Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast

He’s back! We got Alex Huber back on the show to chat about pushing sport climbs into 9a+, El Cap free routes, Wolfgang Güllich, controversial opinions and lot more. Go for your guns! For BMC insurance click here https://bit.ly/3ZtcR2W  

Alex Huber rose to prominence in the early 1990s with ascents of what were the world's hardest sport climbs, consolidating the 9a grade and pushing on into 9a+. He brought his power to freeing the walls of El Cap and changed that mighty golden landscape forever adding the most popular and beautiful climbs on the great faces. At the same time, he brought his power and skill to much more serious and remote objectives in the Himalaya, Karakoram, Patagonia and the Arctic. Groundbreaking ascents followed in the Dolomites as well as top level free solos. His is one of the most significant climbers of recent times. Check it out.

In episode 2 of the James chat we talk about big downgrades, the fallout, getting back up the E12 and his recent repeat of MacLeod’s mystical Echo Wall.

Trad-monster James Pearson reflects on the early days of marching through the numbers to the top of grade-mountain and finding himself eventually on the edge of the cliff. Powerful stuff, lots of fun.

French-born ex-comp best turned lover of British hard trad mega-classics Caro sits down and answers some of her own questions - is that a thing? Super crack.

In part 2 of the Neil Gresham chat we talk Indian Face, Hard Grit, travelling and exploration, DWS, training and professionalism. Brilliant!

Neil Gresham has been chomping hard at the climbing bit for nearly forty years, always pushing hard and changing his focus. In part 1 we hear about Sheffield in the 1990s. Get in!

Jim Pope reads End of a Climb by John Menlove Edwards, widely regarded as one of the finest bits of pre-war climbing writing.

Away from the spotlight, Yorkshire-born Tom Bolger has quietly been redpointing and creating sport climbs of the highest calibre and is one of the few British climbers who are solidly climbing into the ninth grade. We caught up with Tom in his home in the global heart of sport climbing, Catalunya, to see what makes him tick.

Climbing royalty. Beth Rodden’s impact on climbing from the late 90s to the late 00s was huge. She pushed forward female standards in sport and trad, did early free ascents on El cap, and established a crack testpiece where ascents still make the news. Injuries led to a stepping back, motherhood followed and she has now written her autobiography, A Light Through the Cracks.

Me and Remus talk crap about climbing.

Writer and podcaster Andrew Bisharat looks back on a life in journalism, creativity, climbing, being mbbed and his involvement in the Palestine-based film, Resistance Climbing.

On the 15th anniversary of Jerry Moffatt Revelations, for which I was ghost writer, I read some sections, remember the creation and listen to some recordings.

Norweigan trad beast, crack shuffler and professional amateur Mari talks Troll Wall, local clubs, El Cap and always looking forward.

Part 2 of the amazing tale of Billy Ridal and Alex Waterhouse's epic free ascent of The Nose on El Cap.

Having recently retired from a life of indoor comps, two plastic-hardened heroes declare to the world that they are off to free climb The Nose of El Cap, the world's greatest trad route. Get outta town. Part 2 follows tomorrow.

Al Lee’s films have documented UK trad climbing and climbers for over a decade. Movies such as On Sight, Climbing Blind, Blocheads and The Prophet have made the screen shine. This week let’s hear Al’s crack.

Your annual sermon from the disco pulpit where the Jesus of beats and the Devil of groove battle it out in an epic dance to the death. Hot dog! Love's a-winnin!

23-year-old Zoe was born into climbing in the hills and homes of North Wales where the slopes of Eryri turn their eyes towards the sea, This world was sketched in a recent film, Adra, which captured too her love for her home. Hear about it and her current career as a routesetter and a move to Sheffield. Many Cackles are had.

In part 2 we hear about Leo’s attempt to push standards and adventure on El Cap, breathtaking stories of wingsuit flying, racing Jeremy Clarkson, then taking his skills to the arctic wilderness and finally bringing it closer to home.