PROFESSIONAL CLIMBER | COACH | ADVOCATE

Alex “AJ” Johnson has been climbing professionally for nearly two decades.

A five-time U.S. National Team member by age fifteen, AJ burst onto the scene early — winning her first U.S. Open National Championship at just thirteen (2003), then becoming Open Pan American Champion at fourteen (2004).

In 2008, she made history as the first American to win a Boulder World Cup on U.S. soil. Two years later, she claimed another gold in Switzerland, becoming the first American ever to win two Bouldering World Cups.

After stepping back from competition in 2016, AJ shifted focus to outdoor climbing — compiling an impressive résumé of first female ascents and hard boulders up to V14 (The Swarm), along with establishing new lines throughout the Southwest.

She returned to competition in 2019, taking silver at U.S. Nationals and reclaiming her U.S. Team spot to chase an Olympic berth for climbing’s Tokyo 2020 debut — ultimately falling just shy of qualification.

That same period marked another milestone: in 2018, AJ came out publicly as LGBTQ+ and has since become a proud advocate for inclusion and equality in climbing and outdoor sports. Her story — paired with her ascent of The Swarm — was featured in a Reel Rock 16 film in 2022.

With one of the longest and most decorated competitive careers in American climbing, AJ continued adding podiums — silver at the 2021 North American Cup and bronze in 2022 — before undergoing ACL surgery in 2023.

Outdoors, 2022 was her strongest year yet, sending five V12s (8A+) and three V13s (8B) before being sidelined by her knee injury. Now fully recovered and back on rock, she’s already ticking some of her hardest climbs to date — with major projects and goals on the horizon for 2026 and beyond.