The RunOut Podcast

Tag: Alpine climbing

  • RunOut #83: Justification for a Trad Attitude

    RunOut #83: Justification for a Trad Attitude

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    Hard, scary trad climbing is all fun and games until someone breaks their back. That’s what happened to Molly Mitchell on Crank It, a 5.13+ sport climb in Boulder Canyon that Molly was attempting to headpoint on gear. Nevertheless, Molly sought redemption and returned to the climb years later and ultimately sent it on gear. But what she discovered about her self, and her health, ended up being the real prize of this inspiring journey.

    But first, the hosts take a closer look at how one of the biggest and hardest routes on Denali got not one but two insane speed records set within a matter of weeks. That would be the Slovak Direct, with Matt Cornell, Jackson Marvell and Alan Rousseau setting the pace at 21 hours, 35 minutes. Then two weeks later, Michael Gardner, Sam Hennessey and Rob Smith came in at 17 hours, 10 minutes.

    Our final bit is music from an old classic.

    Show Notes

    Follow Molly Mitchell on Instagram.

    Read Climbing magazine’s report on Molly’s ascent.

    The Alpinist reports on the Slovak Direct.

    Justification for an Elitist Attitude, by Mark Twight.

    Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

    Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com

  • RunOut #76: Cool Shoes, Jordan Cannon

    RunOut #76: Cool Shoes, Jordan Cannon

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    Friend of the pod and crusher of granite Jordan Cannon returns to the show with an update from his life on the road. We dive into a range of topics across the climbing spectrum, while trying not to be old-shamed by our young friend.

    But first, tragedy strikes in Patagonia as the climbing world loses one of its best: Corrado “Korra” Pesce, who died while descending Cerro Torre on January 28th. His partner Tommy Aguilo experienced serious injuries and attempted to descend alone, and was ultimately rescued in a completely heroic effort by some of the best climbers in the world. We discuss the story itself, and pay homage to the noteworthy successes and climbing accomplishments that were sadly overshadowed by the tragedy that ensued.

    Finally, we end on happier note, as Dylan Taylor, aka “Climberisms” on Instagram, imagines a conversation between Adam Ondra and Alex Honnold about baby diapers.

    Show Notes

    “Corrado ‘Korra’ Pesce dies after climbing new route on Cerro Torre with Tomas Aguilo”

    A crowdfunder to help Korra Pesce’s daughter.

    Description of Tommy and Korra’s new route.

    Follow Jordan Cannon

    Follow Dylan Taylor

    Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

    Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com

  • RunOut #68: Chasing the Alpinist

    RunOut #68: Chasing the Alpinist

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    Marc André Leclerc was one of the most reticent and enigmatic figures in climbing—a guy who few knew much about other than what what we learned from the second-hand reports emanating out of the alpine and describing his latest solo. Even the perpetually nonplussed Alex Honnold shuddered in fear and awe upon hearing some of what Leclerc had managed to climb. On today’s podcast, we are joined by the director and filmmaker Peter Mortimer, whose new film is The Alpinist, which tells the definitive and long-awaited story of Marc André Leclerc. Peter reveals some of the behind-the-scenes details about making this film, the honor of getting to know one of the most beguiling and talented figures of our sport in recent years, and ultimately, the pain of losing him to an avalanche right as the film was supposed to be wrapped.

    But first, we dive into a bolting debacle on Pike’s Peak and consider whether we’re in the final throes of these debates, or if we will continue to see the invocation of the Bachar-Yerian Fallacy as a way to perpetuate climbing’s most depressing pissing match.

    For our final bit, Aaron Glasenapp has a total eclipse of the heart.

    Show Notes

    The Alpinist film homepage and where to get tickets.

    Sender Films

    “From Climbing Partners to Bitter Enemies: In the Trenches of the Pikes Peak Bolt War” by Corey Buhay for Climbing.com

    Pikes Peak Climbers Alliance survey results

    The Case of Ten Sleep on Evening Sends.

    Watching the eclipse on the Grand Teton.

  • RunOut #45: The Life of Christine Boskoff

    RunOut #45: The Life of Christine Boskoff

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    In 2006, the news of Charlie Fowler and Christine Boskoff’s disappearance in Western China pierced through the climbing-media bubble and became a national news event that was broadcast nightly on stations around the country. There was almost a month of coverage about their disappearance until, at last, Fowler’s body was found and it was presumed that both had died in an avalanche.

    Charlie Fowler was a climbing legend, who first made a name for himself by soloing the DNB on Middle Cathedral Rock in Yosemite in 1977. He then went on to do the first free solo of the Diamond of Long’s Peak in Colorado. But his grander contributions to the sport spanned the Utah desert-tower scene, as well as in the big mountains of Europe, Patagonia, and the Himalaya.

    Chris Boskoff was more of as an 8,000-meter climber and far less of a household name than her partner Charlie—at least in core climbing circles. As is often the case when a team of climbers die in the big mountains, it seems as if more attention gets paid to the most famous and accomplished climber of the team. No judgement there; just an observation.

    In this imbalance, however, lies an opportunity for journalists to tell stories that might otherwise go untold. And that’s precisely what has happened with our guest today, Johanna Garton. Johanna has just released a new book called Edge of the Map: The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff. What’s interesting about this book is not only the timing of its release, almost 14 years after Chris and Charlie’s deaths, but also that Johanna is not a climber. And when perceptive, articulate, and talented people like Johanna peer into our niche world with their outsider perspective, there’s inevitably wisdom that we on the inside will find useful.

    This is Andrew Bisharat, and I’m here with my co-host Chris Kalous. And unpacking this outsider wisdom as well as telling stories about an unsung hero’s life is the nature of our conversation today with Johanna. Again, Johanna’s book is Edge of the Map: The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff, which is available wherever books are sold as well as in eBook and audio book formats as well.

    So without further ado, our conversation with Johanna Garton.

  • RunOut #19: Nanga Parbat and Modern Remote Mountain SAR

    RunOut #19: Nanga Parbat and Modern Remote Mountain SAR

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    In the spring season many 8,000-meter peaks are increasingly crowded with guides who are all but carrying their clientele of C-level executives and trustfunding thrillseekers to the summit.

    But in winter, when temps plunge to -60 below and the winds tear at a maddening clip, the 8000-meter peaks finally reveal themselves to be the truly savage and wild places that they are.

    This inhospitable desolation calls like a siren to the “young and angry,” as the great Polish alpinist Krzysztof Wielicki put it in his seminal “Winter Manifesto,” which summoned the next generation of alpine climbers to complete the 8000m peaks in winter.

    Thus far only one 8000-meter mountain remains unclimbed in winter. That would be K2, arguably the toughest one of all.

    And for the second consecutive year, an incident on Nanga Parbat has required climbers on K2 to sacrifice their own shot at claiming this last great prize in order to come to the aid of their fellow mountaineers.

    This is Andrew Bisharat. You’re listening to The Run Out podcast. And I’m here with Chris Kalous.

    In this episode, we try to unpack some of the drama that unfolded on Nanga Parbat this year, in which the lives of two incredible mountaineers were lost. Also for the second year in row, we saw the climbing world attempt to navigate the bureaucracies of Pakistan, using social media and crowdfunding in real time in order to help aid the search mission as it was assembled.

    It’s another year, and yet it’s the same story we’ve seen again and again.

    Unfortunately, it’s a story that likely won’t be going away anytime soon.

  • RunOut #5 Michael Kennedy and the North Ridge of Latok I

    RunOut #5 Michael Kennedy and the North Ridge of Latok I

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    In July of 1978, after climbing all but a few hundred feet of the 8000-foot-tall North Ridge of Latok I in Pakistan, Michael Kennedy, Jim Donini, George Lowe, and a fatefully ill Jeff Lowe chose to descend shy of the unclimbed summit. What was subsequently dubbed the “magnificent failure” was soon held up as a futuristic alpine climb done in the best possible style. The mountain itself was climbed a year later via the south face in antiquated siege style.

    The North Ridge repelled more than 30 attempts over the next 40 years by some of the best in the business.

    This summer, 2018, two important developments – one tragic and one triumphant – may have left the quest for the North Ridge all but satiated.

    Michael Kennedy joins us today to reflect on his ascent in 1978 and discuss the climbs this summer of both the North Ridge and the second ascent of the mountain. I’m Chris Kalous with Andrew Bisharat, and you are listening to the Runout.

    And if because of technical problems, I sound like I’m stuck in a well, be assured that Michael Kennedy does most of the talking and the rumble of his baritone is like listening to the North Ridge itself speak from the heights.