While at the University of New Mexico Aspen joined the UNM Mountaineering Club. This was her first exposure to working with ropes and being in a vertical environment. She knew that she wanted to build her skills as a climber and eventually mountaineer. But a pivotal experience for her was when she had a climbing partner take a fall on lead. He zippered all of his pro and decked. While watching the local rescue team execute a high angle evacuation for her climbing partner she decided then that she wanted to pay it forward ‘ that others may live’.
Shortly after the climbing accident she applied to Albuquerque Mountain Rescue, and was accepted to their 2014 training class. By 2017 she made rank as a Technical Technician, which specializes in high and low angle rope operations. In 2018 she became AMRC’s training officer and served on the board of directors.
