Mark rafferty

Mark is a young climber living in Rapid City, South Dakota. He started climbing several years ago with the encouragement of his brother.

“The area I live in made me fall in love with the sport more than any other outdoor sport I’ve encountered. In the Needles you rarely see anyone else climbing while you’re out there which makes you feel somewhat independent - like that particular rock was made for you.”

He and his friend John Lang (also a fellow Blurr ambassador) are currently working on route setting project, using traditional ground up bolting for the first ascent on a 5.11 face by Mt. Rushmore.

Mark struggled with his plans after finishing high school, and instead of enrolling in college, him and John have opted for a climbing trip in his 1980 Dodge Horizon Van, which they’ve customized to tailor their climbing lifestyle. They will be heading to Canada, fuelled by their memory of a long time climbing friend who lost his life in a car accident recently.

“Following the dreams we shared, we’ll hit all the big places Nehemiah wanted to climb, and I’m sure he will be there leading the way. We’ll try to keep up. “

You can follow their adventures at www.endlessearth.squarespace.com