Shawn McDaniel

Shawn McDaniel is an avid climber, teacher, and artist with a passion for nature and adventure. A Michigan native, Shawn moved to St. Louis in 2016 where his climbing journey began at the local gym. After five years of climbing and working as an English professor, in 2021 he joined the Vertical Voyages team to share his knowledge and enthusiasm with new climbers. Working with VV introduced Shawn into the world of tree climbing and instruction, as well as a variety of new skills, techniques, and knots. Besides the advantage of climbing in new areas and gazing down from atop high cliffs, perhaps the most inspiring part of being a climbing instructor, for Shawn, is working with people. Encouraging climbers to push beyond their comfort zones and overcome challenges is rewarding in itself. Today, you can find Shawn out on one of the various crags in Missouri and Arkansas where he is working towards his SPI and climbing his heart out.