Tony Calderone – Utah Rock Climbing

Tony Calderone

Tony Calderone

Tony Calderone was born in southwestern New York state in the 1960s. He was raised in a small farming community in Schuyler County. He began climbing the frozen waterfalls around his home as a teenager. He has completed over 200 first ascents on rock in GA, NY, PA, NC, UT, ID, WY, and CA. He is an alumni of the University of Utah. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and his M.S. in Project Management.

Connor Calderone on Schoolroom (5.6), Gate Buttress

Connor Calderone on Schoolroom (5.6), Gate Buttress

Tony has been climbing and teaching people to climb in Little Cottonwood Canyon for over 20 years. His long-time favorite partner is his son, Connor Calderone. Together, they have put up some of the canyon’s longest routes. Nearly all were bolted on lead while Connor was growing up.

With 24,000 feet of Little Cottonwood Canyon first ascents, 1,000 quarter inch bolts replaced, and 20 years as his primary climbing area, Tony stands among few with such intimate knowledge of this canyon. Nobody has ever had as much experience climbing here before publishing a guidebook. Tony’s personal guidance is based on over 30 years of climbing throughout the country and personal experience on these routes.