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The Ground Up Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by The Ground Up
Stories From the Steep | Climbing conversations with local legends and unsung crushers from hometown crags around the country.
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- 1 weeks ago1h 32m
40 - The Great Snake Dike Debate
Snake Dike has become one of the most talked-about routes in climbing after a controversial retro-bolting effort—and the equally controversial decision to chop those bolts. So we brought friend of the pod, Trevor Jones, on to debate one of the biggest questions in climbing today: should classic routes ever be changed? The three of us come at the topic from very different perspectives as we discuss retro-bolting ethics, preserving climbing history, adventure, risk, and who gets the final say when it comes to an iconic route. We also tackle another climbing ethics question: if you fall onto a ledge but never weight the rope, did you actually send the climb? Finally, we wrap things up by talking about Janja Garnbret's incredible ascent of Bibliographie and whether she's already the greatest all-around female rock climber of all time. - A huge thank you to our sponsor, Misty Mountain, for supporting The Ground Up Podcast. Since 1985, Misty Mountain has been handcrafting climbing harnesses and equipment in North Carolina, building gear that's trusted by climbers no matter the challenge. As a listener of The Ground Up Podcast, you can save 15% on harnesses, gear, and apparel with the code GROUNDUP at checkout. - Read about the recent retro-bolting of Snake Dike Check out the Climbing Magazine article about why the bolts were chopped Hear John Long's take on this classic debate Read about the infamous 2024 accident on Snake Dike Peruse the borderline obnoxious Mountain Project thread on the topic - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!
- 3 weeks ago1h 46m
39 - The Diamond FKT with John Alcorn
John Alcorn has quietly become one of Colorado's strongest and speediest alpine climbers. Best known for his record-setting ascent of the Casual Route on Longs Peak's Diamond, John's journey wasn't built on chasing speed from the beginning—it started with a humbling 24-hour ascent that sparked an obsession with climbing more efficiently. In this episode, we follow that progression from growing up in rural Tennessee to discovering Colorado's alpine climbing scene, falling in love with Longs Peak, and spending nearly a decade refining every aspect of movement in the mountains. John shares how trail running, simul-climbing, and countless laps on Eldorado Canyon classics like the Naked Edge became the foundation for bigger objectives, eventually leading to the fastest ascents ever of the Diamond. Along the way, we dive into the history of speed climbing on Longs Peak, the philosophy behind efficiency in the alpine, balancing a career in aerospace with ambitious climbing goals, and why some of the most meaningful objectives are the ones waiting just outside your back door. - A huge thank you to our sponsor, Misty Mountain, for supporting The Ground Up Podcast. Since 1985, Misty Mountain has been handcrafting climbing harnesses and equipment in North Carolina, building gear that's trusted by climbers no matter the challenge. As a listener of The Ground Up Podcast, you can save 15% on harnesses, gear, and apparel with the code GROUNDUP at checkout. - Follow the John on Instagram: @jalcrn Stay up to date with John's latest activities on Strava Read about John's FKT of The Diamond of Long's Peak - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!
- Jun 23, 20261h 25m
38: Optimizing Training with Vasya Vorotnikov
Vasya Vorotnikov is a seasoned veteran of the climbing world, with over 30 years of climbing experience and a deep background as a movement coach and route setter. Known for demolishing massive personal goals—like ticking off over ten 5.14s, over a hundred 5.13s, and 365 5.12s or harder in a single year—Vasya approaches climbing from a refreshing perspective: that technique, creative thinking, and mental capacity trump raw physical strength almost every time. In this episode, we talk about adapting your training to fit your lifestyle, contrasting Ari’s abundant outdoor access in Denver with Rob’s gym-dependent, unpredictable freelancing schedule in New York City. Vasya breaks down his 80/20 rule for building true endurance, detailing solo gym strategies like arcing to mimic long pitches, ground-based block pulling for safe finger strength, and the humbling "5-7-9" conditioning workout. We also dive into how to be intentional when you step outside, transforming a hard project into a legitimate workout rather than falling into the trap of diminishing returns. This conversation is a deep dive into movement efficiency, highly optimized solo training protocols, and how to strategically structure your gym and crag time to smash your limits, no matter what environment you find yourself in. - Follow the Vasya on Instagram: @vasyav87 Check out Vasya's insane tick list on 8a.nu - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!
- Jun 2, 20261h 29m
37: The Good, The Bad, & David Sharratt
David Sharratt is one of the East Coast's great underground crushers. From bold headpoints at Moon Rocks, pushing the boundaries of free climbing at Looking Glass, to the legendary Good, Bad, and Ugly at Ghost Town, David has spent decades establishing and repeating some of North Carolina and the Southeast's hardest and most serious routes. In this episode, we talk about the aesthetic pull of lines that seem barely possible—routes with just enough holds, just enough gear, and just enough mystery to demand attention. David shares how hard sport climbing and bold trad became the foundation for free climbing and first ascents around the world, leading to expeditions in Peru, Patagonia, China, Malaysia's Dragon's Horn, and the Indian Himalaya. This conversation is a deep dive into bold climbing, expedition objectives, aesthetic obsession, and a lifetime spent chasing the kinds of routes that leave a lasting mark long after the ascent is over. - Follow the David on Instagram: @davidosharratt Check out David's Vimeo Channel Read about David's expedition to the Indian Himalaya - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!
- May 19, 20261h 37m
36: Mademoiselle Fissure - Laura Pineau
Fresh off the world premiere of Queen Swing, return guest Laura Pineau is back on the podcast—this time stepping away from the Yosemite speed climbing stories to dive deeper into the experiences and climbing that shaped her. We talk about Laura’s unconventional introduction to climbing through deep water soloing along the sea cliffs of southern France, how those early days falling into the Mediterranean built both her love for climbing and her tolerance for exposure, and the path that eventually led her toward trad and crack climbing. Laura shares the steep learning curve of transitioning from limestone sport climbing to granite big walls, the mentorship and partnerships that accelerated her progression, and how she became obsessed with the craft of crack climbing. We also dive into her groundbreaking ascent of Wet Lycra Nightmare (13d) on Leaning Tower in Yosemite, becoming the first woman to free climb the route, and the mental and physical process behind taking on one of the Valley’s most intimidating testpieces. Beyond Yosemite, Laura talks about her recent adventure with Elsa Ponzo to climb the “100 Most Beautiful Multi-Pitches” in the South of France in just 50 days—a massive endurance project filled with long days, logistics, partnership dynamics, and some of the best (and worst) rock in Europe. - Follow the Laura on Instagram: @laurapineau Check out Laura's YouTube Channel: @Laura-Pineau Read the Planet Mountain's article on Laura's FFA of Wet Lycra Nightmare See the breakdown of the 100 multipitch routes in Provence on Planet Mountain Get the latest information of tour dates for the Queen Swing, part of the Mountains on Stage film tour - Additional Links 100 Most Beautiful Multipitches Guidebook - Camp to Camp Deepwater Soloing Une araignée au plafond Mello Blocco Bouldering Festival - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!
- May 5, 20261h 33m
35: You Asked, We Rambled
We're switching things up a bit this week with our first ever listener questions driven episode! Instead of our usual format interviewing guests, it’s just us this time—riffing on climbing films, hot topics, and however many listener submitted questions we can get through. We start by getting into some recent films we’ve been watching (and working on), swap thoughts on storytelling in climbing media, and dive into a pretty deep debate on grading—what it means, where it falls short, and what a “perfect” system might actually look like. We also tackle a few listener-submitted questions, ranging from thoughtful to slightly ridiculous, and let the conversation wander into everything from ethics to personal preferences on the rock. This is a more off-the-cuff, unfiltered side of the podcast—and a bit of an experiment. Let us know what you think and if you like it, we’ll keep them coming more often. - Check out all the films we mentioned: Dias de la Gloria Queen Swing IAN Learn more about the SAR on the Naked Edge - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!
- Apr 21, 20261h 34m
34: Arno Ilgner - The Rock Warrior
Today’s guest is none other than mental‑training expert and longtime first‑ascensionist Arno Ilgner. While most climbers know Arno for The Rock Warrior’s Way—his influential book and program on focus, risk, and commitment—his 50‑year climbing career is just as compelling, and ultimately what led him into the world of mental training. In today's episode, we cover Arno's introduction to climbing in the in the limestone bluffs of Tennessee, climbing with a rack of pitons & hip belays. From there, he went on to establish bold first ascents across the country, including major contributions in Fremont Canyon and the intimidating headwall of Whitesides in North Carolina—routes that remain test pieces even today. We then dive into how his climbing sparked a deeper curiosity about the mind—specifically why he felt more comfortable on runout 5.12 trad than on a perfectly safe 5.13 sport route. That question became the foundation for The Rock Warrior’s Way. We explore some of the core techniques behind his program, how climbers can work with fear of falling or fear of failure, and what it means to climb with more presence and self‑awareness. Finally, Arno talks about the next evolution of The Warrior’s Way as he transitions the program into a broader, non‑climbing context, helping people apply the same tools of awareness, courage, and intentional action to the rest of their lives. - Follow the Arno on Instagram: @rockwarriorsway Arno is also on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube Learn more about the Warrior's Way mental training program by visiting their website. Check out the Warrior's Way Retreats, Personalized Coaching, or sign-up for their email list to stay up to date with the latest news! - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!
- Apr 7, 20261h 37m
33: Big Wall Chronicles with Wilson Cutbirth
Wilson Cutbirth is an expedition climber at heart—driven by ground-up style, remote objectives, and first ascents on some of the wildest big walls out there. With a deep background in rigging and rope systems, his approach blends technical precision with a willingness to embrace uncertainty in truly committing terrain. In this episode, we trace Wilson’s unconventional path into climbing—from sharing a single pair of shoes with friends in rural Arizona to putting up bold first ascents on remote big walls across the world, including an expedition to Mount Roraima with Leo Houlding. Along the way, we dive into his early days as a highliner, the transition into climbing, and what drives him to go ground up on some of the worlds biggest cliffs. We also get into some full-value epics: his attempts to set the FKT of the Cirque Tower Traverse, getting absolutely wrecked in a storm on the side of El Cap after taking questionable beta, and a brutally heavy first expedition into Wyoming’s Wind River Range—complete with 100+ pound packs, a massive hail storm, and a whole lot of learning the hard way. This one’s all about progression through experience, embracing the sufferfest, and chasing big objectives in wild places. - Follow the Wislon on Instagram: @wilstone8 Check out Wilson's FKT breakdown for the Cirque Tower Traverse! See the film of Wilson and Leo's ascent of Mount Roraima's northern prow. Check out Wilson's rigging company Gravity Line - Get access to exclusive and ad-free content by becoming a Patreon Follow along on Instagram: @listentogroundup Check out our new website: https://www.thegrounduppodcast.com/ Sign up for the Mailing List!
About The Ground Up Podcast
Stories From the Steep | Climbing conversations with local legends and unsung crushers from hometown crags around the country.
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