Stick & Stone

This is part two of two of Mark Wellman’s story. If you haven’t heard part 1 yet, you’re missing out on the whole lead up to his climb on El Cap. Mark Wellman is a para-athlete most well-known for the first para-ascents of El Capitan and Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Also a Paralympian, he competed as a skier in two winter games in France and later lit the Paralympic Torch at the 1996 summer games in Atlanta.From his website:Mark lives in Northern California where he operates his

Fear is a gift. Without fear there is no balance to allow for hope, relief, safety. But how do we balance fear and hubris? Hubris and acceptance? If our fate is inevitable as soon as we slip, then how can we decide which is more important before we fall? Because, as every climber knows, it’s not if we fall, it’s how far. This month’s episode is a two part-er, the story of Mark Wellman’s incredible climbing triumphs after he lost the use of his legs.Come back next month for part 2!--For more

Deep within the western Andes the tallest mountain in Peru, Huascarán, stands at 22,205 ft (or 6,768 metres) and has taken many lives. Its beautiful blue pools and ever-white peaks are wrapped in Incan legends of love and loss, but it’s most well known for the catastrophic avalanche in 1970 that left 30,000 dead in its wake. And on June 26, 2025 Huascarán claimed another life, that of an experienced climber, doctor, and mother who came all the way from Japan to summit its peak—Chiaki Inada

A new podcast for climbers, hosted by Sydney Mantrom, a knitter who climbs. Explore gripping tales of sends and survival through the walls we climb. Check out the first full episode on July 1, 2026. And remember, always check your knots!--For more information about the show and episode sources, check out stickandstonepod.com.Get updates on upcoming episodes by following on Instagram @stickandstonepod.Support the show and get episodes two days before the main feed on Patreon. And to see my