A professional rock climber who assaulted a woman three times during a weekend hiking trip to California’s Yosemite national park in 2016 has been sentenced to life in prison.
Charles Barrett, 40, had been accused of using his fame as a rock climber to lure the woman to the park, and then making hundreds of threatening phone calls against her and his other victims after he was arrested and placed in custody.
The US attorney’s office in Sacramento announced the sentence for two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact on Monday.
“Barrett’s long history of sexual violence supports the imposition of a life sentence,” said federal prosecutor Phillip Talbert in a statement after the sentence was announced.
“He used his status as a prominent climber to assault women in the rock-climbing community, and when his victims began to tell, Barrett responded by lashing out publicly with threats and intimidation.”
Federal prosecutors, Talbert added, would continue to investigate and prosecute violent crimes in national parks like Yosemite.
At trial, three other women testified that Barrett, who was living and working for a private business in the national park, sexually assaulted them – one at a rock climbing gym – but those alleged crimes were not charged because they did not occur on federal land.
One of those accusers told the gym owner about Barrett’s assault in hopes of protecting other women at the gym. Barrett, who was convicted for criminal threats two years ago, then proceeded to harass and threaten her for several years, according to the US attorney’s office.
According to Outside magazine, records showed that during a 14-year period starting in 2008, Barrett had at least nine criminal protective orders or restraining orders taken against him that were obtained by four women. They all said they feared for their lives.
A 2019 article in Tahoe Quarterly said “Barrett is primarily known for pioneering some of the hardest bouldering routes in California”. He was also the subject of a glowing profile in the July 2016 issue of Climbing.
In court affidavits, National Park Service investigator Kristy McGee said the investigation of Barrett had been the most difficult of her 20-year career.
“I have talked to dozens of witnesses who have expressed fear regarding what Barrett might do to them or who have otherwise confirmed that he is an unstable and often dangerous person,” McGee said.
A National Park Service law enforcement officer assigned to Barrett’s Yosemite assault case told the outlet that “old-guy climbers” had closed ranks around Barrett and appeared to be “invested in minimizing sexual assaults and harassment while elevating climbing accomplishments”.
Ultimately, the ring of protection around Barrett was broken by Safe Outside, a group formed in 2018 as the #MeToo movement was gathering strength with the goal of assessing sexual assault and harassment in the climbing world.
After Barrett’s sentencing was announced, the Yosemite national park superintendent, Cicely Muldoon, said it sent “a clear message about the consequences of this criminal behavior. It makes Yosemite a safer place for the climbing community, park visitors and our employees”.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
