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Confession: We are addicted to climbing podcasts.
You, too, could become addicted to podcasts, which are perfect for all those idle moments in your climbing life. Got a road trip coming up? Spending the winter dangling from your hangboard? Have some gear maintenance to knock out (dull ice tools and dirty rope, we’re looking at you)? Here are a few of our favorite climbing podcasts right now for these and more occasions.
1. The RunOut
Dating back to the early dark days of the pandemic, The RunOut features Chris Kalous and Andrew Bisharat (former editor of Rock & Ice) chatting with each other and various climbing personalities.
Kalous and Bisharat usually kick it off with a discussion on a timely topic, from Jared Leto’s second ascent of the Empire State Building on double top rope, to the looming closure of an iconic climbing area in Australia. The interviews with climbers and industry personalities are great. But the off-the-cuff (and often self-deprecating) banter between Kalous and Bisharat is arguably even greater.
An episode we love: “Josh Wharton Redpoints the Alpine,” in which Kalous brilliantly coins the term “autobelaybsitter” (sp?). The term refers to clipping a child into an auto-belay (that they’re unable to unclip from) at the gym so the parents can climb undisturbed. Stick around for the awesome interview with Wharton and what’s been drawing him to alpine routes in Peru lately.
2. The Enormocast
If you want less banter, more interview—and more Chris Kalous—swing over to The Enormocast. This vibrant dinosaur of a podcast has been at it since 2011 and has become a veritable who’s who of climbing. With nearly 300 episodes (there may very well be 300 by the time you read this), you’re likely to find an interview with just about any climber you’re curious about.
The vibe is a virtual campfire and the goal, in Kalous’s words, is to “demystify climbing while simultaneously building its mythology.” From conversations about chopping bolts on Cerro Torre’s Compressor Route to slandering the old ladies who always win the Carbondale Pie competition with Climbing contributor James Lucas, Kalous brings humor and authenticity to the climbing podcast scene.
An episode we love: “Brette Harrington – Keeper of the Flame.” Kalous reflects on how his podcast has grown up and chats with Harrington about her latest objective in Patagonia and her rise in the alpinism scene.
3. Climbing Gold
We’ll consume just about anything from the brilliant storytellers over at Duct Tape Than Beer (the brainchild of husband-wife team Fitz and Becca Cahall). Climbing Gold is no exception. You get the unconventional insights—and at-times awkward bedside manner—of Alex Honnold. The narrative finesse and thoughtful questions of Fitz Cahall. And a lively repertoire of interviews, series, roundtables, and more interesting formats that culminate to pose bigger questions about what climbing is and where it’s headed. This variety is also nice when you’re tired of the interview format.
An episode we love: “Ben Mayforth: Growth Mindset.” We were blown away by the most recent edition of Climbing Gold, featuring an interview with paraclimber Ben Mayforth and how climbing serves as his outlet for self-expression.
4. Dirtbag State of Mind
Luke Mehall has been a leading voice in the climbing community since he launched the Climbing Zine in 2010 and published his memoir American Climber in 2016. If you love the literary lens through which he approaches climbing, give a listen to his podcast Dirtbag State of Mind.
Mehall keeps it interesting with a mix of interviews, more informal conversations, essay and story readings, poetry, and reflections. You’ll even find a couple “mixtapes” featuring spoken word combined with jams from Devin Dabney.
An episode we love: “Creeksgiving.” In this episode, Mehall reads his Zine essay detailing the annual tradition of observing Thanksgiving at Indian Creek, including turkeys cooked in pits and a dance party.
5. The Struggle
After working as an actor and producer on shows like Veronica Mars and Grey’s Anatomy, Ryan Devlin reinvented himself as a climber-dad. These days, he lives just a couple hours from Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. And then he started a podcast.
Now 150-plus episodes deep, Devlin teases out tips from the pros, ranging from mentality and technique to training and nutrition. Unlike some other more meandering interviews, The Struggle keeps conversations more focused to extract those key takeaways that help other climbers dial it in. Check out our recent interview with Devlin here.
An episode we love: “Babsi Zangerl & Jacopo Larcher.” This episode was recorded live during Rocktoberfest at Devlin’s home crag of Red River Gorge. The conversation feels a little more lively and off-the-cuff than normal, as you’d expect with a live recording. There are some great insights in here on embracing a beginner mindset and overcoming the fear of falling.
6. The TrainingBeta
Colorado climber/nutritionist/coach Neely Quinn started the Training Beta website in 2014 to focus on training for climbing. Her episodes focus on how to get stronger, how to stay injury-free, and performance nutrition. Her podcast includes interviews with climbing trainers, a physical therapist, an orthopedic surgeon, and professional athletes like Daniel Woods, Beth Rodden, and Alex Puccio.
Might we note that it’s also refreshing to have a female voice and perspective in the male-dominated climbing podcast scene.
An episode we love: “Charlie Schreiber Coaches Me on My Climbing and Training.” In this episode, Quinn talks about her own goals and gets coached by Schreiber of Paradigm Climbing. It’s both relatable and insightful to observe another climber go through the process of goal-setting to improve their performance and satisfaction within the sport.
7. The Cutting Edge
While many of the podcasts above cover alpine climbing, this podcast from the American Alpine Club focuses, of course, on the alpine. Hosted by filmmaker Jim Aikman, The Cutting Edge typically interviews the teams behind various out-there alpine ascents. The podcast also integrates historical intel and other sources to paint a deeper picture beyond just one mountaineer’s account.
An episode we love: “Archil Badriashvili: From Georgia to the Hindu Kush.” Inevitably, some of the subjects of The Cutting Edge have died in the mountains; Georgian Badraishvili is among the climbers we’ve lost. In this 2021 episode, he reflects on his FA in Pakistan.
8. Ice Ice Beta
If you love ice climbing and don’t mind getting the melody from “Ice, Ice Baby” stuck in your head for days to come, then give Ice Ice Beta a listen. Host and ice enthusiast Aaron Gerry does a great job of covering every aspect of swinging tools. You’ll find interviews and “meet the maker” episodes that take a deep dive into the entrepreneurs behind ice climbing products. You’ll also find training tips, info on ice climbing destinations, and more beta on all things icy.
An episode we love: “Redefining Success: On Burnout and Doing What You Love with Corey Buhay.” Dry toolers, nerd out: Team USA competitive drytooler and Climbing contributor Corey Buhay gets real with Gerry about burnout, the drytooling community, and finding balance.
9. The Climbing Majority
Tired of hearing interviews with the same pro climbers? Head on over to The Climbing Majority, the climbing podcast for the people (aka recreational climbers). Started by two recreational climbers, Kyle Broxterman and Max Carrier, focuses on being relatable and accessible to the masses out there. (And there are indeed masses, as the sport of climbing continues to grow). While pro climbers occasionally make appearances as interviewees, the episodes more frequently feature everyday climbers, guides, and stories from the hosts themselves. These days, however, Broxterman serves as the only host.
An episode we love: “Climber Rescues Crashed Base Jumper with River Barry.” You’ve probably heard this incredible story about a climber improvising her way up to an injured BASE jumper with the trad gear she had in the back of her car. Now you can hear the interview with this everyday hero.