Tag: Alpine Climbing

Posted on

Enormocast 296: Barry Blanchard Live in Banff

Subscribe

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.

The BMFF World Tour

Spindrift: The Barry Blanchard Story

More Barry over at the Firn Line Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

Enormocast 273: Brette Harrington – Keeper of the Flame

Photos: Drew Smith, Mathis Dumas, Elliot Bernhagen
Subscribe

On Episode 273 of the Enormocast, I reconnect with Brette Harrington who appeared on the Enormocast in 2016. Just after that first appearance, Brette and Mayan Smith-Gobat left for an audacious attempt on free climbing Riders on the Storm on Torre Central on the Torres de Paine massif. Even though they failed in their ultimate objective to free the route, that climb set the stage for Brette to burst onto the alpine climbing scene. Her partnership with Marc-André Leclerc introduced her to Canadian Rockies climbing and her fate was set. Then when Marc-André was lost on a climb in Alaska, Brette grieved by setting out on a two year tear through alpinism, establishing hard routes from Canada to Patagonia. Now, Brette has established herself as force in alpine climbing, rock climbing, and big mountain skiing. She won’t ever forget her love and learning from Marc-André, but Brette is going forward in a life of light and new goals.

Brette on Instagram

Ascent Climbing Trips

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Posted on

Enormocast 263: Steve House – The Art of Alpinism

Photos clockwise: House, M. Thurk, M. Thurk, House
Subscribe

On Episode 263 of the Enormocast, I sit down for a long overdue conversation with one of the greatest alpinists of all time, Steve House. Steve house spent 20 years riding the cutting edge of alpinism. His ascents of K7, The Rupal Face, and the Slovak Direct, among many more, represented a sea change in the world of highly technical big mountain climbing. But all that time strung out to the max took its toll, and finally an accident on Mount Temple in the Canadian Rockies signaled the beginning of the end for Steve’s climbing aspirations. Steve cowrote the lauded book Training for the New Alpinism and now heads Uphill Athlete and coaches aspiring mountaineers the world over. He is also a dad and husband. After all these years on the edge, Steve put the work in daily to keep life simple, free, and filled with love.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS