Halle Homel on the Get Stoked Girls Podcast
- Rhianna Walzer
- May 28
- 10 min read
Updated: Oct 30
A conversation about climbing, technical backpacking and driving gender equity in the outdoor industry.
Meet Halle Homel — alpine climber, technical backpacker, outdoor guide, and activist. After living on the road for six years, Halle is now based in Mammoth, guiding multi-day backpacking trips and pursuing ambitious alpine objectives while championing greater access and equity for women in the outdoor world.
In this conversation, Halle opens up about her path from recreational climber to outdoor professional, the unique challenges women face in mountain sports, and how she is pushing boundaries as a guide and community leader. We dive into her Cairn Project fundraiser supporting women and girls in climbing, the technical demands of California’s fourteeners, and the confidence it takes to keep moving forward despite doubt and adversity.
We met Halle at Convict Lake, where she first fell in love with the Sierra Nevada. Together, we explore what it means to own your space in the mountains, embrace the technical, and inspire more women to step boldly into the alpine.
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Climbing
Rhi: How did you first start climbing?
Halle: I had always been interested in climbing but wasn’t sure how to start. I bought my first pair of rock shoes about five years ago but didn’t use them until two years later. At the time, I was living in a van and attending a van life event. I asked someone there to teach me, and we drove to southern Arizona to get on ropes for the first time. I fell in love immediately.
After that, I wanted to climb as much as possible. I didn’t step into a gym for almost a year and learned entirely outside, which helped me progress quickly by picking up technical skills directly on the rock. I even drove across the country to West Virginia to climb with a friend for two weeks and ended up staying the whole summer. I was all in from the beginning.
Rhi: What motivated you to pursue an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) certification?
Halle: I had always thought about getting my SPI, but trad climbing intimidated me and I wasn’t sure how to get started. Eventually, I decided I wanted to level up my skills and push past that fear.
Last summer, I was working as a canoe guide in Alaska. While I enjoy paddling recreationally, doing it professionally was frustrating, especially as a woman in the outdoor industry. That experience made me realize that, while I liked the water, I was in love with the mountains. I wanted to be climbing and started thinking seriously about becoming a guide. At that point, I had only done a few trad routes, but I decided to go all in. To qualify for the SPI, you need at least 40 trad leads around 5.6, so I spent a lot of time doing laps on easy trad routes just to get the mileage in. It wasn’t easy to find people willing to teach me, especially as a woman.
Trad climbing can be really exclusive, and it is not uncommon for women to be overlooked in that space.
I want to be the kind of instructor who creates a welcoming, inclusive space for others, especially women. Being a woman climbing instructor is powerful. It means I can help others break through those barriers and feel like they belong in trad climbing too.
Rhi: What else does the process of earning your AMGA SPI actually involve? What were the key steps, and what did the testing look like?
Halle: The SPI is considered the entry-level outdoor climbing guide certification, but it is still quite in-depth. A big focus is on anchor building, including both traditional gear anchors and natural anchors like trees and boulders. You need to be comfortable leading 5.6 trad routes, but beyond climbing ability, it is really about having confidence, knowing your systems, and being able to teach others.
The course lasts three full days, followed by a two-day exam. During the test, we had to build anchors, set up top-rope systems, demonstrate rescue drills, and teach skills like rappelling with proper backups. On the second day, we worked with mock clients and guided them through their first climbing experiences, including belaying and getting on the wall. It is a fun and rewarding process, but definitely intense and time-consuming.
Rhi: You mentioned that you're hoping to keep progressing with your climbing education. What are the next steps for you, and what do you hope to accomplish with future certifications?
Halle: The AMGA has a mountain guiding track that includes both the Rock Guide and Alpine Guide certifications. After talking with my new boss, I’m planning to pursue the Alpine Guide track first. I’m much closer to meeting those requirements compared to the Rock Guide path, which requires leading trad routes at 5.10b, a big jump from the 5.6 level required for the SPI.
Alpine is my next goal. I would love to pursue the Rock Guide certification eventually as well. This is my full-time career, and I don’t want to limit myself. Expanding my skills and scope of practice means I can take more people outside and help them connect with the mountains. That connection is not only meaningful for personal growth, but it also builds a deeper commitment to environmental advocacy. If all goes well, I will probably start the Alpine skills course next summer.
Backpacking & Mountaineering
Rhi: Starting with backpacking, was there a specific trail or moment that really sparked your love for long-distance hiking?
Halle: My first backpacking trip in the Wind River Range was pretty rough. I was injured, carrying heavy gear, and not prepared for the challenge, and I even cried the last two miles back to the car. A few years later, I started exploring long-distance hiking more seriously.
While hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, where I grew up, I realized how important responsible recreation and connection to the land are. That inspired me to thru-hike the Backbone Trail solo with support and use the trip to raise awareness about respecting nature. Backpacking has since become a big part of my life. I often say it’s my first love while climbing is my true love. Trails like Oregon’s Timberline Trail really boosted my confidence in the wilderness, and overall, backpacking has been a meaningful thread connecting many of my outdoor adventures.
Rhi: Let’s dive a bit deeper into your Backbone Trail project. Can you share some details about the trail itself? Like, how long is it, what’s involved?
Halle: The Backbone Trail is about 67 miles long and runs east to west across the Santa Monica Mountains, which divide Los Angeles in half. Along the trail, you gain and lose roughly 12,000 feet in elevation. There are some steep sections, and many parts of the trail are unmaintained, existing mainly because of the Backbone Trail.
That year, heavy rains caused a lot of erosion, making trail conditions rough. The route involves many ups and downs, climbing over mountains and descending into canyons repeatedly. What’s wild is that you spend time in designated wilderness areas right inside Los Angeles, but you also cross roads and encounter mountain bikers, creating a unique mix of wilderness and city life from start to finish.
Rhi: You mentioned your mission to raise awareness about responsible recreation and conservation along the trail, and that you even were a part of a documentary during your hike. What inspired that project?
Halle: My mission was to raise awareness about responsible recreation in the Santa Monica Mountains and what it means to be truly connected to a place. LA has a huge hiking and outdoor culture, but many people do a few miles and leave without much thought. There’s also a lot of mountain biking, and sometimes people don’t respect the space, leaving graffiti or carving on trees. That kind of damage sticks around.
The documentary idea came about when Roger Ramires (producer), who was starting a small women-in-adventure film festival, invited me to a promo shoot. I mentioned my hike and offered to set up a booth to educate about Leave No Trace and respect for the area. He suggested we make a film, which was perfect since I was already thinking about documenting the experience. Roger and his wife also supported me during the hike with water and snacks. The film premiered at the festival with friends and family attending, and it went really well.
Rhi: Since technical backpacking and mountaineering are becoming a bigger part of what you do, was there a particular trail or experience that sparked your passion for more technical routes and alpine terrain?
Halle: Living in the Pacific Northwest really sparked my passion for alpine climbing. After moving to Portland, I climbed Mount St. Helens with a friend, and that experience opened my eyes to how amazing the alpine feels. Then, last summer in Alaska, I did a lot of glacier trekking and off-trail travel, which deepened my love for technical mountain travel.
But the real turning point was climbing Mount Whitney via the East Buttress with my partner. It was a challenging Class 5 route and an intense backcountry adventure that made me fall in love with alpine climbing. Since then, I’ve been focused on getting into the alpine more and climbing as many mountains as I can.
Rhi: Your new role involves guiding technical backpacking trips. What are some of the routes you’ll be leading?
Halle: Whitney is an interesting climb because we can’t guide the Portal Trail, the traditional route most people think of. Instead, we approach from the backside through Sequoia National Park. It’s a five-day trip to reach the summit, which gives time to acclimate to altitude and is still considered a fairly fast ascent. That’s one of the Whitney trips I’ll be guiding.
Besides Whitney, I’ll also guide trips like Half Dome, sections of the John Muir Trail, and teach a wilderness skills course. The first trip of the season will likely be that course, which focuses on teaching people how to backpack. I love helping people open that door to backpacking because it’s rewarding. I’m excited about leading this educational, fairly chill trip because it’s impactful. My goal is to show people how far their bodies can take them and teach the small nuances that can be intimidating for newcomers. The first trip is scheduled for the first week of June. I’m definitely excited, though there’s a lot of prep, but once I’m out on the trail with everyone, it should be a great experience.
California Fourteeners & The Cairn Project
Rhi: Can you start by explaining what the California fourteeners are, what they include, and what that experience is like?
Halle: Most people think of Colorado when they hear “fourteeners,” but California actually has 22 peaks, about half as many. Usually, people only know about Whitney and maybe Shasta.
The “14ers Project” began as a challenge to climb all of these peaks in one year while guiding in the Sierra. Some will be day trips or short overnight adventures, though many are spread out except for those near Whitney. California’s fourteeners are often more technical than Colorado’s, requiring scrambling, snow and ice travel, or even technical rock climbing with ropes and trad gear on peaks like Thunderbolt and Starlight. Unlike many who hire guides, we plan to climb all of them unguided and rely on our own skills.
Rhi: What is the Cairn Project, and why is it important for promoting gender equity in outdoor adventure?
Halle: The Cairn Project is an organization that raises funds to provide scholarships for women and girls in climbing. Since I struggled to find a mentor in trad climbing myself, this cause is really close to my heart. I’m passionate about helping women get into alpine climbing and learn the necessary skills safely and confidently. Unfortunately, it’s still tough for women to break into the climbing community and gain these skills in a way that prepares them for real field experience. Raising money to support education and scholarships is a huge step in changing that.
That’s why I’m doing the Thunderbolt to Sill Traverse as a fundraiser. It’s the most technical of the fourteeners I’m tackling this summer.
The donation link is now live and available on my social media, so people can easily contribute to support scholarships for women and girls in climbing. I’m using my climb as a way to raise awareness and act as a community leader and spokesperson for women in climbing and the mountains. It’s about representation and encouraging more women to get involved.
Halle's Fundraiser Page: https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/6382165
Gender Equity in the Outdoor Industry
Rhi: What has your experience been like facing doubt or skepticism as a woman in the outdoor industry, especially as a guide?
Halle: Being a woman in the outdoor industry is a strange experience, especially as an outdoor professional. Doubts and assumptions about your abilities come up constantly, not just in mountain sports but across the whole outdoor world. People often express surprise at what you can do, based solely on how you look or who you are.
As a guide, I’ve heard comments like, “Wow, you’re really brave to try that trail,” something no male guide would typically hear. Once someone even said about my best friend, who was hauling a huge 29-foot canoe out of a glacial lake, “She’ll make a good wife one day.” Moments like these add up. People assume men are naturally more capable, even if their experience is less than mine. That constant doubt can wear you down. You need a strong backbone to keep going because the pressure to prove yourself is relentless, and struggles or injuries can feel like letting down not just yourself but the entire female community.
Being a woman in the outdoor industry means navigating constant assumptions about your strength, skills, and place. The pressure to prove yourself is relentless, and stumbling can feel like letting down every woman breaking in.
Rhi: What has kept you motivated to continue pursuing a career in the outdoor industry despite the challenges and biases you’ve encountered?
Halle: It’s definitely been a journey. I still have moments of self-doubt, like thinking I’m a bad climber because I fell on one route, but breaking out of that mindset takes time. What helps most is knowing deep down that I have the skills. I’m an SPI, and I know how to keep myself and my climbing partners safe. That confidence in my abilities matters more than reaching the summit.
Making decisions based on my technical skill and safety is key. Even for hikers or backpackers who aren’t climbers, trusting your knowledge and experience is crucial. The opinions or doubts of others don’t matter. You know your limits, your gear, and your capabilities better than any stranger. Internalizing that confidence is what keeps me going and helps me ignore negative comments.
Get Stoked Girls
Rhi: What would be your final words of advice to get girls stoked?
Halle: Just believe deep in your heart that you deserve to take up space. It’s really tough to fully embrace that, especially in such a male-dominated world, and it’s easy to shrink yourself. But the truth is, no matter how you’re exploring the mountains or the outdoors, you’re incredible simply because you show up. Owning that truth means you don’t have to make yourself smaller to fit in.
It’s so important to walk into the mountains or onto any trail with confidence. Push yourself to the edge of your comfort zone, learn, grow, and keep expanding what you think is possible. We absolutely need more women out here, and your presence matters.
You don’t have to shrink yourself to fit into the outdoor world. Just showing up is powerful. You deserve to take up space, explore boldly, and keep pushing your edge.
