The Firn Line

In 1978, an iconoclastic climber named Johnny Waterman spent 145 days soloing (and traversing) Mount Hunter. It was one of the boldest and strangest mountaineering feats of all time. But what could have been a launch pad into acclaim and prominence, turned into a descent of infamy and madness.  Meanwhile, a group of 3 young gun alpinists prepared to attempt the same route in alpine style.

Thanks to Jon Waterman and Glenn Randall for...

While working on an upcoming 2-part series, I stumbled onto this interview with Alaskan author and adventurer, Roman Dial. We recorded this back in November 2017 and for some reason, I never got around to publishing it. Roman is a natural storyteller, so I’ve decided to leave this pretty raw with minimal editing. If you enjoy stories of adventure and unique characters from Alaska, this episode is for you.

Read Roman's book, The Adve...

A few months ago I had a conversation with climber, historian, writer and podcast producer, Christian Beckwith. He’s been working on this really incredible project called 90 Pound Rucksack, which details the remarkable history of the 10th Mountain Division and it’s influence on outdoor recreation in America

I have to admit, this chat was fun for me because I really do enjoy history and Christian - he’s basically an encyclopedia of i...

A few weeks ago I interviewed North American alpinist, Clint Helander, for a deep-dive feature I'm working on for The Firn Line.  At the end of the conversation, I wanted to have a little fun.  So we did a quick-fire back and forth on what we think the top 5 traits of an alpinist are.  It's a short conversation, but it's packed with knowledge and a good a bit of humor.

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Recorded and produced by Evan Phillips
Music curat...

Will Stanhope is a Squamish-based rock climber, who is known for his free solos, big adventures, and witty sense of humor. All of those avenues are explored in this conversation. We talk about his inspirations as a kid, how he got into climbing, who inspired him as a young climber, his most memorable free solo climbs, his memories of the late Marc Andre Leclerc, and more.

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Recorded and produced by Evan Phillips
Music cu...

The Cassin Ridge is the ultimate classic line on Denali, rising almost 10,000 directly up the middle of the South Face. First climbed in 1961 by a large Italian expedition led by Riccardo Cassin, the route continues to be a testing ground for alpinists to this day.

Recorded and produced by Evan Phillips
Music curated using Artlist. 

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During a stretch of amazing weather and conditions in April, 2024, Suzanna Lourie and her partner, Olga Dobranowski, made an ascent of the ultra-classic Ham & Eggs route on The Moose's Tooth.  

The Moose's Tooth is a rock peak in the Central Alaska Range, 15 miles southeast of Denali. Despite its low elevation, it's a challenging climb due to its large rock faces and long ice couloirs. Its name comes from its structure, resembling a...

When Fred Beckey and Ed Cooper climbed the Northwest Face on Forbidden Peak in 1959, they had to have known it was a classic route.  It had all the features mountaineers look for in a North Cascades alpine climb: an arduous and long approach, tricky navigation over crevasse-laden glaciers, and steep exposed climbing to a sharp pointed summit.  

Since that time, the Northwest Face of Forbidden Peak has become an ultra-classic mountai...

Today, we’ll get to know Seattle-based author, climber, skier, and historian, Lowell Skoog. Lowell is a fixture in the Northwest outdoor scene, and has been exploring mountains in the Pacific Northwest for 60 years. In this conversation, we’ll talk about Lowell’s early years of exploration in the Cascades, some of the folks who’ve inspired him over the years, as well as his recent book, Written in The Snows.

Lowell is an encyclopedi...

When Jamie Logan and Mugs Stump first ascended Mount Robson's Emperor Face in July 1978, it was hailed as one of North America's greatest alpine climbs.  Since then, the face has continued luring some of the world's best climbers, maintaining it's reputation as one of North America's most enduring alpine walls.

Written and produced by Evan Phillips

Music by Evan Phillips
Additional music curated using Artlist. Artists include:

• Andr...

Begguya - Mount hunter - at 14,537 feet tall - a massif that is dominated in scale by its neighbors Sultana and Denali - but a mountain that dominates the minds and hearts of many a mountaineer.

And this was the case for Alaskan alpinist Clint Helander in the spring of 2021 when on a hunch, he called August Franzen - a young Alaskan climber who’d been making a name for himself on the frozen waterfalls of Valdez - with a proposition....

In the summer of 1995, John Climaco and Andrew Brash were young dirtbag alpinists looking for the adventure of a lifetime.  The duo certainly got that and more when they flew to Pakistan for an attempt on  Chogolisa (7,665 m / 25,148 ft).  Turns out, the climb was only a small part of the journey.

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Notes

Special thanks to John Climaco

Learn more about John and Andrew's 1995 expedition...

For mountaineers and adventurers, there’s a rich history of exploration in and around Alaska's Denali National Park.  And although the park is mostly known for the hordes of people who attempt to climb Denali each season - few have ever thought about circumnavigating the Denali, Foraker (Sultana) and Hunter (Begguya)  massifs - let alone in winter.

The first circumnavigation-like explorations, of non-indiginous people, came around t...

You know that saying - “they just don’t make em’ the way they used to”.  I guess you could call it a quintessential American expression.  In the climbing world, It conjures up icons like Lynn Hill, Jim Bridwell, Catherine Freer, and Royal Robbins - just to name a few.

You know you have someone like that in your life.  It’s someone who’s tough.  They have a determination and resolve that’s made of granite.  There’s something about th...

Today we head into the Kichatna Spires - a compact subrange of monolithic granite towers located just south of Denali.

In early June, North American climbers Graham Zimmerman, Dave Allfrey and Whit Magro, headed into the Kichatna’s - their sites set on a new line up the beautiful northwest face of the ranges namesake - Kichatna Spire.

Although many parties attempting lines in the Kichatna’s get hammered by bad weather and poor condit...

The western Chugach - the mountains surrounding Anchorage and the Mat-su valley to the east, are a veritable playground for hikers and climbers.  Although the rock is predominantly poor in quality, the peaks are striking, sometimes rising 5,000 from the valley floor, with a variety of snow and ice lines penetrating their faces.  Historically, these peaks have been scaled by mountaineers of all skill levels.  But in recent years, sk...

Call me old school, but nothing gets me more fired up than adding a new adventure, climbing or mountaineering book to the collection.  So I was excited last month, when Valley Of Giants: Stories From Women at The Heart of Yosemite Climbing, arrived at my doorstep.  This anthology, edited and curated by Lauren DeLaunay Miller, is a collection of 39 stories - written and told by the trailblazing, often-times under the radar, women wh...

This month’s trip report takes place in one of Alaska’s most remote and mythical mountain ranges: The Revelations.  First explored in the late 60’s by David Roberts and friends, The Revelations hold a mystique, and reputation, that has continued to grow over the years.  The range, which is nestled between the southwest tip of The Alaska Range, and the north and western aspects of the Aleutian, Neacola and the Tordrillo Mountains, i...