The Enormocast: A Climbing Podcast

On Episode 146 of the Enormocast, I journey to Jackson, New Hampshire to sit down with an old friend, Majka Burhardt. Majka has actually been on the show twice before but the files were ruined one way or another due to inept skills on the part of the Royal We. Finally, 4 years after the … Continue reading "Episode 146: Majka Burhardt – From Climbing to Conservation."

On Episode 145 of the Enormocast, I sit down with my friend and Carbondale local, Mary Harlan. I often get requests for the “everyman (sic)” interview, and though Mary is not ordinary, nor is she a man, she does tread near the mainstream category as not only a good and experienced climber, but a mother, … Continue reading "Episode 145: Mary Harlan – Almost Famous."

On Episode 144 of the Enormocast, I sit down at the Ouray ice festival with ice climbing dark horse, Rapheal Slawinski. While a total legend in his backyard of the Canadian Rockies, Raph is maybe not quite the household name of his compatriot, Will Gadd. Yet, he has been on the forefront of ice climbing, … Continue reading "Episode 144: Raphael Slawinski – Control Within the Chaos."

On Episode 143 of the Enormocast, Andrew Bisharat, Steve Dilk, and I sit down with a bottle of whiskey and look back on the year and decide what notions and ideas in climbing are dead, or dying. Do Euros really suck at crack climbing the way the forums might see it? Can you really get … Continue reading "Episode 143: The TAPS Edition AKA Kill Your Daisy Chain with Andrew Bisharat and Steve Dilk."

On Episode 142 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a wide open and relaxing space in SLC to talk to big wall legend, John Middendorf. John disappeared to Tasmania after single-handedly changing big wall climbing in the 1990s. Previously, porta-ledges afforded respite from the vertical, but could not hold any serious storm at bay. … Continue reading "Episode 142: John Middendorf – Build It and They Will Go."

On Episode 141, my friend and climbing advocate, Sam Lightner, returns for his sophomore appearance on the Enormocast after joining us way back on Episode 9.  Sam just recently published a book, Heavy Green, about a battle in the Vietnam War that involved a climbing twist as the NVA were faced with a climbing crux … Continue reading "Episode 141: Sam Lightner Jr. – Heavy Green."

On Episode 140 of the Enormocast, I sit down with World Citizen by way of Finland, Nalle Hukkataival. Much to my surprise, we found ourselves discussing at great length a single boulder problem, Burden of Dreams, something I never would have expected on the Enormocast. However, as we delve into Nalle’s send of what is … Continue reading "Episode 140: Nalle Hukkataival – Going Beyond."

On Episode 139 of the Enormocast, I sit down with mountain runner, or running explorer, or climber runner, or just plain runner, Joe Grant. Joe and I connected at a fundraising event for the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance in Salt Lake City, and while Joe was telling me about his running passion and long distance … Continue reading "Episode 139: Joe Grant – Analyzing the Simple."

On Episode 138 of the Enormocast, I sit down with my old friend, Heidi Wirtz. Heidi came up in climbing rock and ice in the hard-knocks backwater of Crested Butte, CO. She learned to take chances but never take money for climbing. After committing fully to the dirtbag lifestyle, Heidi nevertheless soon found herself wanting … Continue reading "Episode 138: Heidi Wirtz – The Long Game."

On Episode 137 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a glass room with boulderer, sport climber, and secret trad-head, Carlo Traversi. Though mostly known for very very hard bouldering, Carlo’s humble beginnings, like many, started in a gym and with a dusting of trad credentials. But once he tasted hard bouldering – ironically on … Continue reading "Episode 137: Carlo Traversi – Beyond Bouldering."

On Episode 136 of the Enormocast, I sit down beside the Popo Agie River in Lander, Wyoming at the International Climbers Festival with Shelma Jun. Shelma somewhat accidentally started FlashFoxy, which after beginning as a humble Instagram account among friends, morphed into an advocacy movement for women’s climbing. Shelma then added the Women’s Climbing Festival … Continue reading "Episode 136: Shelma Jun – A Better Way."

On Episode 135 of the Enormocast, I sit down with author and trainer, Arno Ilgner. Arno is probably most famous for his book, The Rock Warrior’s Way, but he is also known for his fearsome routes in the Southeast and beyond. Ilgner found himself at a crossroads 22 years ago and unsatisfied with just climbing and … Continue reading "Episode 135: Arno Ilgner – Climbing Deep."

On Episode 134, I sit down with alpinist and filmmaker, Graham Zimmerman. Graham has found the magic mix of working in the outdoor industry and still getting to go on trip after trip to the high alpine. The secret is working both sides of the lens as a crack mountaineer and a dedicated film auteur. … Continue reading "Episode 134: Graham Zimmerman – Both Sides of the Lens."

On Episode 132, I sit down with Alex Honnold. You may have heard of him. He recently free-handed the El Capitan. But seriously, a seriously-still-stoked Alex Honnold joins the Enormocast for his sophomore appearance. In opposition to his many recent mainstream appearances, on Jimmy Kimmel for example, we decided that a total move-for-move nerd-out on his history-making … Continue reading "Episode 133: Alex Honnold – Kind of a Big Deal."

On Episode 132 of the Enormocast, we’ve gathered a panel at the 5Point Film Festival to record a live discussion of climbing films. In the elements on a cold April day, the panel digs deep into film making, curating, watching, and enjoying. Dave O’Leske recently released Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey, a doc about … Continue reading "Episode 132: Live from 5Point Film Festival- Climbing Films."

On Episode 131 of the Enormocast, I sit down with Austrian climber, Hansjörg Auer. Hans somewhat reluctantly blasted onto the European climbing scene 10 years ago with an audacious free solo ascent of il Pesce (The Fish) on the Marmolada in the Dolomites of Northern Italy.  Before and since that day, Hans has continued to … Continue reading "Episode 131: Hansjörg Auer – Finding the Moment."

On Episode 130, I sit down with Italian rock climber, Jacopo Larcher. We caught up while both in Spain and climbing at Siurana. Jacopo was on a mission to climb La Rambla (9a), which he did, and I was on a mission to pull off the first international trip with the Enormobaby, which we did. … Continue reading "Episode 130- Jacopo Larcher – So Many Routes, So Many Dreams"

On Episode 129 of the Enormocast, I sit down with consummate alpinist, Steve Swensen. Steve’s career in the big mountains has spanned decades. As a kid, Steve dreamed of flying to the stars as an Apollo astronaut, but he chose to climb as close to space as possible instead. While he has climbed worldwide, his … Continue reading "Episode 129: Steve Swenson – Almost an Astronaut."

On Episode 128, I dig back in the archives for a live show recorded last year at the American Alpine Club’s Craggin’ Classic in Devils Lake, WI. One rainy, soggy, muddy night, three guest joined me for a panel discussion on the colorful history of the upper Midwest’s most storied cliff. Guidebook author Jay Knower, … Continue reading "Episode 128: Live from Devils Lake Craggin’ Classic"

On Episode 27 of the Enormocast, I sit down with blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer. Erik found climbing just in time to save him from a miserable existence in the dark safe place where taking chances and adventure are out of the question. Instead, Erik learned to push against his boundaries and seek fearful situations to … Continue reading "Episode 127: Erik Weihenmayer – Learning by Letting Go."