Hi Christian and the AAC, three-quarters of the way thru this landmark podcast, I was so ecstatic about the research content and passion that went into it, I had to email my family (descendants of the 10th as our father served with the 85th as Sergeant Major)).  Here is what I said: 'one of the best stories I have heard in decades' and have to it shout from the mountaintops: THIS IS IT!  (cont'd...)

'...Whether you like or love history (military or otherwise), the outdoors, the lore and legacy of the 10th, or just love a great story, this podcast interview of Christian Beckwith is a must listen, on your next podcast session, or...right now;)! It is that good. Hint: bookmark it now!  The connections to what we enjoy today outside, that are a direct result of the multitude of the efforts by members of the 10th--cold weather gear, Vibram rubber soled footwear, the advancement of climbing gear--plus the defeat of the Nazi's 'Gothic Line' in part due to the climbing prowess of the 10th and the subsequent crushing of a German geographic stronghold and their supply lines, are breathtaking.  And after you listen, maybe you will agree, that in terms of the outcome of WWII and the major part that the 10th played in closing this gruesome part of world history, 'climbing troops' and maybe not 'ski troops' seems more apropos.  Enjoy...sempre avanti, onward and upward!'

Graham Zimmerman is an alpinist and climate advocate–scaling the highest mountains in the world and energizing climbers around taking action to fight climate change. Jill Pelto is a climate artist whose aesthetic tactics of combining climate data with artistic expression is striking and thought-provoking. In this discussion, the AAC dives in with Graham and Jill about communicating the intricacies of climate change, climate impacts they’ve personally witnessed in the mountains, what motivates them to advocate, and why it matters to climbers so damn much.

PROTECT: An Interview on Climate with Graham Zimmerman & Jill Pelto

Adrien Costa never imagined he would be looking up at El Cap, ready to put in his own attempt on the wall, with one leg of flesh and bone and the other made of metal and hydraulics. In this episode, the AAC interviews Adrien about his journey from pro cyclist to daring adaptive climber with a taste for soloing, and digs into the details of his proud rope solo ascent of El Cap funded by an AAC Catalyst grant.

CLIMB: Soloing El Cap with Adrien Costa, Catalyst Grant Winner and Adaptive Climber

Bouldering World Champion Natalia Grossman is one of this year's winners of the Robert Hicks Bates Award, an award we celebrate at our upcoming Annual Benefit Gala. We decided to sit down with Natalia and talk competition, community, and trying hard, to get more of a picture of how she thinks as a competitor that has immense potential to keep taking the climbing world by storm.

CLIMB: World Champion Natalia Grossman Talks Community and Trying Hard

Yvon Chouinard is a well-known figure in climbing history, especially known for his innovative gear developments for the sport, like the ice axe and crampons, and his founding of Patagonia, one of the leading brands in the outdoor industry. Yvon’s stories reveal the early years of vision and dedication that shaped climbing as it is today, and ridiculous tales of the true dirtbag ways. In this episode, Yvon shares tales of eating expired cat food, selling pitons out of the back of his car, and shiver bivvies where his partners insulated their coats with crumpled pages of a novel.

Legacy Series: Yvon Chouinard, Founder of Patagonia, Muses About His Early Days of Climbing

In this episode of the AAC Legacy Series, alpinist Steve House recounts his traumatic fall on Mount Temple, a fall that pulverized several of his ribs, fractured his back, and punctured a lung. Thanks to rescue efforts, Steve was able to narrowly escape death, but such a close call led Steve to think about the need to reprioritize contributing to his community and building meaningful relationships. Despite dramatic injuries, Steve would go on to climb Makalu less than a year later.

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Legacy Series: Steve House’s Brush with Death on Mount Temple

On a 1961 expedition to Makulu, Edmund Hillary forbade Irene Beardsley to step foot on the mountain, despite her impressive mountaineering resume, including ascents in the Tetons and Peru. But Irene was hungry for summits, regardless of being relegated to the “wives camp.” She knew a woman’s place was on top. This hunger would drive her to be part of the first American, and all-women’s, expedition to summit Annapurna I.

Legacy Series: The First American Ascent of Annapurna, Through the Eyes of Irene Beardsley

Ruth Dyar Mendenhall finding a corpse on Washington Column. Liz and Royal Robbins establishing the famous Nutcracker Suite. Lynn Hill climbing hard aid climbs on El Cap for a change, and Steph Davis free climbing the Salathé Wall….We sat down with AAC member and writer, Lauren DeLaunay Miller, to talk about her new book, Valley of Giants: Stories From Women At The Heart of Yosemite Climbing, which contains all these stories and more from the deep well of Yosemite’s untold history. In this episode, we geek out about Yosemite, discuss what it’s like to talk to your climbing heroes, and discern the role of women in the famous Yosemite climbing generations: The Golden Age, The Stonemasters, and The Stone Monkeys. Dive into this episode to learn about these women’s stories, and what Lauren learned as she put together this groundbreaking book.  

You can buy Valley of Giants: Stories From Women At The Heart of Yosemite Climbing here: https://www.mountaineers.org/books/books/valley-of-giants-stories-from-women-at-the-heart-of-yosemite-climbing

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CONNECT: Women at the Heart of Yosemite Climbing, with Lauren DeLaunay Miller

This episode highlights a live panel that spans generations of trailblazing female climbers, including the iconic Lynn Hill, mountaineer Arlene Blum, big wall climber Madaleine Sorkin, and alpinist Sarah Hart. From the first American ascent of Annapurna I, to innumerable female first ascents, to the first free ascent of The Nose, these women bring immense experience and perspective to this conversation. The panelists discuss how their experiences as women have shaped their climbing, what counts as the cutting edge of women’s climbing and whether it should be analyzed separately from climbing in general, and the power of having role models for the next generation.

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CONNECT: Lynn Hill, Madaleine Sorkin, Arlene Blum, and Sarah Hart talk Female First Ascents

I’m just one person…what can I do? Turns out, quite a lot—if you have the resources and support to join together with other climbers. That’s why we’ve created the Climbers' Advocacy Network (CAN). 

In this episode, we sat down with two individuals that love climbing—and just can’t stop themselves from getting involved in their climbing community. They have joined the Climber’s Advocacy Network and are advocating for issues that impact climbers near them. Sam, from the Colorado hub of CAN, and Reese, from the Georgia hub of CAN, discuss what motivates them and what they’ve been learning from participating in the Climbers' Advocacy Network. We also sat down with grassroots campaign consultant Skye Schell to help us contextualize the potential and possibility of the CAN within outdoor advocacy at large. Dive in and explore how climbers at the AAC are fighting the good fight to protect their local public lands and build equitable access to the outdoors. 

Learn more about the Climbers' Advocacy Network: https://americanalpineclub.org/conservation

Support this work: https://membership.americanalpineclub.org/donate

PROTECT: The Climbers' Advocacy Network

The Full Circle Everest team was the first all-Black team to attempt Everest, and with the majority of their team summiting, they nearly doubled the number of Black climbers who have summited the highest mountain in the world. In this episode, we sit down with three members of the team—leader and longtime climber Philip Henderson, North Face Athlete Fred Campbell, and Kenyan guide and mountaineer James “KG” Kagambi, who is the first Black African to summit Denali, Aconcagua, and now Everest. We talked about moments of joy on the mountain, what they learned working alongside their expert Sherpa team, what motivated them to join this all-Black expedition, the evidence of climate change they witnessed, the challenges of mountaineering judgment on mountains with unstable conditions, and much more. 

Dive in for a dose of inspiration and insights you won’t want to miss. 

Members of the Full Circle Everest team will be giving a keynote speech for the AAC’s 2023 Annual Gala. Don’t forget to save the date and join us for the biggest, and fanciest, get-together of dirtbags around. Learn more here: https://americanalpineclub.org/annual-benefit-gala

Visit our website for more resources and the show notes: https://americanalpineclub.org/stories/#185

CLIMB: The Full Circle Everest Team Talks Joy, Partnership, and Climate Change

You’ve probably heard of the 10th Mountain Division, but did you know that climbing is just as or MORE important than skiing in shaping this division of expert mountaineering troops? In this episode, we sat down with Christian Beckwith, the creator of the 90 Pound Rucksack Podcast, and writer of a book by the same name, to talk about how climbers influenced the creation of the 10th Mountain Division, how climbing itself was critical to a battle in Italy that helped facilitate the end of the WWII, and the many gear developments that evolved from the 10th Mountain Division that shaped the climbing and mountaineering boom after the war. If you’re a history buff, you are going to especially love this episode. But even as someone who doesn’t have a particular connection to history, or especially military history, you can’t deny that tracing the impact of climbing on a world scale hits the spot for anyone who loves this sport.

Listen to more history of the 10th Mountain Division and their impact on climbing history on The Ninety Pound Rucksack podcast: https://christianbeckwith.com

CLIMB: The 10th Mountain Division and the Evolution of Climbing After WWII

We’re climbers. Gym climbers and trad climbers. Sport climbers and mountaineers. Boulderers, backcountry skiers, and alpinists. We’re the largest community of rock-scaling misfits in the country—and you belong here.

———

That’s right. You can now take a deep dive into your favorite American Alpine Club content via your headphones, car stereo, and more. The drive to work—or your favorite hang board routine—just got way more interesting. Episodes will typically fall into four categories: Climb; Protect; Educate; Connect. 

“Climb” episodes are just that—about climbs big and small, and the things they make us realize, in conversation with AAC community members. 

“Protect” episodes dive into the nuances of policy and advocacy issues that matter most to climbers. 

“Educate” episodes span the logistics of safety and accidents, as well as the history of climbing and how it can inform our present. 

“Connect” episodes cover the social side of our climbing community, including important conversations about equity and inclusion that have emerged from our work with the Climb United initiative.

CLIMB: The 10th Mountain Division and the Evolution of Climbing After WWII

American Alpine Club Podcast

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Dave DePodwin

Dave DePodwin

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