No.568 Cerre Francis, 2008

File — Box: 65, Folder: 10

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Cerre (b. 1979) was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and suffered from hip dysplasia. Treatment for her condition involved multiple surgeries and a body cast during her first year. Her family was not particularly oriented to the outdoors so early in her life she was limited to taking lessons that her parents signed her up with. Her high-energy nature led her to more adventures in the outdoors when her family moved out of urban St. Louis. She first experienced climbing when a friend, who was an experienced climber, took her to a cliff. She surprised her friend by making the climb without any falls on the first try. From that point her desire to climb played a larger part in shaping her life. To get around her parents' restriction against overnight trips she fabricated a high school sponsored climbing club. At eighteen she convinced her parents to let her go to school in Steamboat Springs to be closer to the mountains of Rifle. Shortly after she moved on to Salt Lake and the climbing opportunities it offered. Her experience and drive led her to enter into competitive climbing. Cerre believes that climbing is losing its label as an extreme sport as it becomes more popular with people left with fewer available activities.

Utah Outdoor Recreation Project.

Interviewer: John Worsencroft

Dates

2008

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.