I’m Sarah Lydecker — a climbing guide, educator, and artist based in Portland, Oregon. With over a decade of experience in the climbing and outdoor industry, I’m dedicated to helping people connect more deeply with themselves, each other, and the landscapes we move through.

I began climbing in 2014 through an all-women’s mountaineering course, an experience that shaped both my technical foundation and my belief in the power of mentorship. Since then, I’ve climbed across twelve states and five countries. I’ve led rock, alpine, and ice climbs— with my favorite climbing days being warm, sunny days at the crag with friends.

My path hasn’t always been neat. For several seasons I embraced the “dirtbag” life — living out of my truck with my dog Ollie, chasing seasons, and traveling solo to remote crags and mountain ranges. That period taught me resilience, creativity, humility, and what it means to lean fully into uncertainty. I bring that same spirit into my guiding and community work.

I currently work as an outdoor guide and instructor at the Multnomah Athletic Club, and I previously served as Program Coordinator and Lead Instructor for Peak Recovery PNW, where I developed trauma-informed climbing curricula for adults in recovery. I’m an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and care about making climbing as fun and accessible as possible.

Beyond guiding, I’m also a fine artist, inspired by the textures, lines, and forms of rock, ice, and natural terrain.