

The RunOut #155: The state of American bolts with Nate Liles
Sep 3, 2025
01:28:50
Nate Liles is a photographer, filmmaker, and development director at the American Safe Climbing Association. Today's conversation with Nate centers on the state of bolts and bolting in America today, and the tenuous landscape of route developers, local climbing organizations, land managers, and community-organized bolting events that keep the state of hardware at our crags in the best shape possible. We talk about best practices regarding how to maintain hardware, where we've inadvertently created issues, and the importance of supporting your local climbing organization—not to mention the ASCA itself—with your dollars.
But first, we talk about bad kids at the crags and reaching the threshold for when there are just too many of these rotten, no-good brats ruining our wilderness experiences.
Last but never least, today's final bit comes from the talented photographer and musician Taylor Shaffer
Show Notes
Follow Nate Liles on Instagram
Follow the ASCA on Instagram
Donate to the ASCA
SafeClimbing.org
Orographic Creative
Follow Taylor Shaffer and Taylor Shaffer Music on Instagram
Taylor Shaffer on Spotify
Taylor Shaffer interview