Born to Climb: The Beaudoin Sisters

Can you imagine ticking 23s when you’re just 6 years old? For sisters Ayla, 11, and Amelie Beaudoin, 9, that’s just another day at the crag. Born into a climbing family and raised beneath the sandstone giants of the Blue Mountains, the girls learned about drop knees before they could walk and led their first route at Disneyland—not the one with rollercoasters, but the one at Mt Victoria.

Their dad, Jacques Beaudoin, is a local legend. Known for hard trad leads, early first ascents, and a starring role in the YouTube film Mother Earth, Jacques and his wife Kuva’s love for climbing has clearly trickled down the family tree—if not by genetics, then by endless weekends on belay.

Now, still in primary school, Ayla and Amelie are ticking routes most adult climbers could only ever dream of, both on bolts and gear. Vertical Life caught up with the Beaudoin fam to talk projects, sibling rivalry, and what it’s like growing up with a rope in your backpack.

Amelie, Jacques & Ayla Beaudoin. Image by Claire Williams

What’s a climb you brag about just a little bit?
Ayla: It’s probably a tie between DNA and Digital Readout. DNA is my hardest lead and it was an amazing climb, and Digital Readout (5.12b/c, 25/26) was the hardest climb I’ve ever done.

Amelie: My favourite and my proudest is DNA (7a, 20/21) in Kalymnos. It was a lead, it was steep and it was long and Papa didn’t do it first shot.

Jacques: [jumping in] You’re kidding me, I onsighted it!

Left: Ayla 5YO leading Cartridge Wall (6) at Mt Arapiles Right: Amelie 6YO on The Eternity (18), Blue Mountains. Image by Anton Korsun

What’s been a favourite day out climbing?

Ayla: It was at Frog Buttress, We got back at 5pm!

Jacques: I was going to say that! We had a single rest day of the trip, and we came back a day later, and we just crushed everything. I think we did 5 climbs, it was a big day. On that day we did The one that got away (20), Thor (19), Yankee Go Home (22), Gladiator (18) and Mircoderma (17).

Amelie: Going to DNA and sending DNA on lead. 

What climb felt like something out of an action movie?

Ayla: I did Cave climb (5.11a, 20) It was so scary and really weird. I placed gear and I was really proud of my send. It was so scary, I was placing so much gear and then I ran out of gear. It was crazy, I remember when I got up to the top, and the anchor was there and the crack is here and you have to lean across to clip the anchor. But when I clipped the rope into the anchor I was so relieved. And then I went off and did Digital Readout (5.12b/c, 25/26) on TR. It was a pretty epic day! 

Amelie: Oh I know! At frog there was this tree climb The Root (6) and you climb it and put slings around it . And I topped it out. I ran it out a lot. It was really fun. 

When did you feel one bad hold away from a full-on panic squeal?

Amelie: I was on this climb called Masterplan and I was clipping, I was high above the draw below me. I had all the slack out and I fell off. 

Jacques: It was my worst nightmare, it was really scary. I just pulled all the slack with my arm and I basically took her fall with my hand. She was about 6yrs old.

Ayla: I was on Reigning Steel (23), I was on the second last move and I was stuck there for an hour. Up and down, up and down. I thought I was going to fall so many times. 

Jacques: She will not give up, it’s almost distressing as a parent. She climbs and screams for her life and you would think that’s it. But no, 15 minutes later she’s still on. I’m pretty tired after belaying like that. Emotionally drained 

What style of climbing do you like most?

Ayla: That’s an impossible question. I love kalymnos and all of the sport climbing but I also love Indian Creek and all the crack climbing. So my favourite style is climbing.

Amelie: DNA Style! Like overhangs with tufas. 

What’s the dream route that lives in your head?

Ayla: Fun de Chichune (8a, 29) in Kalymnos. I was really inspired by this girl that did it, she was amazing. She was like 18 and she did it. 

Do your friends at school know you’re probably stronger than their dads?

Ayla: My best friend wants to come climbing but none of them really understand what climbing is.

Amelie: Or understand how strong we are! 

You’ve got the golden ticket to any crag in the world – where are you flying?
Amelie: Kalymnos 

Ayla: I wanna go to Spain, I wanna go to Thailand, America again, Greece, France. I wanna go everywhere. 

Be honest—do you cheer each other on… or secretly race to the chains?

Amelie: I’m happy when she does it, but then I want to do it. We have the same projects. A lot of the time I inspire her! I don’t think she’s stronger than me—but she used to be.

Ayla: We’re both very competitive. Sometimes Amelie inspires me on scary climbs. I’m always cheering Amelie on and I’m always very happy when she sends, unless it’s something that I couldn’t send, which only happens rarely. When she did DNA, I was terrified that I wouldn’t send it, because I can’t have her send it and not me. 

Left: Ayla 10YO on Annunaki (5.12a) at Indian Creek Right: Amelie 8YO on Illusion Dweller (5.10b) in Joshua Tree

What’s the long term goal? Do you plan to be better climbers than your dad?

Amelie: Ummmm

Ayla: That’s impossible!

Jacques: If they win, I win, There’s only one way I lose and that’s if they stop climbing. The life goal for me is us working on common projects together.

What’s it like as kids climbing in the Blue Mountains and how does it feel when you climb elsewhere?

Ayla: It’s really hard on the motivation getting shut down by tall moves all the time. In Kalymnos and in Frog there’s lots of holds, it’s amazing. 

Jacques: That’s why crack climbing is such a big thing for them. They can reach the holds. They manage all sorts of sizes. Not like here in the blue mountains with blank walls. 

Any climbing buddies you age?

Ayla: Not really, not any “good” climbing friends, but I would like some.

Do you want to do vanlife one day?

Ayla: Oh yes yes yes! And bin diving! We tried bin diving but all the bins were locked! 

Best Aussie crag?

Ayla & Amelie [in unison]: ARAPILES!

Ayla: There are so many climbs for us there and camping at the Pines is so much fun with all these different interesting people.

The Beaudoin sisters aren’t just young crushers—they’re already part of the climbing culture in Australia. They climb bold, smart, and with the kind of passion you can’t teach. And with Jacques belaying below (or nervously catching whippers by hand), this family is redefining what it means to grow up on the rock.

We’ve no doubt this is just the beginning—and at VL we can’t wait to hear more about the girls’ future sends, epics, and all-out adventures.

Left Ayla 10YO Sending Cave Route (5.11a) at Indian Creek Right: Ayla 13MO

Ayla’s Highlights 

At just 4 years old Ayla was top roping grade 12’s, 

Age 5

Top Rope – Tale of Two cities (18) – Dam Cliffs Blue Mountains

First trad lead with some pre-placed gear at Mt Arapiles. Cartridge Wall (6), Bushranger Bluff.

Age 6

Top Rope – The Eternity (18) Mount Piddington Blue Mountains 

Top Rope – Slip, Snap, Splash (18) Bells Supercrag Blue Mountains

Age 8 

Top Rope – The Go Between (22) Mt York, Blue Mountains

Top Rope – Master Plan (23) Mt York, Blue Mountains

Top Rope – Royal Doulton (23) Mt York, Blue Mountains

Age 9 

Top Rope – Good Big Dog (24) The Freezer, Blue Mountains

Red Point – Friendly Fire (21) Dam Cliffs Blue Mountains 

Red Point – The Go Between (22) Mt Victoria Blue Mountains

Pink Point – Master Plan (23) Mount York Blue Mountains 

Trad Pink Point – The Eternity (18) Mount Piddington Blue Mountains 

Age 10 

Trad Pink Point – Janicepts (21) Mt Piddington Blue Mountains

Trad Pink Point – The Kraken (21)  Mt Piddington Blue Mountains

Trad Pink Point – Die Fox Die (22) Mt Victoria

Trad Red Point – Cave Route (5.11a, 20) Indian Creek Utah

Top Rope – Way Rambo – (5.12a, 24) Indian Creek Utah

Top Rope – Swedin-Ringle Route – (5.12b, 25) Indian Creek Utah

Top Rope – Digital Readout – (5.12b/c, 25/26) Indian Creek Utah

Age 11

Red Point – DNA (7a, 20/21) Kalymnos, Greece

Red Point – Jug Buzz (22) Mt Victoria, Blue Mountains

Onsight Trad – Gladiator (18) – Frog Buttress, QLD

Onsight Top Rope – Dave Mank’s Electric Gorilla Direct Start (22) Frog Buttress

Amelie 7YO on Spinning Blades (20) in Nowra. Image by Rachael Brooks.

Amelie’s Highlights 

Age 6

Top Rope – Eternity (18) Mt Piddington

Tope Rope – Stormin Norman (18) Dam Cliffs

Top Rope – The Go Between (22) Mt Victoria Blue Mountains

Top Rope –  Master Plan (23) Mount York Blue Mountains

Top Rope –  Royal Doulton (23) Mount York Blue Mountains

Age 7 

Trad Pink Point – Eternity (18) Mount Piddington Blue Mountains

Top Rope – Die Fox Die (22) Mt Victoria

Red Point – Friendly Fire (21) Dam Cliffs Blue Mountains 

Pink Point – Master Plan (23) Mount York Blue Mountains

Age 8 

Trad Pink Point – Sparkling Zygote (5.10-,18) Indian Creek, Utah

Trad Pink Point – Cave Route (5.11a, 20) Indian Creek Utah

Top Rope – Swedin-Ringle Route – (5.12b, 25) Indian Creek Utah

Top Rope – Digital Readout – (5.12b/c, 25/26) Indian Creek Utah

Age 9 

Red Point – Jug Buzz (22) Mt Victoria, Blue Mountains

Red Point – DNA (7a, 20/21) Kalymnos, Greece

Top rope – Janicepts (21) Mt Piddington Blue Mountains

Trad Red Point – Gladiator (18) Frog Buttress 

Onsight Trad – Materialistic Prostitution (16) Frog Buttress 

Onsight Top Rope – Dave Mank’s Electric Gorilla Direct Start (22) Frog Buttress