Enormocast 326: Julia Cassou – Telling True Stories

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On episode 326, I connect from Colorado to Chamonix to hear from French photographer and expedition climber, Julia Cassou. Julia grew up in a rural part of France in a town known for foie gras and its suggestive name (in English anyway). Her first camera was borrowed from her dad, and her first love was art photography on film. But once climbing appeared in University, the die was cast and Julia started shooting climbing. As her skills on ropes grew, and she found a knack for suffering, Julia became an in-demand documentarian for big climbs around the world: the Dawn Wall by sailboat with Seb Berthe, sailing to the Mirror Wall in Greenland, the Torres Del Paine, and more. Now at 30 years old, we find Julia at a perfect moment to reflect on her whirlwind life of telling other people’s true stories through her lens.

Julia’s Website

Julia on Instagram

Enormocast 303: Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll – A Very Particular Set of Skills

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On Episode 303 of the Enormocast I sit down with one of the most compelling and somewhat enigmatic climbers of our times: Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll. It was a multi-year dance, but we finally sat down puss-a-puss in the Canadian Rockies at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Sean is known for his big wall antics across the globe, often in the company of his broer van een andere moeder, Nico Favresse. But that bright and shiny sense of humor belies the fire and climbing beast that Sean can muster when the going gets tough, cold, and seemingly insurmountable. We discuss his Belgian, Irish, Spanish multi-cultural background and what his Irish roots in particular mean to him. Sean also fills us in on his beginnings, partnerships, forced COVID retreat in El Chaltén, Greenland, sea sickness, meditation, philosophy and more. And of course, I didn’t unlash him from his seat until we got some Irish tin whistle. I mean, come on!

Riders on the Storm and Reel Rock 19

Sean’s mentee Siebe Vanhee on the Enormocast

Wide Boy plus Sean in Patagonia

Enormocast 285: Nico Favresse – Mad to Live

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On Episode 285 of the Enormocast, after long last, I connect with Belgian rock-climber and alpinist, Nico Favresse. Nico is certainly a contender for the most experienced expedition rock-climber of all time. Perhaps only rivalled by his ubiquitous partner, Sean Villanueva-O’Driscoll? Nevertheless, Nico is an all-arounder who has tackled the biggest and most remote bigwalls on the planet. In addition, Favresse is a hot-shot single pitch trad climber, sport-climber, and (was) comp-climber. But maybe, just maybe, he is best known for pulling off acoustic jam sessions in the harshest conditions and faraway places. He brings his enthusiasm to the Enormocast with tails of his beginnings, stories from his biggest climbs, tributes to his partners, and finally, and original guitar tune to take us home.