Basecamp: A Climbing Magazine Podcast

Mark Synnott is a legendary climber, a phenomenal writer, and actually a former Climbing Magazine intern and contributing editor. Mark recounts his early days learning to climb in New Hampshire using a clothesline, his time dirtbagging in Yosemite, moving onto expedition climbing, and his life as a writer. Mark's latest book is The Impossible Climb: Alex Honnold, El Capitan, and the Climbing Life. It recounts Honnold's iconic El Cap free solo while weaving in stories from Mark's own life. The Impossible Climb is available now. This episode is presented by Mystery Ranch. Music by Small Houses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unaweep Canyon is a climbing destination just south of Grand Junction, Colorado, with sweeping granite walls for miles. Yet, it doesn't get much traffic. Rob Pizem wrote a feature about Unaweep for the October/November issue of Climbing Magazine. We caught up with Rob to talk about Unaweep, the first ascent potential in the area, what it's like to be a climber in Grand Junction, his training, and what he's been up to lately. Presented by Mystery Ranch. Music by Small Houses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interview: Kyle Vassilopoulos is a climber and restauranteur in Lander, Wyoming. We sat down with Kyle during the International Climbers Festival to talk about the Ten Sleep controversy, how he became the co-owner of the legendary Cowfish restaurant in Lander, and why Lander is such a great place to call home for climbers. Plus, climbing editors Matt Samet and James Lucas talk home walls and training boards, doing a deep dive on the MoonBoard, Tension Board, and Kilter Board. Presented by Mystery Ranch. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Climbing editor Matt Samet and host Kevin Riley talk about the 2019 Photo Annual issue of Climbing Magazine, on newsstands now, and discuss Matt's recent Crusty Corner column about red tagging. Then we interview Levi Harrell about the highs and lows of being a pro photographer in such a crowded marketplace. We also discuss photo editing, equipment, social media, and provide some tips for the budding photographers out there. Levi also shares a story about a trad climbing ground fall he took while on assignment in China. Presented by Evolv. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anton Krupicka came across an injured Kyle Walker during one of his runs in the Flatirons. Walker had fallen while free soloing the Second Flatiron and captured the ordeal on video, which went viral. We spoke to Krupicka about the accident. Also, a conversation with Chris Schulte about alpine bouldering, what inspires him to put up FAs, and how he got into climbing in the first place. Presented by Evolv. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three stories from the June/July 2019 Epic Survival Tales issue of Climbing Magazine. Editor Matt Samet shares the story of his biggest epic. James Lucas explains why he believes you should never bring your pet to the crag. And Kevin Riley talks to Elaina Arenz about the challenges of being a female mountain guide. Presented by Evolv. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travis Graves is the co-owner of Desert Rock Sports in Las Vegas, Nevada. As the buyer for the shop, he's a wealth of gear information. We speak to Travis about what gear trends he's seeing this season, and the safety and conservation issues related to climbing on wet rock at Red Rock. Presented by Black Diamond. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus episode: An interview with Gary Neptune, the original owner and founder of Neptune Mountaineering, an iconic climbing and ski shop in Boulder, Colorado. If you're a climber and you've been to Boulder, chances are you've been to Neptune Mountaineering and know what a special shop it is. Presented by Black Diamond. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You may know Kolin Powick as the man behind Black Diamond's QC Lab articles, testing gear and confirming or dispelling myths. He's also the climbing category director for the brand. Kevin Corrigan sits down with Powick to talk gear and life behind-the-scenes at BD. Also, Kevin Riley and James Lucas discuss their favorite climbing gear, and preview the April/May 2019 gear issue of Climbing Magazine. Presented by Black Diamond. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Anglin is the co-owner of Tension Climbing, and a dedicated climber with over a decade of coaching, training, and routesetting experience. He's climbed 5.14 sport routes and V13 boulder problems. James Lucas sits down with Anglin to talk about training. Also, Kevin Riley and Matt Samet discuss the February/March training issue of Climbing Magazine, which hits newsstands on January 15, and recent staff trip to Cayman Brac. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Basecamp is making some changes. In this episode we discuss those changes and feature an interview with Climbing editor Matt Samet to discuss the magazine's upcoming editorial trip to Cayman Brac. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Williams is a climber, guidebook author, former editor-in-chief at the now-defunct Deadpoint Magazine, and owner of Bridge Bounder Campers (http://bridgeboundcampers.com), a van outfitting company out of Fayetteville, WV. We dive into the process of outfitting a van and why vanlife has explode over the last decade, as well as Mikey’s obsession with projecting, whether it be authoring a guidebook, editing a magazine, outfitting a van, or projecting a 5.14. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.ban Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pat Goodman is a Fayetteville local known for establishing hard, scary trad routes. We talk about one of his more memorable FAs, Ishmael 5.13 R/X, the time he onsight soloed Scenic Cruise at the Black Canyon, and what he's motivated about these days. Jessa Goebel grew up in NC and started climbing at the age of 9. We talk about why she gravitated towards climbing, why she loves living in Fayetteville, WV, and how she deals with injuries as she grows older. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quinn Brett endured a horrific accident on El Cap, falling 100 feet on The Nose. We talk about how she got into climbing in Minnesota, being a Climbing Ranger in RMNP, big wall speed climbing, and how her life has changed as a result of the accident and being paralyzed from the waist down. Nina Williams is a pro climber best known for highballs, including the first female ascent of Ambrosia, an intimidating V11 in the Buttermilks of Bishop, California. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Woods needs no introduction. We discuss his early days dominating the comp circuit, what it’s like to be a pro climber, why he's turned his attention to hard sport climbing, why 2017 was such a tough year, the goals he’s set for himself, and much more. Chris Kalman is a writer, a guidebook author, and a journalist that recently self-published As Above, So Below: A Climbing Story. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Young climbing phenom and media up-and-comer Matty Hong was the fourth American to climb 5.15b. He also had his about Margo Hayes’s ascent of La Rambla featured in the Reel Rock Film Tour. We talk about growing up with prolific climbing parents, what 5.15b means to him, and how he balances being a climber and photographer and videographer. Heather Weidner is known for her hard redpoints, most recently China Doll, a 5.14a R trad route. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Kevin Riley interviews the Access Fund's Brady Robinson during a day out climbing in Boulder Canyon, and Kevin sits down with Climbing editor Matt Samet to discuss recent events in big wall speed climbing. Music by Small Houses: http://smallhouses.band/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices