Today, high-end climbing is largely dominated by teenagers, but back in the 1970s the then-small sport of rock climbing was dominated by adult men. These three young climbers from Lancaster, PA stood out not only for their age, but also for the grade they climbed. In 1980, Eric lead his first 5.10 climbs at the Shawangunks in New York, and the next year he broke the 5.11 barrier with numerous ascents including, at the time, one of the youngest leads of Foops (5.11c) in April 1981. That summer, Eric traveled to Boulder, CO and made quick work of many classic 5.10s and 5.11s including ascents Athlete's Feat (5.11a), Kloeberdanz (5.11b) and Country Club Crack (5.11c). The trip culminated with a toprope flash of The Gill Crack (5.12a), the 17-year old's first 5.12 climb (and a rare grade for most any climber at that time). [Photo: Leading Foops (5.11c) at the Shawangunks, NY in April 1981.]

Back east, Eric spent his senior year in high school climbing weekends at the Gunks and Seneca Rocks. During weekdays, he bouldered at nearby crags and devised home-training methods (including his first home training wall comprised of small wood blocks screwed to the walls and ceiling of his basement). Summer 1982, Eric began college at Penn State University--he also began his assault on blank walls at the nearby Bellefonte Quarry with the 3rd ascent of the area's hardest climb, White Line Fever (his first 5.12 lead). Teaming up with local cragmaster, Jim Bowers, the pair spent the next four years establishing dozens of new routes, and, in 1986, they established what were maybe Pennsylvania's first two 5.13 climbs: Power Windows and Autumn Arch. Meanwhile, weekend trips to the Gunks and Seneca Rocks produced a long ticklist of classics in the 5.10 to 5.12a range. [Summer 1981, sending the second pitch of Country Club Crack (5.11c), Boulder Canyon, CO. Note: the hard-rubber EB shoes and red webbing "swami belt" harness.]

November 1986 brought Eric to a little-known area (then) in southern West Virginia, the New River Gorge. You might say it was love at first sight as Eric pulled down on the steep, pristine Nuttal sandstone. This first visit culminated with him free climbing a former aid line out an overhang--at the grade of 5.12a/b, Pilots Of Bekaa became one of the area's hardest routes. In 1987, Eric joined existing new route activists (Artz, Begoon, Parker, Reed, Thompson and others) on forging dozens of new routes including his ascent of Diamond Life (5.13a) at Bubba City. In October 1987, Diamond Life was the New's and West Virginia's only 5.13; however, this would change quickly as the handful of New River activists cranked out many routes of this grade and harder in the following seasons making the New a world famous climbing area. Eric remains active at the New River Gorge with nearly 300 first ascents to his credit. A prolific "new router", he has established over 500 routes at crags in several states. [Photo: First ascent of Diamond Life (5.13a), New River Gorge, WV. 1987]

Though based in Pennsylvania, Eric has enjoyed traveling to over 100 crags, both famous and obscure, in the United States. He's also climbed across Europe including stops across France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Monaco. Still, Eric, his wife Lisa Ann (an LPGA golf pro and climber) and sons, Cameron and Jonathan, call Lancaster, PA their home. They enjoy frequent weekend climbing trips and strive to camp and climb as a family as much as possible. Eric also travels alone on frequent climbing trips and to speak at venues across the country. And, in addition to his type-A-driven writing, training, and climbing schedule, Eric is an adjunct faculty and staff member with the Earth Sciences Department at Millersville University.
[Photo: Welcome To Conditioning (5.13a), New River Gorge. 1989]

Eric credits his background in math and science as spurring on his interest in the science of climbing performance. Since his early days of home training (circa 1979) to present, Eric has always had almost as much fun training for climbing as he has climbing itself. Over the years, he has studied thousands of research articles and texts on exercise physiology, motor learning, and sports psychology. Since 1988, Eric has coached hundreds of climbers on how to climb and train more effectively. He has authored over 35 articles on the subject for the major climbing magazines as well as written several best-selling books in the genre, including, Flash Training (1994), How To Climb 5.12 (1997), Training For Climbing (2002). All three books have foriegn translations. In 1994, Eric commenced as a design consultant for Nicros, Inc., a manufacturer of climbing walls and training products, a position he continues with today. [Photo: Reve de' Papillon (8a/5.13b), Buoux, France in 1994.]

In his "free time" away from climbing, Eric continues to write books and magazine articles, speak, record podcasts, shoot climbing and fitness photographs, and develop self-development material (such as his Mental Wings CD). The thread that connects all his activities--writing, training, photography, public speaking, and this web site--is his desire to motivate and inspire others, in creative and innovative ways that will leave a lasting legacy. His latest book, Learning to Climbing: The Complete Guide to Indoor Climbing, was released in July 2006, and his follow-up book, Conditioning for Climbers, will be out in May 2008. Visit the Articles and Multimedia pages to read his latest articles and listen to podcasts. [Photo: EH on the first ascent of Logotherapy (13a/b), New River Gorge, WV. Fall 2002]

Having climbed now for over two-thirds of his life, the 44-year old shows no signs of slowing down. He credits "balance" for his longevity in such a rigorous sport--he says "climbing has always been a big part of my life, but it has never been my whole life." He continues to work on developing new mental and strength training methods, spending weekends climbing and meeting new people and, best of all, enjoying quality time in the outdoors with his wife and sons. When asked to name his biggest climbing accomplishment, Eric doesn't name a climb, but instead says "having helped thousands of climbers in over 50 countries to climb better and, hopefully, enjoy this wondrous sport even more!" [Photo: Horst family on vacation in Oregon, 2006.]