The Ground Up Podcast

The Ground Up
  • 4.9 (13)
  • Wilderness

Stories From the Steep | Climbing conversations with local legends and unsung crushers from hometown crags around the country.

  1. 2d ago

    42 - A Noob's Guide to Horseshoe Hell (Rebroadcast from The Struggle Climbing Show)

    What happens when two Horseshoe Hell veterans sit down with the podcast legends Ryan Devlin & Chris Kalous and try to explain what they've gotten themselves into? For this special rebroadcast, we joined Ryan on the Struggle Climbing Show and his Hell partner Chris (host of The Enormocast) for a crash course in all things 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell—the legendary Arkansas climbing event where teams spend 12, 24, or even 36 hours climbing as many routes as they can. We break down the basics of Hell, from how the event works and how to qualify, to the biggest mistakes first-timers make and the tactics that can save your skin, energy, and sanity when the clock keeps ticking. We also get into the questions everyone has before their first Hell: Why aren't there more injuries? What does it actually take to survive 24 hours? And, perhaps most importantly, how do you choose the right costume? Whether you're thinking about signing up for Horseshoe Hell, curious what makes the event so uniquely chaotic, or just want to hear four climbers convince themselves that climbing through the night is a good idea, this episode is your crash course in Hell. - A huge thank you to our sponsor, Misty Mountain, for supporting The Ground Up Podcast. Since 1985, Misty Mountain has been handcrafting climbing harnesses and equipment in North Carolina, building gear that's trusted by climbers no matter the challenge. As a listener of The Ground Up Podcast, you can save 15% on harnesses, gear, and apparel with the code GROUNDUP at checkout. - Follow Ryan & The Struggle on Instagram: @thestruggleclimbingshow Follow Chris & The Enormocast on Instagram: @enormocast Check out the Struggle Climbing Show Check out the Enormocast Get prepped for 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell with our previous Hell guests The Goatbuster: Vasya Vorotnikov and Rob D'Anastasio Genevive Walker Leather & Lace: Dick & Natalie Dower Nadya Vorotnikova & Sean Vallefuoco - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon  Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup  Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!

  2. Aug 4

    41 - Heart Stopping Highballs with Eric Zschiesche

    Eric Zschiesche is one of the true pioneers of American bouldering. From establishing some of the Piedmont's most iconic boulder problems and traditional routes to developing classics at Devil's Lake, Eric's influence stretches far beyond the guidebooks. Long before crash pads and social media, he was climbing bold highballs, pushing into 5.13—often barefoot—and building a legacy that continues to inspire generations of climbers. In this episode, we trace Eric's journey from scrambling around the cliffs of North Carolina's Moore's Wall as a teenager to dirtbagging across the American West in pursuit of Yosemite's biggest walls. He shares stories of discovering technical climbing, finding inspiration beneath Midnight Lightning, surviving epics on El Capitan, and why bouldering has always remained at the heart of his climbing philosophy. Along the way, we dive into the evolution of climbing from the 1970s to today, the ethics and mindset behind bold ascents, the unique quartzite cliffs of North Carolina, and what it was like establishing difficult highballs without the safety net of modern crash pads. Eric also opens up about the "widow maker" heart attack that nearly ended his life—and how showing up to the climbing gym that day ultimately saved it. Now in his 60s and still climbing double-digit boulders, Eric reflects on the joy of lifelong movement, curiosity, and why the simplest act of climbing on rock has never stopped captivating him. - A huge thank you to our sponsor, Misty Mountain, for supporting The Ground Up Podcast. Since 1985, Misty Mountain has been handcrafting climbing harnesses and equipment in North Carolina, building gear that's trusted by climbers no matter the challenge. As a listener of The Ground Up Podcast, you can save 15% on harnesses, gear, and apparel with the code GROUNDUP at checkout. - Follow the Eric on Instagram: @ericzschiesche00 Check out Eri's YouTube Channel @ericzschiesche Head on over to Eric's website to see some his artrwork - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon  Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup  Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!

  3. Jul 21

    40 - The Great Snake Dike Debate

    Snake Dike has become one of the most talked-about routes in climbing after a controversial retro-bolting effort—and the equally controversial decision to chop those bolts. So we brought friend of the pod, Trevor Jones, on to debate one of the biggest questions in climbing today: should classic routes ever be changed? The three of us come at the topic from very different perspectives as we discuss retro-bolting ethics, preserving climbing history, adventure, risk, and who gets the final say when it comes to an iconic route. We also tackle another climbing ethics question: if you fall onto a ledge but never weight the rope, did you actually send the climb? Finally, we wrap things up by talking about Janja Garnbret's incredible ascent of Bibliographie and whether she's already the greatest all-around female rock climber of all time. - A huge thank you to our sponsor, Misty Mountain, for supporting The Ground Up Podcast. Since 1985, Misty Mountain has been handcrafting climbing harnesses and equipment in North Carolina, building gear that's trusted by climbers no matter the challenge. As a listener of The Ground Up Podcast, you can save 15% on harnesses, gear, and apparel with the code GROUNDUP at checkout. - Read about the recent retro-bolting of Snake Dike Check out the Climbing Magazine article about why the bolts were chopped Hear John Long's take on this classic debate Read about the infamous 2024 accident on Snake Dike Peruse the borderline obnoxious Mountain Project thread on the topic - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon  Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup  Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!

  4. Jul 7

    39 - The Diamond FKT with John Alcorn

    John Alcorn has quietly become one of Colorado's strongest and speediest alpine climbers. Best known for his record-setting ascent of the Casual Route on Longs Peak's Diamond, John's journey wasn't built on chasing speed from the beginning—it started with a humbling 24-hour ascent that sparked an obsession with climbing more efficiently. In this episode, we follow that progression from growing up in rural Tennessee to discovering Colorado's alpine climbing scene, falling in love with Longs Peak, and spending nearly a decade refining every aspect of movement in the mountains. John shares how trail running, simul-climbing, and countless laps on Eldorado Canyon classics like the Naked Edge became the foundation for bigger objectives, eventually leading to the fastest ascents ever of the Diamond. Along the way, we dive into the history of speed climbing on Longs Peak, the philosophy behind efficiency in the alpine, balancing a career in aerospace with ambitious climbing goals, and why some of the most meaningful objectives are the ones waiting just outside your back door. - A huge thank you to our sponsor, Misty Mountain, for supporting The Ground Up Podcast. Since 1985, Misty Mountain has been handcrafting climbing harnesses and equipment in North Carolina, building gear that's trusted by climbers no matter the challenge. As a listener of The Ground Up Podcast, you can save 15% on harnesses, gear, and apparel with the code GROUNDUP at checkout. - Follow the John on Instagram: @jalcrn Stay up to date with John's latest activities on Strava Read about John's FKT of The Diamond of Long's Peak - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon  Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup  Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!

  5. Jun 23

    38: Optimizing Training with Vasya Vorotnikov

    Vasya Vorotnikov is a seasoned veteran of the climbing world, with over 30 years of climbing experience and a deep background as a movement coach and route setter. Known for demolishing massive personal goals—like ticking off over ten 5.14s, over a hundred 5.13s, and 365 5.12s or harder in a single year—Vasya approaches climbing from a refreshing perspective: that technique, creative thinking, and mental capacity trump raw physical strength almost every time. In this episode, we talk about adapting your training to fit your lifestyle, contrasting Ari’s abundant outdoor access in Denver with Rob’s gym-dependent, unpredictable freelancing schedule in New York City. Vasya breaks down his 80/20 rule for building true endurance, detailing solo gym strategies like arcing to mimic long pitches, ground-based block pulling for safe finger strength, and the humbling "5-7-9" conditioning workout. We also dive into how to be intentional when you step outside, transforming a hard project into a legitimate workout rather than falling into the trap of diminishing returns. This conversation is a deep dive into movement efficiency, highly optimized solo training protocols, and how to strategically structure your gym and crag time to smash your limits, no matter what environment you find yourself in. - Follow the Vasya on Instagram: @vasyav87 Check out Vasya's insane tick list on 8a.nu - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon  Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup  Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!

  6. Jun 2

    37: The Good, The Bad, & David Sharratt

    David Sharratt is one of the East Coast's great underground crushers. From bold headpoints at Moon Rocks, pushing the boundaries of free climbing at Looking Glass, to the legendary Good, Bad, and Ugly at Ghost Town, David has spent decades establishing and repeating some of North Carolina and the Southeast's hardest and most serious routes. In this episode, we talk about the aesthetic pull of lines that seem barely possible—routes with just enough holds, just enough gear, and just enough mystery to demand attention. David shares how hard sport climbing and bold trad became the foundation for free climbing and first ascents around the world, leading to expeditions in Peru, Patagonia, China, Malaysia's Dragon's Horn, and the Indian Himalaya. This conversation is a deep dive into bold climbing, expedition objectives, aesthetic obsession, and a lifetime spent chasing the kinds of routes that leave a lasting mark long after the ascent is over. - Follow the David on Instagram: @davidosharratt Check out David's Vimeo Channel Read about David's expedition to the Indian Himalaya - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon  Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup  Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!

  7. May 19

    36: Mademoiselle Fissure - Laura Pineau

    Fresh off the world premiere of Queen Swing, return guest Laura Pineau is back on the podcast—this time stepping away from the Yosemite speed climbing stories to dive deeper into the experiences and climbing that shaped her. We talk about Laura’s unconventional introduction to climbing through deep water soloing along the sea cliffs of southern France, how those early days falling into the Mediterranean built both her love for climbing and her tolerance for exposure, and the path that eventually led her toward trad and crack climbing. Laura shares the steep learning curve of transitioning from limestone sport climbing to granite big walls, the mentorship and partnerships that accelerated her progression, and how she became obsessed with the craft of crack climbing. We also dive into her groundbreaking ascent of Wet Lycra Nightmare (13d) on Leaning Tower in Yosemite, becoming the first woman to free climb the route, and the mental and physical process behind taking on one of the Valley’s most intimidating testpieces. Beyond Yosemite, Laura talks about her recent adventure with Elsa Ponzo to climb the “100 Most Beautiful Multi-Pitches” in the South of France in just 50 days—a massive endurance project filled with long days, logistics, partnership dynamics, and some of the best (and worst) rock in Europe. - Follow the Laura on Instagram: @laurapineau Check out Laura's YouTube Channel: @Laura-Pineau Read the Planet Mountain's article on Laura's FFA of Wet Lycra Nightmare See the breakdown of the 100 multipitch routes in Provence on Planet Mountain Get the latest information of tour dates for the Queen Swing, part of the Mountains on Stage film tour - Additional Links 100 Most Beautiful Multipitches Guidebook - Camp to Camp Deepwater Soloing Une araignée au plafond Mello Blocco Bouldering Festival - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon  Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup  Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!

  8. May 5

    35: You Asked, We Rambled

    We're switching things up a bit this week with our first ever listener questions driven episode! Instead of our usual format interviewing guests, it’s just us this time—riffing on climbing films, hot topics, and however many listener submitted questions we can get through. We start by getting into some recent films we’ve been watching (and working on), swap thoughts on storytelling in climbing media, and dive into a pretty deep debate on grading—what it means, where it falls short, and what a “perfect” system might actually look like. We also tackle a few listener-submitted questions, ranging from thoughtful to slightly ridiculous, and let the conversation wander into everything from ethics to personal preferences on the rock. This is a more off-the-cuff, unfiltered side of the podcast—and a bit of an experiment. Let us know what you think and if you like it, we’ll keep them coming more often. - Check out all the films we mentioned: Dias de la Gloria Queen Swing IAN Learn more about the SAR on the Naked Edge - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon  Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup  Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!

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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Stories From the Steep | Climbing conversations with local legends and unsung crushers from hometown crags around the country.

Information

  • Creator
    The Ground Up
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    44
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Ground Up Podcast

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