A Secret Storage Room for LA Wilderness Training
LA Wilderness Training, a non-profit org that provides urban youth with trained wilderness leaders and outdoor equipment, recently asked me if I would photograph their awesome storage space. They receive lots of donations from outdoor gear shops like Adventure 16. They also received the generosity of the Stronghold Climbing Gym, which was kind enough to let the Executive Director, Chelsea Griffie, store these donations behind their climbing wall. You may be wondering, how do you create storage space behind a giant climbing wall? Well, you build what Chelsea likes to call, a little Hobbit door to the other side! Back there, there is an endless supply of goodies. It was such a cool little space and I really enjoyed photographing it. Who knew that the other side of the climbing wall could be so photogenic?
Well...Chelsea did. And that's why she asked! Chelsea is an amazing climber and quite an inspirational woman. She was the first African American woman to climb El Cap and she leads the only women of color backpacking trip in the nation. She's a quirky and kind soul with a big laugh and a can-do attitude. In the little time I spent with her, she striked me as the kind of person who doesn't like waste. She makes good use of her resources and gives back immensely. She even found a giant hula hoop in the bins outside the gym, tried it, saw that it still worked, and brought it back inside with her. I'm sure she'll put it to good use!
