Trail Trax: Paraclimbing duo Cail Soria and Maureen Beck lift each other

Cail Soria and Maureen Beck are rock climbers, roommates and great friends.

They are also paraclimbers, and darn good ones too.

In 2017, Soria fell between 25 to 30 feet while rock climbing and had her lower right leg amputated in March 2022, after years of surgeries and attempts to keep it.

Beck was born without a left hand.

But each woman's physical attribute doesn't hold either back — they drive the two women harder.

As Beck said about Soria on a recent climbing day at G1 Climbing + Fitness in Broomfield: "I push her physically, but she pushes me mentally."

And rightfully so.

"I'm old enough I couldn't just Google how to be an adaptive climber. I had to learn through trial and error and it was awful," Beck said. 

Beck's first paraclimbing competition was in 2013 and for the first time she thought, "whoa, I can measure myself against other people like me and I found that motivating."

Beck has been competing in paraclimbing competitions since the competitions were relatively new. Now she's a nine-time undefeated national champion with two world championship wins and one world cup win.

"I don't win anymore, not at worlds," Beck said. "And first it's kind of a bummer because I want to win, but everybody around me — these other women just like me — have become stronger and dedicated too. I find third place now more rewarding because it is so hard to earn."

When Beck was first competing, she'd be one of three or four competing.

"Winning was easier then," she said.

However, the sport of paraclimbing has grown a lot over the last decade and although Beck remains enthusiastic and wanting to continue to win, the landscape is different. The level paraclimbers currently compete at is much higher, and includes many more climbers.

Beck found Soria on the internet, "as most people do these days" Beck said jokingly, and knew Soria had recently had her leg amputated.

Through a mutual friend's suggestion the two meet, Beck invited Soria to the Adaptive Climbers Festival in Yosemite Valley and Soria didn't hesitate, booking a flight and showing up without knowing anybody.

"Anyone who takes a risk like that, books a flight, has no idea what's happening in a festival full of strangers, is a very 'yes' person to that. I know we are going to be friends," Beck said.

Now the two are close.

"I taught a photography clinic at an adaptive climbing festival last year (2022) and that was my first time being around anyone with a disability before, and especially in a climbing space," Soria said.

As the duo began their friendship and climbing together — and to Soria's surprise — she "accidentally" made the nationals team after Beck convinced her to compete at that level. 

Soria made the U.S. Para Climbing team this year, earning an invite to the World Paraclimbing Championships. Though she didn't travel to the World Championships this year due to cost concerns and scheduling, Soria remains positive in her approach to continue to compete.

Despite not traveling to Bern, Switzerland with Beck to compete, Soria is a name to remember and a face of the future in paraclimbing. She has three world cups under her belt already.

In an Instagram post from Beck, she announced: "This was my last IFSC competition in 10 years of competing, never missing at least one comp a season (barring 2020, of course). I finished having never missed a podium! But I also feel inspired by the 200 other athletes that showed, by the record number of women in my own category at Bern. Good news - it's time to drink some whiskey and climb some real rocks. I'll see you out there."

With Beck moving on from competitions and working with Soria currently, the natural passing-of-the-torch appears to be happening, with Soria primed for the next decade.

"I feel totally present when I'm on the wall, and that's something I really appreciate because no matter how chaotic life can be, if you're not focused on the wall, you're not going to perform well," Soria said. "So anything you are feeling, it comes out and the wall shows you that."

Soria's been training a lot more in competition styles too. With help from the G1 Climbing route setters, who set routes to incorporate for her, Soria is able to work on physical progression.

"A lot of my progression has been physical, but more than anything it's been mental," she said. "If you're having a bad mental day or that route isn't your primary style, it can really change the game entirely."

One other aspect of her climbing Soria wants to progress with is the hopeful addition of paraclimbing to the Paralympics. But until that becomes reality, she'll focus on another passion in outdoor climbing, and photography and film.

"As far as the competitions go, I still think they are fun to be in and a part of, and I will go to as many as I can, but looking forward to focusing on the outdoor aspect," she said.