Episode 205: Alexis Krauss – There’s More Than One Way to Rock.

On Episode 205 of the Enormocast, I get to go sideways from rock climbing to rock and roll with musician/climber, Alexis Krauss. Alexis is a Gunks climber, a guide, and also happens to be living one of my alternate dreams as half of the “noise rock” (Wikipedia) band, Sleigh Bells. During a tour in 2013, Alexis found climbing and was nearly instantly hooked. Placing climbing into the relentless touring and recording life was a breath of fresh air and a balancing for Alexis. But not happy just to participate, Alexis took her earlier teaching roots and applied those skills to Young Woman Who Crush. YWWC takes young woman from the city and introduces them to climbing in the gym and then outdoors. Alexis and the other mentors of YWWC have taught young woman from amazingly diverse and unexpected backgrounds not just climbing fundamentals, but the breadth of the beauty of the natural world. From rock and roll to rock climbing to teaching, Alexis takes these seemingly disparate pursuits and weaves them into a tapestry of passion, creativity, and commitment and finally, a life well-lived.

Riot Rhythm Sleigh Bells

There’s Only One Way to Rock. Wrong!

Episode 204: Favia Dubyk – Upon the Mortal Side.

On Episode 204, I connect across state lines with climber, doctor, athlete, ninja, cancer survivor, and last but not least, president of the Southern Maryland Youth Foreign Film and Cuisine Club, Favia Dubyk. Favia grew up “below the Mason-Dixon line” but ended up attending Harvard and Columbia and ended up living in Cleveland and now New Mexico. Finding climbing along the way, Favia now fancies herself a “roof boulderer” that dabbles in sport climbing. Also along the way, Favia was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma at 24 and very nearly lost her life to the disease. With the help of her then boyfriend, now husband, and a host of other friends, family members, and health professionals, Favia returned to a life of normalcy and CLIMBING. Now a pathologist in New Mexico and mom to 5 cats and a dog, Favia lives a life of seemingly unbounded energy and joy and truly lives to climb.

Favia on American Ninja Warrior

Episode 203: Mary Catherine Eden AKA Tradprincess – Fun and Freedom.

Photographers clockwise TL: Priscilla Mewborne, Mark Joilissant, Mercadi Carlson

On Episode 203 of the Enormocast, I meet up with Mary Eden, AKA Tradprincess on a porch in Moab, UT. It was a pleasant morning prelude to scorcher of a day and Mary and I got a solid hour in just before she bailed to Flagstaff. Mary came from Appalachia and ended up in Moab with enough gumption to try climbing. After a few years as a hobbyist, Mary got down to business in 2015. She had a series of old school mentors that instilled the hard ethics of climb, don’t talk. But nevertheless, after a bet, Mary got an Instagram account and Tradprincess was born. Starting off as a hard core traddie, Mary now tries to embrace all forms of rock climbing in her relentless pursuit of fun and freedom on the rocks.