the climbing podcast
On Episode 125, I sit down in two different hotel rooms with young boulderer and budding tradster, Nina Williams. Nina takes us through an early cheating incident that formed the basis of why and how she climbs to this day. She walks us down the road of a pro climber with its pressures and requirements. Finally, she weighs in on inspiring women and the gender foibles of the climbing community. Nina brings it in this multi-venue talk.
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On Episode 122 of the Enormocast, I sit down rather early in the morning with the “Ambassador to The Nose” Hans Florine. Hans holds the speed record for The Nose on El Capitan with Alex Honnold at 2:23:46- basically, less time than you spent on Facebook yesterday. But Hollywood Hans has been a freewheeling Cali climber for decades, and climbed a lot more than just the Nose. Hans was also one of the first Americans to compete widely, and was once the man to beat in competition speed climbing. Recently completing his book, On The Nose, commemorating his 100th ascent of the iconic Yosemite route, the story also chronicles the years of tit-for-tat on speed climbing on the route. Now this family-man continues to dream of the big stone while managing Touchstone’s Diablo Rock Gym, fired up for the day somebody smashes his record.
Tons of Hans:
On The Nose The Book, Website, The Gram, Twitter, Facebook, Speed Climbing Blog
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On Episode 117, I sit down in a La Quinta Inn in Rifle, Colorado (the town, not the climbing area) with Heather Weidner. Heather and I nerd out on the process it took for her to do the first female ascent of China Doll (5.14R) sans bolts. Then we go deeper. After sending the multi-year mega-project that was China Doll, instead of lasting elation, Heather felt let-down and self-loathing. Heather had given up being a veterinarian to become a professional climber, and as she finally had space to reflect on that choice and her life before climbing, she’s had to reckon with sad memories and troubled times from the past. Climbing, though, still gives her the outlet she needs to be happy and move forward. Onward and upward, Heather hopes to graduate to “For-Lifer” and always find solace in climbing.
Heather is a rare pro that keeps her blog relatively up-to-date!
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