Cory Richards shocked the world when he abruptly ended his climbing career at the foot of Dhaulagiri in 2021. He is ready to tell his story.
Continue reading “Cory Richards: The Color of Everything”Cory Richards: The Color of Everything
James McHaffie: From Bold Climbing to Novel Writing
James McHaffie needs no introduction, at least in the United Kingdom. His approach to bold onsight climbing, particularly free solos, is unparalleled. He’s repeated the hardest sport climb in Wales, Big Bang (9a), sent Britain’s hardest sea cliff, Dave MacLeod’s The Longhope Direct (E10 7a), and made the first ascent of The Meltdown, a 9a slab in the slate quarries of his home in North Wales. And now he’s written a book. But unlike many books released by elite climbers, this is not an autobiographical account of hard climbs in the face of relative adversity. Caff, as he prefers to be called, has written a fictional account of Eleri, a young woman amongst the slate quarries of North Wales who in the aftermath of a family suicide takes aim at British politicians who pushed for austerity and the conditions that led to such suffering.
This conversation was such a gift. I can see even through all that rage that James is brimming with humanity, a trait sometimes in short supply. I hope you’ll enjoy this one as much as I did.
Continue reading “James McHaffie: From Bold Climbing to Novel Writing”Matt Samet: The Uncertain Future of Climbing Media
Today on episode 36 I’m pleased to welcome climber, author, editor, father, and prolific first ascensionist Matt Samet. Recently, Matt was unexpectedly laid off from his position as editor of Climbing Magazine, a position he has held on and off for nearly two decades.
The state of media, particularly print media, is something that has held my attention in recent years. Although I’ve considered reaching out to Matt for some time to discuss his career in writing and climbing journalism, this finally felt like the right moment.
Join us as we take a deeper dive on media, journalism, balancing climbing and other life obligations, as well as some good-ole-fashioned musings on the modern climbing life.
Continue reading “Matt Samet: The Uncertain Future of Climbing Media”