Climber Story: Jordan Tidball-Sciullo

To start, tell us a little bit about yourself

I am 32 years old and live in Colorado with my partner. Backpacking trips in my youth increased my passion for the outdoors which has grown to encompass a wide variety of pursuits from backcountry skiing to rock climbing. As a true believer that the outdoors can be used as a vehicle for therapeutic growth, I earned a degree in Adventure Education from Prescott College.

For the past 10 years, I have been working in the outdoor industry and have facilitated a wide range of activities including backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing (SPI), kayaking, and high ropes courses. In addition to direct facilitation, I have spent a significant amount of time in various leadership and administrative roles within the outdoor industry.

After receiving my EMT certification during the pandemic, I spent time working for an ambulance company and am currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Nursing. While school keeps me busy, I am currently working on the "Medical Surgical Progressive Care Unit" at a local hospital and facilitate rock climbing for a few local organizations when I have the time.

How did you start climbing?

Growing up in the foothills of the Rockies, I remember going on a backpacking trip at the age of six. During this trip, I waded through streams, fished in an alpine lake, listened to my first debate about “proper” backpack packing, and slept under a canvas of stars. It was unforgettable and inspired me to pursue further adventures.

This led to a childhood full of skiing, mountain biking, skateboarding, and more. While I did climb periodically when I was younger, I didn't begin climbing consistently until 2011 while getting my BA in "Human Development: Therapeutic Use of Adventure Education." Since, then climbing has been a large part of my life personally and professionally. 

What impact has climbing had on your life?

Climbing has had an immense impact on my life personally and professionally!

In short, it allows me to push myself mentally and physically in beautiful and remote places with amazing people. I also really like that climbing can be a lifetime pursuit. What I mean by this is that with all the different disciplines and terrain, there is no real way to stop learning and growing as a climber.

One example of this for me has been my recent foray into ice climbing. While humbling at first, I have been blown away by the new terrain and experiences ice climbing has opened up for me as a climber and mountaineer. While I love to learn and grow as a climber, I also truly enjoy sharing my knowledge with others. This is why I try to get out and facilitate rock climbing professionally when ever I can.

What are some other things you do that you find most fulfilling?

Spending time outside moving is what brings me joy. Sometimes the hard part for me is choosing what activity to do! Am I going to climb, mountain bike, backpack, trail run, surf, or backcountry ski? For me the activity matters less than the locale and the people I am with.

If you could tell the world one thing, what would it be?

Stay humble. Wear a helmet.

Is there something you're working on that you'd like to tell our community about? We love a good story.

LOL, I am in nursing school and don't have much free time!

You can find Jordan on Instagram at @jleets90 or check out his adventuring gorillas at @sweetsweetgorillabros.

Want to get to know more of the climbers in the amazing Dynamite Starfish community? Check out our archive of Climber Stories here.

We hope you have enjoyed these sneak peeks into climbers' lives. We're on a mission to share diverse stories about rock climbing. Let's push the boundaries of who we know as climbers. Let's use our energy and passion for the outdoors to love our environment and inspire one another.

Have someone you think we should feature? Send us a message and let us know!

Until next time!