Episode 16 – One Thumb Up with Adrienne Wheaton

Born in Ontario, Adrienne came to Squamish on a whim 13 years ago and made Beautiful B.C. her home. Her passion is rock climbing, both locally and abroad, and she is lucky enough to live within a stone’s throw of the Stawamus Chief. When not climbing (or travelling somewhere to climb), she can be found mountain biking on the Squamish trails with her ridiculously speedy dog LD (which is short for Lil’ Doggie) and her partner, Nate. Adrienne love’s a good road trip, a lively political conversation, BC red wine, gardening, and listening to podcasts (actually).

Adrienne’s work and academic background is in education – she holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Guelph and completed her teacher certification in New York. From there, she taught elementary school for 11 years, in addition to working in hospitality, before transitioning into employment services. A self-described lifelong learners and a “bit of a nerd,” Adrienne is happiest at work when she is helping others to learn and excel in their roles. Adrienne recently accepted as position as a Corporate Trainer for Open Door Group. This role allows her to be creative and using her teaching experience within the context of employment services.

Adrienne suffered a climbing accident in 2018, which resulted in the loss of a thumb and two fingertips. After extensive rehabilitation, Adrienne returned to climbing and was the first to ascend a new route south of that across from Murrin Park at a crag called Splitsville, which she aptly named ‘One Thumb Up.’ She continues to climb today, and her story is an inspiring example of perseverance and grit.

In this episode, Adrienne and Joel discuss:

• Her move from Ontario to Squamish, and how moving outside of her comfort zone led to a life of continuous personal development
• Adrienne’s history of mental health concerns, and the challenges that she has faced in overcoming them
• Adrienne’s rock climbing accident, and how it led to a new perspective on life
• The importance of having goals and aspirations to work towards in order to progress through life’s challenges
• How having a supportive community around you is beneficial to overcome obstacles and persevere when faced with adversity