First Ascent Podcast

Author, philosopher, and long time climber Francis Sanzaro is back on the pod to dive into how to manage your mindset (for both climbing and life) during times of loss, grief, overwhelm, or even just less than perfect conditions. 

Francis is the author of The Zen of Climbing, a must read for any climber seeking to develop a stronger mindset toward climbing. His first episode on First Ascent Pod can be heard here. 

We’ll cov...

Few people have amassed a more impressive resume in the outdoors than climber, mountaineer, and author Conrad Anker. Just read his Wikipedia page, for starters! Included in Conrad’s accolades are two summits of Everest under his belt (including one where he found George Mallory’s body), a prolific list of first ascents around the globe, and a 26 year history as the lead of the North Face Climbing Team. 

Today, Conrad shares sto...

New Hampshire native and author Ty Gagne joins the pod today to discuss the harrowing and heroic history of rescues in the White Mountains. Ty shares his in depth knowledge on some of the most well known rescues in The Whites, and what we can learn from them in regards to decision making, leadership and risk management.

We’ll also discuss how the members of search and rescue (many of them volunteers!) view their important work,...

Rumney climber Miguel Lopez has been racking up some major sends lately (check out his recents sends of Butt Bongo and Rocketman) But what has this 5.13 climber been enjoying just as much? Dumpster diving - the exercise of sending routes with 2 or less stars on Mountain Project. 

Miguel shares why he started this practice, and how it’s benefited his ‘climbing menu’ as he works to balance his progression as a climber with enjoyi...

Dave Groth is one of the undisputed forefathers of Devil’s Lake climbing. With over 40 years of climbing under his belt, he joins me full of tales about the evolution of Devil’s Lake and his legendary climbing exploits across the US and the globe.  

You’ll hear about Dave’s experiences at Yosemite, Eldorado Canyon & Waco (where legend Ron Kauk crashed at his apartment!); climbing in the early days of the Red River Gorge wit...

Andy Salo is a longtime climber with roots in Niagara Glen, The Gunks, Rumney and most recently, Rifle. We’ll reminisce about bouldering at The Glen, and then dive into a wide ranging conversation about climbing with small children, how mentors and partners affect your climbing journey, fostering an inclusive climbing culture that makes space for people of all skill levels, and the role that younger and older climbers have within t...

Jim Lawyer joins me today to answer your listener questions! 

Jim will tell us about his recovery journey from major back surgery, his experiences at Serra Do Cipó in Brazil, how he balances rock climbing and photography at the crag, and what makes for his favorite kind of climbing day. 

Plus, we’ll debate the ethics of ‘Belationships’ and the criteria a person has to meet to be considered a climber of a certain grade. 

I just got back from the incredible Red River Gorge and walked away with a new appreciation for the world class climbing there. When I was paging through the guidebook, one name kept popping up: Chris Snyder. Chris was deeply involved in the golden days of development of the Red, and he’s joining me today to share the history of the storied and beloved crag. 

We’ll talk about his first impression when he and his group came acro...

Brian O’Leary just did the first ascent of the hardest mixed climb in New England: Middle Child, an M-13 at the mica mine. We’ll talk about his process for sending the route and what M-13 means in the mixed climbing world. Then, we’ll discuss the complicated ethics that arise when developing on choss. 

Plus, Jay helps Brian choose his first 5.13 sport climb to tackle! 

Brian is co-founder and owner of Forecast Climbing Equi...

If you’re a climber on Instagram then you’re probably familiar with April Davidson of @yeahapril. With almost 100k followers and multiple brand partnerships, the word ‘influencer’ might immediately come to mind when you think of her. April, however, doesn’t really see herself as an influencer. She has strong opinions on the current state of social media and how it affects us all as climbers, and she’ll share them with us today. 

For those of us who think of climbing as a way of life, it can be daunting to address the truth of aging. Chuck Odette, a 5.14 climber who is still cranking hard at 69 years old, is here today to help us get psyched on making climbing a lifelong sport. In this conversation, we’ll get to the bottom of what it takes to keep your climbing game strong as you age. 

Chuck shares how he broke through to 5.14 at 43 years old, the ageis...

Jay just got back from a fantastic trip to climb Ben Nevis in Scotland! Of the many incredible climbers that Jay met while staying at the CiC Hut, Chris Andrews was a standout for his knowledge and wisdom of the mountain. 

Today, Chris joins the pod for a unique chat about Scottish climbing. You’ll hear about the ethics of ice climbing in Scotland, how and why tool usage differs on Scottish climbs, Scottish climbing opportuniti...

Joel Unema is on the pod today for an insightful talk about training, mindset, and even finger skin care. Joel is a 5.14 trad and sport climber, v14 boulderer, a route developer, a coach for ClimbStrong. 

You’ll hear Joel’s thoughts on the importance of route development for a community, why a climber’s identity should be focused on effort instead of talent, and great tips for how to approach your personal training plan. 

P...

Jenny Fischer, CEO of Ocun North America, is here today for a great chat about running a business in the climbing industry, how sponsorship relationships work between climbers and brands, and her own climbing journey.  

You’ll hear about her love for the Cochise Stronghold climbing area in Arizona, her thoughts on being a Boulder local, how she found herself making the switch from medicine to running a climbing brand, and what ...

Balin Miller joins the pod today to talk about his incredible solo ascent of Reality Bath in the Canadian Rockies, a Wi5+/6- ice climb that hasn’t seen a repeat ascent the very first ascent by Mark Twight and Randy Rackliff in 1988. 

You’ll hear Balin’s step-by-step accounting of this incredible climb. Plus, he’ll share what it was like to grow up in Alaska as the son of an alpine climber, his thoughts on high grade ice climbin...

Professional climber Justin Salas has many accolades under his belt, including six national championships and a 2018 world championship. He is a V11 climber outside, and he is also legally blind. 

Today, Justin shares how climbing changed his life after he became blind at 14 years old. He’ll also share his thoughts on what it takes to be a professional climber in today’s environment, the ways in which climbing is different for ...

This is one you won’t want to miss - Jay’s climbing coach, Galina Parfenov, is on the show today to publicly critique Jay’s climbing! 

Galina Parfenov is a full time remote climbing coach that specializes in building individualized training programs for climbers of all ages and ability levels, with a focus on strength training and form analysis through video feedback. She has been climbing and competing professionally since she...

Ice climbing extraordinaire JC Dubeau joins me in the studio today for a fantastic conversation about his incredible career in ice climbing. He’ll share his thoughts on the mindset and training necessary for ice climbing, how he navigates danger when soloing, how ice climbing differs by region, his gear opinions, and the ways in which ice climbing has affected his rock climbing. 

JC is a guest guide at this year’s Mt. Washingto...

We’ll be taking a break from the podcast for the holidays, but in the meantime, enjoy this special compilation episode celebrating all of the amazing guests who have joined us on First Ascent since the reboot. 

Thank you so much for supporting the show, especially as I’ve navigated a reboot after we all lost Lee. Have a wonderful holiday season, and enjoy this best of episode! 

If you’re in need of more First Ascent through...