

The RunOut Podcast
Andrew Bisharat & Chris Kalous
Chris Kalous (The Enormocast) and Andrew Bisharat (Evening Sends) bring decades of climbing experience to the mic, talking with the most interesting voices in the sport. From bouldering to big walls, comps to alpinism—no discipline is off-limits and no dogma goes unchallenged. You might not always agree, but you’ll probably laugh about it later.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 13, 2023 • 1h 18min
RunOut #116: Mary Catherine Eden Charms the Black Mamba
Mary Catherine Eden is probably best known for popular Instagram account @tradprincess, but she’s far more than just another online influencer. She’s recently ticked one of the hardest crack climbs in the country, Black Mamba (5.14b), joining a small group of women, if not people of any flavor, who have climbed 5.14 on gear. We talk about her love of crack climbing, progression, “eating her veggies,” and balancing it all in life.
But first, yr lovable disgruntled show hosts grumble about new proposals that seek to regulate our ability to place bolts in Wilderness.
Our final bit comes all the way from Glasgow, UK, as Dan Brown combines his love of climbing with music.
Show Notes
Follow Mary Eden on Instagram
News of Mary’s ascent of Black Mamba
Access Fund report on the latest climbing management plans
Dan Brown 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/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com

Nov 23, 2023 • 1h 34min
RunOut 115: Jakob Schubert Goes B.I.G. (Plus Jared Leto’s big TR)
Jakob Schubert is a four-time World Champion, an Olympic bronze medalist, and he has more IFSC gold medals than another male competitor. He’s also sent some of the hardest routes in the world, including, most recently, a first ascent of Project B.I.G. in Flatanger, which he rated 9c, making it only the third route ever to be given this grade. Our interview with Jakob takes us behind the scenes on his livestream of sending B.I.G.; his ticklist of some of the hardest routes in the world, especially Chris Sharma lines; who he thinks might be a contender in the next Olympics; and his love of American football.
But first, we talk about Jared Leto’s toprope ascent of the Empire State Building, and try to figure out why everyone so mad.
Today’s final bit comes from OG local legend Joel Brady and his band d'Artagnan and the Banjoman.
Show Notes
Follow Jakob Schubert on Instagram.
Subscribe to Jakob Schubert’s YouTube Channel.
Climbing.com’s news report on Project B.I.G.
Jared Leto Climbs Empire State Building on BBC
Photo of Jared Leto climbing by Renan Ozturk on the NatGeo feed
Follow Joel Brady on Instagram
“I’m Dying” by d'Artagnan and the Banjoman
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/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com

Nov 10, 2023 • 1h 12min
RunOut #114: Kris Hampton Taps into the Power of Climbing History
Kris Hampton is the brains and brawn behind Power Company Climbing and the cohost of the podcast by the same name. His insatiable love of creating new things, whether that’s training plans for climbers or music, has led him to launch Written in Stone, a new climbing history podcast looking at monumental moments in our sport, decade by decade.
But first, we respond to a couple of show listeners who had an absolutely insane exchange with climbing’s most notorious authority. No, we’re not talking about cops or park rangers. We’re talking about the kid who gives the belay test in the gym.
Finally, we’re honored to share some new music from our super talented friend Andy Mann, a National Geographic photographer, director, and musician / storyteller. His new EP is called Full Moon Fight.
Show Notes
Power Company Climbing
Power Company Climbing and Written in Stone podcasts
Follow Kris Hampton on Instagram
Follow Andy Mann on Instagram and check out his music here
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/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com

Oct 24, 2023 • 1h 24min
RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly
RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly
RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly
This fall, two American women found themselves in an unlikely race to reach the summit of Shishapangma, and thereby earn themselves a place in the record books as being the first American woman to have done all 14 8,000-meter peaks (with oxygen). Unfortunately, both Anna Gutu and Gina Rzucidło, alongside their respective Sherpa guides Mingmar Sherpa and Tenjen Lama, perished in two separate avalanches about 30 minutes apart around 7,800 meters. Did this informal competition lead them to making bad decisions that ultimately cost everyone their lives? To make sense of this terrible tragedy, as well as to discuss some of the ongoing issues around competency, infrastructure, and regulations within the Himalayan guiding industry, we speak to Adrian Ballinger of Alpenglow Expeditions. Adrian has guided numerous high-altitude peaks, including many summits of Mount Everest, and his company Alpenglow leads over 30 international expeditions each year. And he has also personally climbed Mount Everest and K2 without using oxygen, and notably made the first ski descent of Makalu.
But first, your friendly neighborhood climbing podcasters think about what would happen if the Rapture came for pro climbers and they were all smite’d away from this good, green earth. Would that change anything about the climbing we know and love?
Last, today’s final bit comes from an experimental instrumental band called Les Rhinoceros, with drums and percussion played by climber and friend of the pod Jon Burrier.
Show Notes
Via Explorer’s Web: “What Happened on Shishapangma: The Climbers Speak Out”
Shishapangma Avalanche: Two U.S. Women, Two Sherpas Dead/Missing
Follow Jon Burrier on Instagram and check out his SoundCloud
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/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com

Oct 10, 2023 • 1h 31min
RunOut #112: America’s First Climbing Gym Owner Sounds the Alarm
Our guest today is Rich Johnston, the president and owner of Vertical World in Seattle, known as America’s First Climbing Gym (TM). He’s also the founding chairman of the Climbing Wall Association, where he served for 16 years, and a board member on The Mountaineers. Rich tells us about the earliest days of the climbing-wall industry, why he never thought climbing gyms would succeed, and how important culture and philosophy are to creating a community of climbers that abide by the inherent risk doctrine. All of this is a prelude to discussing an important bellwether lawsuit that was just settled involving a climber who didn’t clip himself in properly to an auto belay, and still came away with a whopping settlement in his favor.
But first, your favorite climbing podcast hosts talk about the nebulous rules and etiquette for passing people on a multi-pitch climb. When should you let people play through? And is it ever OK to just pass without permission?
Last but not least, our Final Bit comes to us from listener, climber, fellow dad, and self-proclaimed “normal guy” from Boise, Idaho, Alan Keller. HIs band is called Prairie Mountain Plain and this new song “North Bound and West” is from their latest album While They Sleep.
Show Notes
Climbing Mag: Gym and Auto Belay Manufacturer to Pay $6M in Settlement for Auto Belay Accident
Evening Sends: Will Climbing Gyms Survive the Lawsuits?
The plaintiff’s attorney’s press release.
Vertical World’s response
Vertical World
Andrew Megas-Russell on Instagram
Prairie Mountain Plain on Spotify

Sep 19, 2023 • 1h 25min
RunOut #111: A Fine Line for Graham Zimmerman
Today’s guest is Graham Zimmerman, an alpinist, a recipient of the Piolet d’Or and a director at Protect Our Winters, a climate-advocacy group. His new book is “A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains.”
But first, cave raves are all fun and games until your favorite crag gets shut down. Your favorite climbing podcaster hosts try to figure out where their personal boundaries lie for self-policing the climbing world.
Our final bit is an original ode to Vedauwoo by climbing couple Morgan Shannon and Ben Baltich.
Show Notes
Follow Graham Zimmerman on Instagram
Order his book from The Mountaineers.
Protect Our Winters

Sep 6, 2023 • 1h
Bonus: Alannah Yip Sounds the Alarm on Eating Disorders
Today, we're releasing one of our bonus episodes from our Rope Gun feed on Patreon because the content is a PSA and super important for as many climbers out there to hear.
Our conversation is with Alannah Yip, an Olympic sport climber from Canada with an incredible career. This summer, Alannah started a conversation about the prevalence of eating disorders in high-end comp climbing, fears about RED-S afflicting athletes, and what many view as foot-dragging by the IFSC, comp climbing's governing body, to do much about it.
After Alannah's viral post on Instagram, she was joined by the likes of Janja Garnbret in adding her concerns to the conversation, and this topic has also resulted in two doctors resigning from the IFSC medical commission in protest over their inaction.
If you like this episode, and want to never miss important bonus episodes such as this one, please join us on Patreon! For as little as $5.14/month you'll get bonus content and other perks and help us continue to cover the best sport in the world through this podcast.
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. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com
Show Notes
IFSC Doctors Resign, Alleging Health Dangers in Competitive Climbing
Follow Alannah Yip on Instagram
Alannah's IG post

Sep 3, 2023 • 1h 40min
RunOut #110: Russ Clune is Climbing’s Lifer
Our guest today is the esteemed Russ Clune, a climbing legend of the Shawangunks in New York, where he has established notable first ascents and from where he bases in between trips to dozens of countries and crags around the world. His new book is “The Lifer: Rock Climbing Adventures In The Gunks And Beyond.”
But first, yr hosts try to figure out why everyone hates trustfunding dirtbags so much.
Our final bit is some music from Lambros Markousis, a climber, metal fabricator, musician, and amateur stop-motion animator out of Buffalo, NY. Performing as the artist Sorbmal, here is the song “Num.”
Show Notes
The Lifer: Rock Climbing Adventures In The Gunks And Beyond at DiAngelo Publications
Read: The Day I Sent Balance of Soul by Russ Clune on Evening Sends
Follow Sorbmal on Spotify

Aug 12, 2023 • 1h 26min
RunOut #109: John Middendorf on How Climbing Gear Precedes Progress
Our guest today is a genuine legend and one of the pioneers of big-wall climbing. John Middendorf is a mechanical engineer, gear designer, researcher, writer, and teacher based in Tasmania. His climbing accomplishments pushed the limits of big-walls, adventure, and exploration throughout the 1980s and ‘90s. Most notably, he’s responsible for the first ascent of the East Face of Great Trango Tower, widely considered the largest and steepest continuous wall in the world at 4,400 feet, which he achieved with Xaver Bongard in 1992. The team used portal edges designed by Middendorf himself from his company A5 Adventures. Over the years, Middendorf has continued to refine his portaledge designs, with the D4 Designs which you can find on his website bigwalls.net, one of the first climbing websites in the world. Today, Middendorf has been engaged in an academic review of esoteric climbing journals of old to learn how the developments and advancements of gear have preceded leaps in progress thanks to the “influencers” of the day.
But first, yer friendly podcasting hosts are back on their usual bullshit after a few weeks of summer vacation.
Our final bit is some buddy spray from RunOut listener Andres Santiago. For spraying about his buddy, Andres is receiving a Yeti Yonder water bottle. If you’d like to submit spray, join us on Patreon.com/runoutpodcast to do so.
Show Notes
Check out bigwalls.net
Mechanical Advantage, Vol 1.
Mechanical Advantage, Vol 2.
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/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com

5 snips
Jul 31, 2023 • 1h 23min
RunOut #108: Colin Haley and the Lifelong Epic Quest of Alpinism
Our guest today is one of the all-time great alpinists of our time. Colin Haley joins to the show in the wake of an uneventful trip to Alaska, and explains why such missions are part of a healthy approach to pursuing a lifetime of adventure and alpine climbing in the mountains.
But first, your hosts return from separate vacations and commiserate over how easy and glamorous it is to climb abroad with kids, while still making space to sneak in some deep-water solos.
For our final bit, we present an original composition for Marimba by Jared Kohli entitled Joyous.
Show Notes
Follow Colin Haley on Instagram
Report on Alaska trip
Free soloing Fitz Roy
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✅ Join us on Patreon by becoming a Rope Gun. For less than the cost of a gallon of diesel, you can save the environment while receiving extra bonus episodes of your favorite climbing podcast.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/runoutpodcastContact us Send ideas, voicemail, feedback and more. andrew@runoutpodcast.com // chris@runoutpodcast.com