Welcome to the new Afterglow Podcast! A series of organic, long-form and intimate conversations that reveal the personalities, motivations and inspirations of iconic mountain athletes. Join host Brendan Madigan on December 1st, 2017 for a different kind of mountain story telling. Subscribe now.

Home Again

Afterglow S1:E0

Approximately 200 people have ever summited Mt. Everest, the world’s tallest peak, without using supplemental oxygen. In 2016, elite high altitude climbers Adrian Ballinger and Cory Richards attempted to do so. Cory made it to the top. Adrian had to stop just before the summit. The first episode of Afterglow is a deeply personal and inspirational conversation with both climbers, recorded in February of 2017. Ballinger opens up about how he was able to process and harness his “failure” for ultimate gain, while Richards speaks to the demons that drove him to seek redemption at the roof of the world. We hope you enjoy the chat.

If you enjoy Afterglow, please help us by subscribing, rating and spreading the good vibes to your friends. 

Intrigued by Adrian and Cory? Learn more here: 

Adrian Ballinger: 
w: http://www.adrianballinger.com/
w: http://www.everestnofilter.com/
i: https://www.instagram.com/adrianballinger/?hl=en

Cory Richards: 
w: http://www.coryrichards.com/
w: http://www.everestnofilter.com/
i: https://www.instagram.com/coryrichards/?hl=en

Thanks for listening.

S1:E1 Adrian Ballinger & Cory Richards

Dave Nettle is a rock climbing legend responsible for a litany of first ascents across the globe, with a noted emphasis in the Sierra Nevada High Country. Nettle possesses an undying love of climbing and skiing, as long as it is done with good style, laughs and with great partners. 

He is known as one of the world’s premier adventure storytelling athletes. We talk at length about the power of shared stories, the heritage of Alpenglow Sports (which Dave managed for nearly 20 years) and those connected to it, how Nettle has maintains drive and motivation, and how to live a fully realized life.

Intrigued by Dave? 
Here's a great article on him in Tahoe Quarterly:
http://tahoequarterly.com/best-of-tahoe-2014/eye-to-eye-tahoe-adventurer-dave-nettle

and some of his own writing in Climbing:
https://www.climbing.com/author/dave-nettle/

Check out our sound ninja Luke Funicella on Bandcamp to enjoy more of his music here:
https://lukefunicella.bandcamp.com

S1:E2 Dave Nettle

Red Bull athlete Will Gadd is the most accomplished ice climber on the planet. In addition to his cutting edge feats in the ice climbing arena, Gadd is also a world-class paraglider and kayaker that holds world records in both genres. However, Gadd would be the first to tell us that he’s really not a gifted athlete, but rather “a serial obsessive compulsive about learning sports.” In our conversation Gadd speaks to how his success comes from wrestling, and ultimately dancing, with fear…. but only in a calculated and meaningful way.  

Additionally, we talk intimately about how and why he loves to live dangerous dreams and come home alive, how he deals with failure through irrational optimism, the positive power of negative thinking and his feeling of indebtedness to the mountain tribe. 

Inspired by Will? Satiate your appetite with more info below:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realwillgadd/
Website: http://willgadd.com/
TedX Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTdFkPTTnsA
Niagara Falls Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU5i1WjRBhE

Check out our sound ninja Luke Funicella on Bandcamp to enjoy more of his music here:

lukefunicella.bandcamp.com

S1:E3 Will Gadd

Brendan Leonard is the creator the popular website Semi-Rad.com. He is also the author of Sixty Meters to Anywhere, a deeply honest and original story of substance abuse, addiction and recovery. Leonard ultimately found personal redemption and identity through a “transformative personal journey, that shows the power of climbing and the courage that lies within.” His “unflinchingly honest” memoir depicts how he deals with addiction through skills he’s learned while climbing, namely perseverance, patience and accountability. 

We talk at length about how he connects with people through his writing, how a gift from his brother changed the direction of his life, his relationship with his 70-year-old mother and where he derives his inspiration. ​​Leonard speaks openly about self-loathing, mistakes, failures….. and ultimate redemption. It’s a lesson that we could all learn a thing or two from. 

Inspired by Brendan Leonard? Satiate your appetite with more info below:

Facebook: @​s​emiradmedia
Instagram: @semi_rad
Website: http://semi-rad.com/
35: https://vimeo.com/62716181

Check out our sound ​engineer​ Luke Funicella on Soundcloud ​and​ enjoy more of his music here: https://soundcloud.com/luke-anthony-funicella

S1:E4 Brendan Leonard

C​hris Noble is ​one of the world’s leading adventure photographers​. Also an accomplished author, his new book "Why We Climb" is a celebration of the aspects of the climbing life that are most universal, meaningful, and long-lastin​g. These include ​the strong connection to partners and nature, ​the ​physical and mental mastery​ of the sport​, and the rewards of exploring oneself and the world through climbing. ​His work asks what compels men and women to dedicate their lives to the challenges and deprivations of living in a vertical world​. ​

Doug Robinson is a​n internationally-respected mountaineer​, guide and backcountry skier​​. He is also known for ​​his poetic writings about the mountains and why we climb them. Robinson has been called the "father of clean climbing" by Climbing Magazine and the “modern John Muir” for his lifelong devotion to California’s High Sierra.  ​Having cut his teeth during Yosemite’s Golden Age​, Doug has accomplished more during his climbing career than most could ever dream of.​... and is a major feature in Noble's latest book "Why We Climb." ​

I​n the fifth conversation of season one of Afterglow, Madigan, Noble and Robinson take a deep dive into a wide variety of climbing topics, most notably the philosophical motivations and renderings behind the pursuit. The trio talk at length about the power of partnerships, how adversity can be used to ultimate gain in everyday life, ​how climbers process the death of partners and ultimately "why we climb." 

Additionally, Chris speaks candidly about the conversations contained in his new book. Topics include his own personal journey ​behind the book and how the conversations provide ​a template for living a fully realized life​. He also speaks to how ​lessons learned on cliff faces, frozen waterfalls and alpine peaks can be brought home and used to benefit society as a whole​. ​

Throughout the conversation Doug lends sage advice and insights from his 60+ year climbing career. Robinson quips,  “​W​e start by looking for handholds and we end up with higher consciousness." It's a powerful conversation that we hope you enjoy!

Inspired by ​Chris and Doug? Satiate your appetite with more info below:

​Ch​ris Noble: 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisNoblePhotography
Instagram:​ @noblefoto​ 
Website:​ http://www.chrisnoble.photography/​

​Doug Robinson: 
Website:​ http://movingoverstone.com/

Check out our sound engineer Luke Funicella on Soundcloud and enjoy more of his music here: @luke-anthony-funicella

S1:E5 Chris Noble & Doug Robinson

Tommy Caldwell is perhaps the most well-known and accomplished rock climber on the planet. ​ ​He is best known for his recent ascent of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall​ with partner Kevin Jorgensen​,​ ​a project that​ several years to complete and garnered major mainstream media attention.

​Tommy has also climbed ​the hardest rock routes in the United States, including sport climbs of 5.15 and is also a world-class alpine climber. 

​In the sixth and final episode of season one of Afterglow, Tommy ​speaks at length about how writing a memoir added value to his life by forcing him to be completely vulnerable. Madigan and Caldwell also chat candidly about his relationship with Dawn Wall partner Kevin Jorgensen, and how it was a marked departure from other partnerships in his climbing career; how his upbringing allows him to view life as a constant opportunity for growth, and that he wants to be remembered for personal qualities rather than athletic feats. 

The conversation meanders to also cover the formative influence of Tommy's father, how having a family hasn't changed his approach to climbing, and how hardships have helped him grow as an athlete ... and more importantly ... as a person. 


​I​nspired by ​Tommy? Satiate your appetite​ here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1tommycaldwell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommycaldwell/
Website: http://www.tommycaldwell.com/

Check out our sound engineer Luke Funicella on Soundcloud and enjoy more of his music here: @luke-anthony-funicella

S1:E6 Tommy Caldwell

Season Two of Afterglow is finally here! Starting this Friday, October 26th, enjoy another round of long-form conversations that travel deep into heart, mind and soul of world renowned adventure athletes. 

Subscribe today ... and tell a friend.

Afterglow S2:E0

Hilaree Nelson (formerly O'Neill) is one of the world's premier ski mountaineers. She is most recently known for the first descent of the 29,940 foot Lhotse couloir, one of the most coveted and sought after high altitude ski lines in the world. 

Nelson's CV is absolutely staggering. She is the first woman to climb two 8,000m peaks in 24 hours (Everest and Lhotse). She’s also skied from the Himalayan summit of Cho Oyu in Tibet and climbed and skied several high peaks in Bolivia and Argentina. Elsewhere, Hilaree has cut turns on remote volcanoes in the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Lebanon, as well as many first descents in the tight couloirs of Baffin Island. 

Nelson is also known for her story of redemption on Papsura, the Peak of Evil and a high-profile North Face expedition that went sideways on Hkakabo Razi in Myanmar. She was named "Adventurer of the Year" by National Geographic in 2018. 

Born and raised in the Northwest, Hilaree began skiing at age 3 at Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. Eventually she moved to the Chamonix Valley of France where she learned most of what she needed to know in order to take her skiing skills to the next level- ski mountaineering.

In addition to her work for The North Face, Hilaree is a mother to two young boys, and although they have changed her life dramatically, her passion for the mountains has not abated. She lives in Telluride, Colorado and finds her sanity in the beautiful San Juan Mountains.

​I​nspired by ​Hilaree? Read further​ here:

TNF Athlete Profile: https://www.thenorthface.com/about-us/athletes/hilaree-nelson.html
Instagram: @hilareenelson
Website: https://hilareenelson.com/
Outside Magazine Feature: https://www.outsideonline.com/2293036/mentor-hilaree-nelson

Check out the Cowboys Fiddle (the_cowboys_fiddle) on Instagram to enjoy more of their music. This duo of 13-year-old Elia Schreiber and Declan Mac are responsible for the music of Season 2 of Afterglow.

S2:E1 Hilaree Nelson

JT Holmes is a world-class professional skier and aerial athlete. Holmes grew up on the slopes of Squaw Valley and as a 15-year-old fell in with freeskiing legend Shane McConkey. McConkey taught Holmes that existence as a professional skier was a possibility .... and that anything was possible in life. Holmes has never turned back. 

A tremendously focused person, Holmes knew from a young age that he always wanted to be a professional skier. This passion has never faded and sits at the core of his existence. While skiing has always been his first love, his career has been a boundless exercise in the possibilities of gravity-fed passions. Skiing led to base jumping, which led to ski base jumping and in recent years, speed flying. 

A Red Bull and GoPro athlete, Holmes is a pioneer in freeskiing and high-flying aerial pursuits. Beyond his pursuit of these gravity-fed sports, Holmes has carved out a role as a Hollywood stuntman, with highly-acclaimed aerial work in Transformers 3, Hangover 3, Godzilla, Fast and Furious 7, The Amazing Spider Man 2, and more. 

However, Holmes career has not come without a cost. While his personal and professional passions have given him the ultimate in athletic fulfillment, it has also take the lives of his two closest friends. 

It was a tremendous honor to sit down and chat with Holmes. A soulful guy who is tremendously intelligent, Holmes shares unflinching and open insights into the motivations behind one of the most accomplished mountain adventure athletes in the world. We're grateful for the inspiration that JT has provided a generation of mountain athletes and we hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. 

​I​nspired by ​JT? Read further​ here:

Instagram / Twitter / Facebook: @jtholmesjr
60 Minutes Eiger Feature: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/60-minutes-films-jt-holmes-terrifying-run/
CBS News "Birdman" Feature: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/jt-holmes-birdman-days/

Check out the Cowboys Fiddle (the_cowboys_fiddle) on Instagram to enjoy more of their music. This duo of 13-year-old Elia Schreiber and Declan Mac are responsible for the music of Season 2 of Afterglow.

S2:E2 JT Holmes

We return in episode 3 with notable high altitude climber Adrian Ballinger, one of America's most accomplished mountaineers. 

Besides being the only American to ski two 8000-meter peaks in one day, Adrian holds the first ski descent of Manaslu, the 8th tallest peak in the world. He has also summited Mt. Everest six times, the most recent without supplemental oxygen. 

He is also the owner of Alpenglow Expeditions, arguably the premier guiding outfit in North America, and calls Squaw Valley, California home. 

Our very first Afterglow conversation featured Adrian along with Mt. Everest climbing partner Corey Richards. If you haven't listened to this conversation it might help you contextually for many of the topics contained in Adrian's second sit down. 
 
At the time of our first recording, Richards and Ballinger had just returned from a 2016 oxygen-less attempt on Mt. Everest. Both climbers spoke openly about the trials and tribulations of their journey to the roof of the world. On the 2016 expedition, Cory was successful and summited, while Adrian turned back agonizingly close to the summit. The two climbers came home to a mixed reception. While Cory was heralded as a successful climbing hero, Adrian had to navigate his failed attempt in a very public fashion. 

Adrian is one of Brendan's closest friends, and the Afterglow host knew Ballinger would shed some amazing insights into how he took the failed Everest attempt in 2016 and used it to inspire his ultimate success in 2017.

Inspired by Adrian? Check out more here: 

Instagram: @adrianballinger
Website: www.adrianballinger.com
Afterglow S1:E1: https://soundcloud.com/afterglowmountainstorytelling/adrianandcory

Check out the Cowboys Fiddle (@the_cowboys_fiddle) on Instagram to enjoy more of their music. This duo of 13-year-old Elia Schreiber and Declan Mac are responsible for the music of Season 2 of Afterglow.

S2:E3 Adrian Ballinger

In episode four of Afterglow, we sit down with Emily Harrington, one of the most accomplished all around rock and mountain climbers of the last 25 years. Our conversation provides a revealing glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the most badass women alive.

Not only has Emily climbed some of the hardest 5.14a sport climbs in the world, she’s one of only a few athletes to have free climbed Golden Gate, a 5.13b route on Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan.  She has also summited Mt. Everest, been a five-time US National Sport Climbing Champion and been victorious at the Ouray Ice Climbing Festival. Her accomplishments don’t stop there though …. in recent years she has skied off the summit of Cho Oyu (the 6th tallest peak in the world) while achieving a speed record on the coveted and challenging Himalayan peak. 

She’s an extremely diverse and accomplished mountain athlete who is constantly reinventing her career and challenging herself in new and exciting ways. In our open and honest chat, Emily gives the audience personal insights into her driven, committed and compassionate soul. 

We talk at length about how her mother’s Parkinson diagnosis has affected her, how she attempts to transparently document her life on social media (regardless of how it looks), how she processes failure in her athletic life and translates it to her daily routine and how she derives happiness and fulfillment from suffering.

Inspired by Emily? Learn more about her below. 

Instagram: @emilyharrington
Facebook: @emily.a.harrington.3 
Website: www.emilyharrington.com
Yosemite’s Golden Gate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccPYyF-plQY
Role Reversal (with father Tim Harrington): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvXucwDSYzs

Check out the Cowboys Fiddle (@the_cowboys_fiddle) on Instagram to enjoy more of their music. This duo of 13-year-old Elia Schreiber and Declan Mack are responsible for the wonderful music of Afterglow’s second season.

S2:E4 Emily Harrington

In episode 5 we enter the white room for a deep dive with Stephan Drake, the founder of DPS Skis. Drake epitomizes the definition of a soul skier and has spent his entire life roaming the globe in search of deep snow. While most skiers think of the pursuit as a sport, Drake considers it an art that is constantly evolving and being perfected. 

He is a modern day powder surfing samurai with a total devotion to the craft. Drake’s dogmatic pursuit of the perfect powder experience lies at the core of his existence. The result has been some of the most revolutionary ski shapes and technology the world has ever seen. 

Drake leads the technology and design initiatives behind DPS Skis, the most revolutionary ski company of the last 15 years. In a parallel evolution with the powder surfing ideas of Shane McConkey, Drake is responsible for the creation of rocker in powder skis, the first prepress carbon fiber sandwich skis and the fusion of space-age carbon in groundbreaking shapes. The result is a complete reset on what the powder surfing experience truly means. 

In our chat Stephan reflects on his personal journey and the transcendental nature of the true powder surfing experience. It’s a philosophical exploration of what skiing is, what it means to him, and how by harnessing it’s energy we can make the world a better place. He’s a massively intelligent person who provides listeners with intriguing insights into one of the most revolutionary characters in the history of skiing. 

Fascinated by Stephan Drake and DPS Skis? Check out more here: 

SLUG Magazine Interview HERE https://www.slugmag.com/action-sports-features/shaping-future-interview-dps-founder-stephen-drake/
Blister Gear Review Podcast HERE: https://blisterreview.com/featured/new-dps-skis-products-with-stephan-drake
Business Insider Magazine Interview HERE: https://www.businessinsider.com/sc/dps-skis-founder-stephan-drake-interview-2014-8

Check out the Cowboys Fiddle (@the_cowboys_fiddle) on Instagram to enjoy more of their music. This duo of 13-year-old Elia Schreiber and Declan Mack are responsible for the wonderful music of Afterglow’s second season.

S2:E5 Stephan Drake

We return in episode six with Kim Havell, one of the most accomplished ski mountaineers of the last 25 years. 

Havell has skied on all seven continents, with first descents on four, and has adventured in over 50 countries. During her travels, Kim has climbed and skied big peaks in the Himalaya, Andes, Karakoram and the Americas. Perhaps most impressively, Havell insight skied the Grand Teton, one of the most coveted ski descents in the United States. She also has numerous first female descents across the western United States, including Wyoming’s notorious Otterbody on the Grand Teton. 

In 2014 Havell became the first woman to ski-guide the Grand Teton, for which Outside Magazine named her the “preeminent female ski mountaineer of our time.” In our chat, Kim talks openly and sincerely about how she balances being a professional athlete and a mother, how humility is the single most important lesson the mountains have taught her, how she coped with losing eight friends in a single year, and the power of not placing limits on ourselves. 

Intrigued and inspired by Kim Havell? Check out more here: 

Instagram: @kimhavell
Outside Magazine interview: https://www.outsideonline.com/1910591/friday-interview-kim-havell
Powder Magazine Otterbody Descent coverage: https://www.powder.com/stories/kim-havell-takes-a-female-first-in-the-tetons/

Check out The Cowboys Fiddle (@the_cowboys_fiddle) on Instagram to enjoy more of their music. This duo of 13-year-old Elia Schreiber and Declan Mack are responsible for the wonderful music of Afterglow’s second season.

S2:E6 Kim Havell

In episode seven we sit down with the most iconic and recognizable adventure photographer alive today, Chris Burkard. 

Burkard is known for traveling to the farthest expanses of the Earth, while working to capture stories that inspire humans to consider their relationship with nature. He also works diligently to promote the preservation of wild places everywhere. 

Layered by outdoor, travel, adventure, surf and lifestyle subjects, Burkard is known for images that are punctuated by untamed, powerful landscapes. His work is stunningly beautiful and remarkably inspiring. Burkard’s images are so powerful they cause the viewer to question their meaning in the world. 

In our chat, Burkard speaks transparently and honestly about: 

How there are no shortcuts to joy in life …. and that anything worth pursuing requires suffering; the morality of his faith and the difference between religion and spirituality; as a creative person, his quest for validation through work; how his family is the best method of self-reflection and why remote places deserve to be visited … so that they can be protected.

I hope you enjoy an amazingly powerful and insightful conversation with one of the world’s most accomplished and driven adventure photographers. 
	
Intrigued and inspired by Chris Burkard? Check out more here: 

Instagram: @chrisburkard
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisBurkardPhotography
TED Talk:https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=177&v=kd70MW7TwbU
Website: https://www.chrisburkard.com/

Check out the Cowboys Fiddle (@the_cowboys_fiddle) on Instagram to enjoy more of their music. This duo of 13-year-old Elia Schreiber and Declan Mack are responsible for the wonderful music of Afterglow’s second season.

S2:E7 Chris Burkard

In our 8th and final episode of season two … we sit down with Barry Blanchard, one of the most bold and accomplished alpine climbers the world has ever seen. 

Blanchard is best known for his dangerous, cutting-edge ascents on high alpine faces across the globe. Many of Barry’s first ascents were well before their time and have consequently become test pieces for generations following in his footsteps. Most notably, these include  the first ascent of Infinite Patience on the Emperor Face of Mt. Robson, the first ascent of the North Pillar of North Twin, a first ascent on the North Face of Les Droites, and a heroic attempt on the 15,000-foot Rupal Face on Nanga Parbat. 

He is perhaps most well known for outrageous alpine climbing feats with partners Mark Twight, Steve House, David Cheeseman and Scott Backes. The “brotherhood” as they are often referred to, actively challenged death on bold and cold alpine faces in what can only be considered a golden era of alpine climbing. 

We talk at length about his death-defying alpine climbing feats amidst a life wrought with hardship, personal struggle and ultimate redemption. 

Barry and I take a deep dive into how growing up fatherless in a mixed race family led to his rebellious alpine climbing mentality, how the closest bonds in his life have been realized through the power of partnerships, and how the great spirit has guided him on cold faces in order to abate the lethal risk of alpine climbing.  	

Barry refers to alpinism as “pushing the door of a radiant, dangerous cathedral” and his philosophical take on the sport can be summed up in one beautiful and simple quote from his book “The Calling:"

BARRY WRITES “WHAT BINDS US IS THE BOND OF BROTHERS, LINKED BY THE BELIEF THAT ACTION IS VIRTUE AND BY COMMITMENT TO CLIMBING MOUNTAINS VIA THEIR MOST COMPELLING LINES, IN SMALL PARTNERSHIPS, WITH ONLY THE THE TIME-HONORED ACCOUTREMENTS OF A ROPE, A RACK AND A PACK.” 

I hope you enjoy a deep and intimate conversation with one of the most fascinating, kind and intellectual people I have ever had the honor of recording with.

S2:E8 Barry Blanchard

We're back with Season Three of Afterglow, A Mountain Storytelling Podcast. Starting Monday, November 18th, we'll release weekly chats with some of the biggest names in the outdoor industry. Join us for another round of long-form conversations that travel deep into heart, mind and soul of world renowned adventure athletes.

Subscribe today ... and tell a friend.

Afterglow S3:E0

We're excited to welcome you back for another deep dive into the mind, heart and soul of eight amazing and world renown adventure athletes. We kick off season three of Afterglow with Jeremy Jones, an absolute deity of the snowboard world. 

For those of you who know Jeremy, he needs no introduction. For those listeners who haven't heard of Jones, he has been a snowboarding icon for nearly three decades and is someone who epitomizes everything good and soulful about the sport. 

During his extended career he has appeared in over 60 films while becoming the godfather of big mountain snowboarding. He has also create his own highly successful snowboard brand and been nominated by National Geographic as an "Adventurer of the Year." 

IN 2007 Jeremy founded Protect Our Winters, an organization that we view as one of the last great hopes for fixing our climate crisis. Jeremy and his amazing group of climate advocates are dedicated to reversing global warming by uniting the winter sports community. 

What we find most revealing about Jeremy, however, is that he is one of the most humble, ego-free, down to Earth humans you could ever meet. He's quick to point out the strengths of others, downplay his accomplishments and shine the light on the powerful passion of the everyday rider. 

The truth is that Jeremy Jones is a special person. We hope you enjoy our chat with the insightful and soulful icon.

S3:E1 Jeremy Jones

In S3:E2 we go deep into the mind, heart and soul of veteran heli ski guide Lel Tone. Known as the consummate local hero in North Lake Tahoe, California, Tone has been a ski patroller at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows for over 24 years. 

During this time she has become a leading authority as an instructor for the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education and co-founded the popular women's S.A.F.E. A.S. avalanche safety clinics. 

Tone is an Alaska fishing guide, has beaten a Navy Seal on a reality television show, worked a pit crew for off-road motorcycle races and guided the biggest names in the ski and snowboard business with Warren Miller Films. One would think someone with this type of pedigree would be burly and perhaps unapproachable. On the contrary, Tone carries herself with an open heart and a wonderful degree of kindness and compassion rarely seen in this day and age. 

We talk at length about her role in a male dominated profession, how she deals with failure, her spirituality, what it means to be vulnerable and how a devastating divorce allowed her to rise from the ashes of life. 
We hope you enjoy an insightful conversation with one of the most badass and caring people to ever grace the ski industry.

S3:E2 Lel Tone

Imagine spending nearly 20 years traveling to remote corners of the globe, on a non-existent budget, in order to compile images of famous climbers and mountaineers. Jim Herrington has committed a large portion of his life to accomplish just this. In the process he has created a staggering work of photographic beauty that will be cherished by climbers for many generations to come.

Herrington's seminal work "The Climbers," captures portraits, in stunning black and white analog film, of prominent climbers from the "Golden Age." These iconic pioneers were primarily active from 1920 to 1970 and pushed the ceiling on a fringe and dangerous sport. 

The list of subjects in Herrington's book is staggering. They include some of the brightest lights to ever tie into the sharp end of the rope, including Fred Beckey, Royal Robbins, Yvon Chouinard, Reinhold Messner, Ricardo Cassin, Jules Eichorn and many, many more. 

Through his evocative work, Herrington challenges our own concepts of aging and mortality, obsession, determination and what it truly means to live a life well lived. In our wide ranging conversation he touches on all these topics and more, as what as he learned from his subjects. We also talk at length about the influence the work had on him, his background and fascination with early Sierra Nevada climbers, how his other professional passion, rock and roll, exhibits many parallels to climbing and more. 

I view Jim as a steward of climbing and mountaineering history and I think you will sincerely enjoy a glimpse into the mind of someone whom the climbing community owes a massive debt of gratitude. Jim is a soulful guy with a beautiful lilting voice that can only be found in the South. That voice makes the stories of these iconic climbers sound even more grand and wonderful. Enjoy!

S3:E3 Jim Herrington

If the name Dierdre Wolownick doesn't sound familiar to you, you aren't alone. Wolownick is Dierdre's maiden name, but she is indeed the mother of Alex Honnold, the greatest rock climber to ever grace the sport. 

While we do talk about Alex and his motivations, Dierdre's story is much deeper than merely being his mother, and she also has a much different origin story than most of our guests. Having grown up in a post World War II Polish immigrant family in New York City, she struggled to break the mold of what children, and particularly girls, were allowed to do. 

In her mid 20's, Wolownick made the decision to move to California, where she married and began a family. But the struggle continued, and she tells us, in both our conversation and her book "The Sharp End," that she longed for connection her entire life. 

Dierdre and I talk about her ultimate redemption, which she discovered through rock climbing and running. It was through these sports that she experienced a rebirth, but not until her mid 50's. 

Dierdre's tale is a beautiful one in which the phoenix does indeed rise, in her case up the proverbial walls of Yosemite Valley as the oldest woman to ever summit famed El Cap.

S3:E4 Dierdre Wolownick

Caroline Gleich has consistently pushed the envelope in the high alpine environment of the Himalaya. She has also pushed it at home in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. In 2017 she became the first woman to descend all 90 lines of "The Chuting Gallery," Andrew McLean's guide to steep, extreme skiing in the Wasatch. 

She has also skied Cho Oyu, the 6th tallest peak in the world, summited Mt. Everest and skied the three tallest peaks in Ecuador, in one weekend. 

Despite her accomplishments, Caroline has consistently had to battle misogyny, sexism and doubters at an unprecedented level for a professional athlete. We talk about these topics at length in our conversation, as well as the larger gender-bias implications in the outdoor space. 

Caroline tells us about the vitriol of the cyber-bullying she has experienced throughout her career, and more importantly, how she has chosen to combat and beat it. We also talk about the importance of her family, how losing several close friends in the mountains drives her to this day, anxiety and depression and her outspoken defense of environmental and social causes. 

We think you will enjoy this intimate and insightful chat with one of the most accomplished ski mountaineers and fantastic persons of our day.

S3:E5 Caroline Gleich

In episode six we sit down with highly accomplished ultra running personality Rory Bosio. Rory’s ascension in the ultra running world began in 2013 at what is arguably the most difficult mountain race in the world, the French Classic Ultra Trail du Mt. Blanc. It was here that a relatively unknown runner from Tahoe City, California smashed the women’s record by over two hours. She also became the first female to ever place in the overall top 10 positions of the race. 

To silence any doubters, Rory returned to the race to win it again one year later. In doing so she became the first woman to ever win back to back UTMBs. And while Rory has finished in second place at the famous Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, has run across the French island of Corsica and won numerous 50-mile races around the globe, she is a person who is cut from a different cloth. 

Rory runs solely because she loves it. She is a free spirit with a rarely seen zest for life. As you might guess, Rory doesn’t follow carefully designed training and nutrition plans but rather moves in the mountains to her own rhythm.

S3:E6 Rory Bosio

In episode seven we sit down with rock climbing legend John Long. Long is most well known as one of the Stonemasters, a group of California rock climbers who, fueled primarily by LSD and Jimi Hendrix, pushed the sport to risky and adventurous new heights during the 1970s. 

John Long's list of rock climbing accomplishments occupies a place of magnitude that borders on myth. A big wall pioneer, Long was the first person to ever climb Yosemite's most iconic route, the Nose, in a single day. He also owns the second one-day ascent of El Cap, a five hour blast on the West Face. He's also the first person to ever climb a 5.13-rated route and put up visionary test pieces like Astroman that were years, if not decades, ahead of their time. 

Now in his late sixties, John is a tremendously insightful, reflective and philosophically inclined man. Our chat shines the light on John Long the person, and he talks openly, honestly and at length about a life well lived. He also talks about his regrets, epiphanies, struggles and ultimate wisdom. 

We've always found John's writing to be unflinchingly honest, self-deprecating and absolutely beautiful. To be able to sit down with one of rock climbing's biggest heroes was an extreme honor and tremendously enlightening.

S3:E7 John Long

In our eighth and final episode, we sit down with skiing icon Glen Plake. As a pioneer of the extreme skiing movement, Plake is most well known for his seminal appearances in the classic Greg Stump films including Blizzard of Aahhh's, the Maltese Flamengo and License to Thrill. 

With his signature mohawk, Plake is arguably the most recognizable and most well known skier in the world. Over three decades he has maintained a love for all disciplines of the sport and a drive that has kept him timelessly relevant. It is safe to say, whether skiing 8-000 meter peaks, recording for Warren Miller Films, or traveling the country as part of his "Down Home" Tour, Plake has spread the love of skiing to millions across the globe. 

Many of Glen's physical accomplishments have been well documented. In our chat, I wanted to learn more about him as a person. Plake occupies the rare air of hero status for many skiers. In our conversation I quickly realized that he is a historian of skiing, someone who has seen three decades of the evolution of a sport. 

Glen is indeed one of the brightest shining lights we've ever had the chance to chat with, and our conversation does not disappoint.

S3:E8 Glen Plake

Afterglow is a new podcast series that travels deep into the mind heart and soul of world renown adventure athletes.

Afterglow is a series of in-depth and intimate audio conversations with athletes who chase their dreams through big mountain skiing, mountaineering, ultra running, and rock climbing. 

Join us on December 1st, for Afterglow, a series of organic, long-form and intimate conversations that reveal the personalities, motivations and inspirations of iconic mountain athletes.   

Every conversation goes deep in the attempt to learn universal truths from the experiences of these athletes including who we are, why we are here, and how these answers offer a pathway for the sharing of experiences, emotion and vulnerabilities that can potentially spark change and bridge divides. 

Join us on December 1st for a different kind of mountain storytelling.  

Season one of Afterglow showcases weekly conversations with notable mountain adventure athletes Tommy Caldwell, Will Gadd, Doug Robinson, Chris Noble, Dave Nettle, and Brendan Leonard. Our kick-off episode is a tandem chat with high altitude mountaineers Adrian Ballinger and Cory Richards. 

Subscribe now ….. and tell a friend. Email us with questions at info@alpenglowsports.com.

“Afterglow, A Mountain Storytelling Podcast” is like if our generation’s top explorers were on The Moth. " The Dyrt.com. 

"Madigan is the dirtbag's Terry Gross." Geoff Quine

Popular tracks by Afterglow, A Mountain Storytelling Podcast