The Firn Line

Following his grueling 145-day solo ascent of Mount Hunter's South East Spur in 1978, Johnny Waterman's life took a troubling turn. As his personal struggles intensified, a new team emerged to attempt the formidable route. Peter Metcalf, Glenn Randall, and Pete Athens set their sights on doing the climb in alpine style. Thanks to Jon Waterman and Glenn Randall for their help in creating this story...

In 1978, an iconoclastic climber named Johnny Waterman spent 145 days soloing (and traversing) Mount Hunter. It was one of the boldest and strangest mountaineering feats of all time. But what could have been a launch pad into acclaim and prominence, turned into a descent of infamy and madness.  Meanwhile, a group of 3 young gun alpinists prepared to attempt the same route in alpine style. Thanks t...

While working on an upcoming 2-part series, I stumbled onto this interview with Alaskan author and adventurer, Roman Dial. We recorded this back in November 2017 and for some reason, I never got around to publishing it. Roman is a natural storyteller, so I’ve decided to leave this pretty raw with minimal editing. If you enjoy stories of adventure and unique characters from Alaska, this episode is...

A few months ago I had a conversation with climber, historian, writer and podcast producer, Christian Beckwith . He’s been working on this really incredible project called 90 Pound Rucksack , which details the remarkable history of the 10th Mountain Division and it’s influence on outdoor recreation in America I have to admit, this chat was fun for me because I really do enjoy history and Christian...

A few weeks ago I interviewed North American alpinist, Clint Helander, for a deep-dive feature I'm working on for The Firn Line.  At the end of the conversation, I wanted to have a little fun.  So we did a quick-fire back and forth on what we think the top 5 traits of an alpinist are.  It's a short conversation, but it's packed with knowledge and a good a bit of humor. *************** Recorded and...

Will Stanhope is a Squamish-based rock climber, who is known for his free solos, big adventures, and witty sense of humor. All of those avenues are explored in this conversation. We talk about his inspirations as a kid, how he got into climbing, who inspired him as a young climber, his most memorable free solo climbs, his memories of the late Marc Andre Leclerc, and more. *************** Recorded...

The Cassin Ridge is the ultimate classic line on Denali, rising almost 10,000 directly up the middle of the South Face. First climbed in 1961 by a large Italian expedition led by Riccardo Cassin, the route continues to be a testing ground for alpinists to this day. Recorded and produced by Evan Phillips Music curated using  Artlist .  SUBSCRIBE  to The Firn Line on  YouTube ! Support The Firn Line...

During a stretch of amazing weather and conditions in April, 2024, Suzanna Lourie and her partner, Olga Dobranowski, made an ascent of the ultra-classic Ham & Eggs route on The Moose's Tooth.   The Moose's Tooth is a rock peak in the Central Alaska Range, 15 miles southeast of Denali. Despite its low elevation, it's a challenging climb due to its large rock faces and long ice couloirs. Its name co...

When Fred Beckey and Ed Cooper climbed the Northwest Face on Forbidden Peak in 1959, they had to have known it was a classic route.  It had all the features mountaineers look for in a North Cascades alpine climb: an arduous and long approach, tricky navigation over crevasse-laden glaciers, and steep exposed climbing to a sharp pointed summit.   Since that time, the Northwest Face of Forbidden Peak...

Today, we’ll get to know Seattle-based author, climber, skier, and historian, Lowell Skoog. Lowell is a fixture in the Northwest outdoor scene, and has been exploring mountains in the Pacific Northwest for 60 years. In this conversation, we’ll talk about Lowell’s early years of exploration in the Cascades, some of the folks who’ve inspired him over the years, as well as his recent book, Written in...

When Jamie Logan and Mugs Stump first ascended Mount Robson's Emperor Face in July 1978, it was hailed as one of North America's greatest alpine climbs.  Since then, the face has continued luring some of the world's best climbers, maintaining it's reputation as one of North America's most enduring alpine walls. Written and produced by Evan Phillips Music by Evan Phillips Additional music curated u...

Begguya - Mount hunter - at 14,537 feet tall - a massif that is dominated in scale by its neighbors Sultana and Denali - but a mountain that dominates the minds and hearts of many a mountaineer. And this was the case for Alaskan alpinist Clint Helander in the spring of 2021 when on a hunch, he called August Franzen - a young Alaskan climber who’d been making a name for himself on the frozen waterf...

In the summer of 1995, John Climaco and Andrew Brash were young dirtbag alpinists looking for the adventure of a lifetime.  The duo certainly got that and more when they flew to Pakistan for an attempt on  Chogolisa (7,665 m / 25,148 ft).  Turns out, the climb was only a small part of the journey. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Notes Special thanks to John Climaco Learn more about Joh...

For mountaineers and adventurers, there’s a rich history of exploration in and around Alaska's Denali National Park.  And although the park is mostly known for the hordes of people who attempt to climb Denali each season - few have ever thought about circumnavigating the Denali, Foraker (Sultana) and Hunter (Begguya)  massifs - let alone in winter. The first circumnavigation-like explorations, of...

You know that saying - “they just don’t make em’ the way they used to”.  I guess you could call it a quintessential American expression.  In the climbing world, It conjures up icons like Lynn Hill, Jim Bridwell, Catherine Freer, and Royal Robbins - just to name a few. You know you have someone like that in your life.  It’s someone who’s tough.  They have a determination and resolve that’s made of...

Today we head into the Kichatna Spires - a compact subrange of monolithic granite towers located just south of Denali. In early June, North American climbers Graham Zimmerman, Dave Allfrey and Whit Magro, headed into the Kichatna’s - their sites set on a new line up the beautiful northwest face of the ranges namesake - Kichatna Spire. Although many parties attempting lines in the Kichatna’s get ha...

Notes Produced by  Evan Phillips Editing & Sound Design by  Pod Peak Support The Firn Line Patreon PayPal Merch Sponsors Alaska Rock Gym The Hoarding Marmot

The western Chugach - the mountains surrounding Anchorage and the Mat-su valley to the east, are a veritable playground for hikers and climbers.  Although the rock is predominantly poor in quality, the peaks are striking, sometimes rising 5,000 from the valley floor, with a variety of snow and ice lines penetrating their faces.  Historically, these peaks have been scaled by mountaineers of all ski...

Call me old school, but nothing gets me more fired up than adding a new adventure, climbing or mountaineering book to the collection.  So I was excited last month, when Valley Of Giants: Stories From Women at The Heart of Yosemite Climbing , arrived at my doorstep.  This anthology, edited and curated by Lauren DeLaunay Miller , is a collection of 39 stories - written and told by the trailblazing,...

This month’s trip report takes place in one of Alaska’s most remote and mythical mountain ranges: The Revelations.  First explored in the late 60’s by David Roberts and friends, The Revelations hold a mystique, and reputation, that has continued to grow over the years.  The range, which is nestled between the southwest tip of The Alaska Range, and the north and western aspects of the Aleutian, Nea...

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know backcountry skier, advocate and adaptive athlete, Vasu Sojitra.  When Vasu was just 9 months old, his right leg was amputated due to a blood infection called Septicemia.  Although his life was forever changed, it didn’t stop him from pursuing his passions through childhood, which included skateboarding, soccer and skiing.  But things changed i...

They say that Alaska is a place of extremes.  This ranges from the stark changing of the seasons, to the scale of the wilderness landscapes, and of course, the size of the monolithic mountains.  But it also applies to the races - and I’m not talking about Nascar.  There’s the Iditarod - a grueling 950 mile dog sled race from Anchorage to Nome, that travels through bitter cold temperatures and sub-...

It was the summer of 1996.  At the time, I was 21 years old, living in a primitive cabin in the small fishing village of Ninilchik, Alaska.  That summer, I’d landed a job working as a park ranger assistant for Alaska State Parks, and although I’d like to say I was doing something cool like building trails, the reality is that I was cleaning gnarly outhouses, packing up bags of garbage, and picking...

Adam Gellman , a young glacier guide, tells the story of his adventures on an obscure (but challenging) Alaskan peak called Mt. Wickersham. This Trip Report is made possible with the gracious support of The Firn Line Patreon backers. To learn more about how you can become a Patreon subscriber, go to The Firn Line Patreon . ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Notes Written &  Narr...

On today’s episode of The Firn Line , we’ll get to know rock climber, big-wall soloist and AMGA certified rock climbing guide, Miranda Oakley .  Growing up in Maryland, Miranda learned from a young age the values of compassion, teaching, and working with others. Born to a Palestinian mother, and an American father, Miranda grew in a family that cared deeply about social justice issues, whether it...