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 pro...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 18 min
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, especiall...
Nov 23, 2023•1 hr 34 min
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 a...
Nov 10, 2023•1 hr 12 min
RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly This fall, two American women found themselves in an unlikely race to reach the summit of Shishapangma, and thereby earn themselves a place in the record books as being the first American woman to have done all 14 8,000-meter peaks (with oxygen). Unfortunately, both Anna Gutu and Gina Rzucidło, alongside their respective Sherpa guides Mingmar Sherpa and Tenjen Lama, peris...
Oct 24, 2023•1 hr 24 min
Our guest today is Rich Johnston, the president and owner of Vertical World in Seattle, known as America’s First Climbing Gym (TM). He’s also the founding chairman of the Climbing Wall Association, where he served for 16 years, and a board member on The Mountaineers. Rich tells us about the earliest days of the climbing-wall industry, why he never thought climbing gyms would succeed, and how important culture and philosophy are to creating a community of climbers that abide by the inherent risk ...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 31 min
Today’s guest is Graham Zimmerman, an alpinist, a recipient of the Piolet d’Or and a director at Protect Our Winters, a climate-advocacy group. His new book is “A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains.” But first, cave raves are all fun and games until your favorite crag gets shut down. Your favorite climbing podcaster hosts try to figure out where their personal boundaries lie for self-policing the climbing world. Our final bit is an original ode to Vedauwoo by climbing couple Morgan...
Sep 19, 2023•1 hr 25 min
Today, we're releasing one of our bonus episodes from our Rope Gun feed on Patreon because the content is a PSA and super important for as many climbers out there to hear. Our conversation is with Alannah Yip, an Olympic sport climber from Canada with an incredible career. This summer, Alannah started a conversation about the prevalence of eating disorders in high-end comp climbing, fears about RED-S afflicting athletes, and what many view as foot-dragging by the IFSC, comp climbing's governing ...
Sep 06, 2023•1 hr
Our guest today is the esteemed Russ Clune, a climbing legend of the Shawangunks in New York, where he has established notable first ascents and from where he bases in between trips to dozens of countries and crags around the world. His new book is “The Lifer: Rock Climbing Adventures In The Gunks And Beyond.” But first, yr hosts try to figure out why everyone hates trustfunding dirtbags so much. Our final bit is some music from Lambros Markousis, a climber, metal fabricator, musician, and amate...
Sep 03, 2023•1 hr 40 min
Our guest today is a genuine legend and one of the pioneers of big-wall climbing. John Middendorf is a mechanical engineer, gear designer, researcher, writer, and teacher based in Tasmania. His climbing accomplishments pushed the limits of big-walls, adventure, and exploration throughout the 1980s and ‘90s. Most notably, he’s responsible for the first ascent of the East Face of Great Trango Tower, widely considered the largest and steepest continuous wall in the world at 4,400 feet, which he ach...
Aug 12, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Our guest today is one of the all-time great alpinists of our time. Colin Haley joins to the show in the wake of an uneventful trip to Alaska, and explains why such missions are part of a healthy approach to pursuing a lifetime of adventure and alpine climbing in the mountains. But first, your hosts return from separate vacations and commiserate over how easy and glamorous it is to climb abroad with kids, while still making space to sneak in some deep-water solos. For our final bit, we present a...
Jul 31, 2023•1 hr 23 min
Our guest today is Albert Ok, a YouTuber and speed-climbing coach. Albert goes by the handle Professor Ok, and creates content that breaks down movement. He tries to break climbing down into its most fundamental parts in order to best understand it. He’s also a talented speed climber, boulderer, and all-around athlete. But first, Andrew reports on a little local controversy from Chamonix regarding one of the most decorated alpine climbers of his generation who was prosecuted by an authoritarian ...
Jul 15, 2023•1 hr 28 min
This episode is a proper mix of silly and seriousness, as we talk to Mike Penney, director of the Ontario Alliance of Climbers, who is currently pushing back on the government’s regulations threatening access to 75% of Ontario rock climbing, and even going so far as to actively chop bolts from cliffs. This a big deal, and worthy of the climbing community’s attention and energy, even if you’re not from Canada. The cliffs of Ontario are in close proximity to many midwestern climbers and our friend...
Jun 30, 2023•1 hr 15 min
Luke Mehall is the publisher of The Climbing Zine, and the the creator of the Dirtbag State of Mind podcast. After America’s two most prominent climbing magazines either went under or went digital, the Climbing Zine now stands as an unlikely last remaining print vehicle for telling stories about rock climbing and dirtbag culture. We get into the future of print, the struggle in finding people willing to put in the work of writing about climbing, and the joys of living a creative life. But first,...
Jun 12, 2023•1 hr 14 min
Savannah Cummins is a filmmaker, photographer, and all-around professional climber. We talk about some of her wildest expeditions to the farthest corners of the planet, dealing with injuries and medical malpractice, losing her partner in a tragic and freak accident in Mexico, and recently discovering a diagnosis that put all the pieces together for her. But first, we try to keep our heads above water as our favorite local climbing area closes due to a Biblical flood. Why does God hate sport clim...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 12 min
In an era of remote work and $200K Sprinter Vans, it may seem like the archetypal dirtbag of climbing lore is obsolete if not dead. Cedar Wright is on a mission, however, to keep it alive through a new program he’s starting to try to encourage young, stoked climbers to make the most of life by living on the least. But first, we dive into how Starlink is changing the climbing experience by keeping some climbers connected everywhere. How will this newfangled technology be welcomed in climbing area...
May 14, 2023•1 hr 32 min
RunOut #102: Christian Beckwith digs in to the 10th Mountain Division Our guest today is Christian Beckwith, a writer, podcaster, and co-founder of Alpinist Magazine and the Teton Climbers Coalition. His latest project is 90 Pound Rucksack, a historical podcast exploring the dawn of outdoor recreation in America through the story of the 10th Mountain Division. But first, the boys catch up after a run-in with some paparazzi at the Moab grocery store, and a few trips to the Creek with some fresh e...
Apr 30, 2023•1 hr 34 min
The Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act (H.R. 1380) is a bipartisan collaboration before Congress that aims to establish rock climbing as a legitimate activity across all federal lands, and direct relevant federal departments to include language in their management policy that addresses rock climbing and the placement and maintenance of fixed anchors. What does this bill say and what does its implications mean for rock climbing in the future? We bring in Chris Winter, Access Fund executive direc...
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr 24 min
For our hundredth episode (has another podcast ever reached such a milestone?) we hosted a live conversation and Q&A with Tommy Caldwell for all of our RopeGuns, our supporters on Patreon. Join us if you’d like to support the show and be invited to our next live broadcast, whenever that is. 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/runoutpodcastCo...
Mar 27, 2023•1 hr 28 min
Is climbing photography dead? In an era in which everyone has an iPhone and now generative AI can create realistic photographic “content,” what role does a professional photographer play in 2023? We talk about these issues and more with one of the most successful climbing photographers and directors of all time, Corey Rich. Corey isn’t just a talented creative, he’s a smart and savvy entrepreneur who understands the business of creating photos and videos as well as anyone in the industry. And he...
Mar 13, 2023•1 hr 34 min
RunOut #98: More with Majka Burhardt RunOut #98: More with Majka Burhardt Majka Burhardt is a professional climber, author, and mother of twins. Her new book is More: Life on the Edge of Adventure and Motherhood. We talk to Majka about the struggle to find that elusive balance while holding out hope for having it all. But first, Chris gets the bad news that he’s been fired from the show, and will be replaced with a host who has more followers on Instagram. (We will report anyone who points out h...
Mar 01, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Lynn Hill needs no intro. She’s best known as the individual who completed the first free ascent of the Nose of El Capitan, as well as the first person to free El Cap in a single day. The ascent broke gender barriers and progressed the sport. Today, Lynn is returning to the fundamentals, through a new video series that is designed to help climbers learn how to move as naturally, efficiently, and effectively as possible. We sat down with Lynn in her Boulder home to catch up with one of the sport’...
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 32 min
Thomas Huber is one of the most accomplished and beloved climbers of all time. Along with his brother Alex, Thomas helped pave the way for modern free climbing on El Capitan with FreeRider, Golden Gate, and host of other first free ascents. He’s a Piolet d’Or recipient for his first ascent with Iwan Wolf of the north pillar of Shivling. And his new book is In Den Bergen ist Freiheit — In the mountains, There is Freedom. But first, we have a conversation with up-and-coming climber and comedian Br...
Jan 30, 2023•1 hr 18 min
New Year, New Us. We connect for the first podcast of 2023, and Chris shares his aspirations of becoming a climbing warrior while Andrew is back on his usual bullshit of planning for another year of truly unimpressive mediocrity. Hazel Findlay comes to the rescue, with an inspiring conversation about her approach to mental training through her Strong Mind training program. She offers her wisdom on everything from what makes us all afraid to fall (and fail), to why Alex Honnold is, mentally, so s...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 28 min
What’s the best way to belay with a GriGri? How should you build an anchor? Is that CE-certified piece of webbing really strong enough for real-world climbing? The internet has an opinion on this and more! Walk with us through the muck of know-it-alls offering their two cents on everything. Next, one of our favorite writers Jeff Smooth returns to the show to plug his new book All and Nothing: Inside Free Soloing, and regale us with his own experiences in this darkest of dark arts. Last but never...
Dec 20, 2022•1 hr 42 min
We kick it with Alex Honnold, the rock climber who was once on 60 Minutes. He has even done a few other impressive things since then … you know, like free soloing El-fucking-Cap. It’s been a big year for Honnold, from traversing the polar regions of Greenland in search of a 4,000-foot unclimbed sea cliff while doing extreme climate science, to going deep into the pain cave on his epic HURT traverse in Red Rock, to nearly killing Magnus Mitbo, to perhaps, most importantly, becoming a dad. All whi...
Dec 08, 2022•1 hr 27 min
We’ve got a double-header today with two amazing guests. Our first guest is Scott Johnston, a coach, trainer, and co-author of Training for the New Alpinism, with over 200,000 copies sold. Scott recently left his perch at Uphill Athlete, along with many of the coaches, to continue their work at Evoke Endurance. We talk to Scott about a healthier approach to training for comprehensive fitness, whether on the rock or in the big mountains. Next, we speak to Libby Sauter, a family nurse practitioner...
Nov 24, 2022•1 hr 35 min
Last month, an 8-year-old boy and his dad “climbed” El Capitan with the help of two other anonymous climbers who presumably guided the father-son team, fixing all the ropes so they could jug up the wall. We look at the media attention this ascent received, and discuss our concerns over claiming these kinds of records. Our main guest is a woman who Lynn Hill once called, “the greatest female sport climber” — Katie Brown. Katie has produced a new memoir about her precocious life as a world-class c...
Nov 10, 2022•1 hr 32 min
If there is one thing you can say about this show, it’s that we are the most fair and balanced climbing podcast in the world. Following last episode’s discussion about Yosemite’s proposed overnight permits for big-wall climbers, we are speaking to two guests from the opposite side of the debate: Jesse McGahey is Yosemite National Park’s head climbing ranger. And Timmy O’Neill is a longtime professional athlete, founder of Paradox Sports, and board member of the Yosemite Climbing Association. Our...
Oct 25, 2022•1 hr 25 min
The Yosemite National Park is attempting to make its Covid-era rule in which climbers are required to have a permit to spend the night on a big wall permanent—and predictably, climbers aren’t happy about it. We spoke to two of the most active big wall climbers in Yosemite in recent years about the current state of affairs in the Valley: Gena Wood is a former climbing ranger and a veteran of more than 20 ascents of El Cap. And Lance Colley has also worked for the park service, and has completed 2...
Oct 01, 2022•1 hr 18 min
Who doesn’t love booty? Finding gear on a route can make a climber’s day, but what are the best practices for finding the owner’s gear? Court’s in order for your friendly podcast hosts as they debate the finer points of booty while litigating one listener’s story of being accused of not doing enough to return booty to its “rightful” owner. Our main guest today is Jeff Jackson, aka “Jefe.” Jeff is easily one of climbing’s most prolific route developers and greatest writers and storytellers. A for...
Sep 20, 2022•1 hr 42 min
