Connor Herson couldn’t legally drive when he freed the Nose in 2018, competently navigating up his way up a route only Lynn Hill and Tommy Caldwell had freed. The climbing world wondered where this prodigy would take traditional climbing. In the years that followed, Connor was busy with regular teenage life – finishing up high school and heading for college. In 2025, the climbing world stopped wondering and watched as the 22-year-old put together the single greatest year of trad climbing.

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The path to professionalism is murky at best. Even for established world-class athletes, it’s a struggle to make it work. Two friends chart very different paths in the hopes of getting paid to do what they love. 

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Sean Bailey flies beneath the radar and he wants you to know he’s cool with that. Most of the time. After retiring from a decorated comp career, Sean has sent multiple v17 boulder problems and North America’s first 5.15d, but America’s best climber seems far more interested in the hunt for the next great climb than partaking in the social media hype machine.  

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David

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When protests erupted in Iran in fall of 2022, human rights activist and professional climber Nasim Eshqi was climbing in France. As she watched the uprising back home unfold, Nasim knew that returning home at that moment would mean arrest and imprisonment at the hands of the government. She doubled down on her criticism of Iran’s repressive regime and used her climbing to bring the struggle to the international climbing community.

The episode originally in November 2023

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The North Face

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Waking Up

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AG1

Go to DrinkAG1.com/climbinggold to get an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 FREE in your Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription ($72 value)

Kodiak Cakes

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LMNT 

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Jimmy Chin refuses to play the game on easy mode. Whether it’s climbing, photography or filmmaking, Jimmy has spent a career figuring out the most bad ass goal in whatever medium and then making it happen. He’s had some mentors along the way, a little luck and an unparalleled work ethic, but his ability to step into uncomfortable situations is his super power.  

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Factor

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Turtlebox

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In the days after Alex’s successful climb of Taipei 101, Fitz and Alex debrief on the whirlwind week, including ending up in an SNL skit and the joy that comes from doing what you love. 

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David

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Waking Up

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The internet is talking. Why is Alex so psyched to climb a skyscraper on live TV? How hard is Taipei 101? Is this a gimmick? The answers go deeper than you might expect. Fitz sat down with Alex to break it down before he left for Taipei.

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AG1

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Later this month, Alex will set out to climb the Taipei 101 skyscraper, but he certainly won’t be the first. For the last three decades, Alain Robert has been the living legend of the underground scene of climbing buildings. Arrested more than 170 times, his passion for buildings stemmed out of his passion for cutting edge free soloing. His tick list featured routes Alex wouldn’t dare to touch today. 

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David
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2025 – what a year in climbing. Jonathan Siegrist and Leici Hendrix join us to break down the highlights. First woman to climb 5.15c. V17 in a session. El Cap flashed in a day. The next generation is now firmly in the driver seat and ready to carry climbing into its next chapter.   

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In 2001, Chris Sharma ushered in 5.15a when he completed Biographie after pouring years into the long standing project. Its position, aesthetic, history and heartbreaking sequences that have spit off the best climbers cemented the route into climbing’s memory. Today, we dive into Biographie with Chris, cinematographer Brett Lowell, Margo Hayes and Jonathan Siegrist to understand what makes the route so special.  

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As climbers, are we powerless in the face of what’s happening to our public lands? We sat down with retired Senator Mark Udall and Heather Thorne, Executive Director of Access Fund, to talk about what we can do to help the future of American climbing and our public lands. 

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David

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