Hear, Hear! Climbing Podcasts for Every Occasion
Stuck inside? Wishing there was some way to infuse your day with a little more stoke? The sad truth is that you can’t always be climbing. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up a list of climbing podcasts for every mood to keep you motivated until the next time you chalk up.
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Stuck inside? Wishing there was some way to infuse your day with a little more stoke? The sad truth is that you can’t always be climbing. Lucky for you, we’ve rounded up a list of climbing podcasts for every mood to keep you motivated until the next time you chalk up. Check ’em out below!
1. The Enormocast
If you’ve got questions for (or about) your favorite climbers, the Enormocast probably has the answers. In this classic podcast, host Chris Kalous interviews climbers of every discipline to ask about the good, the bad, and of course, the beta.
With over 190 episodes to-date, the Enormocast offers a comprehensive catalogue of interviews that will leave you feeling closer to the climbing community. Each episode is a mixed bag of topics as guests share everything from highly technical aspects of notable climbs to their daily routines, relationships and goals.
To top it all off, Kalous (self-described as a “sorta famous climber”) brings over 27 years of climbing and a wicked sense of humor to each interview.
2. The Sharp End
We all need a reminder of the inherent dangers of climbing now and then, and The Sharp End offers just that.
Created by The American Alpine club, this podcast breaks down real accidents to provide crucial insights. You get the lessons without having to experience the injuries yourself.
With each episode, Outward Bound trainer and host Ashley Saupe brings you closer to the people and stories behind the statistics. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or first time climber, this is a great way to be thinking about accident prevention. Plus, there’s nothing like a healthy dose of fear.
3. TrainingBeta
It’s the 30th time you’ve fallen off your project, and it’s not your shoes’ fault… If this sounds familiar, TrainingBeta has you covered. On this weekly podcast, host Neely Quinn consults trainers and climbers alike, seeking fitness and nutrition philosophies to help you take your climbing to the next level.
TrainingBeta also offers training programs off the airwaves, with topics ranging from injury prevention and recovery to sports psychology.
BONUS: On March 24, TrainingBeta released an episode entirely devoted to training at home during COVID-19!
4. She Explores
She Explores is your one-stop-shop for stories about fierce, trail-blazing outdoorswomen. While this isn’t *technically* a climbing-specific podcast, She Explores has done deep-dive interviews with crushers like Shelma Jun, founder of Flash Foxy Women’s Climbing Festival, and Kareemah Batts, Founder of Adaptive Climbing Group.
If you’re open to broadening your horizons, this podcast goes beyond climbing to tell the tales of women pushing the boundaries of wildland firefighting, thru hiking, and even space travel.
5. The Bad Beta
The closest thing to climbing comedy out there, listening to the The Bad Beta podcast is like being a fly on the wall as hosts Matt, Ana and Steve make light of anything and everything climbing related.
While most of the podcasts we’ve covered are structured around one-on-one interviews, The Bad Beta thrives on a roundtable format. The show allows listeners to laugh along with these three friends as they debate climbing ideologies, recount past trips, and comment on current events in climbing.
Skip the gym and get your ab workout with this highly-relatable podcast.
6. Jam Crack
Less-known but widely loved, the Jam Crack podcast really has it all. A jack-of-all-trades himself, host Niall Grimes has climbed all over the globe and across all major disciplines, and the podcast is his brainchild. Jam Crack is built around interviews and stories with some of the strongest climbers and most colorful characters around. And there are lots of entertaining tangents.
7. My Epic
Settling down by the fire to swap stories can be the highlight of a climbing trip. Everyone has a cherished epic that happened to her or a friend (or a friend of a friend). That one time they had to cut their rope and bail, or when they took a nasty fall, or when they got terribly terribly lost on the descent…
If this is the content you’re seeking, dive into the archives of My Epic, a Rock and Ice original podcast. Consisting of epics from the community at large and first published in the magazine, this show is an open mic for climbers and their tales of “Type 2” fun.
If you have an epic to share, submit to Executive Editor Alison Osius at aosius@bigstonepub.com for a chance to be featured in Rock and Ice.