Welcome to a podcast about performance climbing, self-improvement, and being a human being.
5M+ downloads.
“One of the best long-form interview podcasts in the outdoor space.” – Climbing Magazine
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Welcome to a podcast about performance climbing, self-improvement, and being a human being.
5M+ downloads.
“One of the best long-form interview podcasts in the outdoor space.” – Climbing Magazine
Copyright: © 2020 The Nugget Climbing, LLC
Will Stanhope is a professional rock climber with many notable ascents in the realm of single and multi-pitch trad climbing, free-soloing, and cutting edge first ascents. We talked about Will’s recent freak accident and broken finger, the injury process, trad climbing tips, pushing through fear vs. listening to fear, and a case for more climbing/less training.
Support on Patreon:
Show Notes:
http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/will-stanhope
Nuggets:
2:14 – The cruxes of dating internationally as a Canadian
3:00 – Freedom of the Wheels
4:35 – Will’s recent accident and finger injury, modern medicine, and getting the hardware removed
6:56 – “It’s the easy ground that gets you.”
7:14 – Running, rehab, flow state, and a day of easy soloing
9:15 – Having goals and listening to the body, numb scar tissue and Will’s freak accident, and Will’s finger X-Ray
11:03 – Filling the void while injured, “There’s more to life than climbing”, and fly fishing plans
14:09 – FFA of the ‘Tom Egan Memorial Route’ in the Bugaboos, and lots of rainy tent time
15:59 – History of the ‘Tom Egan Memorial Route’ and the pretties crack Will has ever seen
17:06 – “The perfect training recipe” (i.e. manual labor + hangboard repeaters), Will’s thoughts on hard tips crack climbing, and why the rest of us should exercising caution when it comes to hard crack climbing
20:56 – Soloing as a part of Will’s training, and a case for climbing more
22:03 – Guiding and getting recognized for past accomplishments
23:28 – Shifting away from hardcore projecting, and the Howzer Tower linkup w/ Leo Holding
26:30 – Simulclimbing, finding the right partner, and (contrived) climbing games
30:18 – Future projects, getting into mountain climbing, and “wielding all the swords”
32:03 – Headpointing vs. soloing, pushing through fear vs. listening to fear, and backing off
34:16 – Keeping soloing “safe”
35:09 – Downclimbing: “The lost art”
36:37 – Free soloing in Froggat (10+ years ago), trying ‘Parthian Shot’ and breaking his foot, and climbing ‘Muy Caliente’
39:07 – The E-grade system
40:33 – What Will learned from climbing with Leo
42:00 – “You can’t skip learning”, and why Will keeps his goals to himself nowadays
44:12 – Bouldering
45:02 – Will’s trad climbing tips for racking up, and polysporin (or neosporin) for gobies
47:15 – “More climbing, less training”
49:19 – Will’s hangboarding protocol
50:22 – Pushups and training opposing muscles and core stability
51:59 – What Will wishes he’d known at age 20 (he’s currently 33 years old) “Trust your own instincts”
52:44 – What Will wishes he’d known at age 30 - “Always really clean your climbing shoes”
53:22 – Will’s Anthony Bourdain kick
55:20 – Grateful to be alive
55:51 – Excited to get back in the game
56:31 – Will’s Instagram, ‘Freedom of the Wheels’ sequel, wrap up
Brittany Goris is a rock climber, graphic design artist, and self-proclaimed dirtbag. Her recent obsession has been projecting hard single-pitch trad climbs. We talked about her recent ascent of ‘Stingray’ 5.13d in Joshua Tree, the allure of dirtbagging, training on the road, finding community, tips for onsighting, free WiFi, and learning patience.
Support on Patreon:
Show Notes:
http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/brittany-goris
Nuggets:
2:23 – Deciding to go to Joshua Tree, becoming infatuated with “The Dirtbag Thing”, and Brittany’s four goal-routes
5:17 – Racking up attempts on ‘Stingray’ and comparing it to ‘City Park’
6:57 – ‘City Park’ and ‘Stingray’ compared to Brittany’s other hardest climbs
8:02 – Flirting with an overuse injury and her swollen right index finger
10:39 – The breakdown of ‘Stingray’
14:33 – The weather as a factor, ideal conditions, and added sending pressure
16:55 – Thriving on pressure
17:59 – Brittany’s process working on ‘Stingray’, dealing with tendonitis, ring workouts, and supplemental training
22:24 – On or off mode, and Brittany’s life over the holidays, and vacation mode vs. projecting mode
26:42 – Brittany’s endurance base and why she didn’t need to focus on endurance for ‘Stingray’
28:36 – Making an effort to get more sleep and drinking too much climber coffee
29:53 – The different catalysts that help Brittany find the “on mode”
31:22 – Embracing the “off mode”, and balancing the two modes
34:15 – Being discipline in specific ways, and being all in vs. moderation
35:34 – How Brittany chooses her objectives and where she travels to next and finding a sense of place
39:45 – Brittany’s thoughts on whether dirtbagging makes recovery harder, living in a CRV, and cooking meals in a JetBoil for a year
42:32 – Brittany’s beta for camp chairs and working remotely
45:54 – Favorite rest day activities, playing games, spending time with the people, and running and stretching to relax and Brittany’s version of meditation
48:32 – Writing and journaling, writing one sentence per day, and tracking time spent in each location
52:19 – How Brittany got into climbing and why she never fell in love with Bishop
54:36 – How Brittany thinks about bouldering vs. route climbing and her plans to get in shape for Yosemite
58:48 – Building on community from place to place, and the best thing about climbing
1:01:50 – Brittany’s approach to onsight climbing, onsighting tactics, and why it might be her favorite style of climbing
1:07:10 – Always going for the onsight, getting on ‘Weekend Whipper’, getting into sketchy situations, and Brittany’s close call this summer
1:10:14 – Balancing onsight climbing with redpointing and projecting, Brittany’s thoughts on (not) warming up, and sussing out a route for a 2nd go redpoint
1:16:53 – Creating art, making her van feel like home, and tips for feeling grounded on the road, van life, showers, remote working, and fast internet
1:21:51 – Early road rage and practicing patience
1:24:58 – Brittany’s struggle with self patience, and chasing her best self
1:25:43 – Reading, most impactful books, and dropping everything to pursue the love of climbing
1:28:26 – Developing routes vs. engaging with history and writing yourself into a pre-existing story
1:30:24 – Dreaming of Yosemite, unknowns, and learning mindset
1:32:57 – Plans for ‘The Stigma’ (aka ‘The Renegade’), ‘The Phoenix’, and ‘Cosmic Debris’
1:34:53 – Brittany’s dream of climbing 5.14 on gear, sharing goals vs. the “pre-spray”, and bouldering on gear
1:36:43 – The thing Brittany is most grateful for lately
1:38:19 – The dirtbag dream—has it lived up to it?
Mark DeJohn is a licensed massage therapist who specialized in Active Release Technique (ART). I began seeing Mark after suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for six years. Mark was able to fix me using ART. We talked about the root cause and how overly tight muscles can become an injury, how Mark thinks about overuse injuries and his tips to avoid them, and two stretches every climber should do.
Support on Patreon:
Show Notes:
http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mark-dejohn
Nuggets:
2:03 – What is Active Release Technique (ART)?
3:48 – My (Steven’s) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and how and overly tight muscle can become an injury
10:19 – Homework vs. compliance
12:18 – ART as a standalone treatment, and ART paired with Chiropractic treatment
14:59 – The body as a system, and working up and down the chain
17:19 – Other climbing related injuries Mark has treated
18:47 – How climbers should be stretching, and two stretches every climber should do
20:37 – Timing, when to stretch, Mark’s thoughts on isometric vs. dynamic stretches, and how tight muscles can lead to tendonitis
24:13 – Scar tissue and Mark’s “gum in the carpet” theory
25:20 – Mark’s thoughts on tightness vs. strength, and whether “too flexible” is a concern
28:21 – How Mark got started with ART and becoming an ART instructor
32:14 – How Mark got involved with triathlons, being on support teams, and his trip to China
36:50 – Mark’s size (6’3”, 240lbs) and the difficulty of working on NFL players
38:10 – What Mark does for his own treatment, and Mark’s experience trying climbing
39:45 – Mark’s thoughts on going to muscular failure in the forearms every session vs. varied training
43:51 – A case for variability in your workouts and the root cause that lead to me developing CTS
45:49 – The recipe for overuse injuries: Doing too much of the same stuff too often
46:20 – How (bad) posture can lead to injuries and what Mark is working on for himself
48:17 – Working with people from all walks of life and the 90-year-old Canasta player
48:51 – Why Mark loves working with athletes and helping people get back in the game
50:45 – How to find a good ART practitioner
51:54 – Advice I needed to hear, stress vs. eustress, and Mark’s advice to keep getting outside if you’re injured
53:49– My recommended tools for self-care (Armaid, Theracane, Wave Tool) and Mark’s usage tips
56:15 – The Deep Muscle Stimulator and why Mark thinks it would be a good addition to a climbers kit
58:39 – How Mark got into bikes, racing, and why he prefers to get out and enjoy open spaces
1:04:07 – Mark’s plan to grow his business into something he can sell, and the benefits of K laser treatment
1:09:39 – One thing Mark would have done differently if he could go back in time
1:10:18 – Mark’s construction business, how he transitioned to ART, and Mark’s uncle Spencer
1:13:36 – Why Mark has changed his mind about the psychological component of treatment
1:17:05 – The links between brain, gut, body, pain, and everything else
1:17:50 – Diet and genes as potential factors
1:23:38 – Some of the best decisions Mark has ever made, learning new things, and keeping an open mind
1:26:47 – Something Mark is grateful for
1:28:04 – Something Mark is excited about right now
1:30:14 – Mark’s final advice for climbers: be proactive, cross-train (do other stuff), and hydrate like crazy
1:31:43 – Electrolytes
1:33:41 – How Mark’s other athletes use cross-training and options for climbers
1:34:48 – What’s next for Mark
1:36:30 – How to connect with Mark
1:36:53 – The review I left for Mark back in June 2019
Alan Watts is widely regarded as the founding father of Smith Rock, and was a key player in the development of sport climbing in America. He established the first 5.13d in America with ‘East Face’ in 1985—just shy of the world standard. We talked about eating every other day, his paradigm shift from freeing aid climbs to face climbing, wearing Wolfgang’s shirt, meeting Adam Ondra, and his “little slice of contribution” to the sport of climbing.
Support on Patreon:
Show Notes:
http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alan-watts
Nuggets:
2:21 – The evolution of dirtbagging, early road life, Smith as a safe zone, “there were no routes”
7:12 – Eating every other day
19:52 – Abstainers vs moderators
24:07 – Bill Ramsey, UO, and climbing “every variation imaginable” at the Columns
29:08 – Connecting with the people you need
31:45 – Inferiority complex and pushing to improve
33:09 – Paradigm shift from freeing aid climbs to climbing faces
39:16 – Stumbling upon sport climbing and going from being a decent climber to a really good climber
41:34 – Redpoint tactics, ethics, and borrowing from the Europeans
45:44 – ‘Corner No. 1’, how ‘Chain Reaction’ got its name, and reaching the world standard at Smith Rock
47:33 – 11b to 13d in six years, ‘Punks in the Gym’, and pushing world standards
48:49 – Meeting Heinz Zak and Wolfgang’s t-shirt
51:57 – Pioneering Smith Rock film by Hydro Flask, and going back to the summer of ’85, and ‘East Face’ 5.13d
57:06 – Other hard crack climbs and ‘Double Stain’
58:30 – 7 days prepping ‘Sunshine Wall’ and the story of ‘To Bolt or Not to Be’
1:04:39 – Climbing ever day, injuries, and killing the goose that laid the golden eggs
1:15:20 – Hip surgery and meeting Adam Ondra
1:24:05 – Adam’s post about meeting Alan, and Adam’s onsight of ‘Just Do It’ 5.14c
1:29:57 – Adam’s photo book (Alan-“What the hell? How did I make the cut?”)
1:31:22 – The Awl project, “I do not want to FAIL!”
1:33:49 – Bolting futuristic projects, thinking anything was possible, and bolting ‘Just Do It’ for a TV show in 1989
1:41:28 – “I used to visualize before that was what you were supposed to do”
1:45:05 – “Fucking hard green route”
1:47:20 – Alan’s finger strength, hanging from one hand for (almost) a minute, and gym vs. outdoor climbing
1:54:23 – The updated Smith Rock guidebook
1:55:31 – Alan’s box of tights
1:58:25 – The 100 book list and projecting difficult books
2:03:32 – Working on the guidebook and connecting with the people
2:08:24 – The (lack of) ways to connect with Alan
2:10:06 – A slice of contribution in a little tiny sport
2:12:58 – “He’s cheating”, and Alan’s funny recurring dream
William Woodward (@wheretowillie on Instagram) is a climber, skier, and professional travel photographer. We talked about the beginnings of ‘Where to Willie’, balancing work and passion, finding meaningful stories and doing work that matters, Will’s daily routines, rules for life, photo advice, and three things he is grateful for.
Support on Patreon:
Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/william-woodward
Nuggets:
1:33 – Ruby the Vanagon
4:48 – Will’s defining moment, early travels, blogging, and the start of Where to Willie
8:50 – Will’s career transition and taking the leap as a freelance photographer
19:06 – Finding meaningful work and Will’s three-year plan
25:25 – Capturing experiences vs. being present
27:11 – Will’s daily meditation practice
29:51 – Will’s five coffee making methods
31:05 – Running and stolen bicycles
31:51 – Will’s process for finding freelance work and choosing brands to work for
33:06 – Pitching trips and photo projects
34:42 – The business of selling photography and his book recommendation
38:50 – Balancing work and passion and getting out of a rut
41:34 – “Rule number one: always swim”, flowered shirts, and other rules for life
45:10 – Hiking in Patagonia and a world record in Iceland
55:00 – Advice for traveling photographers and capturing the in-between moments
59:55 – Will’s writing, gear reviews, and tutorials
1:03:17 – Being part of the activity vs. keeping up on the latest gear
1:05:23 – One of Will’s personal mottos–“Get closer.”
1:05:52 – Will’s climbing progression and his relationship to climbing
1:08:36 – Alpine technical leadership training, sport climbing at Smith
1:10:46 – Will’s first trip to the Bugaboos, recent climbs, and plans for Mt. Stuart
1:13:29 – Promoting the outdoors vs. seeking solitude
1:14:06 – Why Will bought a new film camera and shooting film vs. digital
1:15:57 – “It’s ok to ask for help.”
1:17:15 – Will’s advice for himself at age 20
1:18:27 – Coolant, blown head gaskets, and why it’s always worth taking the time
1:19:43 – Will’s upcoming trip to NZ and giving yourself time to let things happen
1:20:57 – Will’s three gratitudes
1:22:34 – Journaling, writing as a habit, and why it has fallen off recently
1:23:55 – What’s next for Where to Willie
1:25:31 – Social media plugs
1:26:13 – Chasing great light
Chris Wright is a professional mountain guide who splits his time between guiding, skiing, and climbing some of the most remote peaks in the world. We talked about his recent team FA of Link Sar in Pakistan, lessons from mentors, favorite post-expedition foods, and how to build an anchor in f***ed up snow.
Support on Patreon:
Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chris-wright
Nuggets:
1:51 – How the Link Sar trip came to be and Chris’s first climbing trip with Steve Swenson
9:33 – The history and geopolitics of northeast Pakistan and the Siachen Conflict
13:59 – Chris and Graham’s FA on Celino Peak and plans for Link Sar
17:59 – Why it took 8+ months to prepare for Link Sar and why the permitting process can be a gamble
23:51 – Training for Link Sar and working with Scott Johnston and Uphill Athlete
29:10 – The Link Sar team, different roles, and the best types of partners for an expedition
34:32 – What Chris learned from climbing with Mark and Steve
37:15 – Chris’s philosophy around failure, and his ‘failed’ attempt on Link Sar in 2017
40:45 – Graham’s 100-ft fall, terrible snow conditions, and rope systems
53:15 – The final pitch, Mark’s moment of glory, and reaching the summit
59:36 – Three days of rappelling and building anchors in f***ed up snow
1:03:27 – Why Chris is excited to go sport climbing this winter
1:07:28 – Thai fried chicken and favorite post-expedition foods
1:10:21 – Chris’s free-solo ascent of the Matterhorn north face
1:15:19 – Shooting video, a Link Sar movie project, and cooking as a creative outlet
1:18:36 – Advice for someone interested in expedition climbing
1:23:37 – Getting out there and finding adventure
1:25:40 – What Mark and Steve learned from Chris
1:27:54 – Why Chris is really excited to be “off-leash” for a while
1:29:55 – Ideas for the next expedition
1:31:06 – What Chris feels most grateful for lately
1:32:12 – Where you can find (and climb with) Chris
Lizzy VanPatten is a rock climber and the founder of She Moves Mountains, a guiding company with the mission of helping women realize their strength through rock climbing. We talked about Lizzy’s brief music career, building a business, breaking into 5.12 trad, assessing fear, and her gratitude practice.
Support on Patreon:
Show Notes:
http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/lizzy-vanpatten
Nuggets:
1:25 – Rollerblades (and Rollergangs)
2:31 – Lizzy’s brief music career, transition into rock climbing, and her first trip to Patagonia
12:03 – Starting guiding, seeing women come alive, and becoming a business owner
19:06 – Taking big leaps and why it’s hard to feel embarrassed
26:23 – She Moves Mountains growth and where things are at now
29:50 – How Lizzy makes her guides feel stoked while giving herself freedom
35:47 – Self-doubt and the importance of building a solid team
37:49 – One piece of advice for herself and running her business to pay her guides well
42:30 – Finding challenge through projecting and climbing ‘Der Sportsman’ first try
47:33 – Lizzy’s first 5.12, climbing 5.12 in four different locations, and ‘Winter Sustenance’
51:08 – Sending 5.12 fourth try and flashing two 12+ routes on top rope
52:09 – A nasty fall Lizzy took this summer
58:07 – The importance of having a goal
1:02:25 – Training for ‘Moonlight Buttress’ and projecting fear
1:07:08 – The curse of being a technical climber, pistol squats, and trying ‘Churning’
1:10:20 – Calm meditation app, highs and lows, Lizzy’s gratitude practice, and the negative bias
1:18:58 – The one thing Lizzy is most grateful for right now
1:20:44 – She Moves Mountains apparel
1:23:05 – She Moves Mountains upcoming events
1:27:39 – Lizzy’s final thoughts on facing and assessing fear
1:31:12 – Quote from Anaïs Nin