The first woman to climb both.
Michaela Kiersch started climbing as a kid in Chicago and never stopped. She grew up climbing at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, where her love of outdoor climbing began, and made the US team in lead, bouldering and speed. She studied in Chicago through graduate school and earned a clinical doctorate in occupational therapy while she climbed.
Her outdoor record built year by year. Necessary Evil, a 5.14c, in 2018. Super Tweak, America’s first 5.14b, and Dreamcatcher, Chris Sharma’s 9a in Squamish, in 2021. La Rambla, a 9a+, in 2023, and Víctima Perfecta, another, in 2024. In November 2024 she made the first female ascent of Dreamtime, Fred Nicole’s V15 in Cresciano, Switzerland, which made her the first woman to climb both 5.15 and V15.
In 2025 she opened Mad Lib, a 5.14d in New England, the hardest first ascent by a woman in North America. Now she is after more first ascents.
Her skin is very dry, so Repair and Hydrate are part of every day. When conditions are dry enough she uses Hydrate before every attempt. Michaela is a member of the Rhino Pro Team.
