Emily Harrington

Emily Harrington is a climber in a league of her own. The seven-time U.S. National Sport Climbing Champion is not only a world-class competitor but also a master of legendary big walls and awe-inspiring peaks.

Undoubtedly, Harrington’s greatest achievement occurred in 2020 when she became the fourth woman in history to free climb Yosemite’s El Cap in less than 24 hours – and the first to do so via the Golden Gate route – captured in her feature-length documentary "Girl Climber." This bold choice of route speaks to her ethos as a climber: she thrives on struggle and draws strength from the fight.

The Boulder-born athlete has been climbing since age ten, and from the moment Harrington discovered the sport, nothing else mattered. Her career began in competition climbing but soon blossomed into big wall ascents. In 2008, Harrington joined The North Face team and set out to tackle the world’s most formidable mountains, including the big walls of Nepal, China, Myanmar, Crimea, and Morocco. In 2012, Harrington embarked on an expedition to summit Everest with The North Face team and National Geographic. It was there that she met her now-husband, fellow climber Adrian Ballinger.

Harrington and Ballinger are a dynamic duo, supporting each other as partners, parents, and peers. Their insatiable love of adventure takes them around the world as they continue to engage with the unexpected and seek out seemingly impossible challenges. They share their story and give viewers a glimpse into their life via their YouTube channel, DangerStikTV.

In everything she does, Harrington’s kind and resilient nature shines through. She’s not afraid of getting knocked down – in fact, she embraces it, because she’s more than strong enough to get back up.