RunOut #94: Inside Free Soloing with Jeff Smoot

Our guest today is #71 for the New York Jets: Wes Schweitzer, an offensive guard whose injuries sent him down a curious path of recovery: rock climbing. Since discovering the sport, Wes has fallen in love with climbing and uses it as a tool to improve his performance on and off the field. At 6’4” 330-pounds, Wes is considered one of the strongest lineman in the game, putting up 765-pound deadlifts well over twice his body weight. As a true professional athlete, Wes delivers some fascinating insights into how both football and climbing training mentalities could benefit from each other. But first, yr favorite climbing podcasters play a game of Fuck, Marry, Kill with climbing gear. Our final bit is a track from Harris Freif called “Tortillas and Peanut Butter” off his album Guitar 2. Show Notes Follow Wes Schweitzer on Instagram and Twitter “Meet the 330-pound NFL Lineman Addicted to Rock Climbing” Check out Harris Freif 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]

Will Moss is a comp climber turned traddie from New York City, who has been quietly ticking some of the hardest gear-protected routes in the country over the past couple of years. His most recent notable ascent is the FA of the Gunks hardest: The Best Things in Life Are Free (5.14d R). But first, we wind our way into a discussion about the elusive “undercover crusher,” and whether this mythical beast actually climbed the thing before everyone else, or if this is just what some bro is saying in order to take you down a peg or two. Last, we’re honored to feature the atmospheric music of climber and musician Jessica Kilroy, with her track “It’s Infinite.” Show Notes Follow Will Moss on Instagram William Moss, 18, Establishes 5.14d R Trad in the Gunks via Climbing Magazine R-Rated: 5.14 Climbing on Marginal Gear on YouTube About James Litz Nacho Sanchez on Instagram Follow Jessica Kilroy on Instagram Jessica Kilroy Bandcamp Jessica Kilroy 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]

Today’s guest is a climbing icon and legend: the great Beth Rodden. Beth was a youth national comp champ who went on to become one of the greatest female climbers of her time, with important first free ascents of El Cap and single-pitch trad test pieces such as Meltdown, a 5.14c crack that many say is harder and took a decade before it was repeated. Her new book is called A Light Through the Cracks. But first we talk about the elusive “all-around” climber, with Bronwyn Hodgins at the top of mind. What does it take to be considered a great all-around climber? And is that the future for what we demand of our top-end climbers? Today’s final bit comes courtesy of the extremely talented Beezer (aka Mason Earle) with the track Loggersports. Show Notes Follow Beth Rodden on Instagram Pre-order A Light Through the Cracks from an independent book store or big one Follow Bronwyn Hodgins on Instagram News / post about Bronwyn’s latest redpoint Watch Bronwyn and Jacob Cook free climb a big wall Follow Mason Earle on Instagram Check out Beezer on YouTube 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]

Josh Wharton is one of America’s top alpine climbers, with light and fast ascents of iconic peaks from Patagonia to Alaska to the Himalaya. His latest first free ascent with Vince Anderson, is called Suerte (5.13a, WI6, M7, 3,500 feet) and it’s located on Jirishanca (20,100 feet) in Peru. This ascent, which took years to “alpine redpoint,” is featured in a new film headlining Reel Rock 18. But first, yer friendly RunOut hosts discuss Kalous’ recent trip out to his namesake dance party at the Michigan Ice Fest, where there was more festing than icing. Our final bit comes courtesy of Evan Philips, fellow podcaster at The Firn Line, with his song Close to Me. Show Notes Josh Wharton and Vince Anderson send Suerte on Climbing.com Reel Rock 18 Spotlight: Jirishanca Michigan Ice Fest Chris Kalous Dance Party The Firn Line podcast Close to Me 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]

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]