American Alpine Club Podcast

American Alpine Club Podcast
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American Alpine Club Podcast

We’re climbers. Gym climbers and trad climbers. Sport climbers and mountaineers. Boulderers, backcountry skiers, and alpinists. We’re the largest community of rock-scaling misfits in the country—and you belong here. ——— That’s right. You can now take a deep dive into your favorite American Alpine Club content via your headphones, car stereo, and more. The drive to work—or your favorite hang board routine—just got way more interesting. Episodes will typically fall into four categories: Climb; Protect; Educate; Connect. “Climb” episodes are just that—about climbs big and small, and the things they make us realize, in conversation with AAC community members. “Protect” episodes dive into the nuances of policy and advocacy issues that matter most to climbers. “Educate” episodes span the logistics of safety and accidents, as well as the history of climbing and how it can inform our present. “Connect” episodes cover the social side of our climbing community, including important conversations about equity and inclusion that have emerged from our work with the Climb United initiative.

  1. CONNECT: The Next Generation of Crag Developers

    NOV 18

    CONNECT: The Next Generation of Crag Developers

    The mentorship gap is a frequent topic of discussion in a lot of climbing circles, and the gap seems to be especially pronounced for climbers trying to get into crag and boulder development. In this episode, we dove into the joys of having too many mentors to count. Long-time developer and AAC member Josh Pollock decided to collaborate with Jefferson County, in the Front Range of Colorado, to develop a beginner-friendly crag called the Narrow Gauge Slabs. For this project, sustainability and accessibility was a focus from the start, and Josh and other local developers designed a mentorship program that would coincide with developing the crag, to support climbers of traditionally marginalized backgrounds who want to equip themselves with knowledge and mentorship resources so that they could be developers and mentors in their own right. In this episode, we sat down with Lily Toyokura Hill and Ali Arfeen, two mentees in the program who have really taken this experience and run with it, stepping into leadership roles in the local climbing community. We cover what inspired them to become developers, perceptions of route development and who belongs, grading and individual bolting styles, and much more. The conversation with Lily, Ali, and Josh illuminates a lot about the power of mentorship and the complex considerations of developing in modern climbing.

    1h 10m
  2. EDUCATE: The Forgotten Stonemaster

    OCT 30

    EDUCATE: The Forgotten Stonemaster

    We are so excited to have longtime AAC member Rick Accomazzo on the podcast to chat about his new book “Tobin, the Stonemasters, and Me, 1970-1980.” This book is part memoir of Rick’s own early climbing career, part revealing biography of Tobin Sorenson, the forgotten Stonemaster who was an incredible all-arounder; and part a distillation of a decade of climbing culture. With these three threads, the book weaves together many untold climbing stories from an iconic, pivotal decade, from “before climbing lost its innocence,” as John Long says in his forward to the book. Listen to the episode to hear some key stories from the book and learn about the ten-year process of putting it together. We’d also like to congratulate Rick for his book being longlisted for the Banff Mountain Literature Award! Dive into the episode to get your dose of forgotten climbing history. You can grab your own copy at stonemasterbooks.com

    56 min
  3. CONNECT: Undercover Crusher Connie Shang

    OCT 18

    CONNECT: Undercover Crusher Connie Shang

    On this episode of the Undercover Crusher series, we have Connie Shang on the podcast to talk about her recent send of Spyfiction, a 5.14c in Mt. Charleston, Nevada. We discuss her projecting process, how she’s leveled up over the years, how she got so strong without training, what counts as a crusher in today’s climbing world and especially for women’s climbing, and plateaus on the moonboard. She also talks about her unique perspective on climbing-work balance, that perhaps more of us should consider utilizing! Love to hear about hard climbing, but want to hear from someone who’s a little more relatable than the pros? The Undercover Crushers series is here for your inspiration! Dive in!

    1 hr
  4. CONNECT: Undercover Crusher Nathan Hadley

    SEP 30

    CONNECT: Undercover Crusher Nathan Hadley

    On this edition of the Undercover Crusher series, we have Rab athlete Nathan Hadley on the pod. We talk about what counts as “undercover,” and the reality of straddling the world of full-time work while being “pro.” We discuss the pressure to be obsessed with Yosemite, and maybe figuring out that performing in Yosemite is not the only place to make a name for yourself…as well as bolting and development ethics in Washington, sending the Canadian Trilogy, and the downsides (and upsides!) of being a route setter. Jump into this episode to hear all this and more from crusher Nathan Hadley!

    47 min
  5. CONNECT: Summiting Denali, Living the Dream

    SEP 25

    CONNECT: Summiting Denali, Living the Dream

    In this episode, we had Live Your Dream grant recipient John Thomson on the pod to tell us all about his trip to Denali! Our Live Your Dream grant is our most popular grant, and it’s powered by The North Face. John’s LYD story is about feeling a sense of urgency–how now is the time to explore and pursue big adventures, a strong sense of carpe diem really. After nearly a decade away from Denali, John returned, only to get caught up in helping with a rescue, and not getting to pursue his goal route because of weather conditions. We sat down with John to hear about his grant experience, the rescue he helped with, his journey falling away from climbing and coming back to it, how guiding shaped his climbing, and why it meant so much to be standing on the top of Denali once again.

    51 min
  6. PROTECT: Amity Warme and a YOSAR Climbing Ranger Weigh In on The Yosemite Credo

    AUG 5

    PROTECT: Amity Warme and a YOSAR Climbing Ranger Weigh In on The Yosemite Credo

    Its another Yosemite episode! And with some of the most in-the-know climbers, pro Amity Warme and Climbing Ranger Jesse McGahey, who weigh in on what’s been happening in Yosemite, both climbing wise, and in terms of community discussions about the future of climbing ethics and style there. In this episode, we get to know crusher Amity Warme, and her perspectives on going ground-up on El Cap, how she’s recently been toeing the line between pushing her limits versus being in over her head, and how she views her role in the climbing community. We also chat about her ascent of Book of Hate (a 13d heinous stem corner ) and Pineapple Express (which is the fully free version of El Nino) last fall. We also have Yosemite Climbing Ranger Jesse McGahey back on the pod, and chat about what’s been going on in Yosemite recently regarding rising temperatures, recent accidents due to using technology, the origins of the new Yosemite Climber’s Credo, and how a local climbing community came together to agree on shared values and guidelines. Amity also weighs in on the Yosemite Credo, and why she believes in the Credo and wants to help lead the way on the best practices for climbing in this iconic location. Dive in to hear about some crucial conversations happening in one of the hubs of the climbing community.

    1h 12m
  7. Educate: Search and Rescue Helicopter Evacuation in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

    JUL 18

    Educate: Search and Rescue Helicopter Evacuation in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison

    This year, the featured winner of the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Award is the Black Canyon Search and Rescue team, who performed an incredibly technical rescue in 2023 in the Black Canyon, after a climber took a bad fall that left them unconscious, needing medical attention almost 2,000 ft down into the canyon. In this episode, we sit down to chat with Sean Hart, one of the SAR team members at the scene that day, who walks us through the unique challenges of climbing and rescuing in The Black, the harrowing rescue by Blackhawk helicopter, how critical communication is in rescues, and how to always have a plan B. Learn more about the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Award, watch the film about this incredible rescue, and get the chance to give back to your local search and rescue team AND win some incredible gear by going to https://rockytalkie.com/pages/sar-award

    54 min
  8. PROTECT: First Ascents, Ground Falls, and the AAC Rescue Benefit in Action

    JUN 26

    PROTECT: First Ascents, Ground Falls, and the AAC Rescue Benefit in Action

    In this episode, we sit down with Jarod, a long-time AAC member, to discuss a crazy accident he had at his home crag in Missouri, and how he utilized the AAC’s rescue benefit to cover the cost of his medical expenses. If you’ve been wondering if the AAC’s rescue benefit is for you, Jarod’s story helps explain how it works. We dive into the quirky concept of “girdle traverses” or mulitpitches that go sideways, and analyze his accident— the decisions he made, how traversing complicates gear placements, and the close calls he had. Funnily enough, Jarod also did a FA on that same wall—putting up Missouri’s potentially longest rock climb with Jeremy Collins, and this FA made it into the American Alpine Journal! We discuss the vision behind this 8-pitch traverse, what went into making it happen, the silliness of climbing, the unique belay tactics for traversing, and more! ** Last change to get your 80's-vibes limited edition t-shirt when you join, renew, or donate in the month of June 2024. Learn more at americanalpineclub.org/vibe24.

    45 min
See All (59)

4.4
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

We’re climbers. Gym climbers and trad climbers. Sport climbers and mountaineers. Boulderers, backcountry skiers, and alpinists. We’re the largest community of rock-scaling misfits in the country—and you belong here. ——— That’s right. You can now take a deep dive into your favorite American Alpine Club content via your headphones, car stereo, and more. The drive to work—or your favorite hang board routine—just got way more interesting. Episodes will typically fall into four categories: Climb; Protect; Educate; Connect. “Climb” episodes are just that—about climbs big and small, and the things they make us realize, in conversation with AAC community members. “Protect” episodes dive into the nuances of policy and advocacy issues that matter most to climbers. “Educate” episodes span the logistics of safety and accidents, as well as the history of climbing and how it can inform our present. “Connect” episodes cover the social side of our climbing community, including important conversations about equity and inclusion that have emerged from our work with the Climb United initiative.

Information

  • Creator
    American Alpine Club Podcast
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    59
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    American Alpine Club Podcast

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