The Firn Line

By Pod PeakSports Wilderness

The Firn Line episodes

August 11, 2017 Mountain Memories: Carl Tobin
On today’s episode, we’ll get to know legendary Alaskan alpinist Carl Tobin. With an alpine career that has spanned over 40 years, Tobin continues to be a force in Alaska’s climbing community to this day.
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In the late 70’s and early 80’s, Tobin and a small group of committed partners, pioneered a number of first ascents in Alaska’s Hayes Range including the east face of Hess Mountain, the northeast face of peak 10,910′ and the historic east ridge of Mount Deborah. These climbs set the standard for hard alpine climbing in Alaska, and in doing so, inspired generations of climbers that would follow.
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This last spring, I sat down with Carl at his home in Anchorage, to talk about his early days in Fairbanks, and the whirlwind years in the mountains that followed. Carl seemed wistful that day, as he recounted his years spent climbing in Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and the Himalaya. But it wasn’t just the climbing that had him thinking. It was also the important relationships he’d forged along the way.
1 hr 6 min
August 11, 2017 Mountain Memories: Carl Tobin
On today’s episode, we’ll get to know legendary Alaskan alpinist Carl Tobin. With an alpine career that has spanned over 40 years, Tobin continues to be a force in Alaska’s climbing community to this day.
In the late 70’s and early 80’s, Tobin and a small group of committed partners, pioneered a number of first ascents in Alaska’s Hayes Range including the east face of Hess Mountain, the northeast face of peak 10,910' and the historic east ridge of Mount Deborah. These climbs set the standard for hard alpine climbing in Alaska, and in doing so, inspired generations of climbers that would follow.
This last spring, I sat down with Carl at his home in Anchorage, to talk about his early days in Fairbanks, and the whirlwind years in the mountains that followed. Carl seemed wistful that day, as he recounted his years spent climbing in Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and the Himalaya. But it wasn’t just the climbing that had him thinking. It was also the important relationships he’d forged along the way.
Ep11_Mountain Memories_Carl Tobin_Mix 01
0 min
July 21, 2017 Short Ropes: Mixed Master Vol. 1
I first came up with the idea to do The Firn Line in September 2016 - really not that long ago when you think about it. I think the truth is that i’d always wanted to somehow combine my love for the mountains with my creative pursuits. I just wasn’t sure how to do it. I guess you could say I had a light bulb moment when I realized that I could combine my passion for storytelling, the mountains, and music all into one creative outlet. Nine months and ten episodes in, I guess you could say I haven’t looked back.
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My goal from the get-go was to create a podcast that I would have wanted to listen to back when climbing was the only thing that mattered to me. I’ve thought back to all the endless nights sitting around campfires with friends, all the soggy drives to go ice climbing in Valdez, and all the storm days I whittled away in tents, counting the squares in the ripstop fabric. Back then, I would have loved to have had a podcast like the firn line to listen to.
•
So as I look back today at the beginning stages of this podcast, or rather, this community, I wanted to share "mixtape" from The Firn Line episodes. Some of these moments are light-hearted, while others are pretty heavy. But like every Firn Line episode you hear, all the clips are genuine, in the moment, and real.
34 min
July 21, 2017 Short Ropes: Mixed Master Vol. 1
I first came up with the idea to do The Firn Line in September 2016 - really not that long ago when you think about it. I think the truth is that i’d always wanted to somehow combine my love for the mountains with my creative pursuits. I just wasn’t sure how to do it. I guess you could say I had a light bulb moment when I realized that I could combine my passion for storytelling, the mountains, and music all into one creative outlet. Nine months and ten episodes in, I guess you could say I haven’t looked back.
•
My goal from the get-go was to create a podcast that I would have wanted to listen to back when climbing was the only thing that mattered to me. I’ve thought back to all the endless nights sitting around campfires with friends, all the soggy drives to go ice climbing in Valdez, and all the storm days I whittled away in tents, counting the squares in the ripstop fabric. Back then, I would have loved to have had a podcast like the firn line to listen to.
•
So as I look back today at the beginning stages of this podcast, or rather, this community, I wanted to share "mixtape" from The Firn Line episodes. Some of these moments are light-hearted, while others are pretty heavy. But like every Firn Line episode you hear, all the clips are genuine, in the moment, and real.
Episode Music
1) Space Song / E. Phillips / Evan & Molly (2012)
2) Augusta / E. Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
3) The Fox / E. Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
4) Silhouettes (w/ Courtney Marie Andrews) / E. Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
5) Lonely Mountain (w/ Courtney Marie Andrews) / E. Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
6) Unnamed / A. Tholberg / Unreleased (2016)
7) Kenny Blackwell / E. Phillips - A. Tholberg / Unreleased (2017)
8) The Talkeetnas / E. Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
9) Falling Down / E. Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
10) The Search / E. Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
11) Block Me Out / Easton Stagger Phillips / Overseas (2008)

Ep 10_Mixed Master Vol 1_Master
0 min
July 06, 2017 The Search: Graham Zimmerman
From a young age, Graham Zimmerman was inspired by the rugged peaks of the New Zealand alps, and later, the cascades of Washington and the pacific northwest.
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During high school, Graham developed a keen interest in geology and it was then that he would experience his first involvement with mountaineering. But it wasn’t until he returned to New Zealand for University that climbing became the driving force in his life.
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Since that time, Zimmerman has honed his craft, and over the last decade he’s pioneered a myriad of exploratory routes in Alaska, Patagonia, and most recently, The Karakoram. But for Graham, it’s not just about climbing. Rather, it’s about living an all-encompassing lifestyle that combines exploration, creativity and challenging alpinism. Getting to the top is one thing, but how you get there is everything.
www.thefirnline.com
www.evanphillips.net
www.grahamzimmerman.com
59 min
July 06, 2017 The Search: Graham Zimmerman
From a young age, Graham Zimmerman was inspired by the rugged peaks of the New Zealand alps, and later, the cascades of Washington and the pacific northwest.
During high school, Graham developed a keen interest in geology and it was then that he would experience his first involvement with mountaineering. But it wasn’t until he returned to New Zealand for University that climbing became the driving force in his life.
Since that time, Zimmerman has honed his craft, and over the last decade he’s pioneered a myriad of exploratory routes in Alaska, Patagonia, and most recently, The Karakoram. But for Graham, it’s not just about climbing. Rather, it’s about living an all-encompassing lifestyle that combines exploration, creativity and challenging alpinism. Getting to the top is one thing, but how you get there is everything.
Check out Graham's website for more stories and adventures.
Ep09_The Search_GZ_Master 01
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June 22, 2017 Short Ropes: Katie's Micro-Expeditions
Last month I sat down to chat with Alaskan climber and mountain explorer Katie Strong. Katie is an ambitious adventurer, as well as a driven environmental lawyer, which means her career often-times takes center stage, leaving her with limited amounts of free time.
But that doesn’t keep her from spending time in the mountains. Rather, it just means she has to pack big trips into shorter blocks. Enter the "micro-expedition”.
Music by Evan Phillips
Support the show at Patreon
Sponsors:
Alaska Rock Gym
33 min
June 21, 2017 Short Ropes: Katie’s Micro-Expeditions
Last month I sat down to chat with Alaskan climber and mountain explorer Katie Strong. Katie is an ambitious adventurer, as well as a driven environmental lawyer, which means her career often-times takes center stage, leaving her with limited amounts of free time. But that doesn’t keep her from spending time in the mountains. Rather, it just means she has to pack big trips into shorter blocks. Enter the "micro-expedition”.
To find out more about Katie's adventures in Alaska and beyond, visit her website.
Ep 08_Katies_Micro_Expeditions_Mix 02
0 min
June 08, 2017 The Power Of Being Human: Luc Mehl
Growing up in the village of McGrath, Luc Mehl was inspired at a young age by the simplicity of rural living, and the vast Alaskan wilderness surrounding him.
As a teenager, Luc moved to Anchorage to attend high school, and it was during this period that he would first experience rock climbing and other outdoor sports. But at that junction, his passion for academics and learning would take center stage.
After earning his undergraduate degree in geology, Luc attended UC Santa Barbara where he would earn his first master's degree. But as much as Luc enjoyed school, he’d always struggled to find balance between the rigid structure of academia, and the more dynamic lifestyle he’d known as a kid. Ultimately, he returned to Alaska in 2003, deeply depressed, and unsure which direction to take.
It was during this period, a time Luc refers to as his "dark year", that he would literally stumble his way into the mountains, only to come out on the other side with a restored sense of purpose, and a new way of living.
58 min
June 08, 2017 The Power Of Being Human: Luc Mehl
Growing up in the village of McGrath, Luc Mehl was inspired at a young age by the simplicity of rural living, and the vast Alaskan wilderness surrounding him.
As a teenager, Luc moved to Anchorage to attend high school, and it was during this period that he would first experience rock climbing and other outdoor sports. But at that junction, his passion for academics and learning would take center stage.
After earning his undergraduate degree in geology, Luc attended UC Santa Barbara where he would earn his first master's degree. But as much as Luc enjoyed school, he’d always struggled to find balance between the rigid structure of academia, and the more dynamic lifestyle he’d known as a kid. Ultimately, he returned to Alaska in 2003, deeply depressed, and unsure which direction to take.
It was during this period, a time Luc refers to as his "dark year", that he would literally stumble his way into the mountains, only to come out on the other side with a restored sense of purpose, and a new way of living.
EP_07_The Power Of Being Human_Luc Mehl_Mix 01

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