Our Mission:
To promote climbing, provide a resource for responsible development and conservation of climbing areas, and to encourage the etiquette, education, and safety of the Southern Idaho climbing community.
Meet the Board:
Becky Wildman – Chair
Originally from Salt Lake City, I’ve lived in the Magic Valley since 1997. My husband is an old-school climber, but I didn’t start climbing until my kids showed an interest and friends invited us to City of Rocks and Dierkes. My favorite things about climbing are the mental/physical challenges at every level of climbing, and the social/community aspect around climbing. I’m grateful Southern Idaho has such great outdoor climbing crags and a local climbing gym, as they both play a role in creating a strong climbing community. I am all about promoting climbing by encouraging others, supporting climbing education and etiquette, and working to conserve our climbing areas.
Chelsea Lyda – Vice Chair
Born and raised under the sunny skies of central Florida, I made the big leap to Twin Falls with my husband, Ben in 2013. I’ve always enjoyed the beautiful outdoors and Idaho’s new playground of mountains and rivers took my love for adventure to the next level. From kayaking and hiking to camping, and now rock climbing, I’ve embraced it all! Luckily for me, Ben has been climbing for over two decades, having learned as a teen in Twin Falls, so he’s been my personal guide on the rocks.
Tony Roberts – Treasurer
I was born and raised in Twin Falls and began my climbing addiction in 2014. I currently own several local businesses including Twin Fall’s premier climbing shop, Magic Valley Gear Exchange. I have been with SICC since its inception, serving on the board from 2016 to 2018 and again since 2019. I believe learning and education in climbing are life-long endeavors. I am an AMGA-certified Single Pitch Instructor, a climbing instructor at CSI, a route developer, and a serious aficionado of tasty street tacos. I love being involved with everything SICC stands for and I am dedicated to helping our climbing community grow and develop.
Taylor Belin – Secretary
I was born and raised in Twin Falls County, I started climbing in 2018 and have been obsessed with climbing ever since. I was appointed as Treasurer on the SICC board from 2019-2020 and stepped down to focus on school. I am back on the board now since 2023 as secretary, working as a Registered Nurse, finishing my Bachelors, and ready to do my part and bring stoke! Climbing has affected my life in such a positive way that I like to help build the community, educate, and spread the joys of climbing.
Ben Lyda – Access
Ben was born and raised in Twin Falls, ID. After moving away for many years he was drawn back to the Magic Valley in 2013 because of his love for the area and the outdoors. He started rock climbing at the City of Rocks and Dierkes Lake back in the 90’s and was instantly hooked. He has a great love for the sport and is excited to see how much it has grown in our community. Through relationships and connections he has built throughout Southern Idaho, he hopes to help gain access to new and even closed crags.
Ian Cavanaugh – Maintenance
My climbing career started in my senior year of high school. My first outdoor climbing trip was to the City of Rocks in 2003 where I fell in love with not only that amazing place but also this amazing activity. Since then I have climbed in 10 different states and 9 countries over 3 continents. In 2008 I began my journey of route development and maintenance. Since my first time picking up a drill, I have learned through experience just how much work goes into developing routes and crags that we are all able to climb and enjoy. As time goes on, these routes we climb again and again require maintenance in order to ensure they are not only safe but also don’t damage the rock ensuring their existence for decades to come. During my time with SICC, I hope to help many of Southern Idaho’s amazing crags remain safe and enjoyable for many years to come. Climbing has given me so much in life and I feel that it is my duty to give back to this incredible community and destinations.
Kim DePew – Community
I have managed Gemstone Climbing for the last 6 years and have taught yoga in Twin Falls for over a decade. I’m Idaho grown, growing up in Wendell and Hagerman while attending school in Buhl and Twin Falls. I have been rock climbing at Gemstone since they opened and went on my first outdoor climbing adventure with Shawn Willsey at Gawkers. While managing the climbing gym and yoga keep me very busy, I have been making time for more outdoor climbing adventures. I have seen firsthand what climbing has done for people in our community, life changing impacts that I get to witness almost every day. Climbing changes lives and I’m grateful we have such an awesome climbing community, and I am grateful to be part of it.
Jake Jensen – New Board Member
I was born I was born and raised in Orem, Utah where I started climbing trees in elementary school with the goal of getting high enough that the branches started to break under my weight. In college I found climbing again at the local gym. Armed with false confidence, I headed into Rock Canyon in search of bolts and taught myself how to climb. I have been a climber ever since, and have had the pleasure of climbing more objectives, in more places, than I ever thought possible. I engage in all forms of climbing excluding big wall aid climbing which I’m saving for later in life. I have my doctorate degree in physical therapy, and treat patients at CPR PT in Twin Falls. I am also an adjunct professor at CSI and teach a lab class for the PT assistant program. I moved to Twin Falls in 2018 to house sit and work as a contract PT for 8 months, then headed off to Salt Lake City for 5 years to focus on climbing and skiing. In 2023 my wife Ashley and I started our family, and decided to move back to Idaho to raise our children. We love our friends and community here and find it a perfect place to recreate as a family.
Molly Miller – New Board Member
I grew up in Central and Eastern Oregon, and being OUTSIDE was a way of life. We scrambled and bouldered as kids, without the terminology or protection that is essential to rock climbing, but I loved challenging myself and scaring my older sister on the cliffs around our home. Then I spent 30 years in Florida. Not a lot of rocks to climb, or mountains to love. When my travel job turned into “work from home” during COVID, I realized that if I was going to be working from home, home should be a place I could love. So I moved to Twin Falls, where OUTSIDE is on my doorstep, and I have the opportunity to explore and challenge myself in this sport that is new to me, but still feels like home.
Although I have only been in the region for a few years, and started climbing after I got here, I have found this community to be open and friendly, with a passion to share the love of the sport and the natural beauty of our region with everyone. I have benefited greatly from my loose association with SICC, and am excited to come off the sidelines and help in the important work being done.