The Mayor of Sinks Canyon
Vance White: A Staple in the Lander Climbing Community
Lander, Wyoming
Written by Melanie Limpus
Photography by Melanie Limpus and contributed by Kyle Duba
On a wintery weekend morning in Sinks Canyon, local climbers pull up to the parking lot to find a solo set of fresh tracks and a broken trail through the snow. A particular laugh rings through the air, accompanied by the faint beats of 90s hip-hop. These are all the familiar signs that Vance White is at the crag, and once again, he’s the first to arrive.
Known by the locals as the Mayor of Sinks Canyon, or Victor Blanco, Vance grew up as a punk rock-loving skater kid in Fort Collins, Colorado. A troubled youth, he and his brother were raised without a father and often sought refuge together in the outdoors.
Attempting two separate semesters at two different colleges, Vance began to realize higher education was not for him. The 19-year-old joined a gym with a climbing wall, and the sport immediately struck his curiosity. A few of the locals took him trad climbing and his interest grew. He then signed up for a climbing class with Craig Luebben, a well-known Colorado climber and guide. After a day of top roping at Rotary Park outside of Fort Collins, he found himself sitting at the top of the cliff overlooking Horsetooth Reservoir not only in admiration of the view but also of Craig’s knowledge and capabilities.
“I met some of the other local climbers later that day at Craig’s house,” Vance reminisced. “There were guide books, maps, and climbing gear everywhere. Hearing them talk about climbing and living out of their cars, I thought, ‘you can do that?!’”
From that point on, Vance was fully dedicated to climbing. With limestone in mind, he loaded his mountain bike and a box spring mattress into his Chevrolet S-10 and moved to Lander almost 26 years ago. His unrelenting dedication to the sport and infectious optimism made him an instant standout in the community.
Vance spent his early years in Lander repeating countless 5.12 and 5.13 routes and developing and naming new lines from the Wild Iris to Fossil Hill to the many walls in Sinks Canyon. Among his numerous contributions, some honorable mentions are Earth A.D. at the Wilds, Bust a Nut at the Achin' for Booty sector, as well as Flight Club and The Brotherhood at Fairfield Hill.
“It’s so rewarding to see my friends climbing the lines that I put up, but it’s also incredibly cool to hear other climbers talking about them,” Vance said. “It’s very fulfilling to contribute to the community, between trailwork, fixing anchors, and putting up moderates.”
Ten years ago, when Vance’s daughter Andi was born, he put climbing on the backburner. With time, he has learned how to balance being a father and a climber. Now, he is able to share his love for climbing with his daughter and show her the ropes both outside and at the bouldering gym.
“I think climbing is pretty cool! My dad is a very dedicated climber and I look up to him for that,” Andi said, smiling at her dad. “He never gives up on a route, and he is a great person to know.”
Last summer, during the International Climbers’ Festival, Vance received the 2023 WyoClimbers Board Award for outstanding contributions to the Lander climbing community.
“I was absolutely flattered, though there were a lot of others that also deserved the award,” Vance said humbly. “The Lander community has been generous to me and has taken care of me, but the thing that meant the most was my daughter was there to see it.”
The magic of Sinks Canyon is its south-facing rock, which soaks up the sun's warmth for much of the day, even in the heart of winter. This makes the canyon unbearably hot for climbing in July, yet absolutely delightful in January.
Last winter, Lander received record-breaking levels of snowfall, particularly in Sinks Canyon. But that didn’t stop Vance from trekking up to Fairfield Central every weekend to establish two new routes, Stone Thugs-N-Harmony and Thuggish Ruggish Stone. It took four months and hours upon hours of trudging through multiple feet of snow.
“Being able to climb in the winter saves us, especially guys like me who don’t snowboard, ski or snowmobile. The fact that I have Sinks to keep me busy all winter is pretty special.” Vance laughed, “It’s kind of a running joke that I’m always hiding out at Fairfield, but I feel complete up there. It’s such a remarkable place because it makes me continue to appreciate climbing.”
Though Vance is now in his late-forties, his passion for climbing burns stronger than ever. As he reflects on his years of climbing, he knows he may not climb as hard or develop as often as he used to, but he still makes the time between work and being a father to push his climbing capabilities and physicality.
“The incredible thing about climbing is the constant learning. Now as an older climber, I’m re-learning to climb certain grades and techniques. Looking at the younger climbers and then back to myself, it’s the same love of it all. And that’s cool to see through the different age groups and eras.”
While he has many ascents and accomplishments that he’s proud of, there is one white whale that has eluded him season after season. Heydt Club is a 5.12+ line that goes out the roof at Fairfield West—a route that has shut down many of its suitors. Vance developed Zeb, the 40-foot 5.9+ that leads to the roof, but it was his dear friend Griffen Heydt who pieced it all together and got the first ascent, hence the name Heydt Club. Now over a decade later, Vance is training harder than ever for the battle with “the roof,” a milestone that he’s dreamt of for half of his climbing career.
“The incredible thing about climbing is the constant learning. Now as an older climber, I’m re-learning to climb certain grades and techniques,” Vance stated. “Looking at the younger climbers and then back to myself, it’s the same love of it all. And that’s cool to see through the different age groups and eras.”
Vance is still enamored with climbing and continues to share his favorite crags and routes with his family and friends. Whether it be a quick belay, a couple post-work moderates, a patio session, or a full day of projecting at one of the more remote crags, he always shows up with a smile and that contagious psych for rock climbing. This might even be the year that he sends Heydt Club.
“Climbing will always be a big part of me. It isn’t quite as outlaw as it used to be, and that’s fine,” Vance beamed. “The ultimate thing is it is what you want it to be, and I love that about climbing. It’s an expression, and hopefully I’ll be doing it for the rest of my life.”
