Staff:
Eli Conlee
Executive Director
Eli began climbing in 2012 and joined Climbers for Christ in 2020, sending his most impressive line up to that point, “Imposter Complex” 5.10b, at Smith Rock shortly after joining as the Executive Director (AKA, you don’t have to be a total crusher to be useful in climbing ministry). He jokes that his personal version of CFC’s tagline is actually “Climb Moderately, Love Harder.” But he’s always found joy and rejuvenation in the outdoors and has found his favorite community of folks in the outdoor scene.
Having spent years working in the outdoor retail & recreation industry and an educational background in Biblical Studies and Outdoor & Environmental Education, Eli found himself jumping into climber-focused ministry with the same “OK, Lord, here we go…” attitude that has taken he and his family all over the Pacific Northwest. As a climber, he prefers the joy of community to intense climbing effort, but considers any day spent climbing outside a good day. He eventually hopes to crack into the 5.12 grade (targeting the pseudo CFC classic line, Crossfire @ Smith Rock. Inspired, as we all have been, by the late Calvin Landrus’s Gospel-sharing send of the line years ago.) In the meantime, he’s stoked to climb moderate grades with good people.
As a long-time follower of the Way of Jesus, Eli is stoked to help equip this community with the mentorship & resources we all need to be able to help all of our climbing friends experience Jesus.
Based in Bend, Oregon (CFC’s long-time ‘headquarters’), Eli and his wife & three small kids love to backpack, bike, climb (moderately) and eat pizza, burgers or tacos.
Wilson McKay
Chief Climbing Nomad
Wilson attended Colorado Christian University, where he discovered his love for climbers and earned degrees in Business Administration and Outdoor Leadership. During his time there, he was first introduced to Climbers for Christ, a connection that would later shape the direction of his life and ministry.
After graduating, Wilson hit the road and spent nearly three years living as a dirtbag climber—chasing good stone, investing in relationships, and seeking to serve the traveling climbing community. During that season, he began volunteering with Climbers for Christ while also working for the Colorado Mountain Bike Association and a local guide service. Those experiences deepened his passion for stewardship, adventure, and the ways outdoor spaces bring people together.
The sandstone splitters of Indian Creek feel most like home to Wilson, though he also loves spending time in the steep caves of the Ozark Mountains in his home state of Arkansas. He now lives in Colorado Springs and joined the Climbers for Christ staff in the fall of 2024.
Wilson enjoys developing new routes and exploring untouched cliffs, but what fuels him most is helping others see climbing as a way to live out their faith in everyday life. He has a particular heart for the dirtbag climbing community, where meaningful friendships and honest conversations about life and faith often grow through shared adventures and time on the road.