October 01, 2025

A Climber's Guide to the Red River Gorge

1 hour 50 minutes

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In this Climber's Guide to the Red River Gorge, Eric Hörst and Kris Hampton explore:

When to visit

Where to stay (on all budgets)

Where to eat (on all budgets)

How to train for the pump

Tactics to perform at your best

How to 'protect the send'

Favorite routes from 5.9 to 5.14

Here's a list of our favorite routes: https://www.thestruggleclimbingshow.com/RRGlist

Join me at Rocktoberfest on October 8th for a live podcast, then stick around for the incredible weekend of programs, clinics, and stoke! https://rrgcc.org/rocktoberfest/

Get $25 off the Red River Pump Prep program from Power Company by using code STRUGGLEPUMP at https://www.powercompanyclimbing.com/trip-prep#rrg-trip-prep

Get 15% off SendureX and other Physivantage staples by using code Struggle15 at http://www.physivantage.com/discount/STRUGGLE15

Get 20% off Rhino Skin Solutions by using code STRUGGLE at https://rhinoskinsolutions.com/discount/STRUGGLE

BIG THANKS TO THE AMAZING SPONSORS OF THE STRUGGLE WHO LOVE ROCK CLIMBING AS MUCH AS YOU DO:

PhysiVantage: the official climbing-nutrition sponsor of The Struggle. Use code STRUGGLE15 at checkout for 15% off your full-priced nutrition order.

Rúngne: Soft threads and high performing chalk! Use Code STRUGGLE for 10% Off Bags, Buckets, Chalk & Apparel from Rúngne!

5-Year Training and Performance Journal: The most important climbing tool I use! Takes just a few minutes each day, and yields amazing insights year after year. If you’re psyched on training and performance, this is the journal for you. Log, reflect, send.

And check out ALL the show’s awesome sponsors and exclusive deals at thestruggleclimbingshow.com/deals

Here are some AI generated show notes (hopefully the robots got it right)

04:24 Interview with Eric Horst and Kris Hampton

05:43 Kris Hampton's Climbing Journey

09:36 Eric Horst's Climbing Journey

18:14 Best Seasons to Climb at the Red

24:31 Where to Stay at the Red River Gorge

34:10 Where to Eat at the Red River Gorge

36:54 Training for the Red River Gorge

38:31 Understanding Endurance Climbing

39:25 Training for the Red River Gorge

43:05 Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Training

47:49 The Importance of Year-Round Training

49:43 Mental and Physical Adaptations

57:53 Tactics for a Successful Climbing Trip

01:15:52 Favorite Routes at the Red River Gorge

01:18:52 Discussing Favorite Climbing Routes

01:20:30 Exploring 5.10 Climbing Routes

01:22:50 Diving into 5.11 Climbing Routes

01:28:12 Highlighting 5.12 Climbing Routes

01:33:31 Exploring 5.13 Climbing Routes

01:37:40 Discussing 5.14 and Beyond

01:41:18 Wrapping Up and Future Plans

Shoutout to Matt Waltereese for being a Victory Whip supporter on Patreon! So mega.

Follow along on Instagram and YouTube: @thestruggleclimbingshow

This show is produced and hosted by Ryan Devlin, and edited by Glen Walker. The Struggle is carbon-neutral in partnership with The Honnold Foundation and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective, a diverse group of the best, most impactful podcasts in the outdoor industry.

And now here are some buzzwords to help the almighty algorithm get this show in front of people who love to climb: rock climbing, rock climber, climbing, climber, bouldering, sport climbing, gym climbing, how to rock climb, donuts are amazing. Okay, whew, that’s done. But hey, if you’re a human that’s actually reading this, and if you love this show (and love to climb) would you think about sharing this episode with a climber friend of yours? And shout it out on your socials? I’ll send you a sticker for doing it. Just shoot me a message on IG – thanks so much!

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By Ryan Devlin

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