Shifting paradigms is hard work, but sometimes it can be a whole heap of Type II Fun as well. In 2019, Stratton Matteson sought to find out if he could get away with only human powered mountain access for a whole year. Five years into his quest, he shares what he’s learned. Support comes from Kuat Racks Terns Use code DIRTBAG to save 25% off your f…

Sean Houchins-McCallum is the top-ranked climber on the Tension Board 2. We talked about growing up in Iowa, his obsession with board climbing, his insane training schedule, his ultimate board project, why we haven’t seen V15+ on the boards, projecting tactics, how changing his diet allowed him to jump up two grades, his home made pre-workout, TB2 …

Tess Driessens is a professional climbing coach and lives with chronic pain. We talked about getting diagnosed with five herniated discs from a cliff jumping accident, tools for chronic pain, why hope can be negative, finding true acceptance, meditation, Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais Method, finding happiness within, why love is the key to li…

What does it take to run an ultramarathon? Or top out a boulder that makes you stretch what you think you're capable of? Tenacity. From our seat, we see it happen all the time in our community. Today, Coleman Wood and Brian Laidlaw bring us two stories about rising up and meeting the challenge that they laid out for themselves. Support comes from K…

Dr. Keith Baar is a leading expert in tendon and ligament engineering and repair. Natalie Gilmore is a PhD student focused on climbing-specific research. We talked about the results of their recent retrospective study, exciting new science, why “Abrahangs” improve force transfer, why progressively overloading them is a bad idea, protocols for finge…

Connor Bodin climbed 30 minutes per day for 100 consecutive days to boost his endurance, and it worked. His critical force went from 30% of bodyweight to an impressive 44% of bodyweight, and his climbing standard went from 5.11+ to 5.12+. In this Patron Spotlight, Connor shares exactly what he did during the 100-day experiment, what he learned, wha…

Just 10 years ago, the director of the Barkley Marathons declared that the race was too tough for any woman to complete it. Meanwhile, Jasmin Paris, a mild-mannered veterinarian from Scotland was smashing records in the ultramarathon world. It wasn’t too long before Jasmin set her sights on the Barkley. It’s not everyday you make history. For Jasmi…

Katie Lambert is an accomplished all-around climber with a master's in nutrition. We talked about how to get more value out of climbing trips, her training and cold plunge routine, perimenopause, her 40:30:30 approach to nutrition, how to eat on a climbing day, ingredients to avoid, go-to carb sources, eating healthy on a budget, her non-profit Sac…

Erik Grams has been taking trips to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota for over 30 years. It's his favorite place in the world. But last year, a fatal accident on a fishing trip that Erik was leading changed his life. On this episode from our friends at Points North, we hear Erik's harrowing story and how he has wrestled with his feelings about a pla…

Tony Yaniro is a climbing legend and the first-ever person to redpoint a 5.13b with his ascent of The Grand Illusion in 1979. We talked about his early years, handmaking cams in his garage, developing The Needles, inventing the first campus board, training for 5.14 using tin foil, the controversy of chipping routes at Leslie Gulch, his legendary ho…

After his personal life takes a surprise turn, Luis Alonzo dares to reinvent himself by trying something far outside his comfort zone– climbing Mt. Rainier. With a crew of other novice climbers, Luis spends six months prepping for summit day. Will the climb move him closer to being the person he wants to be? Support comes from Kuat Racks Terns Use …

Adam Ondra is the greatest climber of all time. We talked about his trip to Smith Rock in 2018, onsighting Just Do It, what he was like as a kid, his 9c projects, Soudain Seul 9A, the Imhotep project, how he trains for long boulders vs routes, the Olympics, The Dawn Wall, climbing ethics, the monster within, why he thinks he can push his level for …

Max Didier is a Chilean big wall climber and alpinist turned boulderer. We talked about leaving the Air Force to climb, the value of exploration and adventure, his trip to India, maintaining simplicity in life, becoming a bouldering coach, the balance of strength and technique, his training routine, training with intention, mindset and motivation, …

Loss. Grief. Healing. It’s part of being human. The emotions that almost tear us apart have the power to bring us together. Today, we bring you two powerful stories from Alison Kaplan and Monica Nigon. Support comes from Kuat Racks Terns Use code DIRTBAG to save 25% off your first order Diaries+ Members-- Their support is powering the Diaries- than…

Chris Sharma and Ron Kauk return to the podcast for a philosophical chat. We discussed early bouldering in Camp 4, the essence of climbing, the source of motivation, reinventing your climbing identity, Chris’ latest deep water solo ‘Vision Quest’ 9a, thoughts for future climbers, the key to good climbing technique, following your own path, and much…

It started so harmlessly. Four years ago, professional skier Brody Leven embarked on a simple challenge – exercise outdoors everyday. In a complicated moment in time and life, it was a way to exert some control over his day to day. It was never supposed to last forever. Support comes from Kuat Racks Terns Use code DIRTBAG to save 25% off your first…

Caroline Ciavaldini is a French professional climber specializing in sport, trad, and multi-pitch climbing. We talked about growing up in La Réunion, early climbing, her mother’s suicide, the magic and selfishness of competitions, eating disorders, becoming adventurous, trips with Yuji Hirayama, meeting her husband James Pearson, discussing hard th…

Matt Martin and his fiancé, Hannah, were just starting out on their shared life, when a breast cancer diagnosis rewrote the script they’d imagined for life. Matt stepped into a new role – caregiver. Life became a blur of treatment, worry and existing with unknown outcomes. After a year of caring for Hannah, Matt received the chance to attend one of…

Randy Leavitt is a climbing pioneer, prolific route developer, pilot, and surfer. We talked about training on the Dune Cracks with Tony Yaniro, inventing the Leavittation offwidth technique, his journey from mountaineering to sport climbing, bolting Jumbo Love and other famous routes, why money equals freedom, his passion for surfing, reflections f…

Dave MacLeod is back to answer some of your most burning questions. We talked about notable mindset shifts that affected him, how to reconcile contradictory advice, how to balance longevity with pushing your max, whether prehab training is necessary, his thoughts on Emil Abrahamsson and Keith Baar’s study on “No Hangs”, his thoughts on active flexi…

Louise Shepherd is a living legend, and has been called “The Lynn Hill of Australia”. We talked about climbing in the late 70s, her formative experiences, dirtbagging in Arapiles, onsighting some of the first 5.12s in Yosemite, access issues threatening Aralipes climbing, putting cultural heritage into context, and how climbers can help save Arapil…

Raised in the hollers of West Virginia, coal ran deep in Corey Lilly’s family, but it was the local ski hill with 600 feet of vertical that sparked his imagination and started an improbable run into professional skiing. After a head injury permanently impacted his vision and ended his career, Corey returned home to a struggling economy and the dept…

Sol Wertkin is a former rock climber, cancer survivor, nurse, and avid mountain biker. We talked about new routing in the PNW, the “Golden Era” of Leavenworth climbing, the passing of Johnny Goicoechea, Sol’s cancer diagnosis in 2020, the long and difficult road to recovery, how e-biking saved his life, sailing, why life feels richer now that he do…