The Enormocast

On Episode 115 of the Enormocast, boulderer Paul Robinson sits down for a great talk about process. It turns out that puberty was all it took for Paul Robinson to become great. Well, that and 10,000 hours breathing BO and chalk dust in a gym. But more than that, Paul talks about relentless positivity, embracing … Continue reading "Episode 115: Paul Robinson Loves to Fail."

On Episode 114 of the Enormocast, I sit down with Black Diamond’s Climbing Category Director and former Director of Quality, Kolin Powick. Episode 114 is filled with science and nerds out on gear. We start specifically with Black Diamond’s recent recalls, but then we move into gear issues generally. Myths, misconceptions, mistakes are all discussed. … Continue reading "Episode 11...

On Episode 113, I finally move Rob Pizem from his on-deck status to current guest after saving him for a rainy day for a few years. Pizem, AKA Piz, manages a “normal” life in Grand Junction, Colorado and still climbs really hard. I try to glean the magic of how to have it all: a job(s), kids, … Continue reading "Episode 113: Rob Pizem – The Time is Now."

On Episode 112, I sit down with crack master Jean-Pierre, AKA Peewee, Ouellet. This one is for the crack nerds- the folks for whom the difference between a ring-lock and a finger-stack can be an all night, booze fueled debate, and JP delivers. We learn about his very specific approach to hard crack “collecting”. JP … Continue reading "Episode 112: Jean-Pierre “Peewee”...

On Episode 111 of the Enormocast, I sit down with rock climber and genuine good guy, Brad Gobright. This lighthearted “kid” approaches climbing the gnar with joy and stoke, but don’t let that fool you – he’s got the eye of the tiger and skills of the ninja. Brad has been quietly crushing first free … Continue reading "Episode 111: Brad Gobright – High Clas...

On Episode 110 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a seedy hotel in SLC with a very Zen Cheyne Lempy. Cheyne had just returned from a session with Rock Warrior Way‘s author, Arno Ilgner, and was feeling absolutely himself. Cheyne instantly unloads about his trip to Baffin depicted in his film, Haywire. His first … Continue reading "Episode 110: Cheyne Lempe – Finding His Way."

On Episode 109 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a sweltering Mobile Studio at City Park in Lander, Wyomin’ during the IFC with climber, Chelsea Rude. Chelsea grew up in the South dreaming of the West and finally made the move to Colorado to pursue her climbing dreams. That dream at first revolved around … Continue reading "Episode 109: Chelsea Rude – Can She Suffer? Yes, She Can....

On Episode 108 of the Enormocast, I sit down in the Mobile Studio in Rifle Mountain Park with Joe Kinder. Joe grew up in New England where he joined a crew of hotshot sport climbers that included Tim Kemple, Luke GOMEZ Parady, and Dave Graham. Self-described as the weakest of that band, Joe has nevertheless … Continue reading "Episode 108: Joe Kinder – Working for it."

                    On Episode 107 of the Enormocast, I sit down in an office in Carbondale with expedition climber, explorer, and super-dad, Mike Libecki. Mike was once just a Yosemite climbing- bum like so many before him, but then he found expedition climbing and his fate was … Continue reading "Episode 107: Mike Libecki – Passion fo...

On Episode 106 of the Enormocast, join Chris and guests Cedar Wright, Leici Hendrix, and Jen Altschul for a live listener mail from Bonfire Coffee in downtown Carbondale, CO. We discuss various questions concerning love on the rocks, lowering vs rappelling off anchors, and more. Wonky and freewheeling, you never know what you’re going to … Continue reading "Episode 106: Live from Bonfi...

On Episode 105, I sit down for a trip down memory lane with Canadian hero Will Stanhope. After cutting his teeth in Squamish, Will, and his buddy Jason Kruk, took Canadian climbing up a notch or two in the last decade. In an era of hotshot boulderers and sport climbers, Will took the opposite track … Continue reading "Episode 105: Will Stanhope – Real Men Don’t Cry (Mostly)."

On episode 104, I sit down in the Mobile Studio with German climber, Ines Papert. Ines started like many by hiking in her local mountains in Bavaria. But one day she decided walking around cliff faces sucked, and her fate was sealed. She has since become one of the top mixed ice climbers, a strong alpinist, … Continue reading "Episode 104: Ines Papert – Walking the The Beautiful Line"

On Episode 103, I sit down with dad, husband, climber, skier, and Iraq War vet, Stacy Bare. Stacy is fresh off a trip to Angola with Alex Honnold, but he wants you to know that he’s really not a very good climber. Not good at all. So why did Honnold agree to go to Angola … Continue reading "Episode 103: Stacy Bare- All We Need is Love, Climbing."

On Episode 102 of the Enormocast, I sit down with long time friend and badass endurance athlete, Rebecca Rusch. Reba, as her friends call her (thanks to me), AKA The Queen of Pain, is known world wide for her feats on her mountain bike, but she was a climber first. After so much success in the … Continue reading "Episode 102: Rebecca Rusch – Once a Climber, Always a Climber."

On Episode 101 of the Enormocast, I sit down with SLC local, Justin Wood. Justin is a guy who has deep roots in the Salt Lake climbing scene but has traveled the world as a dirtbag and a van bum. Never one to let a job get in the way of a good road trip, … Continue reading "Episode 101: Justin Wood – Problem Solver."

On Episode 100 of the Enormocast, I get a little help from my friends to celebrate my entire catalog – 100! YEAH, DAWG! –  and we then get down to an epic convo with man of the hour, and climber of the ages, Tommy Caldwell. Tommy talks inspiration, professionalism, and the ups and downs of … Continue reading "Episode 100: Tommy Caldwell – Adventure Addict."

On Episode 99 of the Enormocast, I sit down in yet another seedy hotel with speed climber and former YOSAR member, Libby Sauter. Libby takes her adventure way beyond climbing as a nurse, often flying to far off locals with the Novick Cardiac Alliance. She cut her climbing teeth on the legendary Yosemite Search and … Continue reading "Episode 99- Libby Sauter – Life on the Short Fix."

On Episode 98 of the Enormocast, I sit down with Midwest native and ice farmer, Eric Barnard. Eric found climbing after Jerry’s death and getting sick and tired of Hacky Sack, and he went on to develop the early bouldering scene at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin. After a stint in Pocatello, Idaho, he and his family … Continue reading "Episode 98: Eric Barnard – Small Town, Big Dre...

On Episode 97 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a limping Mobile Studio with alpinist, and all-around climber, Jay Smith. Jay and I get through his discomfort to talk about his early climbing, his vast motivation for first ascents, rigging, and best partners. Jay may or may not have sanctioned himself Clint-Eastwood-style by revealing classified … Continue reading "Episode 97: Jay Smith &#821...

On Episode 96 of the Enormocast, I luck out and sit down with Swedish/Moroccan/Finnish climber, Said Belhaj. After obsessively adventuring on nearby rocks and breaking into his grade school like a ninja to train, Said found sport climbing and his fate was set. He is a seeker and finds the meditative state in climbing to be … Continue reading "Episode 96: Said Belhaj – All In, All the T...

On Episode 95 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a slowly deteriorating studio with German climbing legend, Stefan Glowacz. Stefan informed my early climbing with his seminal book Rocks Around the World. He started as a hotshot comp climber, then a sport climber, and has gone on to establish monster alpine routes and big rock … Continue reading "Episode 95: Stefan Glowacz – Still on Top....

                On Episode 94 of the Enormocast, I enjoy an evening with alpinist, Colin Haley. Colin hails from Washington, grew up scrambling and snow climbing in the Cascades before turning his talents to Alaska, the Himalaya, and Patagonia. Colin methodically built the skills to become one of the … Continue reading "Episode 94: Colin Haley –...

On Episode 93 of the Enormocast, I hang with a guy who has spent his life protecting others and protecting climbing, Armando Menocal. An avowed weekend warrior, Armando used climbing to blow off steam from his day job as a human rights lawyer stemming all the way back to the anti-war movement in 1969. Armando … Continue reading "Episode 93: Armando Menocal – The Peaceful Climbing Warri...

On Episode 92 of the Enormocast, I reunite with a Enormo-favorite James Lucas. He left his Saturn behind, went to Spain, and climbed the Freerider in a day, all since we last heard from him in Episode 47. James continues to lead the dirtbag life, bouncing from Yosemite, to Salt Lake, and around the world. … Continue reading "Episode 92: James Lucas – Free Riding."

On Episode 91, I sit down in SLC with climber, musician, and guidebook author, Misty Murphy. Misty has become the maven of Southwest Utah climbing, carrying on in the Utah Hills and beyond with her husband, the route developer Bill Ohran. 5 years in the making, Misty has finally completed the definitive guidebook to the … Continue reading "Episode 91: Misty Murphy- Limestone Siren."