Chris Kalous

December 12, 2024December 11, 2024

Enormocast 298: Jim Erickson – Clean and Free in the 1970s

On Episode 298 of the Enormocast, I sit down in with Boulder, Colorado legend, Jim Erickson. Turns out that when Jim climbed the crags and roamed the streets of Boulder in the late 60s and 70s, it was a cow-town – not the bougie climbing mecca we love to hate on today. Erickson grew up climbing at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin, but was looking for a college experience with close-by climbing and ended up out west. Quickly, he established himself as the most psyched climber of the small community and was raging through Eldo in no time. Jim’s free ascent of the Naked Edge with Duncan Ferguson in 1971 put him on the top of the heap worldwide. But just months later, Jim embraced clean climbing and embarked on a sending spree that went a very long way to evangelize for using removable rock-friendly nuts exclusively. Jim’s ethics evolved to eschew chalk and several other modern conveniences, yet he nearly sent Half-Dome free in 1976 with Art Higbee. This ascent and many others established Jim as one of the best and unique free climbers of all time.

Free Climb: The Northwest Face of Half Dome, Jim Erickson and Art Higbee scale Half Dome

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November 26, 2024November 26, 2024

Enormocast 297: Paul “PK” Kuenn – The Dairylander

On Episode 297 of the Enormocast, I sit down in Munising, Michigan with local Midwest legend, Paul Kuenn. In his youth near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Paul was drawn to the outdoors: fly-fishing, cross-country skiing, and finally, climbing at Devil’s Lake. Climbing became obsession which brought him to the PNW to become a guide and to Colorado to ply his craft as a guide but also a builder. But the upper midwest drew him back, and Paul set out on a mission to find and climb ice all around Lake Superior. He also created Dairyland Expeditions which specialized in alpine training in Wyoming and Montana, and guiding ice in Munising. Paul also help organized and popularize the AMGA. Now decades later, Paul still revels in the ice climbing community he helped to form on the lonely ice flows of Lake Superior and attends the Michigan Ice Fest nearly without fail since its inception in a tiny cabin on the shore of mighty Gichigami.

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November 11, 2024November 12, 2024

Enormocast 296: Barry Blanchard Live in Banff

On Episode 296 of the Enormocast, we rebroadcast an interview that was recorded live at the Banff Mountain Film Festival with alpinist and Canadian legend, Barry Blanchard. Barry showed up at the Banff Centre at 9:45am and brought the fire and the wisdom of 50 years in the game. Barry’s feted exploits range from his home in the Canadian Rockies to the worldwide ranges of Alaska, Pakistan, India, Chamonix, the Andes, Patagonia and frankly, anywhere there are mountains to climb. During the one hour interview in front of a hometown crowd, we talk about the Rupal Face on Nanga Parbat, The North Pillar of North Twin, but more interestingly, we get into Barry’s motivations, indigenous roots, darker side, and lost partners. Finally, we preview Barry’s next book and hear the story of his rebirth after a more domestic accident nearly took his life. Just a fine hour of Barry Blanchard.