On Episode 328 of the Enormocast, we sit down with alpinist and Michigander, Matt Cornell. That’s right, one of the world’s best alpinists grew up in the mountain-less upper Midwest dreaming of vertical playgrounds beyond his home State’s borders. Despite the pressures of modern suburban expectations, Matt moved into his hatchback and become a climbing bum post high school. But it was a suggestion of a mentor that convinced Matt to move to Bozeman and become an ice climber. After a season or two of bumbling his way into the hard-nose and hard-knock scene in Hyalite Canyon, Matt’s fuse was lit and the greater ranges beckoned. An epic or two later, Matt’s burgeoning skills finally started to knab him first ascents and coalesced a crew of like minded climbers around Cornell. Epically, but not finally, Cornell, Jackson Marvell, and Alan Rousseau did what some would say is the finest alpine style ascent of all time on the North Face of Jannu in 2023.
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