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PODCAST

The Ground Up Podcast

Stories From the Steep | Climbing conversations with local legends and unsung crushers from hometown crags around the country.

sports wilderness

All Episodes

97:07

33: Big Wall Chronicles with Wilson Cutbirth

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2026/04/07

Wilson Cutbirth is an expedition climber at heart—driven by ground-up style, remote objectives, and first ascents on some of the wildest big walls out there. With a deep background in rigging and rope systems, his approach blends technical precision with a willingness to embrace uncertainty in truly committing terrain.In this episode, we trace Wilson’s unconventional path into climbing—from sharing a single pair of shoes with friends in rural Arizona to putting up bold first ascents on remote big

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114:36

32: Andrew Leich - Rattlesnake Redemption

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2026/03/24

In this episode, we sit down with West Virginia climber and prolific developer Andrew Leich to trace a climbing journey shaped by obsession, grit, and an almost unthinkable comeback.From his early days at the New River Gorge to developing out of necessity in the Cheat Canyon, Andrew built his reputation on bold ascents—including an onsight* of Moonlight Buttress. Along the way, he also shares the surprisingly simple, yet effective, fingerboard routine that helped him build elite endurance. But

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60:45

31: Resurrecting Ghost Town with Mike Reardon & the CCC

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2026/03/03

For decades, Ghost Town stood as one of North Carolina’s most legendary—and inaccessible—cliffs. First climbed in the 1970s and closed for nearly 20 years, its towering crack systems and dramatic position above Hickory Nut Gorge became the stuff of local lore.In this episode, we sit down with the Carolina Climbers Coalition Executive Director, Mike Reardon, to unpack the long journey to bring Ghost Town back to life. Mike shares the behind-the-scenes story of land access, conservation, and the

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85:55

30: Kathy Karlo - No Man's Land

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2026/02/24

In this episode, we sit down with Kathy Karlo to trace an unconventional climbing trajectory—one that started on ice in Ouray and the steep quartzite horizontals of the Gunks, but has led to a life filled with endless single-pitch perfection on the Sandstone of the Southeast.Kathy reflects on how traveling to places like Indian Creek, the Black Canyon, and Vedauwoo pushed her into uncomfortable styles that made her a stronger, more creative climber—and why, despite all that wandering, she’s

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101:36

29: Welcome to Wonderland - New Age Development with...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2026/02/10

In this episode, we sit down with Tal Wanish to talk about what it really means to build a climbing area from the ground up. Tal walks us through his evolution from a college climbing class at Clemson to becoming one of the most active route developers in Colorado’s South Platte, and eventually discovering what is now known as Wonderland—a massive, wild granite zone west of Denver that has grown into a true local playground. With over two dozen named formations and hundreds of routes, Wonderland is

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8:18

The Ground Up Podcast State of the Union

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2026/02/09

We’re back! After a short hiatus, we're kicking things off with a State of the Union for The Ground Up Podcast. In this episode, we catch up on what’s been happening behind the scenes—from moves and life changes to why it felt like the right time to pause, reset, and level up the show. We also lay out what’s coming next: a return to a consistent bi-weekly release schedule, a stacked lineup of upcoming guests, and new ways to engage with the Ground Up community. Most importantly, we officially

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86:56

Ground Up 28: Record-Setting Do's and Don'ts of...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/09/23

Fresh off a record-breaking run at 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell, Nadya and Sean sit down with Ari and Rob to share how they approached the legendary 24-hour climbing marathon. From Sean’s disastrous first year of Oreos, Gatorade, and brand-new shoes to the meticulous (and sometimes improvised) strategy that helped Nadya smash the women’s points record, we dig into what works, what doesn’t, and why the right partner makes or breaks your experience. They also talk about the upcoming rule changes for the

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90:21

Ground Up 27: 24HHH Veterans Leather & Lace

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/09/09

Most would call climbing for 24 hours straight crazy — doing it 20 years in a row is downright ludicrous. In the nearly two-decade history of 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell, only one team has competed every single year: Dick and Natalie Dower, better known as Leather and Lace. Over time, they’ve become true legends of the 24-hour climbing scene at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch.In part one of this year’s Horseshoe Hell miniseries, we sit down with Dick and Natalie to trace the history of the event. From

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01:36:34

Ground Up 26: Dream Destinations with the Climbing...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/08/19

What happens when an arborist and a dog walker swipe right and end up traveling the world on a shoestring budget? In this episode, Nettie and Dave, better known as the Climbing Backpackers, share their incredible journey climbing and dirtbagging across the globe. Hear how a ruptured Achilles and a spur-of-the-moment decision sparked two years of non-stop adventure, what it’s like living on £10 a day, and the wild experiences that come with climbing in places like India, Thailand, Laos, Turkey and

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01:32:59

Ground Up 25: 3,000 Feet of Psyche with Ethan Morf

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/08/05

Making history in Yosemite Valley is no easy feat these days, especially if you can count the number of years you've been climbing on one hand. But on May 15th, at just 20 years old, Ethan Morf became the youngest person to free climb El Capitan in a day with an 18 hour ascent of Freerider.In this episode, Ethan recounts his rapid rise from Squamish gumby to Yosemite crusher — a journey fueled by a seemingly endless supply of psyche, long days on granite, and countless hours on the MoonBoard. We

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01:37:53

Ground Up 24: The Power of Partnerships with Eddie...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/07/22

In this episode, we sit down with Southeast legend Eddie Begoon—lifelong climber, route developer, and storyteller with deep roots in the Shenandoah Valley and the golden age of Southeast climbing. From barnyard bouldering on a Virginia dairy farm to bold first ascents at Seneca Rocks, Looking Glass, and the New River Gorge, Eddie shares the story of a climbing life shaped by humble beginnings, a bare-bones rack of gear, and the power of partnership. Along the way, we hear about country store

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01:44:03

Ground Up 23: Breaking Barriers in the Valley with...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/07/08

Few endurance challenges rival the infamous Yosemite Triple Crown — a mega link-up of three iconic big walls in Yosemite National Park: the Nose on El Capitan, the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome, and the South Face of Mount Watkins.Since its first completion in 2001, no women had managed to complete the feat... That is, until Kate Kelleghan and Laura Pineau showed up. With impressive climbing résumés built in very different corners of the sport, Laura and Kate connected via a simple Instagram

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01:36:23

Ground Up 22: Five Decades of Climbing with Coach...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/06/24

In today's episode, we sit down with legendary climber, author, and coach Eric Hörst—an East Coast pioneer whose nearly five decades of climbing and route development have left an indelible mark on American climbing culture. Eric takes us back to the 1970s Gunks scene, where he cut his teeth on steep trad climbs before importing sport climbing ethics to the New River Gorge, helping transform it into the world-class crag it is today.We rewind the tape back to the ‘golden age’ of development at the

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01:25:07

Ground Up 21: High Country Highlights with Sam Dospoy

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/06/10

In this episode, we sit down with Boone local Sam Dospoy—woodworker, van builder, and climber deeply rooted in North Carolina’s High Country. Sam shares how a two year stint dirtbagging in a minivan sparked both his love of climbing and his custom van build business, Stand Up Vans. We dig into his early days of bouldering over couch cushions at Blowing Rock, the tight-knit and low-beta climbing scene in Boone, and his progression into bold trad climbing and first ascents.Sam reflects on mentorship,

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01:13:06

Ground Up 20: Capturing Climbing with Photographer...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/05/27

Boone, North Carolina is where photographer Drew Mercer first discovered his passion for rock climbing, so it’s no surprise that his new coffee table book, In Season, is a love letter to the High Country. A modern champion of Southeastern climbing, Drew uses his lens to share the story of days spent at some of his favorite local, and arguably underappreciated, crags like Ship Rock, Grandmother Boulders, and The Dump.We also cover Drew's dirtbag days in the Buttermilks and Hueco Tanks, an epic on

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01:30:40

Ground Up 19: Level Up Your Trad Climbing with Dana...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/05/13

Training for trad climbing isn’t something most climbers think about—but Project Direct coach Dana Taylor is here to change that.Originally from Chicago, Dana spent years sport climbing at the Red River Gorge before catching the trad bug on a trip to Wadi Rum. In this episode, she takes us through her journey into the world of limit trad climbing, what inspired her to pursue coaching, and how she’s helping clients take their trad climbing to the next level. We also dive into some epic multi-pitch

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01:50:20

Ground Up 18: The Sandstone School of Rock with...

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/04/29

Whether you know him as the Vampire Professor, the Banjo Man, or the founding president of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Climbers Coalition (SWPACC), you know that Joel Brady has the undeniable ability to crush nails hard rock climbs. Coming to us live from the Keystone State, Joel recalls his early days competing against legends like Chris Sharma, Dave Graham, and Tommy Caldwell in some of America's first major climbing competitions. We then get into some of his milestone contributions to the sport

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01:30:12

Ground Up 17: The Need for Speed with Joe Kennedy

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/04/15

Speed climbing is the ultimate culmination of dozens, if not hundreds, of hours spent dialing in beta, trimming the rack, and pushing the body to move as quickly up the wall as possible. Few do it better than today's guest, Joe Kennedy, a speed climbing phenom who holds the record for the fastest bridge to bridge ascent of the legendary Naked Edge in Eldorado Canyon. He’s also known for blazing through the Flatirons, either solo or with Satan's Minions, and holds the fastest known times on "Roach’s

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01:40:21

Ground Up 16: Becoming a Quadfather - Tanner Wanish

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/04/01

Finding first ascents and new potential link-ups in Yosemite Valley is a rare opportunity these days, especially when they're as monumental as the QUAD! In a mind-blowingly short one year between his first NIAD (Nose in a Day), Tanner Wanish and his partner Michael Vail not only broke the speed record on the infamous Yosemite Triple Crown, but also established the Quad, a mega link-up of El Capitan, Half Dome, Mount Watkins and Washington Column. As a former Navy Seal, Tanner is no stranger to

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01:25:35

Ground Up 15: Raging in El Salto with Karly Rager

The Ground Up Podcast ·

2025/03/18

While most climbers gravitate to El Potrero Chico when visiting Nuevo León, Karly Rager has spent the past five winter seasons learning the dark arts of kneebars in El Salto's tufa filled playgrounds. Fresh off her all female team's First Free Ascent of Guerreras on La Gloria, Karly reflects on what it took to achieve their FFA in the demanding Mexican alpine desert, her early years as a climber in Boulder, Colorado, and lessons learned from training hundreds of other climbers through her coaching

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35 results

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