It is not often one trades the soft streetlights of suburbia for the flash photography of the sporting world’s biggest stage. For 27-year-old climber Jesse Grupper, however, it is a dream that has unexpectedly become a reality.
A Montclair local set to represent Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Grupper’s journey through the sport has been as intricate as the rock walls he started climbing when he was six years old.
“I couldn’t just sit on a couch growing up,” said Grupper. “I just had so much energy. I was literally and physically bouncing off the walls.”
He harnessed that energy by taking weekly lessons with his older sister, Maddy, at New Jersey Rock Gym in Fairfield. The spacious fitness center was one of its kind in the area at the time. It allowed Grupper to embrace and channel his restlessness.
Hard Work Pays Off
“I wouldn’t say I was a talented climber from the beginning,” Grupper said. “I would say my biggest attribute is being able to work really hard at the sport and learn fast.”
With a self-proclaimed love for problem solving, Grupper applied his inclination toward logical thinking to the rock walls. This allowed him to advance to competitive climbing at the age of 11.
In college, Grupper decided to pursue a Mechanical Engineering degree at Tufts University in 2015. Balancing both academics and climbing wasn’t always easy. Stealing time between classes to ride his bike to a local rock gym was one way Grupper stayed committed to both of his goals.
That dedication and tenacity led Grupper to secure a full-time position as a research fellow at Harvard Biodesign Lab after graduation. The demanding role led to his longest personal respite from competitive climbing, as well as some uncertainty about continuing.
“I knew climbing was always going to be a passion. And I knew the Olympics could be a far-off dream,” Grupper said. “But I also didn’t know whether I would enjoy working in an engineering job for an extended period of time. I felt that if I didn’t give that a fair shot, I would never know.”
Yet the nagging urge to test the limits of competitive climbing propelled Grupper to give it a final chance.
A Pivotal Climb
After qualifying for the World Cup Circuit through team trials in 2022, competitive climbing became Grupper’s priority. His lofty Olympics goal suddenly seemed within reach. As Grupper gripped his way to victory in the Santiago Pan American Games in 2023, he also clinched his qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games. The exhilarating moment gave him both a tangible and figurative medal of success for over 15 cumulative years of effort.
“Coming off the wall, people were chanting my name. I had never had that experience ever in a competition before. It was just a really beautiful expression for me of climbing as a whole,” said Grupper.
As Grupper basked in the glory of accomplishment in Santiago, his parents, Jonathan and Cathy Grupper, watched a live stream of the event in their Montclair home.
“Listening to that announcer, my wife and I burst into tears,” said Jonathan Grupper. “It was so emotional. I’m still recovering.”
Traveling the world has been an added perk of Grupper’s climbing journey. Charmingly humble, Grupper’s appreciation of the ability to pursue his passion from Chile to Switzerland is palpable.
“Growing up in Montclair, there’s so many opportunities with New York right there. Just in the city there’s a lot of art and beauty,” said Grupper. “But I think getting to experience those other cultures and just other ways of doing the sport…is really incredible for me.”
Grupper currently lives and trains in Salt Lake City, but his affinity for his hometown has never waned. He fondly recounts memories of hearty breakfasts at Sunrise Bagels and tranquil walks with his dad at Bonsal Wildlife Preserve. He credits being raised in Montclair with shaping his success – both academically and within the sport.
Hometown Connection
Amid training and traveling, Grupper makes the familiar journey back to Montclair several times a year. He basks in the comfort of quality time with family and enjoys local eateries. Despite a nomadic lifestyle and varying environments both on the wall and off, the short snapshots of home recenter Grupper and remind him of where it all began.
A connection to his hometown will extend all the way to Paris, as neighbors and family friends are organizing watch parties in his honor. At the Olympics, he will have even more positive energy. Grupper’s parents and his partner Hannah will join him in Paris, the perfect final link to a full-circle moment.
“Having family and friends attend competitions is always a real morale booster for myself. The number of times my mom or dad have driven to me to a rock gym is uncountable. So having them there to share in that glory of competing in [an] event is exciting.”
As Grupper prepares for the pinnacle of his sporting career thus far, one of the things he looks forward to is being able to demonstrate the mental and physical stamina he has bolstered for over a decade.
Yet, despite the pressure leading up to his Olympics debut, Grupper admits that, above all, he simply wants to have fun. With his vivacious spirit and infectious smile, it will be an easy task for Grupper. And as far as his future post-Olympics is concerned—it is only up from here.
Video narrated and edited by Ryan Tullio for Montclair Local, in collaboration with Montclair State University.
