The Nugget Climbing Podcast

Will Stanhope is a professional rock climber with many notable ascents in the realm of single and multi-pitch trad climbing, free-soloing, and cutting edge first ascents. We talked about Will’s recent freak accident and broken finger, the injury process, trad climbing tips, pushing through fear vs. listening to fear, and a case for more climbing/less training.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/will-stanhope  Nuggets:  2:14 – The cruxes of dating internationally as a Canadian  3:00 – Freedom of the Wheels  4:35 – Will’s recent accident and finger injury, modern medicine, and getting the hardware removed  6:56 – “It’s the easy ground that gets you.”  7:14 – Running, rehab, flow state, and a day of easy soloing  9:15 – Having goals and listening to the body, numb scar tissue and Will’s freak accident, and Will’s finger X-Ray  11:03 – Filling the void while injured, “There’s more to life than climbing”, and fly fishing plans  14:09 – FFA of the ‘Tom Egan Memorial Route’ in the Bugaboos, and lots of rainy tent time  15:59 – History of the ‘Tom Egan Memorial Route’ and the pretties crack Will has ever seen  17:06 – “The perfect training recipe” (i.e. manual labor + hangboard repeaters), Will’s thoughts on hard tips crack climbing, and why the rest of us should exercising caution when it comes to hard crack climbing  20:56 – Soloing as a part of Will’s training, and a case for climbing more  22:03 – Guiding and getting recognized for past accomplishments  23:28 – Shifting away from hardcore projecting, and the Howzer Tower linkup w/ Leo Holding  26:30 – Simulclimbing, finding the right partner, and (contrived) climbing games  30:18 – Future projects, getting into mountain climbing, and “wielding all the swords”  32:03 – Headpointing vs. soloing, pushing through fear vs. listening to fear, and backing off  34:16 – Keeping soloing “safe”  35:09 – Downclimbing: “The lost art”   36:37 – Free soloing in Froggat (10+ years ago), trying ‘Parthian Shot’ and breaking his foot, and climbing ‘Muy Caliente’  39:07 – The E-grade system   40:33 – What Will learned from climbing with Leo  42:00 – “You can’t skip learning”, and why Will keeps his goals to himself nowadays  44:12 – Bouldering   45:02 – Will’s trad climbing tips for racking up, and polysporin (or neosporin) for gobies  47:15 – “More climbing, less training”  49:19 – Will’s hangboarding protocol  50:22 – Pushups and training opposing muscles and core stability  51:59 – What Will wishes he’d known at age 20 (he’s currently 33 years old) “Trust your own instincts”  52:44 – What Will wishes he’d known at age 30 - “Always really clean your climbing shoes”  53:22 – Will’s Anthony Bourdain kick  55:20 – Grateful to be alive  55:51 – Excited to get back in the game  56:31 – Will’s Instagram, ‘Freedom of the Wheels’ sequel, wrap up  

Brittany Goris is a rock climber, graphic design artist, and self-proclaimed dirtbag. Her recent obsession has been projecting hard single-pitch trad climbs. We talked about her recent ascent of ‘Stingray’ 5.13d in Joshua Tree, the allure of dirtbagging, training on the road, finding community, tips for onsighting, free WiFi, and learning patience.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/brittany-goris   Nuggets:  2:23 – Deciding to go to Joshua Tree, becoming infatuated with “The Dirtbag Thing”, and Brittany’s four goal-routes    5:17 – Racking up attempts on ‘Stingray’ and comparing it to ‘City Park’   6:57 – ‘City Park’ and ‘Stingray’ compared to Brittany’s other hardest climbs   8:02 – Flirting with an overuse injury and her swollen right index finger   10:39 – The breakdown of ‘Stingray’   14:33 – The weather as a factor, ideal conditions, and added sending pressure   16:55 – Thriving on pressure   17:59 – Brittany’s process working on ‘Stingray’, dealing with tendonitis, ring workouts, and supplemental training   22:24 – On or off mode, and Brittany’s life over the holidays, and vacation mode vs. projecting mode    26:42 – Brittany’s endurance base and why she didn’t need to focus on endurance for ‘Stingray’   28:36 – Making an effort to get more sleep and drinking too much climber coffee   29:53 – The different catalysts that help Brittany find the “on mode”   31:22 – Embracing the “off mode”, and balancing the two modes   34:15 – Being discipline in specific ways, and being all in vs. moderation   35:34 – How Brittany chooses her objectives and where she travels to next and finding a sense of place   39:45 – Brittany’s thoughts on whether dirtbagging makes recovery harder, living in a CRV, and cooking meals in a JetBoil for a year   42:32 – Brittany’s beta for camp chairs and working remotely   45:54 – Favorite rest day activities, playing games, spending time with the people, and running and stretching to relax and Brittany’s version of meditation   48:32 – Writing and journaling, writing one sentence per day, and tracking time spent in each location   52:19 – How Brittany got into climbing and why she never fell in love with Bishop   54:36 – How Brittany thinks about bouldering vs. route climbing and her plans to get in shape for Yosemite   58:48 – Building on community from place to place, and the best thing about climbing   1:01:50 – Brittany’s approach to onsight climbing, onsighting tactics, and why it might be her favorite style of climbing   1:07:10 – Always going for the onsight, getting on ‘Weekend Whipper’, getting into sketchy situations, and Brittany’s close call this summer   1:10:14 – Balancing onsight climbing with redpointing and projecting, Brittany’s thoughts on (not) warming up, and sussing out a route for a 2nd go redpoint    1:16:53 – Creating art, making her van feel like home, and tips for feeling grounded on the road, van life, showers, remote working, and fast internet   1:21:51 – Early road rage and practicing patience   1:24:58 – Brittany’s struggle with self patience, and chasing her best self   1:25:43 – Reading, most impactful books, and dropping everything to pursue the love of climbing  1:28:26 – Developing routes vs. engaging with history and writing yourself into a pre-existing story  1:30:24 – Dreaming of Yosemite, unknowns, and learning mindset  1:32:57 – Plans for ‘The Stigma’ (aka ‘The Renegade’), ‘The Phoenix’, and ‘Cosmic Debris’  1:34:53 – Brittany’s dream of climbing 5.14 on gear, sharing goals vs. the “pre-spray”, and bouldering on gear  1:36:43 – The thing Brittany is most grateful for lately  1:38:19 – The dirtbag dream—has it lived up to it?  

Mark DeJohn is a licensed massage therapist who specialized in Active Release Technique (ART). I began seeing Mark after suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome for six years. Mark was able to fix me using ART. We talked about the root cause and how overly tight muscles can become an injury, how Mark thinks about overuse injuries and his tips to avoid them, and two stretches every climber should do.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/mark-dejohn  Nuggets:  2:03 – What is Active Release Technique (ART)?  3:48 – My (Steven’s) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and how and overly tight muscle can become an injury  10:19 – Homework vs. compliance  12:18 – ART as a standalone treatment, and ART paired with Chiropractic treatment  14:59 – The body as a system, and working up and down the chain  17:19 – Other climbing related injuries Mark has treated  18:47 – How climbers should be stretching, and two stretches every climber should do  20:37 – Timing, when to stretch, Mark’s thoughts on isometric vs. dynamic stretches, and how tight muscles can lead to tendonitis  24:13 – Scar tissue and Mark’s “gum in the carpet” theory  25:20 – Mark’s thoughts on tightness vs. strength, and whether “too flexible” is a concern  28:21 – How Mark got started with ART and becoming an ART instructor  32:14 – How Mark got involved with triathlons, being on support teams, and his trip to China  36:50 – Mark’s size (6’3”, 240lbs) and the difficulty of working on NFL players  38:10 – What Mark does for his own treatment, and Mark’s experience trying climbing  39:45 – Mark’s thoughts on going to muscular failure in the forearms every session vs. varied training  43:51 – A case for variability in your workouts and the root cause that lead to me developing CTS  45:49 – The recipe for overuse injuries: Doing too much of the same stuff too often  46:20 – How (bad) posture can lead to injuries and what Mark is working on for himself  48:17 – Working with people from all walks of life and the 90-year-old Canasta player  48:51 – Why Mark loves working with athletes and helping people get back in the game  50:45 – How to find a good ART practitioner  51:54 – Advice I needed to hear, stress vs. eustress, and Mark’s advice to keep getting outside if you’re injured  53:49– My recommended tools for self-care (Armaid, Theracane, Wave Tool) and Mark’s usage tips  56:15 – The Deep Muscle Stimulator and why Mark thinks it would be a good addition to a climbers kit  58:39 – How Mark got into bikes, racing, and why he prefers to get out and enjoy open spaces  1:04:07 – Mark’s plan to grow his business into something he can sell, and the benefits of K laser treatment  1:09:39 – One thing Mark would have done differently if he could go back in time  1:10:18 – Mark’s construction business, how he transitioned to ART, and Mark’s uncle Spencer   1:13:36 – Why Mark has changed his mind about the psychological component of treatment  1:17:05 – The links between brain, gut, body, pain, and everything else   1:17:50 – Diet and genes as potential factors   1:23:38 – Some of the best decisions Mark has ever made, learning new things, and keeping an open mind  1:26:47 – Something Mark is grateful for  1:28:04 – Something Mark is excited about right now  1:30:14 – Mark’s final advice for climbers: be proactive, cross-train (do other stuff), and hydrate like crazy  1:31:43 – Electrolytes  1:33:41 – How Mark’s other athletes use cross-training and options for climbers  1:34:48 – What’s next for Mark  1:36:30 – How to connect with Mark  1:36:53 – The review I left for Mark back in June 2019

Alan Watts is widely regarded as the founding father of Smith Rock, and was a key player in the development of sport climbing in America. He established the first 5.13d in America with ‘East Face’ in 1985—just shy of the world standard. We talked about eating every other day, his paradigm shift from freeing aid climbs to face climbing, wearing Wolfgang’s shirt, meeting Adam Ondra, and his “little slice of contribution” to the sport of climbing.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alan-watts  Nuggets:  2:21 – The evolution of dirtbagging, early road life, Smith as a safe zone, “there were no routes”  7:12 – Eating every other day  19:52 – Abstainers vs moderators  24:07 – Bill Ramsey, UO, and climbing “every variation imaginable” at the Columns  29:08 – Connecting with the people you need  31:45 – Inferiority complex and pushing to improve  33:09 – Paradigm shift from freeing aid climbs to climbing faces  39:16 – Stumbling upon sport climbing and going from being a decent climber to a really good climber  41:34 – Redpoint tactics, ethics, and borrowing from the Europeans  45:44 – ‘Corner No. 1’, how ‘Chain Reaction’ got its name, and reaching the world standard at Smith Rock  47:33 – 11b to 13d in six years, ‘Punks in the Gym’, and pushing world standards  48:49 – Meeting Heinz Zak and Wolfgang’s t-shirt  51:57 – Pioneering Smith Rock film by Hydro Flask, and going back to the summer of ’85, and ‘East Face’ 5.13d  57:06 – Other hard crack climbs and ‘Double Stain’  58:30 – 7 days prepping ‘Sunshine Wall’ and the story of ‘To Bolt or Not to Be’  1:04:39 – Climbing ever day, injuries, and killing the goose that laid the golden eggs  1:15:20 – Hip surgery and meeting Adam Ondra  1:24:05 – Adam’s post about meeting Alan, and Adam’s onsight of ‘Just Do It’ 5.14c  1:29:57 – Adam’s photo book (Alan-“What the hell? How did I make the cut?”)  1:31:22 – The Awl project, “I do not want to FAIL!”  1:33:49 – Bolting futuristic projects, thinking anything was possible, and bolting ‘Just Do It’ for a TV show in 1989  1:41:28 – “I used to visualize before that was what you were supposed to do”  1:45:05 – “Fucking hard green route”  1:47:20 – Alan’s finger strength, hanging from one hand for (almost) a minute, and gym vs. outdoor climbing  1:54:23 – The updated Smith Rock guidebook  1:55:31 – Alan’s box of tights  1:58:25 – The 100 book list and projecting difficult books  2:03:32 – Working on the guidebook and connecting with the people  2:08:24 – The (lack of) ways to connect with Alan  2:10:06 – A slice of contribution in a little tiny sport  2:12:58 – “He’s cheating”, and Alan’s funny recurring dream  

William Woodward (@wheretowillie on Instagram) is a climber, skier, and professional travel photographer. We talked about the beginnings of ‘Where to Willie’, balancing work and passion, finding meaningful stories and doing work that matters, Will’s daily routines, rules for life, photo advice, and three things he is grateful for.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/william-woodward  Nuggets:  1:33 – Ruby the Vanagon  4:48 – Will’s defining moment, early travels, blogging, and the start of Where to Willie  8:50 – Will’s career transition and taking the leap as a freelance photographer  19:06 – Finding meaningful work and Will’s three-year plan  25:25 – Capturing experiences vs. being present  27:11 – Will’s daily meditation practice  29:51 – Will’s five coffee making methods  31:05 – Running and stolen bicycles  31:51 – Will’s process for finding freelance work and choosing brands to work for  33:06 – Pitching trips and photo projects  34:42 – The business of selling photography and his book recommendation  38:50 – Balancing work and passion and getting out of a rut  41:34 – “Rule number one: always swim”, flowered shirts, and other rules for life  45:10 – Hiking in Patagonia and a world record in Iceland  55:00 – Advice for traveling photographers and capturing the in-between moments  59:55 – Will’s writing, gear reviews, and tutorials  1:03:17 – Being part of the activity vs. keeping up on the latest gear  1:05:23 – One of Will’s personal mottos–“Get closer.”  1:05:52 – Will’s climbing progression and his relationship to climbing  1:08:36 – Alpine technical leadership training, sport climbing at Smith  1:10:46 – Will’s first trip to the Bugaboos, recent climbs, and plans for Mt. Stuart  1:13:29 – Promoting the outdoors vs. seeking solitude  1:14:06 – Why Will bought a new film camera and shooting film vs. digital  1:15:57 – “It’s ok to ask for help.”  1:17:15 – Will’s advice for himself at age 20  1:18:27 – Coolant, blown head gaskets, and why it’s always worth taking the time  1:19:43 – Will’s upcoming trip to NZ and giving yourself time to let things happen  1:20:57 – Will’s three gratitudes  1:22:34 – Journaling, writing as a habit, and why it has fallen off recently  1:23:55 – What’s next for Where to Willie  1:25:31 – Social media plugs  1:26:13 – Chasing great light  

Chris Wright is a professional mountain guide who splits his time between guiding, skiing, and climbing some of the most remote peaks in the world. We talked about his recent team FA of Link Sar in Pakistan, lessons from mentors, favorite post-expedition foods, and how to build an anchor in f***ed up snow.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/chris-wright  Nuggets:  1:51 – How the Link Sar trip came to be and Chris’s first climbing trip with Steve Swenson  9:33 – The history and geopolitics of northeast Pakistan and the Siachen Conflict  13:59 – Chris and Graham’s FA on Celino Peak and plans for Link Sar  17:59 – Why it took 8+ months to prepare for Link Sar and why the permitting process can be a gamble  23:51 – Training for Link Sar and working with Scott Johnston and Uphill Athlete  29:10 – The Link Sar team, different roles, and the best types of partners for an expedition  34:32 – What Chris learned from climbing with Mark and Steve  37:15 – Chris’s philosophy around failure, and his ‘failed’ attempt on Link Sar in 2017  40:45 – Graham’s 100-ft fall, terrible snow conditions, and rope systems  53:15 – The final pitch, Mark’s moment of glory, and reaching the summit  59:36 – Three days of rappelling and building anchors in f***ed up snow  1:03:27 – Why Chris is excited to go sport climbing this winter  1:07:28 – Thai fried chicken and favorite post-expedition foods  1:10:21 – Chris’s free-solo ascent of the Matterhorn north face  1:15:19 – Shooting video, a Link Sar movie project, and cooking as a creative outlet  1:18:36 – Advice for someone interested in expedition climbing  1:23:37 – Getting out there and finding adventure  1:25:40 – What Mark and Steve learned from Chris  1:27:54 – Why Chris is really excited to be “off-leash” for a while  1:29:55 – Ideas for the next expedition  1:31:06 – What Chris feels most grateful for lately  1:32:12 – Where you can find (and climb with) Chris  

Lizzy VanPatten is a rock climber and the founder of She Moves Mountains, a guiding company with the mission of helping women realize their strength through rock climbing. We talked about Lizzy’s brief music career, building a business, breaking into 5.12 trad, assessing fear, and her gratitude practice.  Support on Patreon:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing  Show Notes:  http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/lizzy-vanpatten  Nuggets:  1:25 – Rollerblades (and Rollergangs)  2:31 – Lizzy’s brief music career, transition into rock climbing, and her first trip to Patagonia  12:03 – Starting guiding, seeing women come alive, and becoming a business owner  19:06 – Taking big leaps and why it’s hard to feel embarrassed  26:23 – She Moves Mountains growth and where things are at now  29:50 – How Lizzy makes her guides feel stoked while giving herself freedom  35:47 – Self-doubt and the importance of building a solid team  37:49 – One piece of advice for herself and running her business to pay her guides well  42:30 – Finding challenge through projecting and climbing ‘Der Sportsman’ first try  47:33 – Lizzy’s first 5.12, climbing 5.12 in four different locations, and ‘Winter Sustenance’  51:08 – Sending 5.12 fourth try and flashing two 12+ routes on top rope  52:09 – A nasty fall Lizzy took this summer  58:07 – The importance of having a goal  1:02:25 – Training for ‘Moonlight Buttress’ and projecting fear  1:07:08 – The curse of being a technical climber, pistol squats, and trying ‘Churning’  1:10:20 – Calm meditation app, highs and lows, Lizzy’s gratitude practice, and the negative bias  1:18:58 – The one thing Lizzy is most grateful for right now  1:20:44 – She Moves Mountains apparel  1:23:05 – She Moves Mountains upcoming events  1:27:39 – Lizzy’s final thoughts on facing and assessing fear  1:31:12 – Quote from Anaïs Nin