo by Sean McGiffin ©
You will be joining the World Cup circuit for the second year in a row. What do you like about the circuit?
This year, I will once again be competing at all the lead world cups thanks to support from the Boulders! My favourite part of the circuit is competing along side all the best climbers, previewing with climbers like Sean and Adam and many others and seeing how much everyone is willing to help despite the fact it’s a competition. It’s amazing that even at the highest level, everyone will share thoughts on the routes and sequences they are thinking. It’s also a lot of fun hanging out with all the other climbers before and after the comps and getting to see so many countries!
Is the circuit on the world cup pretty social or do you find yourself with a lot of alone time?
During the time right before the competition and between rounds I really need alone time to reach my best mental state but during the competition it is actually quite social. Everyone talks among each other about the routes but not much else usually. After the competition, however, it is pretty social and I usually attend the after parties as well which are lots of fun! I am also hanging out with many of the other competitors on tours like the Asian stage where there is a week between each event. So I’d say it’s a definite mix of both.
Do you get a chance to climb some of the great spots in Europe when competing and what is your favourite crag
Most trips I’m focused just on the comps and there is little time for anything else but I’ve gotten the chance to climb in a few areas in France and had a great time! But I hope to climb in Fontainebleau one day! I would say Ailfroide was one of my favourites when it comes to the few European areas I’ve been to.
Elan on Force of Nature (v13/14). Photo by by Aaron Hamilton ©
I heard you ended up in the ditch on the way back to Bishop. Can you tell us a bit about this incident?
Yeah, the trip back from bishop wasn’t the most successful, I basically just encountered some ice, hit a tree, and then spent New Years on a very long and boring train.
For those who are close to you, you are known as a bit of a jokester. What kind of bets do you have going on at the moment?
I could be called a jokester perhaps, but maybe a more appropriate way of putting it would be that I come up with a lot of ridiculous ideas! Instead of just seeing a tree, I see an opportunity for Eddie Fowke to write a book about it! And when I see my coaches phone unlocked, I see an opportunity to send messages to her contacts about swans. Another game I learned from the Israeli climbing team is called what are the chances! Which basically means what are the chances someone will have to do some ridiculous thing I think up.
You have recently been trying Dreamcatcher?. How is the project going for you?
So far I’ve just had a couple quick try’s on dream catcher.. I love the line but I also love so many of the bouldering projects I have nearby.. So making time for the route is a struggle. But I plan on giving it some serious work sometime in the near future!
Elan trying The Singularity (v14). Photo by Sean McGiffin ©
You spend a fair amount of time in the forest. What do you love about Squamish climbing?
I spend as much time in the forest as possible and it really has a unique style. I love that almost everything is super technical and precise in both where your hands go (which crystal) and same with the feet. Some climbs feel completely impossible until you shift your body the slightest way and all of a sudden it’s easy. That and the fact that it has some of the most beautiful mountains and trees!
Any projects on the island right now?
Climbing on the island is really starting to take off and there is some world class bouldering that almost nobody knows about! Sutton pass has boulders as good as anything I’ve climbed at other more popular areas but is more pristine and less traveled. There’s room for so many first ascents at every grade! At the moment I’m slowly working away at a few hard lines that are a bit beyond me at the moment. They feel possible but probably not easier than 8c. At the moment 8b is the hardest established problem there.. Duke point also has some new hard lines and a few projects that are on sandstone.. The new area is close to the ferry terminal as well and has everything from 7b+ up to a few projects that are close to going. The place is all slopers! That and The Singularity in Squamish is my main project at the moment and it feels close!
Thanks Elan. Lets hope you get out with such good weather and good luck this year on the World Cup circuit.
Elan Jones McRae is sponsored by The Boulders Climbing Gym, Kimanda Jarzebiak, and Flashed.
