RunOut #125: Michael Levy Brings Back Summit Journal; Plus, the Definitive Gumby Episode

Today we have a double-header. Two guests, same great show. First up is Rajiv Ayyangar—an entrepreneur, CEO, and host of The China Beach podcast, a show about his obsession with arguably the best sport climb on earth (at least according to him!). Rajiv might have the most niche podcast on earth, and we dive into where his obsession with this one route comes from. Next is OG Stonemaster Rick Accomazzo, who has just completed a new book on Tobin Sorenson. In the 1970s, Tobin completed some of the most audacious climbs, bringing a a kind of fearless courage that both left his partners in awe and shaking with fear. His 1977 season in Chamonix might just be one of the best seasons any climber has had in that range, ever. Tobin perished in the mountains at the young age of 25, but his legacy is now being told for the first time in a way that lives up to his achievements, skill, and vision. Our final bit is a poignant recording from our archive with the late, great Paul Nelson. Show Notes Follow Rajiv Ayyangar and the China Beach Podcast China Beach Podcast Watch Nina Williams climb China Beach Stonemaster Books Pre-order Tobin, The Stonemasters, and Me 1970-1980 by Rick Accomazzo Read “The Day I Sent Colorblind” by Paul Nelson 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]

After Rock and Ice and Climbing magazines stopped printing issues, a hole was left in the climbing media landscape. Enter Michael Levy, a writer based in New York City and a former editor at Rock and Ice. He has recently revived Summit Journal, and reimagined it as a heavy stock climbing magazine for climbers today. We talk about climbing media and the viability of print, and what it takes to make it in today’s digital world. But first, yr crooked-helmet wearing hosts talk about Gumbies. What are they? Who are they? Why are they? And why does Alex Honnold think Gumby is such a joyous term. Strap in for the definitive lesson in how to not be such a Gumby—even though you’ll never not be one. Last, we’re psyched to share the music of climber / producer Smith Curry, a session player and producer for Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift, Maren Morris, Dolly Parton, Pharrell Williams, Kid Rock, Jason Aldean and 200+ more. Show Notes Summit Journal Follow Summit Journal on Instagram Follow Michael Levy on Instagram Follow Smith Curry on Instagram Smith Curry 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]

Last fall, Jesse Grupper took home the gold medal at the Pan Am games, securing his spot on Team USA for the Paris Olympics in 2024. Now just a few months out from the Games, we caught up with Jesse to hear about how he is preparing and getting psyched to represent our country in lead and bouldering at the Olympics—all while balancing life as a mechanical engineer pushing the limits of soft robotics to improve people’s lives. But first, yr sticky, sweet podcast hosts get into a debate about glue and when it’s appropriate to use it to fix boulder problems that break. This discussion comes after one of Colorado’s oldest and most historic boulder problems broke, and locals put the question to the community for a vote. Buster Jesik, IFMGA / AMGA mountain guides, lays down a sick drum track for today’s final bit. Show Notes Jesse Grupper Wins PanAM Follow Jesse Grupper on Instagram Mental Standard Has Broken — Instagram Mental Standard — Mountain Project Mountain Project Thread Follow Buster Jesik 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]

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]