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.