The RunOut Podcast

Tag: connor herson

The RunOut #163: Connor Herson continues to crush everything

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Connor Herson is back. He needs no introduction, but he’s easily one of, if not the best, trad climber in the world at the moment. We talk about his 2025 climbing season in Yosemite, when he ticked the free Nose in a day, got a first free ascent of Triple Direct, and climbed many other major notable routes all while going to school.

But first, what’s next for Alex Honnold? We have some ideas.

Today’s final bit is from photographer and musician Cliff Ritchey, with the song “Patagonia.” Cliff teamed up with writer Kelsey Timmerman on a book called “Regenerating Earth,” by Patagonia Books, that documents regenerative farming practices around the world. During their travels, they visited Patagonia, and Cliff fell in love with the place, the people, and the culture. The result is this song, titled “Patagonia.”

Show Notes

Follow Connor Herson on IG: https://www.instagram.com/connor.herson

Did Connor Herson Just Have the Best 3 Days in Yosemite Climbing History? – via Climbing.com: https://www.climbing.com/news/connor-herson-nose-in-a-day-and-triple-direct/

Connor’s latest news: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUqlp18j6vL/?img_index=1

Follow Cliff Ritchey on IG: https://www.instagram.com/cliffritcheyart/

Cliff Ritchey photography / music: https://cliffritchey.com

“Regenerating Earth”: https://www.patagonia.com/product/regenerating-earth-farmers-working-with-nature-to-feed-our-future/BK935.html

Listen to “Patagonia” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7FI7MHOVpU75neTEUC3JIn?si=df8c08fae8c6469a

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

February 18, 2026
RunOut 149: Jordan Cannon and Mark Hudon, live from El Cap

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Jordan Cannon is a professional climber, known for his free and speed-climbing feats on El Capitan. Mark Hudon is one of the fathers of big-wall free climbing, best known for making a very early and audacious free attempt of the Salathé Wall in 1979 with Max Jones, nearly a decade before El Cap was officially first free climbed by Todd Skinner and Paul Piana. Jordan and Mark’s partnership is legendary, best encapsulated in the film “Free As Can Be,” which documents Jordan’s ascent of Freerider in a day and Mark’s attempt to finally complete a free ascent of El Capitan by the same route, more than four decades later.

On today’s episode, we make podcasting history by recording our episode live from halfway up the side of El Capitan, as Jordan attempts to free the Salathé Wall via the rarely repeated, and arguably official crux pitch—the infamous pitch 19—with Mark supporting him on belay.

This is a two-part episode. To hear the second half of our conversation, you’ll need to join us at Patreon.com

But first, your over-stoker podcast hosts run into the latest climbing headlines and cover the biggest downgrades to the most impressive ascents, while wondering whether it’s all just one big Tommy Caldwell sandbag.

Today’s final bit features the return of the Seattle post punk power trio rock band Dragontail Peak, with the song Three Rules–as in three rules of big-wall climbing.

Show Notes

Mandatory listening:

“Bonus: The Free Salathé Wall’s Strange Revisionist History”

“Bonus: Pitch 19, Part Deux”

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

Follow Jordan Cannon on Instagram

Follow Mark Hudon on Instagram

Mark Hudon website

Bill Ramsey, 64, does Wrongdoer (8b+)

Tommy Caldwell, 46, does Empath 9a (+) calling it 8c

From V16 to Big Walls: Pietro Vidi Makes the Second Ascent of ‘Lurking Fear’

UNCUT: “No one Mourns The Wicked” – V17/9A – Hamish McArthur

Follow DragonTail Peak on Instagram

DragonTail Peak on Bandcamp

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

May 22, 2025
RunOut #146: From Big Walls to Open Water: Unlocking the Expedition Mindset with Mark Synnott

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Mark Synnott is a professional big-wall climber, expedition sailor, and writer whose books have included The Third Pole and The Impossible Climb. His latest book is Into The Ice, an epic read about his recent voyage across the infamous Northwest Passage and the historical mysteries that lie within. The 6,736-mile journey takes 112 days, allowing Mark to give us his most personal memoir yet while weaving in the historical details of British explorer Sir John Franklin and the 128 men he led on an ill-fated expedition in the mid-19th century.

But first, we gush over some cool climbing news: Brooke Raboutou becomes the first woman to reach 5.15c, and Connor Herson makes a quick tick of one of the hardest crack climbs in the desert: Mason Earle’s Stranger Than Fiction

Our final bit is a throwback to a moment in time when the Black Nugget in Carbondale was the place to be, and Sector 7G found a groove that sent the cowboys and hippies spiraling.

Show Notes

Follow Mark Synnott on Instagram and check out his homepage

“Into the Ice” from Penguin Random House

All books by Mark Synnott

Northwest Passage – Wikipedia

Northwest Passage – AP

The RunOut #60 – Mark Synnott and Everest

News: Brooke Raboutou Climbs 5.15c

Follow Brooke | Her send post

News: Connor Herson Climbs Stranger Than Fiction (5.14b)

Follow Connor | His send post

Mason Earle’s tapped foot

April 16, 2025
RunOut #133: Olympic Runner and Rock Climber Hobbs Kessler

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Hobbs Kessler is a 21-year-old professional runner who ran a 3:34 in the 1500m in his senior year of high school. He has also climbed as hard as 5.14c with an ascent of Southern Smoke in the Red River Gorge. Hobbs just returned from the Paris Olympics, where he competed in both the 800 and 1500m races.

But first, your curmudgeonly hosts roll their eyes at one of climbing’s most bitter personas: the climbing curmudgeon. It’s like we’re looking in the mirror!

Today’s final bit is a mother-daughter violin performance of the Appalachian Waltz. The musicians behind this composition are my good friend Kate McGinnis, a nurse from Atlanta who is one of the most talented and strong climbers I’ve ever met, and her 13 year old daughter Annie, who is crushing rock climbs just like her mom.

Show Notes

Follow Hobbs on Instagram

“Hobbs Kessler Climbs 5.14+ and Runs a Sub 4-Minute Mile. And He’s Just 17.”

<p><strong>Become a RunOut Rope Gun!</strong> 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! <a href=”http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast”>http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast</a></p> <p><strong>Contact us</strong> Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. <a href=”mailto:andrew@runoutpodcast.com”>andrew@runoutpodcast.com</a> // <a href=”mailto:chris@runoutpodcast.com”>chris@runoutpodcast.com</a></p>

September 20, 2024
RunOut #121: Beth Rodden Reveals A Light Through the Cracks

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Today’s guest is a climbing icon and legend: the great Beth Rodden. Beth was a youth national comp champ who went on to become one of the greatest female climbers of her time, with important first free ascents of El Cap and single-pitch trad test pieces such as Meltdown, a 5.14c crack that many say is harder and took a decade before it was repeated. Her new book is called A Light Through the Cracks.

But first we talk about the elusive “all-around” climber, with Bronwyn Hodgins at the top of mind. What does it take to be considered a great all-around climber? And is that the future for what we demand of our top-end climbers?

Today’s final bit comes courtesy of the extremely talented Beezer (aka Mason Earle) with the track Loggersports.

Show Notes

Follow Beth Rodden on Instagram

Pre-order A Light Through the Cracks from an independent book store or big one

Follow Bronwyn Hodgins on Instagram

News / post about Bronwyn’s latest redpoint

Watch Bronwyn and Jacob Cook free climb a big wall

Follow Mason Earle on Instagram

Check out Beezer on YouTube

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

March 8, 2024
RunOut #84: Connor Herson Returns

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Connor Herson returns to the show, a few years older, a few inches taller, and more than a few impressive ticks under his belt. One of his latest ascents is “Empath” on gear—potentially one of the harder gear leads ever recorded. Carlo Traversi first climbed Empath and proposed 5.15a. After quickly sending the route as a sport climb, Connor had the idea of trying it on gear. In this episode he shares his experience with that process, his thoughts about the difficulty of the route, and his vision for what’s next (hint: it’s not climbing).

First, your friendly and utterly relatable hosts pay homage to a kind of trad climbing that most of y’all will be more familiar with—the everyday, everyperson experience of going up on a 5.10 or 5.11 with a rack of gear and trying to onsight your way to the top. Could this be any different from, say, the ego-fluff of Ten Sleep?

Finally, Jeremy Fullerton gives us the first-person account of one of the most epic days in Rocky Mountain National Park, when the mountains moved.

Show Notes

Connor Herson on Instagram.

Does Connor’s ascent of Empath on gear count as the hardest trad ascent?

Rocky Mountain National Park Closes Chaos Canyon Area Due to Rockslide

Watch Will Mondragon’s footy of the rockslide.

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

July 20, 2022
RunOut #11: Connor Herson Frees the Nose.

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On November 19^th, Connor Herson, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Emerald Hills, California became the 6^th human to free-climb the Nose, only missing the 5^th ascent to Keita Kurakami’s extraordinary free rope solo by a few days.

Supported by his father Jim, a longtime valley climber, Connor freed the famous climb in a three-day push, only falling on, then redpointing, the Changing Corners pitch rated 5.14a.

Connor has been surrounded his whole life by a climbing family including his dad, his mother Anne, and his badass older sister Kara, who, incidentally, climbed Half Dome in winter and the Nose in a Day sans jumars as a mere tween.

On today’s RunOut, Andrew Bisharat and I – two climbers well past their prime – grill Connor Herson – a climber only on the cusp of his vast potential – about what makes him tick.

November 30, 2018