Climb
Dougald MacDonald
Buried Treasure
Connect
Guest User
The Greatest Benefit to Membership
Educate
Guest User
K2 1938: The First American Karakoram Expedition

Podcast

CONNECT: The Next Generation of Crag Developers

The mentorship gap is a frequent topic of discussion in a lot of climbing circles, and the gap seems to be especially pronounced for climbers trying to get into crag and boulder development. In this episode, we dove into the joys of having too many mentors to count.


Long-time developer and AAC member Josh Pollock decided to collaborate with Jefferson County, in the Front Range of Colorado, to develop a beginner-friendly crag called the Narrow Gauge Slabs. For this project, sustainability and accessibility was a focus from the start, and Josh and other local developers designed a mentorship program that would coincide with developing the crag, to support climbers of traditionally marginalized backgrounds who want to equip themselves with knowledge and mentorship resources so that they could be developers and mentors in their own right. In this episode, we sat down with Lily Toyokura Hill and Ali Arfeen, two mentees in the program who have really taken this experience and run with it, stepping into leadership roles in the local climbing community. We cover what inspired them to become developers, perceptions of route development and who belongs, grading and individual bolting styles, and much more. The conversation with Lily, Ali, and Josh illuminates a lot about the power of mentorship and the complex considerations of developing in modern climbing.

EDUCATE: The Forgotten Stonemaster

We are so excited to have longtime AAC member Rick Accomazzo on the podcast to chat about his new book “Tobin, the Stonemasters, and Me, 1970-1980.” This book is part memoir of Rick’s own early climbing career, part revealing biography of Tobin Sorenson, the forgotten Stonemaster who was an incredible all-arounder; and part a distillation of a decade of climbing culture. With these three threads, the book weaves together many untold climbing stories from an iconic, pivotal decade, from “before climbing lost its innocence,” as John Long says in his forward to the book. Listen to the episode to hear some key stories from the book and learn about the ten-year process of putting it together.

We’d also like to congratulate Rick for his book being longlisted for the Banff Mountain Literature Award! Dive into the episode to get your dose of forgotten climbing history. You can grab your own copy at stonemasterbooks.com

CONNECT: Undercover Crusher Nathan Hadley

On this edition of the Undercover Crusher series, we have Rab athlete Nathan Hadley on the pod. We talk about what counts as “undercover,” and the reality of straddling the world of full-time work while being “pro.” We discuss the pressure to be obsessed with Yosemite, and maybe figuring out that performing in Yosemite is not the only place to make a name for yourself…as well as bolting and development ethics in Washington, sending the Canadian Trilogy, and the downsides and upsides of being a route setter. 

Jump into this episode to hear all this and more from crusher Nathan Hadley! 


CONNECT: Summiting Denali, Living the Dream

In this episode, we had Live Your Dream grant recipient John Thompson on the pod to tell us all about his trip to Denali! Our Live Your Dream grant is our most popular grant, and it’s powered by The North Face.

John’s LYD story is about feeling a sense of urgency–how now is the time to explore and pursue big adventures. A strong sense of carpe diem. After nearly a decade away from Denali, John returned, only to get caught up in helping with a rescue, and not getting to pursue his goal route because of weather conditions. We sat down with John to hear about his grant experience, the rescue he helped with, his journey falling away from climbing and coming back to it, how guiding shaped his climbing, and why it meant so much to be standing on the top of Denali once again.

PROTECT: Amity Warme and a YOSAR Climbing Ranger Weigh In on The Yosemite Credo

Its another Yosemite episode! And with some of the most in-the-know climbers, pro Amity Warme and Climbing Ranger Jesse McGahey, who weigh in on what’s been happening in Yosemite, both climbing wise, and in terms of community discussions about the future of climbing ethics and style there.

In this episode, we get to know crusher Amity Warme, and her perspectives on going ground-up on El Cap, how she’s recently been toeing the line between pushing her limits versus being in over her head, and how she views her role in the climbing community. We also chat about her ascent of Book of Hate (a 13d heinous stem corner ) and Pineapple Express (which is the fully free version of El Nino) last fall.

We also have Yosemite Climbing Ranger Jesse McGahey back on the pod, and chat about what’s been going on in Yosemite recently regarding rising temperatures, recent accidents due to using technology, the origins of the new Yosemite Climber’s Credo, and how a local climbing community came together to agree on shared values and guidelines. Amity also weighs in on the Yosemite Credo, and why she believes in the Credo and wants to help lead the way on the best practices for climbing in this iconic location.

Dive in to hear about some crucial conversations happening in one of the hubs of the climbing community.

Educate: Search and Rescue Helicopter Evacuation in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Photo by AAC member Jon Glassberg.

This year, the featured winner of the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Award is the Black Canyon Search and Rescue team, who performed an incredibly technical rescue in 2023 in the Black Canyon, after a climber took a bad fall that left them unconscious, needing medical attention almost 2,000 ft down into the canyon. In this episode, we sit down to chat with Sean Hart, one of the SAR team members at the scene that day, who walks us through the unique challenges of climbing and rescuing in The Black, the harrowing rescue by Blackhawk helicopter, how critical communication is in rescues, and how to always have a plan B.

Learn more about the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Award, watch the film about this incredible rescue, and get the chance to give back to your local search and rescue team AND win some incredible gear by going to https://rockytalkie.com/pages/sar-award

Announcing the 2024 Rocky Talkie Search & Rescue Award Winners

We’re thrilled to partner with Rocky Talkie to announce the winners of the 2024 Search & Rescue Award. Through this grant, Rocky Talkie is donating $75,000 to six underfunded SAR teams across the nation. Read their stories and watch a film by Jon Glassberg about the Featured Rescue of the Year on Rocky Talkie’s website.

You can also enter to win $5,000 for your local Search and Rescue team plus a safety prize package for yourself through Rocky Talkie’s SAR Award giveaway when you visit their website.

Protect: First Ascents, Ground Falls, and the AAC Rescue Benefit in Action

In this episode, we sit down with Jarod, a long-time AAC member, to discuss a crazy accident he had at his home crag in Missouri, and how he utilized the AAC’s rescue benefit to cover the cost of his medical expenses. If you’ve been wondering if the AAC’s rescue benefit is for you, Jarod’s story helps explain how it works. We dive into the quirky concept of “girdle traverses” or mulitpitches that go sideways, and analyze his accident— the decisions he made, how traversing complicates gear placements, and the close calls he had. Funnily enough, Jarod also did a FA on that same wall—putting up Missouri’s potentially longest rock climb with Jeremy Collins, and this FA made it into the American Alpine Journal! We discuss the vision behind this 8-pitch traverse, what went into making it happen, the silliness of climbing, the unique belay tactics for traversing, and more!

EDUCATE: The Climbing World's Best Books about Accidents and the Cutting Edge

This year’s editions of Accidents in North American Climbing and the American Alpine Journal are off to the printer! We had the editors of these world-renowned books, Dougald MacDonald and Pete Takeda, on the podcast to discuss all the details of what goes into making these books: including how stories get selected, the challenges of investigating how accidents happen, how these books fit into the larger climbing media landscape, and the long history of these books. Our editors also chat about what it’s like to edit over 100 stories about climbers hurting themselves and then still go climbing. We cover how these books have been translated and utilized across the globe, as well as trends in accidents this year. If you’re looking for more details about how the AAC produces such robust reporting on cutting edge climbing and accident analysis each year, you’ll have to hear from the editors themselves!

United We Climb? Or United We VIBE?—The June T-Shirt Is Here

Pack your boombox and rigid-stem cams, it's time to vibe out. This June, we're offering this bodacious limited edition t-shirt when you join the Club, renew your membership, donate $30 or more. If you’re obsessed with the climbing vibe, this 80’s inspired t-shirt is for you!

Use promo code VIBE24 during the month of June only.

EDUCATE: The Untold Stories of Sherpas, Baltis, and other Local Climbers in the Greater Ranges

In this episode, we cover the untold and complex experience of local climbers in the Greater Ranges—how Sherpas, Baltis, and other local climbers have navigated the complex landscape of living near and working on Everest and in the Karakoram. We sat down with three incredible writers—Nandini Purandare and Deepa Balsavar, who are the authors of the newly released book Headstrap–Legends and Lore from the Climbing Sherpas of Darjeeling; and also the well-known mountain writer Bernadette McDonald, who has recently released Alpine Rising: Sherpas, Baltis, and the Triumph of Local Climbers in the Greater Ranges.


Though it's easy to lump these mountains together from a foreign climber’s perspective, these books cover distinct geographical locations that are deeply impacted by the politics of this region of the world. In conversation, these writers illuminated the unique challenges for Nepali, Tibetan, Pakistani, and Sherpa climbers from Darjeeling, as well as the shared challenges that all of these climbers have faced in making a name for themselves, fighting for safe working conditions, navigating the way colonization has impacted the boundaries of mountaineering, and more. We discuss topics like how Tenzing Norgay’s identifying as Sherpa when he first climbed Everest catapulted the idea of “Sherpa” into the limelight, how the Partitioning of India and Pakistan affects the work prospects of Darjeeling Sherpa, navigating relationships with foreign climbers vs climbing for themselves, and much more. Whether you’re a mountaineer yourself, or just have a passing respect for Everest, join us in this episode to hear about the deeply human stories of individual Sherpas (from various regions) and Pakistani climbers, and how they navigate death, risk, financial independence, and glory in the big mountains of our world.

CONNECT: Inside the Life of a Climbing Photographer

Note: This episode is explicit.

In this episode, we had adventure photographer Jeremiah Watt on the pod to talk about all things climbing photography. Miah is a big fan of the AAC, and regularly donates his incredible photos to us! In this episode, Miah and the AAC’s award-winning Graphic Designer Foster Denney dive into topics like the life of a freelancer, what it takes to get the right shot on the wall, trends in climbing photography, the physical toll like jugging fixed lines to get the shot, mistakes new photogs make, and more. Ever wondered what’s going on behind the lens? Listen to this episode to get the behind the scenes life of an adventure photographer!

CONNECT: Mo Beck on the Impact of Adaptive Climbing Fest, and Retiring from Competitions

Adaptive Climbing Festival (ACF) is crafting a shift in adaptive climbing. Not only is it easier than ever for a person with a disability to TRY paraclimbing, but through ACF, there are also now more opportunities to build skills and depth in the paraclimbing community, deepening the knowledge and expertise that adaptive leaders can use to empower future generations of adaptive climbers.

We sat down with Mo Beck, one of the organizers of ACF and a pro athlete, to talk about how Adaptive Climbing Fest started, its impact, and why ACF is such a meaningful finalist for the AAC’s Changemaker Award. We also chatted about Mo’s climbing philosophy, the emotions of retiring from competing, trolls on Mountain Project, and how she’s seen the sport change over 25 years of climbing.

CLIMB: Katie Lamb Dives Deep on Her Send of Box Therapy, and Losing Anonymity

In 2023, Katie Lamb sent Box Therapy. It was a definite level-up for her personal climbing, and with this ascent, she became the first woman in history to climb a boulder that many consider to be V16. Her landmark send made waves, and that’s why she is a finalist for the AAC’s Climb of the Year Award. We chatted with Katie about all that went into projecting Box Therapy, her climbing philosophy, how to use excuses to your advantage on bad days, what it was like to lose anonymity, her secret to work-climbing balance, the experience of everyone talking about you on the internet, and being authentic in the current climbing world.

CLIMB: Babsi Zangerl's Secret to Her Exceptional Yosemite Resume

"I like to suck" Babsi says...and this mentality means she's constantly trying climbing styles and skills that she's bad at. And with that sense of curiosity, she acquires a breadth of mastery that is evident in her Yosemite accomplishments...

In many ways, Babsi Zangerl has flown under the radar here in the United States. She doesn’t like to brag—she just wants to climb hard. But her dedication to climbing has resulted in an astonishing Yosemite resume. She has 6 free ascents of El Cap to her name, including the first female free ascents of Zodiac, El Nino, and Magic Mushroom. In this interview, we talk about some of these iconic climbs, what inspires her and her goal-setting process, how she taught herself to crack climb in Indian Creek so she could climb in Yosemite, the magic duo that is her partnership with Jacopo Larcher, and her perspective on the ground-up ethic of big wall climbing. She also admits to why she’s been avoiding the Monster Off-Width pitch and gives us a hint of her ambitions for future Yosemite trips. Dive into this episode to hear from one of the most accomplished modern Yosemite climbers—and honestly, she’s just getting started.

EDUCATE: Hazel Findlay on Yosemite, Magic Line, and the Theory of Flow

We sat down with the master of climbing mindset, Hazel Findlay. Hazel has made many significant free ascents of El Cap, and is one of the very few to climb the storied single pitch trad test piece, Magic Line. In this episode of the podcast, we talk with Hazel about her history with Yosemite, the projecting process for Magic Line, and of course, tips and tricks for building a strong mind. She shares some of her best insights about finding flow; a new concept that compliments flow, called clutch; first steps towards building a personal sending philosophy; and even a few practical exercises you can put into practice right now to start working on your headgame. And of course, how this all got applied during her own projecting process for Magic Line, because Pro’s struggle with headgame too!

GAME DAY: Hueco Rock Rodeo

It’s about to be game on for the 28th annual Hueco Rock Rodeo, and so we had our own Game Day panel to talk shop about strategies for the competition, the major players to look out for, and how the condies are shaping up. We had Nina Williams and Jon Glassberg on the pod to chat podium predictions, climbing rivalries, whose injured, and whose coming in with momentum, and whether Daniel Woods is really going to win the Hueco Rock Rodeo, AGAIN. Dive in to get all the beta on the top competitors, funny stories from past competitions, performance tips, competitive vibes, trash talk, and more.

Show Notes

More about the Hueco Rock Rodeo

More about Nina Williams

More about Jon Glassberg

CLIMB: Tom Evans and Two Decades of Reporting on El Cap Climbing

Tom Evans on El Cap back when he was climbing it instead of reporting on it.

New episode of the American Alpine Club Podcast with legend Tom Evans:

Tom Evans is the creator of the El Cap Report. He started out taking photos of all the climbers he’d see on El Cap, and got tired of answering questions about who was doing what and how X ascent was going. So he innovated. He started posting a daily report, accompanied by his photos, of what was happening on El Cap during the main Yosemite climbing season—and he since has crafted a legacy of 22 years of documenting “the center of the universe”—El Cap climbing. With his recent retirement from the El Cap report, we decided we wanted to celebrate this legacy, and hear all his thoughts on the climbing history he’s documented, witnessing accidents and rescues, what’s next in El Cap climbing, the impact of social media in the Valley, and what motivated him in the first place to create the El Cap report. Dive in to get to know one of the legendary names from the El Cap bridge scene—a conversation just for you, unique in all the world!

Tom Evans in Action: Climbing and Documenting the “Center of the Universe”

Show Notes:

Explore The El Cap Report

Hear More Yosemite Stories at the AAC 2024 Annual Benefit Gala

CONNECT: The FKT of the Rainier Infinity Loop, In Memory of A Friend

Abby Westling and Kiira Antenucci were devastated to lose their friend Luke to a climbing accident in 2022. But as they learned to cope with this tragedy, they began to dream up something big. In July of 2023, Kiira and Abby set out to attempt The Infinity Loop, an epic endurance test piece that summits Rainer twice and circumnavigates the mountain via the Wonderland Trail. The two have extensive experience as guides on Rainier, and have submitted dozens of times, but this challenge would push them to their limits. They also wanted to do it in memory of their friend, and raise money for the AAC’s Climbing Grief Fund (CGF), which had supported them in the early stages of their grief process. Dive into this episode to hear the full story of how they set the female Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Infinity Loop, the emotional ups and downs of such a massive challenge, why the Climbing Grief Fund means so much to them, and the impact of their incredible work in fundraising for the CGF.

EDUCATE: Everything You Didn't Know About Royal Robbins

Most climbers know the name Royal Robbins. But how much do you really know about this legendary figure in American climbing? Writer and editor David Smart has written a new award winning biography of Royal, called Royal Robbins: The American Climber. The AAC sat down with David to discuss how Royal’s revolutionary years in Yosemite fits into the grander scheme of climbing history, the undervalued climbs from Royal’s life, his writerly intellectualism, bringing nuts to the US to replace pitons, his famed frenemy Warren Harding, and his mixed feelings around bolting throughout his career. Dive into the episode to learn more about one of climbing history’s biggest personalities!

CONNECT: Behind the Scenes of Climbing Mentorship, with Kimber Cross and Kit DesLauriers

Kimber in action. Photo Courtesy of Kimber Cross.

Showing off her custom prosthetic ice tool. Photo courtesy of Kimber Cross.

Kimber Cross is an adaptive climber who uses a custom prosthetic ice tool to climb waterfall ice around the country as well as alpine ice routes in her home state of Washington. She is a part of The North Face’s Athlete Development Program, and her mentor is long-time AAC supporter Kit DesLauriers, the first person to ski the seven summits. The AAC sat down with Kimber and Kit to talk about Kimber’s emerging career in alpinism and ski mountaineering. We also cover mentorship, setting goals, and some of the ways the larger climbing community makes assumptions about adaptive climbers. Dive in to hear some fascinating tales from the mountains—including raising a wolf and doing a bit of spontaneous hangliding in the Tetons—and to learn more about how Kimber is pushing her climbing and changing the narrative.

PROTECT: A Yosemite Climbing Ranger Weighs in on Style, Sustainability, and Safety

In this episode, we sit down with Head Yosemite Climbing Ranger Jesse McGahey to talk about the state of Yosemite climbing. We dig into what a climbing ranger’s job is like on a daily basis, and the knowledge Yosemite climbers should know that could prevent many accidents. We discuss the new splitter near Super Slide, as well as the need for, and initial success of the Big Wall Permit. We also cover an evolving conversation around style on El Cap and other classic big walls in the Park; camping and parking issues, and so much more.

Yosemite climbing has been such an inspiration for the climbing world, but in its current iteration, that experience is at risk. The AAC is excited to be partnering with Yosemite National Park to preserve that climbing experience for climbing generations to come. Learn more about these challenges to Yosemite, and how we will be partnering with the Yosemite Climbing Rangers, in this episode!