Mikey Schaefer is among the veteran climbers and filmmakers best known for pioneering routes in many difficult locations. Schaefer started his journey in the mountains from a very early age and has dedicated more than two decades to it.
Throughout his career, Schaefer also worked as a photographer. He grew up reading climbing magazines, and now the pictures of the alpine region that he takes of are part of those same magazines. Schaefer has come a long way and still wishes to be in the mountains until he conquers a climb of 5.14 grade.
Bio Summary
| Popular Name | Mikey Schaefer |
| Real Name | Mikey Schaefer |
| Date of birth | 1980 |
| Age | 44 years old |
| Place of birth | Tacoma, Washington, USA |
| Father | David Schaefer |
| Mother | Not disclosed |
| Siblings | Three |
| Brother(s) | John Schaefer and Scott Schaefer |
| Sister | Mikayla Schaefer |
| Orientation | Straight |
| Status | In a relationship |
| Partner | Shanjean Lee |
| Children | None |
| Occupation | Climber, Photographer, and Filmmaker |
| Net worth | Unknown |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Zodiac | Unknown |
| Height | Unknown |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Measurement | Unknown |
| Hair color | Brown |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Complexion | Fair |
| Instagram id | mikeylikesrocks |
| Website | mikeylikesrocks.com |
Mikey Schaefer Net Worth
Schaefer has been active in the mountains for over twenty-seven years. All these years, he has garnered enough skills and experience.
Along with experience, he has also earned a good amount of money. So, even though he has not shared the exact figure of his net worth, it is safe to assume that he has a decent net worth.
Family, Parents, and Brother
Schaefer was born in Tacoma to David and his wife. The couple has three more children beside him, two sons and one daughter.
Growing up, his elder brother, John, highly influenced him. His brother was on a boys scout trip where they used to teach to climb.
From here, John got a knack for climbing, and by seeing his brother, Schaefer also became interested in climbing.
Both brothers started climbing at a very young age and have continued their passion for climbing.
Mikey Schaefer Wife/Girlfriend
Schaefer has been in a relationship with his girlfriend Sheanjean Lee since 2014. Lee is an orthopedic surgeon by profession but does rock climbing as a hobby.
The two have been dating for more than seven years and are still going strong. The couple is very supportive towards each other and has a great understanding.
Details on His Ex-fiancee Kate Ruthreford
Before meeting Lee, Schaefer got engaged to fellow climber and ambassador of many climbing companies, Kate Rutherford.
He met his ex-fiancee in 2003 at Yosemite National Park, where Rutherford was looking for a photographer.
At that time, she approached Schaefer to be her photographer, and he agreed with him. After that, they worked together on many projects and started dating in 2005.
The couple then dated for more than eight years before Schaefer popped the question during their climb in the Patagonia area of Argentina.
Rutherford said yes, and the couple even had plans of getting married. However, things didn’t go as planned, and the two broke up.
Just after the breakup, Schaefer met Lee. Rutherford also found love again and now is a married woman.
Education
Schaefer has not shared anything about his academic background. He also has not shared anything about any educational institutions.
So, no one knows anything about his educational credentials.
Career
Schaefer started his climbing career at a very young age of thirteen after when he went to a small crag outside of Breckenridge.
A year after the climbing trip, he went to fossil rock with his friend and attempted a climb of 5.10d grade. It was not a success, but he did learn how to get his rope at the right places.
After a few years, he traveled to Spike Rock, an artificial climbing formation. He met many climbing partners there, who motivated him towards more challenging trips.
He then took all his determination and traveled to Yosemite to conquer the Aquarian wall on the El Capitan while still in tenth grade.
Because of a lack of mentors and professional equipment, he failed. But, he learned some valuable lessons.
Despite failing several times, he still had a passion for climbing, so he continued it. While still trying his luck as a seventeen-year-old teenager in climbing, he met Blair Williams, a twenty-six-year teacher.
The two of them then became climbing partners and took many trips together. They even ascended on the Lost in America route and walked across three feet thick snow.
The duo continued climbing for five more years before conquering the Little Big Man on Mt. Bradley. After this accomplishment, they won the east side of Cerro Pollone, Beg, Borrow, and Steal.
While still climbing with his partner, Schaefer also took advance guide courses with the AMGA and started working as a climbing guide for the Yosemite Mountaineering School.
As a guide, he worked the whole day and at night hand drilled the route to create The Night Shift route on the Fairview Dome. He also took pictures of the stars at night and sold them for extra cash.
He had a flexible schedule and good pay working as a guide which allowed him to buy a black 2004 Mercedes sprinter. He customized the vehicle with a bed and cabinets and traveled through the alpine region.
Schaefer enjoyed his career as a guide but quit after returning from the Uli Biaho trip.
During the trip to Uli Biaho, he suffered from bacterial pneumonia. He kept fighting and walked for three and half days before getting rescued by a helicopter.
The incident made him second thought his decisions, and he quit his job as a guide. He then worked as an independent photographer and cinematographer in his own company called Mikey Schaefer LLC in 2006.
He was working independently for years before meeting Jane Sievert, the photo editor of Patagonia. Sievert informed Schaefer of using the Yosemite as their theme for the Patagonia catalog.
Schaefer took many photos for the region and was able to sell three of them. In the same year, he also became the ambassador for Patagonia.
Over these years, Schaefer has experienced success that not many have experienced. He worked as a photographer for big names like Net Geo and as a cinematographer in 60 Minutes, Fox Searchlight, other projects.
He also accompanied alpinist Dylan Potter during his solo trip to Heaven.
Despite spending so much time in the mountains, Schaefer still has some desires and dreams left to complete. He sometimes thinks of retiring but then remembers his dream of conquering a grade 5.14 climb.
He recently made a 5.13+ grade climb in Shúshaynsh but has not been able to try a 5.14-grade as it requires more training and commitment.
When he can finally fulfill his dream of a 5.14-grade climb, he plans to retire from his long and exciting journeys in the mountains.
Related: Information on other famous climbers Conrad Anker, John Long, and Beth Rodden.
