Dean Fidelman is a legendary climbing photographer, whose body of work and portraitures have come as close to capturing the elusive soul of our sport as any photographer ever has. He’s perhaps best known for his Stone Nudes series of fine-art black-and-white bouldering photographs, but his career first began as a 16 year old kid with a camera, documenting the Stone Masters era of Yosemite and all the legendary characters associated with it. His latest book is “Fidelman: A Body of Work,” an ambitious retrospective that chronicles the career of climbing’s perhaps most ambitious and iconic artist.

But first, yr friendly podcasting hosts wonder whether everyone is making climbing, and training for climbing, way, way, way too complicated.

Our final bit shares an intimate moment between a father and son, resolving a typical schoolyard conflict with a bit of jamming.

Show Notes

“Fidelman: A Body of Work” is available from DiAngelo Publications.

Follow Dean Fidelman on Instagram

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Two amazing guests today. Two important conversations related to community and development.

First, we speak to Sam Lightner Jr. about the latest threats to climbing access in America. Sam is a prolific route developer, who is perhaps best known for developing the climbing in Southern Thailand and helping turn Railey and Tonsai beaches into the destinations they are. But he’s also established many routes in the American west, and done the heroic work of replacing hundreds of anchor bolts under the American Safe Climbing Association. He was also one of the first board members on the Access Fund, and has continued to advocate for climbing access in America. We break down the latest attempt from extremist “wilderness” advocacy groups to cynically use the language of the Wilderness Act to prevent climbers from legally climbing in wilderness areas located in National Parks and Forest Service lands.

Our main guest is Genevieve Walker, a professional climber and climbing guide who is working to promote greater access and representation for underrepresented groups in the outdoors. Her recent expedition to Malawi worked to develop and empower the local climbing community. Her trip reframes how we traditionally think of a “climbing expeditions,” centering a community-oriented approach to empowerment over sick sends.

Last but not least, our final bit comes from Colorado climber Kyle Ward with his latest EP and the eponymous song Get Goin’.

Show Notes

Access Fund: Action Alert: Stop the Bolt Prohibition

Submit a comment to the NPS

Submit a comment to the USFS

Follow Sam Lightner Jr. on Instagram

Read: “Breaking the Wilderness Bell Jar” on Evening Sends

Follow Genevieve Walker on Instagram

Follow Climb Malawi on Instagram

Follow The Global Climbing Initiative on Instagram

Is Rock Climbing the Future of Tourism in Malawi?

Follow Kyle Ward on Instagram

Listen to Get Goin’ on Spotify

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Alex Waterhouse and Billy Ridal are both 26 years old, from Sheffield, England, and have been competing on plastic since they were 12. But once slapping plastic lost its allure, these two climbers found themselves dreaming of adventure. And adventure they found, as they spent a month fumbling their way into the world of big-wall climbing during a month long trip to Yosemite National Park earlier this year. And the unlikely duo emerged from their trip with one of the greatest prizes in climbing: a free ascent of the Nose. We caught up with the lads and talked about how they pulled it off.

But first, your increasingly trivia-oriented show hosts look back on 2023 and try to recall what the hell happened.

Last, damn good Buddy Spray from RunOut RopeGun Cooper Houston.

Show Notes

Two Retired Comp Climbers Pull Off a Rare Free Ascent of the Nose on Climbing.com

Follow Alex Waterhouse on Instagram

Follow Billy Ridal on Instagram

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Mary Catherine Eden is probably best known for popular Instagram account @tradprincess, but she’s far more than just another online influencer. She’s recently ticked one of the hardest crack climbs in the country, Black Mamba (5.14b), joining a small group of women, if not people of any flavor, who have climbed 5.14 on gear. We talk about her love of crack climbing, progression, “eating her veggies,” and balancing it all in life.

But first, yr lovable disgruntled show hosts grumble about new proposals that seek to regulate our ability to place bolts in Wilderness.

Our final bit comes all the way from Glasgow, UK, as Dan Brown combines his love of climbing with music.

Show Notes

Follow Mary Eden on Instagram

News of Mary’s ascent of Black Mamba

Access Fund report on the latest climbing management plans

Dan Brown music

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Jakob Schubert is a four-time World Champion, an Olympic bronze medalist, and he has more IFSC gold medals than another male competitor. He’s also sent some of the hardest routes in the world, including, most recently, a first ascent of Project B.I.G. in Flatanger, which he rated 9c, making it only the third route ever to be given this grade. Our interview with Jakob takes us behind the scenes on his livestream of sending B.I.G.; his ticklist of some of the hardest routes in the world, especially Chris Sharma lines; who he thinks might be a contender in the next Olympics; and his love of American football.

But first, we talk about Jared Leto’s toprope ascent of the Empire State Building, and try to figure out why everyone so mad.

Today’s final bit comes from OG local legend Joel Brady and his band d'Artagnan and the Banjoman.

Show Notes

Follow Jakob Schubert on Instagram.

Subscribe to Jakob Schubert’s YouTube Channel.

Climbing.com’s news report on Project B.I.G.

Jared Leto Climbs Empire State Building on BBC

Photo of Jared Leto climbing by Renan Ozturk on the NatGeo feed

Follow Joel Brady on Instagram

“I’m Dying” by d'Artagnan and the Banjoman

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Kris Hampton is the brains and brawn behind Power Company Climbing and the cohost of the podcast by the same name. His insatiable love of creating new things, whether that’s training plans for climbers or music, has led him to launch Written in Stone, a new climbing history podcast looking at monumental moments in our sport, decade by decade.

But first, we respond to a couple of show listeners who had an absolutely insane exchange with climbing’s most notorious authority. No, we’re not talking about cops or park rangers. We’re talking about the kid who gives the belay test in the gym.

Finally, we’re honored to share some new music from our super talented friend Andy Mann, a National Geographic photographer, director, and musician / storyteller. His new EP is called Full Moon Fight.

Show Notes

Power Company Climbing

Power Company Climbing and Written in Stone podcasts

Follow Kris Hampton on Instagram

Follow Andy Mann on Instagram and check out his music here

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly

RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly

This fall, two American women found themselves in an unlikely race to reach the summit of Shishapangma, and thereby earn themselves a place in the record books as being the first American woman to have done all 14 8,000-meter peaks (with oxygen). Unfortunately, both Anna Gutu and Gina Rzucidło, alongside their respective Sherpa guides Mingmar Sherpa and Tenjen Lama, perished in two separate avalanches about 30 minutes apart around 7,800 meters. Did this informal competition lead them to making bad decisions that ultimately cost everyone their lives? To make sense of this terrible tragedy, as well as to discuss some of the ongoing issues around competency, infrastructure, and regulations within the Himalayan guiding industry, we speak to Adrian Ballinger of Alpenglow Expeditions. Adrian has guided numerous high-altitude peaks, including many summits of Mount Everest, and his company Alpenglow leads over 30 international expeditions each year. And he has also personally climbed Mount Everest and K2 without using oxygen, and notably made the first ski descent of Makalu.

But first, your friendly neighborhood climbing podcasters think about what would happen if the Rapture came for pro climbers and they were all smite’d away from this good, green earth. Would that change anything about the climbing we know and love?

Last, today’s final bit comes from an experimental instrumental band called Les Rhinoceros, with drums and percussion played by climber and friend of the pod Jon Burrier.

Show Notes

Via Explorer’s Web: “What Happened on Shishapangma: The Climbers Speak Out”

Shishapangma Avalanche: Two U.S. Women, Two Sherpas Dead/Missing

Follow Jon Burrier on Instagram and check out his SoundCloud

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Our guest today is Rich Johnston, the president and owner of Vertical World in Seattle, known as America’s First Climbing Gym (TM). He’s also the founding chairman of the Climbing Wall Association, where he served for 16 years, and a board member on The Mountaineers. Rich tells us about the earliest days of the climbing-wall industry, why he never thought climbing gyms would succeed, and how important culture and philosophy are to creating a community of climbers that abide by the inherent risk doctrine. All of this is a prelude to discussing an important bellwether lawsuit that was just settled involving a climber who didn’t clip himself in properly to an auto belay, and still came away with a whopping settlement in his favor.

But first, your favorite climbing podcast hosts talk about the nebulous rules and etiquette for passing people on a multi-pitch climb. When should you let people play through? And is it ever OK to just pass without permission?

Last but not least, our Final Bit comes to us from listener, climber, fellow dad, and self-proclaimed “normal guy” from Boise, Idaho, Alan Keller. HIs band is called Prairie Mountain Plain and this new song “North Bound and West” is from their latest album While They Sleep.

Show Notes

Climbing Mag: Gym and Auto Belay Manufacturer to Pay $6M in Settlement for Auto Belay Accident

Evening Sends: Will Climbing Gyms Survive the Lawsuits?

The plaintiff’s attorney’s press release.

Vertical World’s response

Vertical World

Andrew Megas-Russell on Instagram

Prairie Mountain Plain on Spotify

Today’s guest is Graham Zimmerman, an alpinist, a recipient of the Piolet d’Or and a director at Protect Our Winters, a climate-advocacy group. His new book is “A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains.”

But first, cave raves are all fun and games until your favorite crag gets shut down. Your favorite climbing podcaster hosts try to figure out where their personal boundaries lie for self-policing the climbing world.

Our final bit is an original ode to Vedauwoo by climbing couple Morgan Shannon and Ben Baltich.

Show Notes

Follow Graham Zimmerman on Instagram

Order his book from The Mountaineers.

Protect Our Winters

Today, we're releasing one of our bonus episodes from our Rope Gun feed on Patreon because the content is a PSA and super important for as many climbers out there to hear.

Our conversation is with Alannah Yip, an Olympic sport climber from Canada with an incredible career. This summer, Alannah started a conversation about the prevalence of eating disorders in high-end comp climbing, fears about RED-S afflicting athletes, and what many view as foot-dragging by the IFSC, comp climbing's governing body, to do much about it.

After Alannah's viral post on Instagram, she was joined by the likes of Janja Garnbret in adding her concerns to the conversation, and this topic has also resulted in two doctors resigning from the IFSC medical commission in protest over their inaction.

If you like this episode, and want to never miss important bonus episodes such as this one, please join us on Patreon! For as little as $5.14/month you'll get bonus content and other perks and help us continue to cover the best sport in the world through this podcast.

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Show Notes

IFSC Doctors Resign, Alleging Health Dangers in Competitive Climbing

Follow Alannah Yip on Instagram

Alannah's IG post