Boone Speed
American photographer and rock climber (born 1965)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Boone Speed (born August 29, 1965) is an American photographer[1] and rock climber.[2] The only son of Western sculptor[3] Ulysess Grant Speed (January 6, 1930 – October 1, 2011), Boone was raised outside of Provo, Utah, and studied Graphic Design at Brigham Young University.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | August 29, 1965 Provo, Utah, U.S. |
| Occupation | Photographer / climber |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg) |
| Climbing career | |
| Highest grade | |
Climbing career
Boone began climbing in the summer of 1985 near Salt Lake City, Utah. By the spring of 1987 Boone had climbed the most challenging routes in the region,[4] and began traveling to explore new crags in other undeveloped areas, including the sandstone of Red Rocks, outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, American Fork Canyon,[5] Virgin River Gorge and Logan Canyon, Utah, where Boone became the first American to climb the grade of 5.14b with his first ascent of "Super Tweak"[6] in 1994.
Boone has been on the cover of Climbing Magazine twice and has had published writing and photography in climbing, lifestyle and travel magazines worldwide.[7]
Timeline
- 1988 Began developing American Fork's Hell Cave[8] is home to many 1990's era test pieces including Speed's Power Junkie (5.14a) and his hardest route, "Ice Cream" (5.14c)
- 1989 began to develop the Virgin River Gorge, where Boone established the demanding classics "Fall Of Man" 5.13b (1990) and "Route of all Evil" 5.14a (1994)
- In August 1991, Boone was Climbing Magazine's cover feature and American Fork Canyon Climbing was its cover story, establishing Salt Lake City as a destination climbing area as well as an influence on the "limestone revolution" in America
- 1990 Boone was featured in the video "Masters Of Stone" on Dead Souls (5.13d) and Burning (5.13b) in American Fork's "Hell Cave"
- 1990 began to develop Logan Canyon, where Boone became the first American to successfully establish a consensus 5.14b route, "Super Tweak" in 1994
- 1991 began employment as designer at Black Diamond Equipment
- 1994 First ascent of Super Tweak featured in the video "Masters Of Stone 3"[9]
- 1995 Discovered Joe's Valley for bouldering (on tip from Conrad Anker[10]) and established first problems there
- 1995 Original partner of innovative climbing company Pusher where Boone became an influential handhold and training board shaper
- 1996 Pictured on cover of Climbing magazine (for second time) and feature article entitled "Boone Speed Tells All"[11]
- 1997 met Chris Sharma at base of "Necessary Evil" and established ongoing friendship
- 1997 climbed first ascent of "Ice Cream" 5.14c becoming one of the first 10 climbers in the world to climb the grade[12]
- 1997–1999 Employed by Fila as a climbing shoe designer and climbing market authenticator
- 1999–2001 Employed as creative director and photographer for Pusher[13]
- 2001–2007 worked as freelance designer and photographer for Bluewater Ropes and Entre Prises Climbing Walls
- 2005 Featured Photographer at Taos Mountain Film Festival[14]
- 2009 Photography show at Nau popup in New York
- 2011 PDN's "The Shot" Grand Prize winner[15]
- 2013 Photographed Chris Sharma and Daila Ojeda for ESPN The Magazine "The Body Issue"[16]
- 2014 Represented America as climbing Legend at The North Face's Kalymnos Climbing Festival[17]
- 2015 "Frightening Nature" film accepted into Cannes Short Film Corner (Director of Photography)[18]
Filmography
- "Masters of Stone"[19] (1990)
- "Masters of Stone 3"[20] (1994)
- "Yank on This" (1995)
- "Three Weeks and a Day"[21] (1996)
- "Best Forgotten Art"[22] (1996)
- "Fast Twitch"[23] (1997)
- "Movement" (1998)
- "Free Hueco"[24] (1998)
- "Frequent Flyers"[25] (2001)
- "Best of the West"[26] (2004)
- "Big Game"[27] (2004)
- "King Lines"[28] (2007)
- "Perfecto[29]" (2007)
- "Heraklia"[30] (2008)
- "Running From Crazy"[31] (2012)
- "Project American Fork"[32] (2013)