Erik Griffith

Bio: My name is Erik and I’m the founder and lead guide for Vertical Pursuits.

My journey in the mountains started when I was 18, mostly revolving around bouldering and breaching into the outdoor climbing world. When I was 20 years I embarked on a 2 year guide course that took me through the Northern Ice Cap of Patagonia, Picos De Europa of Spain and up to the rugged Eastern Alaskan Range. Since then, I have traveled and guided in various places until I made Yosemite Valley my home and training ground for over 4 years. While I lived in Yosemite, I made multiple trips up El Capitan, including in a day ascents, and free climbed many of the classic formations and routes in the park.

I’ve recently transitioned back to Sacramento, where I’m originally from, to pursue non-destructive testing and wind turbine work as a rope access technician and to start my own guide company.