89 | The Creek Freak w/ Devin Fin

The Climbing Majority

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If you’re a crack climber, chances are you’ve either made the pilgrimage to Indian Creek or have at least dreamed about it. Nestled in the Utah desert, this valley holds one of the highest concentrations of pure splitter cracks in the world. It’s quite literally a crack climber’s paradise.

The remarkable uniformity of its cracks require upwards of 16 cams of the same size . While early pioneers like Earl Wiggins made history with routes like Supercrack—established with nothing but hexes—it wasn’t until the late ‘70s and the development of cams that the true potential of the Creek was unlocked. Since then, the area has exploded in popularity, with over 1,600 routes listed on Mountain Project alone.

But of all the climbers who have contributed to the development of Indian Creek, one name stands out: Devin Fin.

Devin caught the Creek bug early, after his family moved to Durango. Once he got a taste of the desert splitters, he never looked back. He dedicated his life to climbing and establishing new routes full-time, amassing an incredible 665 first ascents in the creek over the last thirty years.. But unlike some route developers, Devin doesn’t publish all his climbs in guidebooks or Mountain Project. Instead,over half of his established routes are sitting in the desert waiting to be climbed… If you’re in search for a Devin Fin route you’ll just need to follow the breadcrumbs…With placards at the base and signature shiny bolted anchors—these classic routes wait for adventurous climbers to stumble upon them.

For Devin, route development isn’t just about creating climbs—it’s a way of life. With no car, no house, and no traditional job, he has built a life centered entirely around climbing, exploration, and self-sufficiency. He wakes up every day in pursuit of the next climb.

In our conversation, we dive into Devin’s background, the history of Indian Creek climbing, the elusive nature of his first ascents, risk management, his memorable FA’s, and more.

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Resources

Devin's IG

The Creek Freak Guidebook

Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Devin's Entire Background (00:02:26)

3. The History of Indian Creek Climbing (00:28:21)

4. Motivations Behind The Art of Development (00:31:00)

5. Bolting Ban (00:36:26)

6. Making First Ascents Public (00:41:41)

7. I Was A Pro Climber (00:47:18)

8. A Climber's Passions (00:57:24)

9. Risk Management, Notable Ascents, & Weaknesses (01:11:31)

10. Final Reflections (01:37:50)

91 episodes

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