Episodes
Welcome back to the final episode of the TCM triple crown! Today we get the privilege to sit down with both Tanner Wanish and Micheal Vaill to discuss their most recent achievement, the Yosemite Quad. If for some reason you’ve made it here without listening to the two prior episodes I highly consider stopping and checking those out before you continue here, as they give a background to each individual climber’s life. Human nature has us craving novelty, so when we hear about an achieveme...
Published 11/06/24
Today, we’re continuing The Climbing Majority’s ‘Triple Crown’ series with Michael Vaill, one of the two climbers who recently broke the Yosemite Triple Crown speed record and, just a week later, made history with the monumental Yosemite Quad. If you missed yesterday’s conversation with his partner, Tanner Wanish, I highly recommend giving it a listen after this episode.If I had to describe Michael Vaill in one word, it would be 'psyched.' His passion is tangible, infectious, and truly motiva...
Published 11/05/24
I first reached out to Tanner back in March, right after he and his climbing partner, Michael Vaill, had completed the Red Rock Triple in an impressive 12 hours and 35 minutes. I was stoked to share their story, but little did I know it would take six months to get the chance to sit down with them. Looking back, I couldn’t be happier it turned out that way. Just days after our initial interviews, Tanner and Michael made waves by setting the speed record for the Yosemite Triple Crown. And as i...
Published 11/04/24
Today marks a significant turning point for The Climbing Majority. After three years and 76 episodes, my co-host and partner, Max Carrier, has made the difficult decision to step away from the show to dedicate more time to his educational pursuits, mountaineering, and his personal goals. This episode is dedicated to Max—both in celebration of everything we’ve accomplished together and as a send-off as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.We start by diving into Max’s current life as a f...
Published 10/21/24
Welcome to Part II of our conversation with Tyler Karow. If you missed Part I, I highly recommend checking it out before continuing here.Tyler Karow has built a highly engaged following on YouTube and Instagram, to the point where many might label him as an influencer. While his impact on the climbing community is undeniable, Tyler is quick to distance himself from the typical “influencer” role. Constantly promoting products or leaning into that stereotype is the furthest thing from his goals...
Published 10/07/24
I'm sure we've all been there—the dream of living a life solely dedicated to climbing: sponsorships, life on the road, making a living through our passion for the sport. For many, this represents the ultimate freedom. Often, this grand vision captures us in our early climbing years, yet it seldom holds much reality. Attracting sponsors and dedicating your life entirely to climbing requires something truly special. For most of us, this dream starts to feel one-dimensional, perhaps even a littl...
Published 09/23/24
Welcome back to Part II of our conversation with Brant Hysell. Climber, olive mafia boss, and man behind The Gravity Lab YouTube channel. If you missed Part I, I highly recommend checking it out before continuing here.Today, it’s story time with Brant as we dive into three of his most memorable climbs: Freestone, Lurking Fear, and his recent solo ascent of the Salathé. Most of us would spend months, if not years, meticulously planning and training for objectives like these. But for Brant, the...
Published 09/09/24
In the age of social media and digital platforms like YouTube, creators often develop a "digital persona" that’s shaped by the content they produce. As viewers, it’s easy to make assumptions about who they are and how they live their lives. Today, we have the chance to peel back the layers and break down the digital persona behind The Gravity Lab YouTube channel.At first glance, this channel seems to be run by a pair of climbers living out of a van with endless time to send some of the most e...
Published 08/26/24
Today, we continue our conversation with Bryce and Evan about their recent successful completion of The Nose on El Cap. If you missed episode 71, I recommend checking it out before continuing here.After listening to their account of what transpired on the wall during those 72 hours, I came to a realization. When we look up at a piece of rock like El Cap, we imagine what it would be like to physically climb it. What moves we would make, what gear we would place, and how we would manage the ris...
Published 08/12/24
I think you would agree that there is arguably no rock formation more infamous than El Cap . With its massive presence in the development of North American climbing, iconic size, and technical challenges, it stands as a beacon for climbers worldwide to test their abilities on a sea of stone. When we start climbing, El Cap is often at the forefront of our minds—a dream expressed as “Man, I would love to climb that one day.” But how many of us actually take the steps to make that dream a realit...
Published 07/29/24
Today, we are continuing our conversation with Evan Wisheropp. If you missed part one, I highly recommend checking it out first. It provides a foundation for understanding who Evan is as a climber and how he achieved the objectives we’re discussing today.In this episode, we’ll dive into Evan’s two main passions: desert offwidth splitters and route development.First, we’ll discuss Evan’s recent send of The Cleaver, a 13b offwidth roof crack that, as Evan puts it, "contains all the hardest tran...
Published 07/15/24
Today, we are sitting down with Evan Wisheropp, a part-time professional photographer with a full-time passion for climbing.Evan's climbing journey began like many of ours—in a gym. From there, he explored various climbing disciplines until he found his true passions: desert offwidths and route development.Off-width climbing, takes Evan to Indian Creek and Moab, Utah, every year to tackle massive desert offwidth splitters. His latest project, The Cleaver, a 13b offwidth roof Evan spotte...
Published 07/01/24
Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in and for being a part of The Climbing Majority. Today, we're diving into part two of our conversation with Myles Moser. If you missed part one, I highly recommend going back to the previous episode before continuing.This episode is PACKED with stories that will keep you on the edge of your seat. So I will keep this introduction brief. First we explore Myles' incredible experience establishing the first ascent of his route 'Plate Tectonics,' a 21-pitch Grade V...
Published 06/17/24
In today’s world, where social media, technology, and commercialism are at the forefront of our minds, the reasons why we climb can sometimes get a bit confusing. Professional climbers often need an “audience” for brands to market their products to, and climbers everywhere, myself included, share videos and photos of our recent ascents. It makes you wonder… why do we climb? Is it truly for personal satisfaction, or are we chasing clout and recognition for our achievements?For Myles, this era ...
Published 06/03/24
Welcome back to part two of our chat with James Barrow! In our last episode, we heard about James' journey as a climber and what events ultimately lead to his most recent achievement: The Complete Towers of the Virgin Traverse. A link up that covers 20 distinct peaks, and 18.5k of elevation gain over 28 miles. The terrain involves runouts upon runouts, canyoneering, bushwacking, steep snow travel, soloing, and an abundance of massive full 70m rappels using a fiddle stick. At 5.9+R/M2R. Nothin...
Published 05/20/24
When you hear "Zion National Park," what comes to mind? The Narrows, Moonlight Buttress, and some of the most stunning sandstone cliffs and peaks you’ll ever see, all packed into a canyon visited by over five million people each year. But what about the possibilities beyond the main canyon, beyond the classic hikes and climbs?Today, we’re chatting with James Barrow. He's a father, climber, and electrician by trade. James quickly developed a knack for climbing, finding himself leading sport cl...
Published 05/06/24
What’s up everyone thanks for being here and for being a part of The Climbing Majority. Today we sit down with Martin Mora, co-founder and developer of Red- Point. Red-Point is a new app where you can use interactive 3d maps to explore and get detailed route information on boulders and crags. If you haven't already seen their social posts of their app in action…definitely go check them out. Martin is a unique individual who like many in the majority, found climbing later in his life. He ...
Published 04/22/24
In today's ever increasingly polarized world it can be difficult to have challenging conversations. Kyle and I are well aware that the issue of representation in sport is one that does not affect us personally.
However we were lucky enough to sit down with all around rad dude, climber extraordinaire and recent new father Eddie Taylor to learn about his ascents and what his thoughts were on the topic of representation. As a black climber in a predominantly white climbing climate Eddie gives...
Published 04/08/24
Today, we're diving into something that most of us are all familiar with - Mountain Project. It's the guidebook that's always at our fingertips, supported and enriched by our very own community. Yet, as revolutionary as it has been for sharing and discovering climbs, it brings up a few questions that we might easily overlook. Questions like, who actually owns the data we input? What happens to our contributions if we decide to bow out and delete our profile? And what do these practices mean...
Published 03/25/24
The mountains will try to kill us and yet they have no malice.
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They freeze us and yet warm our souls.
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They fill our lives with joy and yet have nothing tangible to give.
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The mountains deserve our respect.
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They require meticulous preparation, mentally, spiritually and physically.
Today we are sitting down with a master of preparation. Scott Johnston is a world renown Endurance coach. Some of the athletes he has worked with over the years include Killian Jornet, Steve House, Alex...
Published 03/11/24
Have you ever imagined what kinda person you have to be mentally and physically to climb some of the hardest routes in the world? Maybe how that person views themselves and their own accomplishment? Or even how they might view the everyday climber?
In this conversation we wanted to move beyond what it's like to climb hard. What are the lessons of a 5.15 climber and how can we apply Jonathan's viewpoint and experiences to improve our own lives?
Jonathan helps us remember life is about...
Published 02/26/24
Today we are sitting down with my good friend Bryce. Funny enough, I met Bryce before either of us were climbers. We each found climbing separately, but inevitably we roped up and quickly became a great team. Recently, Bryce and I spent a weekend trad climbing in Red Rock Canyon. Despite not climbing together for several years, getting out on the rock in red-rocks felt just as fun, and natural as before. We may change and the environment changes but our friendships endure.
In our...
Published 02/12/24
Warning: this episode contains graphic descriptions of violence that might not be suitable for all audiences, especially children. If you're not in a space to listen to this content, please consider saving this episode for another time.
On May 28th of 2018, Chad O’Melia was brutally stabbed to death in his own home by his girlfriend Bryn Spejcher after they had smoked marijuana together. The state-appointed forensic psychologist on the case, Kris Mohandie, wrote in a 37-page report that...
Published 01/29/24
I would argue that our climbing community is mostly open, kind, and understanding. But I am sure we all have our own experiences with people who are not. The silent judgy squad that think they own the crag. The keyboard warrior that spreads hate, judgment, and negativity behind the protection of a screen.
Today we sit down with Landon McDowell, a self proclaimed “Reformed Elitist”. Having started climbing at the age of 14 he quickly noticed a natural proclivity towards the sport. Climbing...
Published 01/15/24