Russ Clune is a Legend. I once introduced him as climbing's Forrest Gump, because since the 1980's he's been there for many of climbing's most impactful moments. A Gunks local who has traveled widely to climb on every type of rock, in every style imaginable, he's a living thread from before sport climbing to now, and if you're ever lucky enough to meet him, will eagerly regale you with those stories.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Lynn Hill’s arrival on the Gunks climbing scene.
• Working on Vandals with Lynn.
• When Lynn became THE Lynn Hill.
• The pros and cons of the yoyo tactic.
• Clune's new book, The Lifer: Rock Climbing Adventures in the Gunks and Beyond

This week our patrons, The Secret Stoners Club, get's a bonus conversation with Russ discussing Jerry Moffatt, Wolfgang Gullich, Patrick Edlinger and more. Join for free and be entered to win a free copy of The Lifer!

Check out our website for related episodes, resources and more!

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Season Two is generously supported by Rab.

This episode is supported by Tension Climbing. Use code WRITTEN15 at checkout.

Written in Stone is co-created with Power Company Climbing.

In 1983, after years of climbing on Yosemite's granite cracks with John Long and the Stonemasters, Lynn Hill went on a roadtrip. First to Arizona, then to Colorado and finally Red Rock, outside of Las Vegas. While on the road, she and Long established some of the most classic routes in the country. After a brief foray into Hollywood stunts, Lynn traveled to the Gunks to climb for a magazine article and photoshoot.

What happened next is history.

Join the Secret Stoners Club for FREE and get bonus episodes and giveaways!

Check out Climbing Free by Lynn Hill

Check out The Lifer by Russ Clune

Check out our website for related episodes, resources and more!

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Season Two is generously supported by Rab.

This episode is supported by Tension Climbing. Use code WRITTEN15 at checkout.

Written in Stone is co-created with Power Company Climbing.

Many climbers put Jerry Moffatt’s book, Revelations, on the top of their list. This is in no small part due to the work of Niall Grimes, who co-wrote the Banff Mountain Book Festival Grand Prize Winner. Niall is an Irish climbing legend who lives in Sheffield, and the host of the hilarious, story filled Jam Crack Climbing Podcast.

In this episode we discuss what Jerry Moffatt’s name meant in the early days, why Niall’s first meeting with Jerry resulted in Jerry naked and tied to a pipe, and the influence that Jerry has and continues to have over Sheffield climbing.

Revelations by Jerry Moffatt and Niall Grimes

Jam Crack Climbing Podcast

Niall’s article My Map of the World

Niall’s article King of the Crag

Check out our website for related episodes, resources and more!

Join the Secret Stoners Club for FREE and get bonus episodes.

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Season Two is generously supported by Rab.

This episode is supported by Tension Climbing. Use code WRITTEN15 at checkout.

This episode is supported by our research partner, NOLS: The National Outdoor Leadership School.

Written in Stone is co-created with Power Company Climbing.

In 1983, one climber was more dominant than any other: Jerry Moffatt. Filled with confidence, he traveled the world not only to quickly repeat the hardest routes, but to put up his own routes - often the hardest in the country. A trip to the US let the world know that he had arrived, but it was a trip to Germany with one of the brightest German stars that really cemented his place as the best. And this wouldn't be the last we hear of Jerry Moffatt.

Check out Revelations by Jerry Moffatt and Niall Grimes

Check out our website for related episodes, resources and more!

Join the Secret Stoners Club for FREE and get bonus episodes.

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Season Two is generously supported by Rab.

This episode is supported by Tension Climbing. Use code WRITTEN15 at checkout.

This episode is supported by our research partner, NOLS: The National Outdoor Leadership School.

Written in Stone is co-created with Power Company Climbing.

There’s nobody better than Bill Ramsey to discuss the impact that Alan Watts had on climbing. Not only is he a philosophy professor, but he was born in the same hospital as Alan, just a few hours later. Their fathers climbed together at Smith Rock, their mothers shared a recovery room, and together they found a love of climbing that helped bring Smith Rock into the future.

We discuss:

• Bill and Alan’s early climbing.
• What contributed to changing ethics at Smith Rock.
• What Alan saw in Smith Rock that Bill didn’t.
• Alan’s forward thinking and selflessness.
• What Alan Watts means to climbing history.

Check out our website for related episodes, resources and more!

Join the Secret Stoners Club for FREE and get bonus episodes.

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Season Two is generously supported by Rab.

This episode is supported by Tension Climbing. Use code WRITTEN15 at checkout.

This episode is supported by our research partner, NOLS: The National Outdoor Leadership School.

Written in Stone is co-created with Power Company Climbing.

In early 1983, in a small backwater area in Oregon with less than stellar rock, Smith Rock, sport climbing history was quietly being made. Alan Watts had all but climbed out the cracks in the area and had turned his attention to the blank faces and lasercut aretes. He would have to bend the rules to get it done, but with nobody around to tell him otherwise, he got to work. The result would be not only the climb recognized as the first sport climb in the country, Watt’s Tots, but a short, steep, gymnastic arete that would set off a chain reaction that changed American – and world – climbing culture forever.

Check out our website for resources and more!

Join the Secret Stoners Club for FREE and get bonus episodes.

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Season Two is generously supported by Rab.

This episode is supported by Tension Climbing. Use code WRITTEN15 at checkout.

This episode is supported by our research partner, NOLS: The National Outdoor Leadership School.

Written in Stone is co-created with Power Company Climbing.

Kris chats with French legend David Chambre, the author of one of the best and most beautiful reference books out there for 90’s climbing history, The 9th Grade. David’s previous book, co-written with Jibe Tribout, The 8th Grade, is a treasure trove of French climbing history of the late 1970’s and early to mid 1980’s. They discuss the influence of Patrick Edlinger on both French and world climbing history.

Discussed in the episode:

• The difference between the two Patricks.
• The rivalry between the Parisians and Edlinger.
• Edlinger’s influence on climbing culture.
• The effect of fame on Edlinger.
• Tribout’s ability to provoke.
• French climbing history.

Check out more here!

Join the Secret Stoners Club for FREE.

Get David's Book The 9th Grade

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Season Two is generously supported by Rab.

This episode is supported by Tension Climbing. Use code WRITTEN15 at checkout.

Written in Stone is co-created with Power Company Climbing.

Kris sits down in Wyoming with two absolute legends from the 80’s, Jibé Tribout and Arnould T’Kint, to talk about Patrick Edlinger and the birth of sport climbing as we know it.

Belgian climbing legend Arnould T’Kint did the third 8a in the world, and the first outside of the US, as well as reportedly being the first to onsight 8a.

Jibé Tribout is a french and world climbing legend who, through the 80’s and 90’s, was always at the leading edge of difficulty, from 13a to 14c.

They discuss:

• Pushing grades in the 80's.
• The origins of free-climbing as a pursuit.
• The rivalry between Tribout and Patrick Edlinger.
• The scene at Buoux and Verdon in the 80's.
• The benefits of friendly competition at the crag.
• The first actual comps.
• Tribout playing the villain.

Check out more here!

Join the Secret Stoners Club for FREE.

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Season Two is generously supported by Rab.

Written in Stone is co-created with Power Company Climbing.