Charlie Faust
Run, Rabbit, Run!
Born and raised in the South with a myriad of health problems, Charlie spent much of his childhood in and out of hospitals, leaving him with what he describes as "Frankenstein internals, but they usually work." Hardly a good start for an athlete, he instead focused on school, theatre, and mock trial. However, some dark times and a bit of trouble in high school resulted in his mother sending Charlie off on a summer mountaineering trip to the Sierra Nevada. He found his outlet, and his passion for the mountains was born. He spent the next four summers in California working for the same outfit, guiding clients and using donkeys to trek for weeks at a time through the Eastern Sierra wilderness. He didn’t discover technical climbing until college, but after graduating from UGA and trying a short stint in the corporate world, he left that all behind, drove to Ouray, Colorado, and dove headfirst into becoming a climber.
Out of the Blue, and into the Black
Charlie says his only natural talent in climbing is the mental side, and his climbing resume reflects his taste for adventure, unknown, and pushing the mental aspect of climbing as much as the physical one. From alpine and big wall first ascents, hard repeats and solos, to 60+ days spent adventuring in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Charlie is happiest when you’ve got “a partner or two you love, no people around, and an unknown face to get committed on. All your problems melt away, you find flow, and you give it your all.” For Charlie, starting Beartooth Alpine Equipment with Paul was to bring life full circle. It was an opportunity to bring back a life he left behind, and to create something that Charlie, his friends, and the community could both be proud of and feel that it represented what climbing was all about.
Instagram: @cookclimbrepeat
Meet the Beartooth Team
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Paul Shaughnessy - Owner
Learn MoreIntroduced to the mountains by his father Dave at the age of 13, climbing has been part of Paul’s life for over 30 years. After graduating from Wyoming Tech, Paul pursued a...
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Adrien Costa - Athlete
Learn MoreHaving spent the first half of his life primarily on two wheels, racing road bikes professionally in Europe, Adrien lives for the flow state that exists between exertion and nature. After deciding to leave cycling to...
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Dane Steadman - Athlete
Learn MoreBorn and raised in the cauldron of Phoenix, Arizona, a young Dane never would have dreamed that climbing frozen mountains would become the driving force in his life. Dane found climbing after years of dedication...
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Cody Winkler - Athlete
Learn MoreA Wyoming native, Cody left the west in search of professional development and careers in the trades. The roots he had grown in Wyoming soon called him home, leading to extensive exploration...
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Noah McKelvin - Athlete
Learn MoreA nomad at heart, Noah was introduced to the mountains at the age of 13. This quickly became his main passion and drive in life and led him to many different parts of the world immediately after high...
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Jason Nelson - Athlete
Learn MoreJason's adventurous beginnings lie in the humble seacoast region of New England where his father would take him hiking and camping in the nearby White Mountains. He acquired his first mountain bike in junior high...
