The RunOut Podcast

The RunOut #164: Strong and Soft with Margo Hayes

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Margo Hayes is a professional climber, model, musician, and artist — and she’s best known as the first woman to climb 5.15a, a grade she reach...

The RunOut #163: Connor Herson continues to crush everything

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Connor Herson is back. He needs no introduction, but he’s easily one of, if not the best, trad climber in the world at the moment. We talk about...

The RunOut #162: Mary Eden on her ascent of Century Crack

30 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Eden is known on Instagram as Trad Princess but in real life, she’s one of the sport’s best offwidth crack climbers. Recently she ach...

The RunOut #161: The man who wants to reinvent comp climbing, Charlie Boscoe

12 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Just when you though you understood what a zone hold was … Hasn’t the comp climbing format already been “solved?” Some think t...

The RunOut #160: How Lara Neumeir Climbs with Composure and Control

13 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Lara Neumeier is a German climber known for her composure on demanding, heady terrain. Her notable ascents include a repeat of Psychogramm (5.14a trad...

The RunOut #159: Fallon Rowe Climbs Through Trauma and Into Strength

26 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fallon Rowe is a climber, writer, coach, teacher, researcher, and many more things. Her new book is called Pay No Mind: A Memoir of Climbing, Abuse, a...

The Runout #158: Laura Pineau and Kate Kellegan Go Big on Triple Crown

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On June 8 Kate Kellegan and Laura Pineau (aka Mademoiselle Fissure) became the first women to complete the Yosemite Triple Crown. That means the climb...

The RunOut #157: Born to climb with kids’ book author Danielle Sarli

11 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Danielle Sarli is a kindergarten teacher, musician, and passionate climber. She is the author of Little Climber, a new kids' book illustrated by Amand...

The RunOut #156: The mysterious murder of a neo-nazi crypto king dirtbag climbing outlaw

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017, a climber was murdered outside of Squamish. His body was found with gunshot wounds, inside a smoldering, burnt vehicle. He was suspected to b...

The RunOut #155: The state of American bolts with Nate Liles

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nate Liles is a photographer, filmmaker, and development director at the American Safe Climbing Association. Today's conversation with Nate centers on...

Runout #154: Soul and Sandstone: Andrew Kornylak on climbing in the South

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Andrew Kornylak is a photographer, filmmaker, writer, and longtime climber. His new book is Spare These Stones. We speak about the rich culture of cli...

Runout #153: Sex, Angst, and Rocks—Emily Meg Weinstein

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Emily Weinstein is a New Yorker, radical activist, rabid Met's fan, and climber who lives on a house boat in the San Francisco Bay. Her new book is ca...

The RunOut #152: Will Moss (Actually) Day Flashes Free Rider

20 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Will Moss is a trad climber originally from New York. He recently flashed Free Rider on El Capitan, becoming the first to do it in a day and only the ...

The RunOut #151: Linking it up with Tanner Wanish and Michael Vaill 

29 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Tanner Wanish and Michael Vaill are two of the best speed climbers in Yosemite today. They currently hold the record for the historic Yosemite Triple ...

RunOut 150: Girl Climber, with Emily Harrington and Jon Glassberg

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jon Glassberg is a photographer and filmmaker, and Emily Harrington is one of America's most prolific professional climbers, whose all-around feats sp...

RunOut 149: Jordan Cannon and Mark Hudon, live from El Cap

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jordan Cannon is a professional climber, known for his free and speed-climbing feats on El Capitan. Mark Hudon is one of the fathers of big-wall free ...

The RunOut 148: The Evolution of Sonnie Trotter 

17 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sonnie Trotter is a professional climber from Canada, whose notable ascents include the first ascent of Cobra Crack in Squamish, The Shining on Mount ...

RunOut 147: How Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard is Pushing the Limits of Climbing Activism

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard is the executive director of Urban Native Collective, the host of the Life on the Margins: An Urban Native Experience podca...

RunOut #146: From Big Walls to Open Water: Unlocking the Expedition Mindset with Mark Synnott

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Synnott is a professional big-wall climber, expedition sailor, and writer whose books have included The Third Pole and The Impossible Climb. His ...

RunOut #145: Here Come the Management Plans 

03 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Earlier this year, the Bears Ears Resource Management Plan dropped, outlining rules regarding camping, waste management, dogs, and, perhaps most contr...

RunOut #144: Life After Competition: Hannah Schubert and Eating Disorders in Climbing

19 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Hannah Schubert is an Austrian climber who has podiumed at the World Cup and the World Championships. Now retired from professional competition, Hanna...

RunOut #143: PARC Act Passes, so What’s Next For Climbing in America?

28 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Protect America's Rock Climbing Act was signed into law at the end of President Biden's term. The PARC Act mandates that various government depart...

RunOut #142: Jason Kehl and the Evolution of Bouldering

19 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Jason Kehl is a hold shaper, iconclast, and highball bouldering legend, perhaps best known for his first ascent of Evilution in the Buttermilks. Today...

RunOut #141: The Joy of Struggle, According to Ryan Devlin

29 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ryan Devlin is an actor who has appeared in such shows as Brothers and Sisters, Cougar Town, and Grey's Anatomy. Climbers, however, will know him as t...

RunOut #140: Chris Deuto Seeks More in the Mountains

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Though just 21, Chris Deuto has already amassed an impressive lifetime of climbing since first starting the sport at age 7. Having ticked 5.14c and V1...

RunOut 139: Fred Nicole speaks to the soul of bouldering

22 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fred Nicole's name is synonymous with hard bouldering. The dude is legend, responsible for establishing the world's first V14 and first V15, always wh...

RunOut #138: The Bromance of Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold

09 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest is climbing's Captain America, Tommy Cadlwell. Tommy’s latest film is called The Devil’s Climb, and it documents an epic adventure...

RunOut 137: The Revelations of Jerry Moffatt

18 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we’re honored to be speaking with Jerry Moffatt. Jerry was one of the most influential and best climbers in the 1980s and ‘90s, whose ground...

RunOut 136: Brady Robinson on Climbing, Advocacy, and the legacy of Armando Menocal

31 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Armando Menocal was a civil rights lawyer and climber who helped found the Access Fund. It’s safe to say that without Armando’s silent but hugely ...

RunOut #135: Becca Steinbrecher: What it’s Like to Survive a Serious Climbing Accident

18 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last year, Becca Steinbrecher broke a foothold while climbing in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and took a 30-foot fall onto a ledge. It was only a ...

RunOut #134: The State of Adventure and Storytelling with Fitz Cahall

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Fitz Cahall is the founder of the Dirtbag Diaries, a podcast that’s been downloaded over 18 million times. His new book is “States of Adventure: 3...

RunOut #133: Olympic Runner and Rock Climber Hobbs Kessler

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hobbs Kessler is a 21-year-old professional runner who ran a 3:34 in the 1500m in his senior year of high school. He has also climbed as hard as 5.14c...

RunOut #132: Amity Warme is Bringing Stoke—and Style—Back to Climbing

02 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Amity Warme is a professional rock climber and dietician, who has not only free climbed El Capitan five times, but has done so each time in true groun...

RunOut #131: Drew Ruana Climbs Hard and Thinks Ahead

19 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Out #131: Drew Ruana Climbs Hard and Thinks Ahead Drew Ruana started climbing on the slabs of Smith Rock, and has since become one of America’s m...

RunOut #130: Thomas Huber Unleashes Freedom on America

01 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas Huber is our favorite Huber brother—no offense to Alex. He needs little introduction, and is one of the most prolific climbers of the last 30...

RunOut #129: Olympic Fever; Plus: When Climbers Become Parents with Allyson Gunsallus

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Allyson Gunsallus is a climber and lawyer who serves on the board of the American Alpine Club. She is also the producer and director of Hand Holds, a ...

RunOut #128: Activism and Climbing with Miranda Oakley

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Miranda Oakley is an AMGA certified rock climbing guide, who set the record for being the first woman to rope solo the Nose in a day. As a Palestinian...

RunOut #127: Sensei and Sensibility: Climb Smarter with Justen Sjong

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest is climbing coach Justen Sjong. Justen is known for his first free ascents of Magic Mushroom (VI 5.14a) and The PreMuir (VI 5.13c/d) o...

RunOut #126: Who Was Tobin Sorenson? A Stonemaster Pays Homage to One of the Climbing’s All-Time Greats

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we have a double-header. Two guests, same great show. First up is Rajiv Ayyangar—an entrepreneur, CEO, and host of The China Beach podcast, a...

RunOut #125: Michael Levy Brings Back Summit Journal; Plus, the Definitive Gumby Episode

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

After Rock and Ice and Climbing magazines stopped printing issues, a hole was left in the climbing media landscape. Enter Michael Levy, a writer based...

RunOut 124: How Jesse Grupper is getting Psyched and Ready for the next Olympics

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last fall, Jesse Grupper took home the gold medal at the Pan Am games, securing his spot on Team USA for the Paris Olympics in 2024. Now just a few mo...

RunOut 123: How NFL Lineman Wes Schweitzer Uses Rock Climbing to Move Better and Get Stronger

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is #71 for the New York Jets: Wes Schweitzer, an offensive guard whose injuries sent him down a curious path of recovery: rock climbin...

RunOut 122: Will Moss Leaves No Stone Unclimbed

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Will Moss is a comp climber turned traddie from New York City, who has been quietly ticking some of the hardest gear-protected routes in the country o...

RunOut #121: Beth Rodden Reveals A Light Through the Cracks

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest is a climbing icon and legend: the great Beth Rodden. Beth was a youth national comp champ who went on to become one of the greatest f...

RunOut #120: Josh Wharton Redpoints the Alpine

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Josh Wharton is one of America’s top alpine climbers, with light and fast ascents of iconic peaks from Patagonia to Alaska to the Himalaya. His late...

RunOut #119: Dean Fidelman, Portraits of an Artist

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dean Fidelman is a legendary climbing photographer, whose body of work and portraitures have come as close to capturing the elusive soul of our sport ...

RunOut #118: The Power of Climbing Community and Development—and the Threats it Faces

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Two amazing guests today. Two important conversations related to community and development. First, we speak to Sam Lightner Jr. about the latest thre...

RunOut #117: How Two Big Wall Noobs Free Climbed the Nose

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Alex Waterhouse and Billy Ridal are both 26 years old, from Sheffield, England, and have been competing on plastic since they were 12. But once slappi...

RunOut #116: Mary Catherine Eden Charms the Black Mamba

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mary Catherine Eden is probably best known for popular Instagram account @tradprincess, but she’s far more than just another online influencer. She’...

RunOut 115: Jakob Schubert Goes B.I.G. (Plus Jared Leto’s big TR)

23 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jakob Schubert is a four-time World Champion, an Olympic bronze medalist, and he has more IFSC gold medals than another male competitor. He’s also s...

RunOut #114: Kris Hampton Taps into the Power of Climbing History

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kris Hampton is the brains and brawn behind Power Company Climbing and the cohost of the podcast by the same name. His insatiable love of creating new...

RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly

24 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly This fall, two Ameri...

RunOut #112: America’s First Climbing Gym Owner Sounds the Alarm

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Rich Johnston, the president and owner of Vertical World in Seattle, known as America’s First Climbing Gym (TM). He’s also the ...

RunOut #111: A Fine Line for Graham Zimmerman

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s guest is Graham Zimmerman, an alpinist, a recipient of the Piolet d’Or and a director at Protect Our Winters, a climate-advocacy group. Hi...

Bonus: Alannah Yip Sounds the Alarm on Eating Disorders

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're releasing one of our bonus episodes from our Rope Gun feed on Patreon because the content is a PSA and super important for as many climbe...

RunOut #110: Russ Clune is Climbing’s Lifer

03 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is the esteemed Russ Clune, a climbing legend of the Shawangunks in New York, where he has established notable first ascents and from ...

RunOut #109: John Middendorf on How Climbing Gear Precedes Progress

12 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is a genuine legend and one of the pioneers of big-wall climbing. John Middendorf is a mechanical engineer, gear designer, researcher,...

RunOut #108: Colin Haley and the Lifelong Epic Quest of Alpinism

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is one of the all-time great alpinists of our time. Colin Haley joins to the show in the wake of an uneventful trip to Alaska, and exp...

RunOut #107: Speed Climbing is OK

15 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Albert Ok, a YouTuber and speed-climbing coach. Albert goes by the handle Professor Ok, and creates content that breaks down moveme...

RunOut #106: Taylor Swift and Walldies. Plus: Ontario’s Climbing Nightmare

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a proper mix of silly and seriousness, as we talk to Mike Penney, director of the Ontario Alliance of Climbers, who is currently pushi...

RunOut #105: Quad Life, Anchor Dweebs, and Keeping Print Alive

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Luke Mehall is the publisher of The Climbing Zine, and the the creator of the Dirtbag State of Mind podcast. After America’s two most prominent clim...

RunOut #104: Savannah Cummins Balances it All

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Savannah Cummins is a filmmaker, photographer, and all-around professional climber. We talk about some of her wildest expeditions to the farthest corn...

RunOut #103: Can Cedar Wright Keep Dirtbagging Alive?

14 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In an era of remote work and $200K Sprinter Vans, it may seem like the archetypal dirtbag of climbing lore is obsolete if not dead. Cedar Wright is on...

RunOut #102: Christian Beckwith digs in to the 10th Mountain Division

30 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

RunOut #102: Christian Beckwith digs in to the 10th Mountain Division Our guest today is Christian Beckwith, a writer, podcaster, and co-founder of A...

RunOut #101: Will Congress let climbers bolt in Wilderness?

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Protect America’s Rock Climbing Act (H.R. 1380) is a bipartisan collaboration before Congress that aims to establish rock climbing as a legitima...

RunOut 100: Live with Tommy

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For our hundredth episode (has another podcast ever reached such a milestone?) we hosted a live conversation and Q&A with Tommy Caldwell for all of ou...

RunOut #99: Corey Rich: AI and the Future of Climbing Photography

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is climbing photography dead? In an era in which everyone has an iPhone and now generative AI can create realistic photographic “content,” what ro...

RunOut #98: More with Majka Burhardt

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

RunOut #98: More with Majka Burhardt RunOut #98: More with Majka Burhardt Majka Burhardt is a professional climber, author, and mother of twins. H...

RunOut #97: Why Lynn Hill is going back to the fundamentals

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lynn Hill needs no intro. She’s best known as the individual who completed the first free ascent of the Nose of El Capitan, as well as the first per...

RunOut #96: Thomas Huber is Free

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas Huber is one of the most accomplished and beloved climbers of all time. Along with his brother Alex, Thomas helped pave the way for modern free...

RunOut #95: Hazel Findlay Builds Strong Minds

12 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New Year, New Us. We connect for the first podcast of 2023, and Chris shares his aspirations of becoming a climbing warrior while Andrew is back on hi...

RunOut #94: Inside Free Soloing with Jeff Smoot

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the best way to belay with a GriGri? How should you build an anchor? Is that CE-certified piece of webbing really strong enough for real-worl...

RunOut #93: Alex Honnold Hits Different

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We kick it with Alex Honnold, the rock climber who was once on 60 Minutes. He has even done a few other impressive things since then … you know, lik...

RunOut #92: Libby Sauter and the Myth of Having it All

24 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve got a double-header today with two amazing guests. Our first guest is Scott Johnston, a coach, trainer, and co-author of Training for the N...

RunOut #91: Katie Brown is Back

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Last month, an 8-year-old boy and his dad “climbed” El Capitan with the help of two other anonymous climbers who presumably guided the father-son ...

RunOut #90: The Permit Debate Continues

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If there is one thing you can say about this show, it’s that we are the most fair and balanced climbing podcast in the world. Following last episode...

RunOut #89: Ethics, Rules, Crowds, Permits

01 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Yosemite National Park is attempting to make its Covid-era rule in which climbers are required to have a permit to spend the night on a big wall p...

RunOut #88: Booty Rules, Aloha Jefe

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Who doesn’t love booty? Finding gear on a route can make a climber’s day, but what are the best practices for finding the owner’s gear? Court’...

RunOut #87: Jonathan Siegrist eats Kinder Cakes for breakfast

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan Siegrist, one of the world’s best sport climbers, returns to the show to share the news of his recent send of Rifle’s hardest route. We c...

RunOut #86: Climbing is in Seb Bouin’s DNA

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our guest today is Seb Bouin, one of the best rock climbers on Earth and the author of DNA, one of three 5.15d rock climbs established thus far. We ta...

RunOut #85: WTF is “Ski Mountaineering” with Cody Townsend?

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

To start, we grimly remark on the latest round up of avalanches, landslides, and glacier collapses and what that means for mountain travel in the futu...

RunOut #84: Connor Herson Returns

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Connor Herson returns to the show, a few years older, a few inches taller, and more than a few impressive ticks under his belt. One of his latest asce...

RunOut #83: Justification for a Trad Attitude

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hard, scary trad climbing is all fun and games until someone breaks their back. That’s what happened to Molly Mitchell on Crank It, a 5.13+ sport cl...

RunOut #82: From Skardu to Comp Don’ts

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We begin with a conversation with Ben Hanna, the newest member of the prestigious USA Climbing National Team. At 23 years young, Ben is a longtime cru...

Bonus: Carlo Traversi Does Magic

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Carlo Traversi is having one of the best climbing years of his life. He's sending V-insane, 5.15b sport, and 5.14c trad — all while managing a succe...

RunOut #81: The Sanctity of Space

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What’s better: cragging it up in a full-on scene filled with gumbies and noobs, spray bros and crusher queens? Or going off to some obscure choss pi...

RunOut #80: Barefoot in Font, Valley of Giants

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Will a new film from Reel Rock encourage climbers to engage in risky behavior and not use their rubbers on the rock? We discuss Barefoot Charles and h...

RunOut #79: Bish Slaps

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After not watching the Oscars because who cares, we talk about the thing everyone was talking about and recall some of the more famous slaps that have...

RunOut #78: Bolts are Out but the Doctor’s In

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A new climbing management plan in Joshua Tree National Park redefines bolts as installations. We pore through this ominous plan to try to figure what ...

RunOut #77: Greasy and the Beast

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ned Feehally is one of the few climbers ever to have flashed V14 (8B+). He is also one of the founders of Beastmaker, a U.K. climbing company that ush...

RunOut #76: Cool Shoes, Jordan Cannon

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friend of the pod and crusher of granite Jordan Cannon returns to the show with an update from his life on the road. We dive into a range of topics ac...

RunOut #75: Celebrities and Relationships

18 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you listening to The RunOut or TMZ? It may be hard to tell as we catch up on the latest celebrity gossip: weddings, babies, and who we are wearing...

RunOut #74: Max Lowe and his new film TORN

27 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alex Lowe was considered one of the best climbers in the world in the 1990s. His feats in the mountains were as legendary as his infectious stoke for ...

RunOut #73: Real Crack with Tom Randall

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

RunOut #73: Real Crack with Tom Randall Today we’re joined by British crack-climbing legend Tom Randall to discuss his latest first ascent with his...

RunOut #72: Hear Them Lor

22 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lor Sabourin is one of the country’s top trad climbers, with ascents as hard as 5.14a on gear. They are a coach, a guide, and the subject of a new f...

RunOut #71: Climbing Big

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Birthday challenge accepted: Chris Kalous manages to commemorate his big 50th birthday with a big day of climbing: 50 pitches at Indian Creek. After t...

RunOut #70: Flexing 5.15 and Making Land Acknowledgements

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What was the first 5.15b in the US? With Matty Hong’s recent second ascent of Flex Luthor, which upgraded to 5.15b, we consider how this news shapes...

RunOut #69: The Continuing Legend of Chris Sharma

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Sharma makes his RunOut podcast debut to catch us up on what’s going on his busy life as a gym owner who just opened the biggest climbing gym ...

RunOut #68: Chasing the Alpinist

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

RunOut #68: Chasing the Alpinist Marc André Leclerc was one of the most reticent and enigmatic figures in climbing—a guy who few knew much about o...

RunOut #67: John Long Finds His Wings

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John Long needs no introduction—he’s climbing’s most prolific writer, Stonemaster, and a genre unto himself. He joins us to talk about his excel...