JCPC 174 Steph Davis

This star of US adventure climbing shone brightly in the early 2000s with big free ascents on El Cap at a time when few ventured there without aid. Big solos, desert sandstone crack testpieces, expeditions to Kyrgyzstan, Baffin and Paragonia, amongst others, made her one of the most experienced adventureclimbers of her day. Later years saw the adventures continue with the embracing of base jumping and wingsuit flying.

Beyond all these has  lain a thoughtful and considered approach, always ready to self check and ask twice. Skills that surely came to the fore during tough times around loss of sponsorship and latterly, personal tragedy. 

Steph lays it all out with a thousand laughs along the way.  Such fun, so honest. Check this two-part interview. 

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

If you are a fan of Jam Crack and would like to support the podcast then do so on Patreon here.

Niall x

JCPC 173 Donegal Stories

To celebrate St Patrick’s Day, Niall Grimes reads out some stories based in his favourite part of Ireland, Donegal. Also featuring Mary Shiels’ poetry and Brian Callan’s medley.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

If you are a fan of Jam Crack and would like to support the podcast then do so on Patreon here.

Niall x

JCPC 172 Magnus Midtbø

With well over two millions subscibers to his YouTube channel, Magnus Midtbø is one of the most famous climbers in the world. But what lies behind this Norwegian tough guy. Magnus joined Jam Crack in a live event at the KMF to find out.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

If you are a fan of Jam Crack and would like to support the podcast then do so on Patreon here.

Niall x


JCPC 171 Rob Matheson

Lifer, and then some! Lakes legend Rob Matheson was at the forefront of Lake District standards since the 1970s, rarely taking his foot off the gas of hard trad climbing. Skill, boldness and passion took him up the area’s classics. His fire burns just as bright today as he aims himself towards one of the UK’s most terrifying E7s. Hear his crack!

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

If you are a fan of Jam Crack and would like to support the podcast then do so on Patreon here.

Niall x

JCPC 170 Xian Goh

Photo: Alex McArthur

Professional climbing coach Xian Goh has spent years observing climbers climb and has converted her knowledge into a book on climbing movement called Smooth. What a cool idea. Let’s hearall about it.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

If you are a fan of Jam Crack and would like to support the podcast then do so on Patreon here.

Niall x


JCPC 169 Alex Huber - part 3

Foto Jan Vincent Kleine

He’s back! He’s had his dinner, he’s chatted with the Mexicans and now Alex Huber is back for the third and best Jam Crack. This is amazing. Talks about Latok 2, Choktoi Ri, Free Rider, Salathe, Zodiac Free, soloing Free Rider, soloing Hasse Brandler and loads more. So beautiful.

Part 1 here, part 2 here.

Niall x

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

JCPC 167 Julian Lines

photo Paul Higginson

Pure soul. Julian is one of the UK’s most extraordinary climbers, a stoic toejammer, a ramrod individualist, an aesthetic ascetic. Film star, prize-winning author, hermit. Get in!

Niall x

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.



JCPC 165 Zoe Peetermans

What a cackle as we sit down in Unit E with Zoe Peetermans. She’s reigning British Bouldering Champ and British Lead vice champ. She’s a star and a great cat. Hear the passion, intellegence and personality burn through in this chat.

In part one (ep 164) in introduce the show but mostly chat shit. As well as that there are some wonderful haikus from Anesu and Mike.

In part two (ep 165) it’s all about Zoe. Takes your picks

Niall x

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

JCPC 163 Rick Accomazzo talks Tobin Sorenson

Tobin Sorenson was one of America's boldest and most gifted climbers of the 1970s. Tobin's friend Rick Accomazzo comes on the show to tell us about Tobin and why he chose to write a book about him.

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 162 Siara Fabbri

With her ascent of New Base Line, Siara Fabbri joined the world elite of women climbing 8B+. A huge achievement for someone who started climbing at 21 and who works full time in cutting edge science. Antimatter, anyone?

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 161 Alex Huber returns

He’s back! We got Alex Huber back on the show to chat about pushing the limit of sport climbs into the 9a+ grade, El Cap free routes, Wolfgang Güllich, controversial opinions and lot more.

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 160 Alex Huber

Photo: Vincent Kleine

Alex Huber rose to prominence in the early 1990s with ascents of what were the world's hardest sport climbs, consolidating the 9a grade and pushing on into 9a+. He brought his power to freeing the walls of El Cap and changed that mighty golden landscape forever adding the most popular and beautiful climbs on the great faces.

At the same time, he brought his power and skill to much more serious and remote objectives in the Himalaya, Karakoram, Patagonia and the Arctic. Groundbreaking ascents followed in the Dolomites as well as top level free solos.

His is one of the most significant climbers of recent times. Check it out.

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 159 James Pearson

A brilliant two-parter for your ears.

In part 1 trad-monster James Pearson reflects on the early days of marching through the numbers to the top of grade-mountain and finding himself eventually on the edge of the cliff. Powerful stuff, lots of fun.

In part 2 we talk about big downgrades, the fallout, getting back up the E12 and his recent repeat of MacLeod’s mystical Echo Wall.

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 158 Caroline Ciavaldini

French-born ex-comp best turned lover of British hard trad mega-classics Caro sits down and answers some of her own questions - is that a thing? Super crack.

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 156 Neil Gresham

Neil Gresham has been chomping hard at the climbing bit forover three decades, always pushing and changing his focus. In p1 we hear about Sheffield times in the 1990s.

In part 2 we talk Indian Face, Hard Grit, travelling and exploration, DWS, training and professionalism. Get in!

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 154 Tom Bolger

Hello, World!

Photo: @esteban.ele.eme

Away from the spotlight, Yorkshire-born, Catalunyan-based Tom has quietly been redpointing and creating sport climbs of the highest calibre and is one of the few British climbers who are solidly climbing into the ninth grade. Let’s hear his crack.

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Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or Google Podcasts. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 153 Beth Rodden

Photo Corey Rich

Climbing royalty. Beth Rodden’s impact on climbing from the late 90s to the late 00s was huge. She pushed forward female standards in sport and trad, did early free ascents on El Cap, and established a crack testpiece where ascents still make the news.

Injuries led to a stepping back, motherhood followed and she has now written her autobiography, A Light Through the Cracks.

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or Google Podcasts. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCC 151 Andrew Bisharat

Photo: Drew Smith

Writer and podcaster Andrew Bisharat looks back on a life in journalism, creativity, climbing, being mbbed and his involvement in the Palestine-based film, Resistance Climbing.

Support the podcast on Patreon here.

Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or Google Podcasts. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall

JCPC 150 Jerry Moffatt Revelations

On the 15th anniversary of Jerry Moffatt Revelations, for which I was ghost writer, I read some sections, remember the creation and listen to some recordings.

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Listen via the player below. Better still, go via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or Google Podcasts. If you like the podcast, then subscribe via one of these services. That way the shows will download automatically.

Cheers all,

Niall