Enormocast 284: Emma Twyford – Getting on With It

Right Photo by Ray Wood

On Episode 284 of the Enormocast, we connect across the pond to North Wales in the U.K. and into the living room of Emma Twyford. Emma is a pioneering woman in that rarified air of hard, desperate trad that only the old country can serve up. She is the first British woman to climb 9a with her ascent of Big Bang (3rd ascent overall), has established 8b+ with Deux Mauvais Melons – the hardest FA ever by a British woman, and was the second woman to climb E9 with an ascent of Rare Lichen. We talk about the mentorship from her dad, moving through the hot bed of Sheffield but ending up in North Wales, and we even try to figure out the E grades to almost no avail. Emma also shares her struggles with fear and motivation after a close friend nearly loses her life in a car accident. Emma has made it to her late 30s despite some close calls and finds time to reflect on her current motivations including the daunting idea of starting a family.

More Emma

Big Bang Doc

Enormocast 244: Hazel Findlay – A Work in Progress

Photos Left: Jon Griffin, Right: Bearcam

On Episode 244, we herald the return of British trad ace, Hazel Findlay. Since her last appearance in 2013, a lot has happened to both the Royal We and Hazel Findlay. We start the conversation with dissecting her own podcast, The Curious Climber. Then we move to talking about her mental training and coaching. Hazel reveals that she herself is a “work in progress” in terms of mental training despite her incredible record on hard, scary trad. Hazel dishes on her own body image hang-ups, and her role as an inspirational woman climber. Oh, and don’t you forget she is a fucking good sport climber!

All Things Hazel

Enormocast 214: Pete Whittaker – A Right Wad

On Episode 214 of the Enormocast, I beam myself to Sheffield, England, the heart of British climbing, to talk to Pete Whittaker. Pete is one half of the infamous Wide Boyz but not just an offwidth climber. His prowess on cracks of all sizes is well known and has lead to his new definitive modern crack climbing instruction book cleverly called, Crack Climbing. But on top of that acumen, Pete is also a brilliant trad climber and Grit climber. Finally, his bigwall record in Yosemite is quite astounding with several free ascents of the Big Stone and even a one day rope solo ascent of the Free Rider. Known, too, for a cheeky sense of humor and his rolling real-life-buddy-movie with Tom Randall, it always seems like Pete is indeed Alex Lowe’s mythical Best-Climber-Having-the-Most-Fun.

“Hey, Chris! Why you gotta call Pete a wad?”