First Ascent Podcast

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, and why we should check our judgement on the ‘mistakes’ that people make when they find themselves in need of high risk rescue. 

Ty’s books are available for purchase here: 

Lions of Winter: Survival and Sacrifice on Mount Washington

The Last Traverse: Tragedy and Resilience in the Winter Whites

Where You’ll Find Me: Risks, Decisions, and the Last Climb of Kate Matrosova

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. 

Disclaimer: 

The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.

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 enjoying the ride. 

Plus, we’ll talk about how the culture at Waimea has changed (for the better?) and our thoughts on if the Monsters crag (and specifically, Parallel Universe) is sinking. 

Check out Miguel’s climbs on Instagram @miguelprojects

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. 

You can now subscribe to First Ascent Pod on Youtube! 

Disclaimer: 

The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.

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 with Porter Jarrard; his European adventures - from Chamonix alpine climbing to crags in communist-era Czechoslovakia to sharing pints with the who’s who of 1980s British climbing; and his transition from dedicated trad climber to developing some of the first sport routes in the midwest. 

Plus, get Dave’s recommendation for a great international climbing trip! 

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. 

Disclaimer: 

The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.

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 the climbing community. 

Plus, we’ll tackle the great debate about climbing grades: Should they be changed or updated? And if so - when, how and why? 

Check out Andy in Instagram at @andywsalo

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower.

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. 

Check out Jim’s first episode on the podcast here. 

Get your copy of Jim’s Adorondacks guide book, Adorondack Rock

Follow Jim on Instagram at @jimlawyer 

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower.

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 across the Motherlode for the first time. Then, he’ll share how they secured access to develop at the location, the history of the area, and the mechanics of bolting at the Red. 

Plus, Chris will share his pet peeves at the crag and his advice for aging climbers. 

Follow Chris Snyder on Instagram at @lordcaffeine 

Red River Gorge Resources: 

The Red: Comprehensive Sport Climbing Crags of the Red River Gorge 

Miguel’s Pizza

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. 

Disclaimer: 

The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.

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 Equipment. Check out their awesome line of products here. 

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. 

Disclaimer: 

The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.

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. 

We’ll talk about how she got started on Instagram; the opportunities she’s been able to experience through brand partnerships; her opinions on #vanlife; and why she believes that we all need to take a step back, stop comparing ourselves to each other’s highly curated social media accounts, and climb for the joy of it. 

Follow April on Instagram @yeahapril

For more about April and Justin Salas’s van life experience, check out our interview with Justin (Ep 116). 

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. 

Disclaimer: 

The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.

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 ageism he’s experienced through downgrading, how his body has changed as he’s aged, and what he’s done to limit muscle loss and prevent injuries. We’ll also talk about how to combat ageism at the crag and what Chuck’s climbing goals look like after his upcoming shoulder surgery. 

Check out Chuck on Instagram at @chuck.odette

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and so many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. 

Disclaimer: 

The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.

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 opportunities beyond Ben Nevis, and the best time of year to visit Scotland if you’re chasing good ice conditions. 

Learn more about Chris Andrews at https://www.objectivex.co.uk/ or on IG @chrisandrews_climbing

Join us over on the First Ascent Patreon. For $5, $7 or $10 a month, you’ll get access to wide ranging bonus content from greats like Mark Hudon, Scott Stevenson and many more. Plus you’ll get a Discord chat, exclusive beta, route info, and more. Check it out here:  https://www.patreon.com/FirstAscentPodcast

Do you have a listener question or a topic idea? Let us know at @firstascentpod on Instagram! Jay can be found at @jayknower. 

Disclaimer: 

The information expressed in this episode is for entertainment purposes only, and is not intended as, nor should it be interpreted as, informational or instructional.