Tag: Yosemite

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Epsiode 154: Buddy Nielsen – One Version of a Dangerous World.

On Episode 154 of the Enormocast, I sit down back stage at the Summit Music Hall in Denver, Colorado with Senses Fail frontman and founding member, Buddy Nielsen. Buddy has been the lead singer and driving force behind this acclaimed hardcore band since 2002. Living the touring rock band life led him into many of the typical pitfalls of booze, drugs, and erratic behavior. But rock climbing, the birth of his daughter, and the care from and for his wife have brought him to a hard-won place of balance in the last 3 years. Buddy is a proud helmet-wearing, slab-climbing, dad-climber who, like us all, aspires to get a little better every time he climbs. He finds that the fear and challenge of rock climbing is a balm to his anxiety in normal life. All the tunes in this one come from Senses Fail’s 2018 recording, If There is Light, It Will Find You. 

A Good ol’ Fashioned Music Video from Senses Fail.

A reminder that once in a while rock stars do, in fact, climb.

 

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Episode 152: Mark Hudon and Max Jones – As Free as Can Be.

Clockwise from top left: The Nose 1976, Jones on the FFA of Enduro Corner, Salathe 1979, Devils Tower 1979.

On Episode 152 of the Enormocast, I realize a stated dream by sitting down in the Oasis Camper Trailer with Mark Hudon and Max Jones. Max and Mark quietly pushed the boundaries of free climbing in the late 70s in Yosemite. Operating under the shadows of the likes of Kauk and Bachar, Jones and Hudon were every bit as visionary on big routes as those superstars. They had a tremendous 5 year run in the Valley and beyond before Max Jones turned his talents to the budding sport of Mountain Biking, and Mark Hudon started searching for something new – eventually ending up with a coffee business in Hood River and then retiring to become a climbing bum again. But several years ago, the buddy movie that was their time together in Yosemite in the 70s got a reboot and they’ve been climbing walls as a team again to this day.

Mark on El Cap Bridge

Mark and Max on South Seas 2012

 

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Episode 151: A Candid Ascent of El Cap.

On Episode 151 of the Enormocast, you, dear listener, join the Enormocast for an ascent of Golden Gate on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. Golden Gate is a variation off the Salathe Wall, and as a free climb, the next step up from FreeRider. On May 18th, 2018, Steve Dilk and I blasted off up the Heart Highway for what would become a 7 day ascent of the wall- Steve’s first big wall, and my return to the Captain after 12 years. We encountered rain, pain, and scary climbing, but in the end, eked out an ascent that was not nearly in the style we had planned in terms of free climbing, but hell, we summitted.

Emily Harrington sending that Shit.

Hazel Findlay sending that Shit. 

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