Email night or day: chris@enormocast.com
Call me. I probably won’t pick up if I don’t recognize the number, so leave a short, pleasant message. Drunk texts welcome. 970-274-2691
Twitter: not really a contact, but whatever. @enormocast
Old Skool Mail: P.O. Box 1408, Carbondale, CO 81623
Unannounced Face Time? Come to Carbondale and ask around (Colorado, not Illinois- thank God!).
Loved the recent episodes! It was awesome to hear you and TC chat again. Would love to hear you catch-up with J-Star! Your first interview was really great and that dude is all over the place – I’m sure there’s lots of new tales to tell.
Cheers! Thanks for all the effort over the years.
Hell yes, I’ll get in touch with J-Star.
Wooo!
I’ve gotten to really like this guy as a person. Listened to many.
Favorites:
Jay Smith (climbed with him at Indian Creek in the 90’s). No ego.
John Long (transcends climbing).
Katie Brown (sad and poignant)
Bradley Carter (great interview and best produced interview)
Kelly Cordes talking about Marstri
Croft (the Dali Lama)
Love to hear from Steve Gerberding. He’s really cool. No ego and he has a great resume. He put up Hardest A5 on El Cap (Reticent Wall) (before they added bolts
Grand Prize winner: Charlie Porter. No one put up more classic, hard routes in El Cap. Zodiac, Tangerine, and many many more circa early 70’s
I know Steve from the olden times. Did the second ascent of Reticent Wall. I have no idea where he is but shouldn’t be too hard to find. RIP Charlie Porter. He was, indeed, all time.
Hey Chris, I know you don’t have a lot of kids on the show, but there’s a teenage dude out in the Gunks named William Moss who recently put up the hardest route there, a 5.14c called Friend Zone (variation of Brozone). Considering how few trad climbs there are of this difficulty in the world, the history of the Gunks, and the fact that he freed a project that’s twice as old as he is, it might be cool to get him on. Not a lot of kids getting out of the gym at all, let alone sending hard trad. I saw him out there one day filming the route when I was cruising up the 5.4 next door and we chatted about how Z4 cams are rad, he seemed like an interesting kid. Plus, more east coast climbers on the show can’t hurt!
Do you have a contact? Send to chris@enormocast.com
Hey chris, Im one of those east coasters that get psyched any time a familiar name comes up. Does Steve Dambouise still live near rifle? Would love to hear of his time on the east pioneering hard lines.
Thanks!
I know Stevie quite well. I’m not sure he would be interested? But I’ll ask. I’d be psyched to hear about that past stuff, too. I’m sure he’ll be in Rifle next summer.
Hey Chris, we sat a talked for a bit at the Lander Bar a few years back during the climbers fest, and the topic of meat straws at a particular bar in Baraboo WI came up. Well, just saw this and it reminded me of that happy time…
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/bennys-original-meat-straws-5-pack-original-meat-sticks/871ORGMSTRAW.html
I may pick me up a box.
Strawsages!
Hey Chris,
Love the show, and your rant on the BS softgood gear review from a couple of TAPS ago was super on the nose. Not the Nose, but you get my point. Anyways, you should look into interviewing Pete Takeda. I mean he’s been in the climbing scene since the early 90’s on mountaineering expeditions to Nanda Devi (where him and his team falls into a crevasse for 4 days), he wrote the book, National Geographic: Climb!, and is still crushing it 30 years later. I have a contact with him, if you want me to make the introduction. He is also in Boulder these days along with everyone else if you are ever heading that way again.
Anyways, hit me up if you want the info,
Wes
Would be fun to talk to Pete. I’ve known him casually for going on 25 years?
My name is Eva Happy and I’m a 20 year old super-novice trad climber based out of Bozeman. I love the show. I have listened to every episode all the way back to 2013, and am now making my way through the first 50. Wow. What an awesome project you have brought to life!
I’m reaching out mostly just to say thank you for all that you’ve done with the show. The amount of climbing history that the Enormocast has steeped me in is truly mind-boggling. There is something so powerful about having access to these stories in podcast-form, especially in an era when meeting a true mentor feels like a thing of the past.
I’m also reaching out to urge you to get Pat Callis on the show! He is a family friend of mine, and is based out of Bozeman where I am going to school. As I am sure you are well aware, he was a true climbing pioneer. Most especially here in Montana, but really all over the the North American continent. He is still teaching chemistry here at MSU, and has taken me out climbing and hiking-turned-trail-running up in the Bridgers. Needless to say, I can barely keep up. The guy’s over 80.
There is a decent chance you have already reached out to him without any luck. However, if he has simply escaped your purview, I would be happy to check in with him and give you his email or phone number if he is willing. It would truly be an incredible episode I’m sure, and it would be so sad to miss out on hearing his story in his own words.
Thanks again, Chris, for all that you do with the Enormocast. It has become an incredible repository of climbing history, preserving so much climbing culture that in some cases would otherwise undoubtedly have been lost. Thank you.
let do it. Replied to your email
Hey Chris. Long time listener/subscriber, first time commenter. Please consider interviewing Dave Bingham as a guest. Dave is a good friend and a legend in the southern Idaho climbing community. He put up many of the routes at the legendary City of Rocks and climbed there in the early days with folks like Tony Yaniro so he’s got some good stories. He also has a fun backstory where he competed in (and won) NBC’s Survival of the Fittest competition in 1988 and 1990, a predecessor of the American Ninja Warrior-type comps. He is the author of the City of Rocks/Castle Rocks guidebooks and Idaho Underground guidebook. He still climbs and skis regularly and is a good speaker. I can put you in touch with him very easily. Thanks.
Coincidentally, just ended up camped next to Dave down in St George. We’ve talked about doing a show for years. Will certainly get it done this year.
Stewart M Green?
Stewart M Green? I’
Hey Chris, big fan of the show! Thanks for doing what you do. Perhaps you’re tired of people pandering guests at you… well, buckle up cause here’s another. I think you’d have a good chat with Steve Bechtel. He’s been on basically every podcast under the sun, but only ever talks about training. With how long he’s been around and trying hard I know there’s some stories in there that you’d be great at dragging out. Also, if anyone else reads these… pay for your got damn podcasts!! Shill out a couple bucks a month!
Steve’s a buddy. We’ve talked about getting something done for years. I’ll go round again.
Chris, I just listened to this years taps episode. I spend the majority of my time sport climbing, but when it gets cold I venture down to the pebbles below for bouldering. One phrase that needs to be killed off after a send is “let’s go.” You can’t watch a single bouldering video be it V2 or V16 without hearing “LLLEEEETTTSSSSS GOOOOOO!!!” Can we get a little more creative? Hell, even something like “potato chips, assholes” would be ok with me. Or does saying let’s go just mean yes, you did indeed watch the latest mellow video?
I’ll take that over venga and a meurte any day. Funny how the shit people yell for encouragement follows trends, too. “Lets gooooo” will be gone soon enough and replaced by something else “everyone” is saying. Maybe,, just maybe, it will be “potato chips, assholes” if you yell that enough times.
Love this podcast!!!
I just wanted to suggest a guest… Kelly Halpin is a badass runner (FKT of the Wind River High Route this summer) but she’s been a climber for a lot longer. I don’t have any connection to her, but just thought I’d throw her name out. She was on Mark Twight’s podcast some time back.
I’ll go stalk her on the gram…
Yeaaaaah, thank you!
Love the show!
Dave MacLeod would be an awesome guest! He talks about doing hard(& sketchy) trad routes a lot on his YouTube channel which makes me think back to the aid climbing rant & pushing the limits of a certain discipline vs. the risk involved. Also just a super eloquent guy and all round climber.
Yeah. I need to start thinking about dudes like him because of the remote thing. I’m still not thinking expansively enough.
You should interview Jeffery bowling !!!!!! Love the show !!! He’s right up your ally though !!! Live music guy , married to a professional musician , deeply involved with climbing in the Northern California area !!!
If you have a contact, drop me an email.
Hi Chris!
Found your podcast sinking deeper and deeper in to the climbing world. Got in to it to manage my fear of heights 2 years ago at the age of 39 (just as most people starting old wishing I started earlier).
A bouldering gym rat at first but now getting out there cragging (only sporclimbing thinking of trad climbing scares the crap out of me) now which made me fall even more in love with the sport.
Always been quite outdoorsy, skiing, mountain biking, horse riding, hiking so the outdoors climbing has really got me hooked.
It’s so great to listen to all the stories and has awaken memories of my youth dreaming of mountaineering but growing up in a part of Sweden lacking mountains I never really invested any time in chasing those dreams. Spent all my time and money on horses anyways…
Now I live outside Gothenburg, Sweden, which has a lot of sport crags close by and several climbing gyms so climbing has got me hooked deep…
Long rant… But just wanted to show you some love. Keep up the good work. The enormocast has become my go to podcast.
Got some really good tips listening and also great source of inspiration!
So lots of love from Sweden!
Thanks for the kind note. A few Enormocast listeners floating around Sweden. Funny thing is that riding horses scares the crap out of me, so we’re even!
Hi Kalous
Just listened – again – to # 18, Randy Leavitt. I make no apology for tuning in multiple times to your output; much of it is variously hilarious, informative and inspiring – and possibly all three!
The shaving thing on Lost In America rang a bell. I recall chatting with RLthe previous Fall in The Lodge Lounge – or however the Yosemite Valley tourist infrastructure was configured that year [ie 1984]; he was about to embark, solo, on Aurora [I think], and was quite excited at the prospect of remaining well-groomed throughout the process. Obviously a practice run for the real thing with ‘Java Man’. I say “chatting” – but this was largely through a mutual acquaintance; he and she chatted, while I simply listened. Yes; even back then from far away Britain I knew exactly who he was, and was ‘well impressed’.
Back to Britain again. We used to have a bi-annual event called the Buxton Mountaineering Conference. I think that the first one might have been in 1972. It probably ran until some time in the 1980s – although the ‘conference’ bit might well have been ditched when the organisers realised that climbers much preferred listened to other climbers, watching climbing movies and slide-shows, and talking shit to other climbers [about climbing] than attending any event that required one to wear a suit. [I think I went to the precursor, a Mountain Safety Conference in London, in about 1970 – and for anybody who doesn’t know, London rarely manages more than a handful of feet above sea level; it was more boring than I have the time – or indeed the lifespan – to relate.]
An early highlight in those years was Bob Carmichael’s film ‘Break on Through’, which depicted Roger Briggs and Duncan Ferguson climbing The Naked Edge; a small amount of aid was used, but it still blew our relatively parochial minds! The next milestone was Cesare Maestri, who presented a slideshow/films [I can’t quite remember now] on his climbing in the Dolomites , but finished with a few words about Cerro Torre. I think that he was already in the UK to give a talk to the employees of JCB – sort of a UK equivalent of John Deere – and stepped in at short notice when Robbins had to cancel his planned appearance at the Buxton event. I’m guessing this was 1974; it was after Leo and Co had tried the Southeast Ridge, but before Donini, Bragg and Wilson had climbed Torre Egger and shattered a lot of fervently-held dreams – including, I would imagine, their own. I think that it was generally regarded as pretty brave of Maestri to appear in public in what might well have seemed to him from earlier Mountain coverage as hostile territory; he was duly afforded a standing ovation by an appreciative and generous audience.
Ok. I’d briefly forgotten where I was going with this, but have just remembered. Leavitt gave a talk, with slides and film, at the Buxton event. I think it must have been early 1980s. It was about base-jumping. I wasn’t particularly interested – or, in fact, at all interested – but happened to wander in at the back at a crucial point. There was a short film showing, following some guys hiking to the top of El Cap and preparing to jump off. I think they bivvied up there, then put on the wide, flappy suits and one of them started running towards the edge. It didn’t register immediately – but the one following close behind with the camera was, presumably, also running towards the edge. In common, I’m sure, with many in the audience who had climbed El Cap, I was thinking “yeah, whatever”, or somesuch. The effect on ones sphincter as the guy with the camera actually followed over the edge – and 3000ft of space suddenly sprang into view – was, however, electrifying. A single word – in hushed unison – escaped from the audience : “SHIT!”
Wow, thanks for the narrative! Sounds like you’ve been in the mix a while, and paying attention the whole time. Cool bit of history.
Appreciate the show and your effort. I know you don’t have a ton of boulderers on, but I think Jimmy Webb would be a good guest. I also think Anton Krupicka would be cool. I know he’s a fan of the show too.
I’ve chatted with Anton about coming on. Should get it done. I’ll have to reach out to Jimmy.
Please get Jim Reynolds on your show, as well as taking the speed record on the Rose with brad, he just completed a free solo of the fitz Roy and then downclimbed it.
Hey Chris. Your podcast rocks. Love hearing stories told – “The Lore”. I am curious – where did the name “Enormocast” come from?
The quote in the beginning about the Enormodome is from This is Spinal Tap. I wanted to name it the Enormodome, but enormodome.com was taken. Enormocast came out of that. Now it seems natural that I’d name it the Enormocast.
Dale Bard needs be on the show sometime. Just saying… big old hole in the podcast right now.
Thanks for all you give to the climbing community Chris. Love it.
Are you going to be at the Ouray Ice Fest this year? We @ Chossy Conversations will be recording some episodes there this year.
Yeah. Saturday eve and Sunday.
Get Chris Sharma on
Of course
Re: Roper, perhaps go through his publisher? (Mountaineers, others?) – has worked for me trying to get in touch w/ people
For Aquaman, I’d try going through fellow funkster Lenny Kravitz, if I were you … j/k, but fingers crossed!
Lenny and I aren’t talking right now. He borrowed my vat of chest wax and never gave it back.
… oops, sorry, did I say “everyman”? I meant “Aquaman”!
Hi Chris –
you must have had tons of requests for each of these, but how about:
– Jimmy Chin
– Steve Roper
– Jason Momoa (could be another “everyman” episode, what do you think …?)
Keep up the *great* work!
JC is always on the list.
Roper is a good idea. I wonder how to get in touch?
Its actually been floated by Aquaman by a mutual friend. No bite. I wouldn’t even know how to begin to get in touch with that dude. Layers and layers of people I’m guessing.
hey !… I listen to you on Spotify, and realized Spotify doesn’t have any “comment or star-rating” anything-system.. So … I looked you up (ppfffiiuuu … internet, right?) to drop you a message and say I really like the enormocast podcast…
I am going through your library and there are so so so many cool episodes… Brett, Alex, Adam, Mark and Jordan… Arlo… just to many cool people…
thanks for bringing a bit of those “humans” closer to us who “kinda-praise” them as climbing gods, and with these conversations, we can actually get to know them a bit better and see they bleed like all the rest of us….(Well, except a few that bleed godly-climbing-celestial-black-alien-blood… :DDDD)
Thanks. Dont worry, I poke them to make sure they bleed before they’re allowed to sit down. Once in a while, I do encounter hard circuitry.
Hey, Chris, Please get Barry Blanchard for an interview!
Dude! It’s been a while – you look well! Cheers!
Hey Carl! Jeez! Yes, a long time! Coincidentally, I ran into Ram last year at a CAIC event. I couldn’t believe it. Hope you and family are well.
Small world! I follow Ram’s adventures on FB. Love your podcast btw, found it via EarthTreks where I climb. Be well buddy!!
Hey! I dug the intro on the latest episode! I’m sure I’ll like the rest of the episode too, as I’m listening currently!
Anyhow, not only do I appreciate the ads on the show, but I also appreciated the bit where you talked about the ad philosophy and whatnot. It’s kinda meta… and I didn’t feel like waiting till the podcast finished to let ya know. Figured I’d ADD off and forget about it while I’m trying to unpack the beta on this IKEA furniture that you’re helping me crush out and put together!
Thanks for the note! Just doing my best to hide the fact that I’m a total sell-out!
Anytime I tell someone to start the podcast… I always emphasize that they need to start at the beginning. “Welcome to the Enormocast! Brought to you by.. me.. still.. mostly… just me…” After hearing the start of the ‘cast, their opinion rapidly shifts from “what’s up with the ads!?” To: Bro, we’re glad you made it! ‘Tis all just a matter of perspective
BTW: The full episode was a fantastic listen, it’s cool to hear folks reflect on all the choices and preferences that led to making the climber they are today!
This podcast is easy on the ears…
who is up next??
Shipoopi?
Jim Beyer??
Enormo Baby???
I’d love to get Shapoopi. Was not in CA long enough. I’d be a bit scared to get Beyer on, but I’d give it a try. Enormo-baby has to do something more rad than fill his diaper- no soft catches here at the Enormocast.
Yes Mr. Kalous
Hands down the best podcast out there. Been listening to these things from back when you had to load them on a Ipod and there is a too much that leaves the mind unsatisfied.
May the podcast gods shower you with riches so you never have to climb up that 24′ footer and back roll another shithole!
Haha. Waiting for it!
Goddamn it Mr. Kalous,
I love this f***ing podcast a little bit. Some of these pointless interviews are like hard drugs to my ears. Furthermore, your intros are some of the greatest parts of this show. I appreciate the work you put in and apologize I cannot afford to contribute any more than these silly comments. Keep up the great work Sir. Kalous. The climbing community owes you more than trust funds can ever repay.
Cheers!
SuperSucio
Thanks!By the way, what the hell is going on over there at Supersucio, anyway?
Working tirelessly to give gonzo reviews on anything from packs of cigarettes, to red wine hangovers.
Cheers!
Whilst enduring canmore winter indoors savouring plastic projys I too find myself observing, solipsistically and ego titled, vast swaths of climbers attaching their chalk baggys via a single biner such that chalk baggys are not keeled properly and whence are inefficiently used… ughhh! This drives me crazy! Why can’t they use a belt, piece of cord, shoe lace..anything but a biner? Moreover, some use 2 biners, each attached to respective loops on said bags, thus creating a level bag. This bothers me too. Why not ditch the biners and use a string or belt etc.? Not that weight or bulkiness would ever make an iota of difference for said climbets, it just presents a cleaner and leaner suit for the climber if she simplified her chalk baggys via a belt… ahhhhh… don’t get me started on those all to frequent indoor dilettantes pumping out on their 10+ plactic proj replete with dangling prussick, jangly grigri, miscellaneous locker or two…why? Not to mention concomitant Daisy chains… the horror…
Haha. Do I detect a wee bit of sarcasm? But seriously, two biners on your chalk bag?!
Just listened to the episodes with the alpine Taliban, really interesting views covered on the controversy. Also love the shoutout to midwestern city parks!
Cheers, ND
Old classic. Still one of the best. Indebted to HK for putting the Enormocast on the map.
Waiting for the peter mayfield episode.
Hey Chris.
I need a dry rub recipe.
Pork? Beef?
Asking for a friend.
I never dry rub. Always wet rub.
What if it’s raining? Should I add more ‘wet’?
If it’s raining forget the gosh darn recipe. Drink yourself to sleep my sweet prince!
Embarrassingly, I only just started listening! Anyhow, after the 10th episode I decided it was time for a major life change, and I got a job with a longer commute so I’ll have enough car time to listen to all the episodes! I dig the good mojo you’ve got cooking!
Cheers, and happy climbing Chris!
Ha. Thanks, but arent we supposed to inspire you to quit your job and live under a bridge or something?
Well, there’s 125 episodes, and at a dollar an episode, I won’t be able to afford that shiz living under a bridge! Plus, all my ropes are ratted out, and I haven’t had any opportunity to sell-out yet!
I’m on pitch #46 of the podcast at this point. Definitely not a speed record, but I’m pushing hard for the onsight. I have staunchly refused to lower off to listen to any other podcast since the push began, though I’ve definitely hang-dogged the push with that “pause” button.
Side note, the intro and outro tracks have finally made me understand the term “bright” with regards to audio quality. Every time I hear it roll, I can’t help but feel warm and fuzzy inside like I just placed a bomber #2 in a perfect hand crack after a 50ft runout!
Hey Man! You do great work. I was only exposed to your podcast about two months ago and can’t get enough. I work in the conservation field and easily have ticked 20 to 30 episodes during the past four eight day back country hitches. All love here man!
Hey Chris I really want to hear Austin Howell on the air! I’m really surprised his recent accomplishment of soloing 5700 feet in a day with multiple 5.11+ onsights after recovering from a nasty fall in Yosemite didn’t get as much attention… His blogs https://dreamingofgnar.com/ if you haven’t read it.
Have a rad day,
Ku
I’ll have a look! Never heard of him, either.
I hear he’s crazy! But I don’t let that slow me down
Yo Chris, I was only introduced to the enormocast at episode 100 but it’s become a serious addiction since then. I listen while driving, working, working out, hanging out, hang boarding, and when I’m just bored. For all that, thanks for putting out such an awesome piece of media to get us regular folks familiar with the rock legends we look up to.
Anywho, I was recently climbing this awesome sport route in Zion called Namaste, and learned afterwards that it was put up by THE Conrad. Have you thought of bringing him on the show? I had no idea he had so many FAs in Zion. Just thought he was a Yosemite big wall aid climber and master of Himalayan badassery. And somehow he keeps getting gnarlier with age. Maybe you can find out what his magic secret is!
Conrad and I are friends. We’ve talked about him coming on the show a number of times, but he is a busy busy man. It will happen one of these days.
Hey Chris,
Have you thought about trying to get Jim Herson on the show? I’ve always been impressed with his climbing, and his kids are beyond amazing. Would probably make for a rad interview!
I just hit Jim up. He said Dirtbag Diaries has something set up but his kids were a hard sell. So we have to see how that goes.
Hey Chris!
I came across the Enormocast a few days ago at work… been addicted ever since. As a novice climber living in Hawaii, I appreciate the insight and introspection that is offered in every episode; I’ve learned a lot. Its refreshing listening to something so bold and creative. You’re appreciated! Keep on keeping on my man!
Thanks for the kind words!
Chris, I’ve been listening to the Enormocast for about a year now but I’m starting back at the very beginning! So awesome to know where you are now but getting to track it from the beginning– in the future. Happy 100, thanks for doing this, makes the drive to red rock super easy and entertaining!
I just found the enormocast about a week ago and basically haven’t stopped listening since then. thank you Chris for creating this supremely entertaining and informative show.
Congrats on the new addition by the way. Selfishly, as a new climber in his early 30’s with two small children, I’m really looking forward to getting your perspective on balancing climbing and family time.
Good luck with everything and keep up the good work.
Thanks for the note. I’m about to share in that family/climbing lifestyle for the first time. Can’t wait to see how it works out!
Hey fellas, we’ve been hauling our toddler boys to every crag in SoCal for a few years now. It can be done! Peep us on the mighty ‘Gram @climberswithkids. We plan to start including some tips (do’s and don’ts) related to climbing and camping with minor offspring. Feel free to send ideas our way!
Yo Chris,
Long time listener/lurker from Thailand/Louisiana here. I have to say your podcast contributes to majority of my climbing education and I couldn’t have been more thankful that you keep this going. I was fortunate enough to make a trip out to the west and the desert to climb at all the places you mentioned and It probably wouldn’t happen if I’ve never stumble across the Enormocast. Thanks for keep my psych up, dude.
Now, is there any chance I can get some stickers or merches to spread this out in Thailand? If so, that would be awesome. I also have a temporarily address in Louisiana if that will be easier for postage.
Thanks again.
Tao