The Firn Line

Every mountaineer has a favorite mountain range, a place that for whatever reason centers them, gives them a piece of mind, creates a sense of belonging.  For some, it might be a well-known place like the Sierras: an area of impeccably clean granite towers, speckled with pristine, aqua-colored alpine lakes and a constant supply of near perfect weather.  For others, it might be the Swiss Alps, a range steeped in mountain history and culture, with a list of bold and ultra-classic lines too innumerable to count. And for others, like Alaskan climber and mountain adventurer Eric Parsons, it’s the more obscure areas, like the western ramparts of Alaska’s Chugach Mountains, that define their lives.

Growing up in the west African country of Nigeria, Adam was drawn to movement and athletics from a young age, whether it was team sports like soccer, or more solo endeavors like surfing. But it wasn’t until he moved to Canada as a teen, that he began to dabble in the sport that would ultimately shape the course of his life: running.

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Alaska is a vast and wild place; a constant fluctuation of movement and changing landscapes.  Rugged mountains are carved by massive, chaotic glaciers - and lush, brown-green valleys are cut by powerful silt-laden rivers. During the spring and short summer seasons, the landscapes come alive; the lowlands teeming with wildlife and colorful and fragrant boreal forests.  Then in the winter, a darkness falls, blanketing the ground with snow and ice, and I quiet that you can sometimes feel, more than hear.

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Over the course of an distinguished 30+ year career, Conrad Anker’s adventures have taken him from the bigwalls of Yosemite, to the icy flanks of The Alaska Range, The Himalaya and Antarctica. Although Anker is probably best-known for discovering Mallory's remains on the north side of Everest in 1999 (or his stunning climb up Meru), it’s his earlier adventures in Alaska that I’ve always been fascinated with.

Sometime in the days after March 5, 2018 Ryan and his partner, the brilliant Marc Andre Leclerc, lost their lives after completing the stunning first ascent of the north face of the Main Tower in The Mendenhall’s, just outside of Juneau, Alaska.

On this special bonus episode of The Firn Line, I sit down with Alaska-based mountain and backcountry ski guide Joe Stock. I first met Joe on the Kahiltna Glacier back in 2002, and was immediately taken with his enthusiasm and infectious positive attitude. That's why it was nice to sit down and catch up a few months ago. Our conversation covered topics including Joe's early experiences guiding, his backcountry ski guidebook "The Alaska Factor", as well as his thoughts on the importance of creativity in life. Enjoy!

In March 1999 I found myself wedged in a sandy chimney, fully-gripped and trembling, five hundred feet off the deck.

Me and my partner Scott were attempting to climb The Thunderbird Wall, a grade VI backcountry behemoth in Zion National Park’s Kolab Canyon.  The face, which is among the highest sandstone walls in the world, had only been climbed twice since Jeff Lowe and Cactus Bryan made the first attempt in 1971. Scott had been to Zion once before.  I had never stood in a pair of aiders.  In hindsight, I can only blame the ignorance of youth for leading me to believe I had any business being on The Thunderbird Wall.

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Growing up in the Yupik village of St. Marys, Danielle Varney was raised on a steady diet of winter camping, and long summer days spent working on the family’s Yukon River fish camp.

These core experiences instilled a work ethic that first carried over into college athletics, and ultimately, mountaineering.

Since that time, Danielle has climbed and explored big Alaskan mountains including Denali, Mt. Drum, as well as a harrowing life-and-death experience on the icy crown of The Chugach , Mount Marcus Baker.

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On December 2, 2017, I had the great privilege to sit down in front of a live audience at the Alaska Rock Gym, and talk with renowned Alaskan alpinist and explorer, Roman Dial. We had a candid and highly-entertaining conversation that spanned topics including his early years in Fairbanks, his ambitious climbs in The Hayes Range in the 80’s, as well as his forays into hell-biking, tree climbing, and packrafting in the 90’s and beyond.

https://www.patreon.com/thefirnline

On episode 20, I look back on 2017 and season one of The Firn Line, and give thanks to all the folks who have been with me along the way. Also, we hear a sneak peek of the first ever Firn Line "Live" with Roman Dial, which happened earlier this month at the Alaska Rock Gym. Finally, I give my rundown on why podcasting and climbing are essentially the same thing.

https://www.patreon.com/thefirnline