Dry skin in Colorado

Dry skin in Colorado

I have very dry skin, so my first winter living in Colorado was a nightmare! On February 26th, I reached the point where I had a split crease on almost every finger and several split tips. I felt like my skin exploded as soon as I touched the rock every session. 

(February 26th)

I had a week-long climbing trip planned for March 6, and I was very nervous about my skin. I decided to do a skin “reset” after it had already re-split many times all winter. I first sanded everything as flat as possible using the Rhino sander, which is one of my favorite Rhino products – I bring them with me everywhere!

I used Rhino Split+ throughout the day and each night and continued sanding daily. I trained inside with all of the splits taped. In addition, I used Rhino Spit whenever I climbed, sometimes even between every attempt. Three days later, on March 1st, my skin was already looking a lot better.

(March 1st)

Continuing to use Split+, the sander, and Spit, I felt like my skin was not going to re-split by the start of the trip!

(March 6th)

I was able to climb three days on in Moe’s Valley with no splits, with further improvements in my skin each day.

(March 7th)

I returned to Colorado and was able to send an extremely sharp climb called the Urinal V10, which had absolutely destroyed my skin in the past. I used a bit of preventative tape and came out of it completely unscathed! This is the first time I felt like I had a handle on my skin all winter thanks to Rhino!

About the climber: Alison Ke

I’m Alison Ke. I live in Boulder, Colorado, and I work as a data scientist. I started climbing in 2017, and I am most passionate about outdoor bouldering. I enjoy climbing as a way to challenge myself to push my physical and mental limits while connecting with nature – my preferred climbing style is burly moves on granite slopers! I also love being involved in the climbing community. I volunteer with Cruxing in Color, which is a nonprofit based in Denver, CO that promotes inclusivity in climbing for people of color through gym meetups, outdoor clinics, providing gear or gym memberships, and course scholarships. I hope to share my passion for climbing with others in the community, specifically women and shorter climbers.

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