Enormocast 311: Gisely Ferraz (Souza) – The Heart is a Puzzle

Photos: Kaya Lindsay, Irene Yee, Eva Cappozola, Adam McClatchie
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On Episode 311 of the Enormocast, I catch up in Moab with Brazilian climber Gisely Ferraz AKA Gisely Souza AKA Brazilianclimbergirl AKA Gi. Though Gisely started climbing in Brazil, she has spent much of the last two decades in North America- first in the Northeast and then out West. Though she fell in and out of climbing during her early life, after she raised a boy and got him through college, Gisely felt free to pursue her climbing dirtbag dreams at 40. That path led her into the arms of Ken Anderson and a few dream years together on the wing with her perfect partner. But then tragedy struck and Ken perished from a long fall while he and Gisely were on the Chief in Squamish. The years following were brutal for Gisely, but she carried on and healed as best she could through climbing. Gisely has gone on to be a force in OW climbing, new routing in the desert, and climbing in Patagonia. And Ken Anderson’s inspiration has never left her.

Gisely on Insta

Crack Clinics with Gi

Gi’s Website

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

Enormocast 299: Nina Caprez – Two Roads Just as Fair

Photos: Jérémy Bernard
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On Episode 299 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a fine hotel suite with the elegant Nina Caprez. We met up at the Arc’teryx Academy in Squamish, and after a Co-MC gig on the main stage the previous night, Nina and I reviewed our performance and then got down to business reviewing the 9 intervening years since our last Enormocast. Among other things, Nina climbed El Nino on El Cap, got shut down on the Nose, fell in love, had a kid, moved into a surplus military vehicle, and got pregnant a 2nd time. But that’s not all! She also had an epiphany that perhaps, just perhaps, there was more to life than the next big climbing trip. We now get a Nina who is in an ongoing mission to calm down, balance momming and climbing, and be a less selfish partner.

Nina’s remarkably up-to-date blog

Classic Nina in WOGÜ

The UBER-Duo of Nina and Babsi Zangerl

Enormocast 292: Hamish McArthur and Holly Toothill – Showing Up

Photos Sam Pratt
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On Episode 292 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a hotel in Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) during the Arc’teryx Academy with Olympian Hamish McArthur and British competition climber Holly Toothill. I arrived in Squamish with Hamish booked and asked Holly to join at the last minute as a friend, teammate, and observer of Hamish’s performance in Paris. Hamish finished 5th in the combined at the 2024 Olympics. The conversation ranges from examining their friendship, competitive styles, to Hamish’s Olympic experience. Hamish also reveals that his path to the Olympics was never a dream, and he was sometimes even reluctant to pursue the contest. But when he got in, he knew he would show up and do his best. Turns out that showing up is his superpower.