The Power Company Climbing Podcast

Kris Hampton | How to Weekend Warrior, hosted by Nate Drolet

We're flipping the script for our 100th (!!!) episode. Nate takes over the host mic, and I do my best to let him lead the conversation. After being at the helm so many conversations, it's hard for me to relinquish that role.
In this episode we talk about my years of Weekend Warrioring, and how to climb hard while also being dedicated to a career and family. We dig into how many hours of training it takes and how to make that happen. We also get into how the recent changes in my life and situation have changed how I have to look at my climbing.
We don't tweet. We scream like eagles.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

Tonde Katiyo | Setting For the Future

I've heard Tonde Katiyo described as a ninja, a samurai, Buddha and Yoda, among other ethereal, higher level beings. Though Tonde is definitely a human, those descriptions aren't necessarily wrong. 
In conversation it's quickly evident that Tonde has put quite a bit of thought and care into his craft. He approaches it with both a pragmatism and creativity that often don't exist together. Partly because of this juxtaposition, many in the routesetting industry seem to look to Tonde for their cues, and he doesn't give answers lightly.
Instead, he asks questions. 
Tonde and I sat down at the Climbing Wall Association Summit to discuss his vision for setting... both present and future. We dig into his ideas concerning circuits, the RIC (risk, intensity, complexity) Scale, the silent partnership between climber and setter, and art versus design. 
If you came here looking for answers, you may not find them. What you will likely find are more questions. According to Tonde Katiyo, those may be the best answers of all. 
For the photo of Tonde with Yoda ears and holding planets in his hands, as well as links to his instagram and videos, visit us at The Episode Page
We don't tweet. We scream like eagles.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

Brown Girls Climb | Diversity in Climbing

These are three of the most dynamic women I've ever had the pleasure of having a conversation with. They've put their souls into their work. I went in prepared (and nervous) for a very serious discussion, but they so easily toggled between joking and focused that I was put completely at ease.
Brown Girls Climb aims to promote and increase visibility of diversity in climbing by establishing a community of climbers of color, encouraging leadership opportunities for identified women climbers of color, and by creating inclusive opportunities to climb and explore for under represented communities.
We sat down to discuss diversity in climbing. It's a complex topic, and while you won't find answers here, per se, thoughts may be sparked that lead you toward your own answers.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

BOARD MEETINGS | The Art of the 2nd Try Send

Sending a route 2nd try is NOT THE SAME as the 2nd Try Send. The difference isn't even subtle. It's a whole different animal. 
In this episode Nate and I discuss the What, Why, How, and When of the extremely valuable skill of the 2nd Try Send. 
Learn it. You'll be glad you did.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

Jorg Verhoeven | Project 9b

If you aren't aware of Jorg Verhoeven, it's likely that you don't pay all that much attention to climbing. Jorg is one of the most accomplished all around climbers on the planet, having climbed 14d, V15, and freed the Nose and Dihedral Wall on ElCap. He's also an accomplished comp climber, having been on more than 25 World Cup podiums for bouldering and lead, and having won both the Combined World Cup Championship and the Overal Lead World Cup Championship. 
He climbs hard. He climbs well. On all terrain, in all the places. 
In this episode I sit down with Jorg in Vail to discuss his big goal of climbing 15b, and the website he's started to let us all follow along, www.project-9b.com. Project 9b is a rare glimpse into not only the training of a pro climber, but the thought process behind it, the tactics employed, and the emotions of success and failure. 
You can find videos of Jorg from LT11 HERE.
We don't tweet. We scream like eagles.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

Ryan Gagnon & Valerie McDonough | Engaging Minority Youth in Climbing

Ryan Gagnon is rare blend of data driven research and infectious enthusiasm, particularly when discussing his programs built to introduce and engage minority youth in climbing. I attended a talk that Ryan gave at the CWA Summit, and afterward sat down with him to talk. Because I know very little about the challenges that a gym might face in implementing these programs, I pulled in my friend Valerie McDonough, who manages Rockquest Climbing Center in Cincinnati. 
You can find Ryan online at www.ryangagnon.com
You can email Ryan at ryan@usaclimbing.org or ryangagno@clemson.edu
We don't tweet. We scream like eagles.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

John Sherman | Bouldering, Through a Different Lens

Long before John Sherman was a crusader for the plight of the California Condor, he was a bouldering pioneer, brilliant writer, and creator of the bouldering V-scale. In this episode we sit down in Hueco Tanks to discuss his accomplishments as well as to argue about his most infamous creation. 
John's list of strong opinions is nearly as long as his list of first ascents, and the only reason it hasn't doubled is because he holds onto an opinion for dear life. I admire that, and I love to argue it. Of course, Verm doesn't bat an eye in telling me how wrong I am. I drag Alex Puccio and Matt Wilder into the fray, because they happened to be in the room. At times, the audio was rough, but I did my best to make sure you get the full conversation. 
One of John's strong opinions is in saving the California Condor. His photos of these majestic birds are incredible, and if you'd like to donate to the cause, you can do so at The Peregrine Fund. Be sure to choose "California Condor" for your gift. 
Read a touching tribute from John to Condor 337 at http://www.vermphoto.com/blog/2016/6/in-memory-of-condor-337
We're all rooting for Verm as he makes an attempt to re-send the worlds most famous boulder problem... something like 100 years after he first rocked over on that spooky mantle. You can join him at www.oldmanlightning.com and root him on, heckle him, or whatever. After this next colonoscopy, there's no way he's not sending.
Thanks to Dawn Kish at www.dawnkishphotography for the cover photo.
We don't tweet. We scream like eagles.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

Scott Pagel & Tyler Algeo | Being Good Climbing Partners

A good climbing partner can be your greatest asset. If you dispute this, it's because you've never had a great partner, and you're just going to have to trust me. 
This episode could easily have been categorized as a Not So Average Joe episode, or it could have damn near been one of our upcoming Power Couple episodes. This is because both of these guys still don't quite understand what their capable of, and it's unlikely they would have yet reached their current level without the other on the belay. 
I've worked with both Scott and Tyler for quite some time, and I'm damned proud of the work we've done. We all sat down together in Cincinnati to discuss the ins and outs and ups and downs of being climbing partners. What it means, how to recognize it, and how to cultivate it. We walk through a season that for both of them has been paradigm shifting. 
They are two opposites who have built something that both can stand on to reach further, and are eager to continue learning and improving. While Tyler is the more analytical of the two, both analyze every detail of their climbing days and talk it over.
For the comparison videos mentioned in the episode, go HERE.
We don't tweet. We scream like eagles.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

Aicacia Young | Health Starts in the Gut

Aicacia Young believes that health begins in the gut, and she LOVES to talk about it. So much so that it almost makes me excited to do the same. Almost. 
In this episode we get into the basics. How do we know we need to improve our gut health and how do we go about it? What products do we use, and how much is enough? And maybe the most fun, what exactly is going on in there that constitutes poor gut health?
Aicacia is a Registered Dietitian and owner of ClimbHealthy.com. She's also the Director of Scientific Affairs at Microbiome Labs, maker of some of her probiotic recommendations, which you can find below. At the time of this interview, she was a freelance copywriter for them. 
Find Aicacia on Instagram HERE
Go HERE for Aicacia's probiotic recommendations.
We don't tweet. We scream like eagles.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.

BOARD MEETINGS | Do Climbing Gym Grades Matter?

In this episode, in the midst of a gym tour, Nate and I sit down to discuss how we feel about climbing gym grades. Do they matter? Should they be taken seriously? How do they relate to outdoor grades? And possibly most important, what the hell do we do with them?
We don't tweet. We scream like eagles.
 
The Power Company Podcast is brought to you by Power Company Climbing and is a proud member of the Plug Tone Audio Collective.
You can help us keep episodes sponsor-free by becoming a Patron for as little as $3 a month.
Find full episode transcripts and more at our website.