He continues to pursue climbing today, and in this interview, he introduces his latest film project, Tres Rocas, a movie that tells three stories from the world of climbing.
Yumping.- When did you start climbing, and why?
The Shaman.- For as long as I can remember, my parents encouraged a love for nature, sport, and art. Our father took my brother and me to climb Popocatépetl when I was fourteen. From then on, I sought out climbing courses and mountain expeditions. At sixteen, I visited the Cordillera Blanca in Peru—that’s where I truly began as a climber.
Y.- What were your early climbing experiences like?
T.S.- I went to Peru with three friends who knew the Cordillera Blanca. We attempted steep walls of snow, ice, and rock. That year, we didn’t summit any of the mountains we tried. We chose to climb instead of taking easy hiking routes, learning that the summit wasn’t the goal—it was the path we chose and how we traversed it.
Y.- How did your family feel about you climbing?
T.S.- Before my first trip to Peru, my parents disagreed with exposing myself to such extreme mountain experiences at a young age. It’s natural to worry about loved ones when they’re in danger. Still, they’ve always supported my projects, understanding that the goal is the physical and mental challenge of adventure sports—though I doubt they ever stop worrying.
Their support and advice have been crucial for my growth in climbing and studies.
Y.- How many years have you been climbing?
T.S.- I climbed Popocatépetl at fourteen. By sixteen, I was rock climbing at a basic level (sport and traditional), as well as ice climbing. Now I’m 31, and I still believe climbing and adventure sports, beyond being thrilling, help develop physical and mental resilience for life’s challenges.
Y.- Name some mountains or rocks you’ve had the pleasure of climbing.
T.S.- Here are a few:
- Peru: Yanahuaca (first repeat of the Gripe Peruana route, 750m), Esfinge (9 hrs), Ranrapalca (north face), Alpamayo, Artesonraju, Tocliarraju.
- USA: Various routes on El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Linin Tower, Mt. Denali (west rib).
- Tanzania: Kilimanjaro.
- Nepal: Island Peak.
- Spain: Various sport and traditional climbing areas.
- Mexico: Iztaccíhuatl (ascents via multiple routes and difficulties), Citlaltépetl, Popocatépetl, and other national peaks.
- Opened 200m mixed, sport, and traditional rock routes. Established new sport and traditional climbs across Mexico.
T.S.- Fifteen years ago, competition was far scarcer than today. Climbing is growing rapidly in Mexico, with more training walls and competitors.
Y.- Have you won any competitions?
T.S.- A few times early on, but I’ve never been keen—I prefer natural rock over artificial walls, though they’re vital for training.
Y.- Why the nickname "The Shaman"?
T.S.- When I started climbing, a teammate called me a shaman, and Eduardo Tovar (my first instructor) joked about it. Gradually, The Shaman stuck.
Y.- How do you define climbing: a sport or a life philosophy?
T.S.- Beyond sport, climbing takes us to vantage points where life looks different, reshaping our perceptions.
Y.- What’s your film background?
T.S.- I studied still photography at Activa de Fotografía for two years, then got drawn into filmmaking.
I worked as a production assistant on CCC (Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica) thesis shorts, then a feature, later in locations and art departments, and finally as a camera assistant on documentaries, ads, and films.
I studied Film Directing at CCC, specialising in cinematography, where I made shorts and directed the documentary Tres Rocas, plus other shorts as DoP.
As a cinematographer, I’ve worked on documentaries like Un Paso Una Cumbre, Más Allá de la Cumbre, Aprendiendo a Volar, Juan Carranza, and Costa Alegre.
Y.- When did you start blending photography with climbing?
T.S.- My first short as director at CCC depicted a dream where a man scales a vertical rock. At the summit, he meets a raven-holding entity, realises he’s unprotected, denies fear, and completes the climb.
Since studying photography, I’ve sought to capture adventure sports and mountain narratives.
Y.- What does imagery offer climbing?
T.S.- It’s a medium to share stories from the mountains, offering climbers’ perspectives and encounters.
Y.- Does climbing with visual goals (angles, sequences) change how you experience the sport?
T.S.- Yes. Balancing focus on climbing and filming is tough, especially with just two on a big wall.
Y.- Is filming a climb as demanding as climbing alone?
T.S.- Filming can be easy in accessible spots, but on vast walls or peaks, the camera must ascend while scouting shots.
Y.- What was your latest project?
T.S.- In film: The documentary Juan Carranza (now in post-production), directed by Rodrigo Imaz. In climbing: opening a route on El Gigante (900m; unfinished—we did a third and aim to return, ideally filming!).
Y.- How developed is climbing in Mexico?
T.S.- There’s room for growth, but many zones exist, and climbers increase daily.
Y.- Are there many established routes?
T.S.- Roughly 100 zones, each with 10–100 routes nationwide.
Y.- Who creates new routes?
T.S.- Most developers I know are independents—experienced enough to see Mexico’s vast potential and eager to pioneer.
Y.- Is there an official climbing federation in Mexico?
T.S.- Yes, the FMDMyE (Federación Mexicana de Deportes de Montaña y Escalada, A.C.). President Alfredo has helped manufacture bolts for new routes and maintain existing ones.
Y.- Describe your film Tres Rocas.
T.S.- Tres Rocas intertwines three rock climbing tales. Carlos García tackles a big-wall adventure in the Cordillera Blanca. Diego López spends months attempting 10m desert boulders. A team works a new 1000m route, chasing extreme difficulty.
Y.- How do these stories connect?
T.S.- All characters share a drive to pioneer routes—whether big walls or boulders—pushing physical and mental limits on rock.
Y.- What challenges did filming these scenes pose, and how’d you approach them?
T.S.- Beyond climbing readiness, staying focused on the narrative is key.
I anticipate events and angles, sometimes correctly. Often, unplanned moments arise, and I grab the camera to capture them. Improvisation is essential.
Y.- While filming ascents, do you split focus between climbing and shots?
T.S.- I prioritise ideal lighting. When possible, I climb with the camera, filming top-down or seeking angles.
Y.- Who’s your film’s audience?
T.S.- Tres Rocas is for anyone curious about climbing and adventure sports.
Y.- What does this film contribute to climbing?
T.S.- Few Mexican productions cover this topic. It showcases small-scale filmmaking’s potential for compelling projects.
Y.- Any upcoming projects?
T.S.- A fiction short about an ageing man whose failing memory leads his children to commit him to a home. Refusing half-life, he retrieves old climbing gear and ascends Iztaccíhuatl to await death on the summit.
Y.- Beyond imagery and climbing, any hobbies?
T.S.- Running, cycling, music, and reading.
Y.- Favourite book or film?
T.S.- Himalaya Alpine Style by Andy Fanshawe and Stephen Venables; film-wise, Werner Herzog’s Aguirre.
Y.- Any climbing films/documentaries you’d recommend?
T.S.- Yes—Asgard Jamming.
Y.- Where do you see yourself in ten years?
T.S.- Having climbed many mountains and made many films—documentary and fiction.
