Melissa Strong is a climber, restaurateur, and writer. In 2017, she nearly lost her life in an electrical accident that left her with amputated and disfigured hands. Her new book is called Climbing Through: A Courageous Story of Grit, Healing, and Second Chances.

But first, we talk (more) about Dean Potter, the late climbing and BASE jumping visionary who is the subject of a new documentary called The Dark Wizard.

Today’s final bit is a listener-submitted homage to some climbing partners and community, from Daniel Kent.

Show Notes

Melissa Strong: https://www.melissaistrong.com

Follow Melissa Strong: https://www.instagram.com/melissaistrong/

“Climbing Through: A Courageous Story of Grit, Healing, and Second Chances: https://www.melissaistrong.com/about

Watch The Dark Wizard: https://www.hbomax.com/shows/dark-wizard/76e78c26-21c9-45b4-b84b-4c3e1f8ff763

Still getting “free climbing” wrong: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/the-dark-wizard-hbo-max-review/

The True Story Behind The Dark Wizard, via TIME: https://time.com/article/2026/04/13/the-dark-wizard-dean-potter-true-story/

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Ethan Salvo is a Canadian climber based in Squamish, who’s best known as the first Canadian to climb V16. That same week, he also climbed Dreamcatcher, Chris Sharma’s 5.14d. And this past he winter, he climbed Lucid Dreaming, the V15 in Bishop.

But first, your lukewarm podcast hosts discuss a hot take: Was hang dogging a mistake?

Our final bit is Jess Steven with a cover of “Black Flies”

Show Notes

Follow Ethan Salvo: https://www.instagram.com/ethansalvo

Ethan Salvo on Substack: https://ethansalvo.substack.com

https://blackdiamondequipment.com/blogs/stories/event-horizon

Follow Jessica Steven: https://www.instagram.com/peace.and.choss

Jessica Steven: https://jessicasteven.weebly.com/

This episode is sponsored by Patagonia. Check out their new Free Wall Kit: https://www.patagonia.com/free-wall-kit/

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

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 reached not just once, but three times: La Rambla, Biographie, and Papichulo. In recent years, a battle with Lyme disease has made climbing at her limit difficult, and she’s channeled her energy into art, music, and writing. Her new book, The Margo Method, outlines her approach to climbing and health.

But first, we pore over the details of a very interesting, precedent-setting case involving a manslaughter conviction after a winter mountaineering ascent turns tragic. 

Our final bit is a San Diego rock band called Half Hour Late, with their song Ain’t Nothing New.

Show Notes

Follow Margo Hayes: https://www.instagram.com/margojain/

“The Margo Method: Strong and Soft”: https://margohayes.com/the-margo-method-strong-and-soft/the-margo-method-strong-and-soft

Margo’s music: “Notes To You”: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/margojain/notes-to-you

Austrian Man Found Guilty in Girlfriend’s Death on Mountain Hike: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/19/world/europe/austrian-man-girlfriend-death-mountain-hike-guilty.html

Follow Half Hour Late: https://www.instagram.com/halfhourlate/

https://halfhourlate.com

The new Free Wall Kit from Patagonia

This episode is sponsored by our friends at Patagonia. The new Free Wall Kit is a six piece kit designed to help you perform, rest, and recover on multi-pitch climbs. Check out the full kit here: https://www.patagonia.com/free-wall-kit/?utm_source=runout&utm_medium=endemic&utm_campaign=S26_freewallkit

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 his 2025 climbing season in Yosemite, when he ticked the free Nose in a day, got a first free ascent of Triple Direct, and climbed many other major notable routes all while going to school.

But first, what’s next for Alex Honnold? We have some ideas.

Today’s final bit is from photographer and musician Cliff Ritchey, with the song “Patagonia.” Cliff teamed up with writer Kelsey Timmerman on a book called “Regenerating Earth,” by Patagonia Books, that documents regenerative farming practices around the world. During their travels, they visited Patagonia, and Cliff fell in love with the place, the people, and the culture. The result is this song, titled “Patagonia.”

Show Notes

Follow Connor Herson on IG: https://www.instagram.com/connor.herson

Did Connor Herson Just Have the Best 3 Days in Yosemite Climbing History? – via Climbing.com: https://www.climbing.com/news/connor-herson-nose-in-a-day-and-triple-direct/

Connor’s latest news: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUqlp18j6vL/?img_index=1

Follow Cliff Ritchey on IG: https://www.instagram.com/cliffritcheyart/

Cliff Ritchey photography / music: https://cliffritchey.com

“Regenerating Earth”: https://www.patagonia.com/product/regenerating-earth-farmers-working-with-nature-to-feed-our-future/BK935.html

Listen to “Patagonia” on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/7FI7MHOVpU75neTEUC3JIn?si=df8c08fae8c6469a

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

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 acheived the first female ascent of Century Crack, perhaps the world’s longest and hardest wide roof crack. 

But first, we talk about what everyone’s talking about. Alex Honnold and Taipei 101. To listen to the full intro bit, however, you’ll need to head over to Patreon.com/runoutpodcast to become a supporter of the show. With just a few more subscribers, we’ll make as much money as Honnold did free soloing Taipei.

Today’s final bit comes from the heavy metal band Bygone, with Canmore-based climber Noah Stachulski on guitar. When Noah’s not contemplating dry-tooling ethics, he’s debating his music bros on how to classify different genres of metal. Little surprise these the two worlds go together so well.

Show Notes

Mary Eden Becomes First Woman to Send ‘Century Crack’ (5.14b) https://www.climbing.com/news/mary-eden-trad-princess-first-female-ascent-century-crack/

Follow Mary Catherine Eden on Instagram https://instagram.com/tradprincess

Alex Honnold Completes Historic Live Climb of Taipei 101 https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/how-to-watch-alex-honnold-skyscraper-climb-live-netflix

Bygone on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7ii5T8TaNV9XpG2mOkwslf?si=yqRUoJa3QzG11wC4oxoKKg

Follow Noah Stachulski on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atthemountainsofradness/

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Just when you though you understood what a zone hold was … Hasn’t the comp climbing format already been “solved?” Some think there is room for improvement, including Charlie Boscoe, an alpinist turned World Cup commentator. He is the co-founder of the Professional Climbing League, a new comp series launching in London on February 28.

But first, Chris sings praise of a crag where people know how to operate, and the wheat is separated from the chaff. Unfortunately, it turns out the chaff is Andrew.

For our final bit, friend of the show Christopher Parker returns with the namesake track off his new album, Withered Roses, dropping January 30th. 

Show notes

Professional Climbing League: https://www.proclimbing.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProClimbingLeague

Follow the PCL: https://www.instagram.com/proclimbingleague/

Follow Charlie Boscoe: https://www.instagram.com/charlieboscoe1/

Western Sloper: https://www.wolverinepublishing.com/shop-all-guidebooks/p/western-sloper-4th-edition

Christopher Parker Music: https://christopherparkermusic.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6qZrlQIIBrZGDvx69AXmus?si=try9WEw7T86bNvCw770smQ

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/christopher-parker/9258292

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

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), Silbergeier and End of Silence—two of the iconic multipitch alpine routes that form Europe’s so-called Alpine Trilogy—as well as El Corazón and the Pineapple Express on El Capitan.

Before diving into Lara’s climbing and approach to mental strength, we open with a conversation about the benefits—and potential pitfalls—of choosing a climber as your partner for life, both on and off the rock.

This episode’s final bit comes from Dave Pomeranz, a longtime climber balancing life as a dad and guitarist while roaming the American West. His band, Whale Fall, contributes the track “The Dawn Thief,” inspired by long night drives through deserts and mountains on the way to climb.

Show Notes 

Follow Lara Neumeier: https://www.instagram.com/laraneumeier/

Pineapple Express: https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/lara-neumeier-nemuel-fuerle-repeat-el-nino-via-pineapple-express-el-capitan-yosemite.html

Psychogramm news: https://www.lacrux.com/klettern/lara-neumeier-zeigt-nervenstarke-erste-frauenbegehung-von-trad-route-psychogramm/

Thomas Huber: The Day I Sent End of Silence: https://eveningsends.com/thomas-huber-the-day-i-sent-the-end-of-silence/

Whale Fall on Bandcamp https://whalefall.bandcamp.com

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

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, and Survival. Beyond discussing the traumatic story that she tells in her book, we enjoyed listening to Fallon bring her always thoughtful, grounded perspective to the way she approaches movement, risk, and life on the rock.

But first, we sit down to talk about The Art of Suffering. No, not the kind of suffering we normally describe of getting to Rifle and finding nowhere to park. The kind of suffering that only one of alpinism’s most enigmatic and thoughtful philosophers could articulate: Voytek Kurtkyka, the legendary Polish climber. 

Our final bit comes from climber, listener, and drummer Todd Hammond, and the Utah-based band The Statuettes. This track is called The of End of Everything.

Show Notes

Follow Fallon Rowe: https://www.instagram.com/fallonclimbs

“Pay No Mind: A Memoir of Climbing, Abuse, and Survival” at DiAngelo Books: https://www.diangelopublications.com/shop/p/pay-no-mind

Voytek Kurtyka: “The Art of Suffering”: https://thefossilclub.blogspot.com/2012/07/art-of-suffering.html?m=1

More on Voytek: https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201214642/The-Art-of-Freedom-The-Life-and-Climbs-of-Voytek-Kurtyka

The Statuettes on Bandcamp: https://michaelgross.bandcamp.com/music

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

On June 8 Kate Kellegan and Laura Pineau (aka Mademoiselle Fissure) became the first women to complete the Yosemite Triple Crown. That means the climbed El Capitan, Half Dome and Mt. Watkins in a day. Their time was 23 hours, 36 minutes, and 40 seconds. In this conversation, Kate and Laura share the tactics they used to achieve their big link-up, including tapping into the stoke and  support of the community.  

But first, Kalous lays down on the therapy couch while Dr. Bisharat tries to diagnose why redpointing projects isn’t bringing him the kind of joy you might otherwise expect.

Last, the Pink Rope Club from Atlanta performs their anthem.

Show Notes

Triple Crown News on UK Climbing: https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2025/06/kate_kelleghan_and_laura_pineau_on_completing_the_yosemite_triple_crown-73998

Follow Kate Kellegan: https://www.instagram.com/katekelleghan/

Follow Laura Pineau: https://www.instagram.com/laurapineau/

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]

Danielle Sarli is a kindergarten teacher, musician, and passionate climber. She is the author of Little Climber, a new kids’ book illustrated by Amanda Joy Hogan. We discuss how to tap into that kid-like innate urge to climb, and kindle the joy that we all feel when stand on top of the world—or our own projects. 

But first, your inquisitive show hosts take a moment to ask each other anything. Literally, anything.

Last, we’d be remiss not to share some of Danielle’s musical chops. Here she is performing Beauty Land. 

Show Notes

Follow Danielle Sarli: https://www.instagram.com/danielle_climbs/

Order “Little Climber”: https://littleclimberbook.com/shop

Watch “Beauty Land” music video: https://youtu.be/y1Jc2xvI_oo?si=eVUstBI6i_k1ONJ_

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 be the climber known as Jesse James, a Squamish dirtbag who made his mark on the scene, both in real life and online. In fact, it took three years for investigators to discover his real name and his incredible and sordid past. Who was this person really and what clues did his past reveal about who killed him—or why? Steven Chua is a freelance journalist based in Vancouver. He’s a rock climber, and the host of Dirtbag Climber, a new true-crime podcast from the CBC’s Uncover. This riveting new podcast peels back the layers of Jess James, a former neo-nazi turned crypto king dirtbag climbing outlaw.

But first, your well-intentioned hosts try to breathe a bit of positivity into the world by shining our lights on several climbing stories that are all good and about which nothing negative can be said.

Today’s final bit comes from climber, OG Stone Monkey, public speaker and purveyor of joy, just like us, Timmy O’Neill. He is also the sometimes touring drummer for the Surf Rock Duo, Par Avion. Featured is the track Bikini Beach Bash recorded live at the Eldorado in downtown Carbondale CO.

Show Notes

Listen to “Dirtbag Climber” from Uncover https://link.mgln.ai/dc-therunout

Follow Steven Chua on X

Michaela Kiersch announces first ascent of Mad Lib (5.14d) https://www.instagram.com/p/DOvxvhZkWXF/?hl=en&img_index=1

“Cerro Torre Winter Solo” on Colin Haley’s blog

Tim Emmett is pretty fired up

Dave Graham climbs V16

Walton Goggins – Batso

Become a RunOut Rope Gun! Support our podcast and increase your RunOut runtime. Bonus episodes, AMA, and more will be available to our Rope Guns. Thank you for your support! http://patreon.com/runoutpodcast

Contact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. [email protected] // [email protected]