Margo Hayes is a professional climber, model, musician, and artist — and she’s best known as the first woman to climb 5.15a, a grade she reached not just once, but three times: La Rambla, Biographie, and Papichulo. In recent years, a battle with Lyme disease has made climbing at her limit difficult, and she’s channeled her energy into art, music, and writing. Her new book, The Margo Method, outlines her approach to climbing and health.

But first, we pore over the details of a very interesting, precedent-setting case involving a manslaughter conviction after a winter mountaineering ascent turns tragic.

Our final bit is a San Diego rock band called Half Hour Late, with their song Ain’t Nothing New.

Show Notes

Follow Margo Hayes: https://www.instagram.com/margojain/

“The Margo Method: Strong and Soft”: https://margohayes.com/the-margo-method-strong-and-soft/the-margo-method-strong-and-soft

Margo’s music: “Notes To You”: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/margojain/notes-to-you

Austrian Man Found Guilty in Girlfriend’s Death on Mountain Hike: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/world/europe/austrian-man-girlfriend-death-mountain-hike-guilty.html

Follow Half Hour Late: https://www.instagram.com/halfhourlate/

https://halfhourlate.com

https://open.spotify.com/track/3XC0lgx3HJO2zsNoPJ7C2l?si=7a3ef6a566904b5d

The new Free Wall Kit from Patagonia

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Patagonia. The new Free Wall Kit is a six piece kit designed to help you perform, rest, and recover on multi-pitch climbs. Check out the full kit here: https://www.patagonia.com/free-wall-kit/?utm_source=runout&utm_medium=endemic&utm_campaign=S26_freewallkit

#170 - The Superbowl of Friendship - 2026 Edition