From Climbing · Maya Silver · · 2m
Brittany Chadbourne Finds Climbing After Paralysis
A Utah climber paralyzed in a gym accident now competes in paraclimbing while advocating for safer routesetting practices.
In brief
A Utah climber paralyzed in a gym accident now competes in paraclimbing while advocating for safer routesetting practices. Brittany Chadbourne, paralyzed from the waist down in a 2022 climbing accident, became a Team USA paraclimber and advocates for safer routesetting after recovering. Originally reported by Climbing.
Brittany Chadbourne's Accident
Brittany Chadbourne was paralyzed from the belly button down after a 2022 climbing accident at The Front gym in Ogden, Utah.
“I immediately knew that I was falling, so I just closed my eyes and fell 30 feet.”
The Accident Details
Chadbourne used an alpine butterfly knot system that slipped, causing her to fall 30 feet and sustain spinal and leg injuries.
Injuries Sustained
She shattered her tibia and fibula, suffered a burst fracture of her T12 vertebra and compression fractures at her C7, T5, and T7 vertebrae.
Recovery Process
Chadbourne spent two months in the hospital and a month adjusting to her new normal before returning to climbing.
Paraclimbing Transition
Chadbourne now competes in the AL1 paraclimbing classification, using only her arms to climb while training for competitive goals.
Team USA Achievement
Chadbourne earned bronze in the 2025 Paraclimbing National Championships and silver in 2026, becoming a Team USA paraclimber.
Advocating for Safety
Chadbourne teaches climbing at Weber State University and advocates for safer routesetting practices to prevent similar accidents.
Mixed-Gender Competition
Chadbourne and Carlie Cook pushed for mixed-gender AL1 competition, which the International Federation of Sport Climbing approved in March 2025.
Paralympic Dreams
Chadbourne hopes paraclimbing will be included in the 2032 Paralympics after being excluded from the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Current Focus
Chadbourne trains in Nordic skiing and biathlon while working to increase female paraclimbers in the AL1 category.
Finding Her Voice
Chadbourne encourages climbers to speak up if they don’t understand routesetting systems to prevent accidents.
The Giant Asterisk
Chadbourne says she’s the giant asterisk at the end of 'climbing is dangerous' to remind climbers of the risks.
“I'm the giant asterisk at the end of 'climbing is dangerous.'”
Future Goals
Chadbourne aims to make a World Cup final and expand paraclimbing by competing against men until more women join the sport.
What Happens Next
Chadbourne continues to advocate for safer climbing practices and hopes paraclimbing will be included in the 2032 Paralympics.
At a glance
Brittany Chadbourne, paralyzed from the waist down in a 2022 climbing accident, became a Team USA paraclimber and advocates for safer routesetting after recovering.
