Emily Harrington

Emily is one of the strongest and most well-rounded climbers in the world. From competition climbing, to legendary big walls, to the highest peaks around the world, Emily continues to make her mark on the sport and inspire a new generation.

Originally from Boulder, Colorado, she has been putting in the hard work it takes since she was 10 years old. Emily mastered indoor competition sport climbing and is a seven-time US National Champion. She has led the way in the sport by being the first woman to free climb the Golden Gate route on Yosemite’s El Capitan in under 24 hours.  She was the second American woman to sport climb 5.14b outdoors. 

And she has summited Mt. Everest and has climbed other high-altitude peaks in Nepal, China, Myanmar, Crimea and Morocco.  After a Himalayan expedition with Conrad Anker in 2011, she has had her goals set on climbing and skiing big mountains. 

Emily studied International Affairs and the politics of Sub-Saharan Africa, graduating in 2007 from University of Colorado, Boulder. 

With a drive to experience more of the world, Emily joined The North Face athlete team in 2008 to expand her climbing from the indoor walls of comp climbing to rock and summits around the world. She is insatiable when it comes to life, adventure, fitness, and sharing it all with others–especially with her husband, Adrian Ballinger. An IFMGA guide and professional big mountain skier himself, the power house couple takes on all adventures as a solid team. They live in Lake Tahoe, California, where Emily trains and enjoys water sports and skiing with her dog named Cat.