Ω POWERBAND PODCAST: Recent Episodes
Powerband Podcast
Welcome to the 50th and final episode of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with the man who (unwittingly) inspired this entire podcast project, Chris Kalous.
Chris who? Well, Chris is an American climber based in Carbondale, Colorado and is perhaps best known as the host of the world's best climbing podcast: The Enormocast. Or maybe the aid rant.
So what does that have to do with New Zealand climbing? Not a lot. Chris did spend a formative ~9 months living and climbing in New Zealand and, as such, has some great stories to tell and some interesting insights into the New Zealand climbing scene in the 90's. But the main reason he appears as the 50th and final guest on the podcast is because he's the godfather of climbing podcasts and this whole endeavour has been a shameless ripoff of his show.
So sit back and enjoy Chris' silky voice and classic comic timing. Enjoy!
PS. I hope that you enjoyed the podcast series.
Welcome to Episode 49 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with mathlete, engineer, runner, boulderer, tradster and alpinist Rose Pearson.
Rose hails from Dunedin. A few forays to the local climbing wall sparked an early interest in climbing but all climbing opportunities ceased when her family moved to Springfield, Illinois, USA when she was 11.
Returning to New Zealand after completing secondary school, Rose attended Canterbury University and completed an engineering degree (majoring in electrical engineering). While there, she combined her "deep love" of mathematics and physics with a growing passion for bouldering. The more problems to solve, the better!
Bouldering slowly gave way to trad climbing and then alpinism. Rose was part of the first wave of young climbers to join the New Zealand Alpine Team. Unlike the others, however, she managed to complete her menteeship while also completing a PhD at Cambridge University.
Rose has since gone on to accomplish many impressive climbs, including first ascents in the Southern Alps, Canada and Peru. Yet, those accomplishments very nearly did not happen following a serious accident Rose and her brother suffered while adventuring through the western flanks of the Southern Alps.
In our conversation, we cover all of that as well as Rose's thoughts on risk in the mountains, managing irrational and rational fear and making good decisions. And we discuss the value of climbing clubs and communities and the importance of the deep connections that can be made with other humans through climbing. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 48 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with the first woman to climb Mt Everest without supplemental oxygen, Lydia Bradey ONZM.
Lydia grew up in Christchurch and started her adventuring as a young teenager when she joined one of the local tramping clubs. She quickly developed a taste for tramps off the beaten track and above the bushline.
Tramping gave way to mountaineering (same same but different, she would say) and before you could blink she was climbing big aid lines in Yosemite and tackling 8000m peaks in the Himalaya.
In 1988, following her (near solo) ascent of Mt Everest without supplemental oxygen, Lydia became embroiled in an unsavory controversy when fellow Kiwi climbers (who had been members of her expedition) called her ascent into question.
The immediate aftermath of that experience was extremely difficult for Lydia, as rumours, half-truths and lies swirled around the New Zealand climbing community and she was powerless to stop it. Happily, after 2 years of darkness, she reclaimed her place in the mountains.
These days, when she isn't guiding climbers or skiers in some far flung corner of the globe, you'll find her hanging out with her partner and her cat in the Lake Hāwea township or maybe enjoying a cheeky sport climb on the cliffs around Wānaka.
In our conversation, we chat about her origins, her love of tramping, her love of aid climbing and, of course, the whole Everest thing.
If you want to know more about Lydia or to buy her book, click here.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 47 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with mountaineer, paraglider, caver, board gamer, mountain runner and rock climber, Mike McManaway.
Mike grew up (mostly) in Canterbury. As full time boarder at a very traditional boys school, he signed on for mountaineering mostly as a means of escape. But those early experiences planted the seed of adventure and, in one way or another, Mike has been chasing it ever since.
After the death of a climbing partner on Aspiring and then a brush with death himself in a crevasse, Mike put the crampons away in his early 20s and settled into a corporate career, with a bit of competitive backgammon on the side. Backgammon led to starting a small business selling board games and, eventually, inventing a board game himself:
The global success of Tantrix enabled Mike to enjoy a lifestyle of travel and adventure. At some point, paragliding became his obsession and he found himself competing internationally as part of the New Zealand team. He also set some flight distance records along the way.
At some point, his partner Britta decided that they should both take up rock climbing. Mike was 40 years old at the time and was initially skeptical. But after seconding a climb at Cathedral Rock in Golden Bay, he caught the bug and, with now customary obsessiveness, committed himself utterly to climbing. 22 years later, he might just be starting to slow down.
In our conversation, we chat about Mike's many obsessions but, perhaps more interestingly, about his philosophy for mind games, adventure and life. And we chat about his 350 attempts on Mea Culpa at Paines Ford. That's right, 350 attempts. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 46 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with inveterate climber, photographer, coffee drinker and one half of the senior management team at Unwin Lodge, Simon Middlemass.
"Simon is a middle-aged, semi-retired, semi-reclusive climber..." - at least that's how Simon is described in a guidebook to climbing in Golden Bay that he co-authored with Mark Watson back in 2003. These days, he might be slightly more middle-aged and slightly more retired but, fortunately for listeners of this venerable podcast, his level of reclusiveness was no barrier to getting him to sit down in front of a microphone and talk about himself. Twice.
Simon grew up in Otago. Secondary schooling at a couple of traditional boys schools confirmed that the mainstream (in the 1970s at least) was not the stream for Simon. He eventually found his tribe at the Otago University Tramping Club, despite professing to dislike tramping intensely. Climbing, on the other hand, quickly became Simon's thing and four decades later he's still very much a part of the New Zealand climbing world, even if his actual climbing output is modest these days.
In our conversation, we tour through some of the highlights of Simon's climbing and travels while he reflects on the way that climbing has shaped, and still shapes, his life. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 45 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with Manawatū's best rock climber, Scott Mooney.
Scott was born in Palmerston North but grew up (mostly) on the north shore of Auckland. Like many before him, Scott's first exposure to climbing was on a school trip to the short side at the Quarry. Where would New Zealand climbing (and, in Scott's case, Swedish climbing also) be without the Quarry? That's a rhetorical question but the answer is nowhere!
In the 1990s, Scott quickly became the best of Auckland's new generation of climbers. He had oodles of natural ability and strength but perhaps what set him apart the most was his insatiable appetite for ticks. Very quickly, Scott became a crag ticking machine, happily working his way through the local crags, move by move, climb by climb.
In the 2000s, Scott kicked things up a notch, moving to Sweden and getting stuck into the local granite crags and the best limestone that Europe has to offer. His ticklist from the last 15 years is staggering, with something like 500 29/8a routes, and several hundred routes between 31/8b and 34/8c+.
In our conversation, we chat about Scott's affection for the Quarry, about 90s climbing culture in Auckland and all that was good and bad with the local scene. We chat about Built To Last (Scott's famous test piece at Froggatt Edge/Waipari) and about never climbing 9a. We chat about bolting projects and stealing projects. And Scott reflects on recent changes to his drive to climb every route on the planet. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 44 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with rock climber, big waller, ice climber, whitewater canoeist and orienteerer, Rick McGregor.
Rick was born in Auckland in the 1950s and, as a young Auckland Grammar student, happened upon the opportunity to climb at the short side of the Quarry (now known as the crag that Auckland Grammar School closed because of ridiculous ideas about ridiculous health and safety laws). He quickly fell in love with climbing and fell in with the leading (only?) Auckland rock climbers of the day, including the famous Robbie McBirney.
As Rick tells it, it wasn't long before he and Robbie grew bored of the short side, whereupon they wandered around the corner to see whether the long side (hitherto used to practice the obscure and doomed art of aid climbing) to see whether there were free climbing opportunities. The rest is literally history, with Rick bagging many classic first ascents such as Bandersnatch 19, Thimblerigger 21 and his Quarry test piece, the cleverly named Perennial Pipedreams 26.
Driven and productive would be two words to describe Rick and his approach to climbing. In a climbing "career" that spans more than 50 years, Rick has travelled and climbed extensively in New Zealand and abroad, including extended periods in Australia and Yosemite. He has lived in Sweden for the past 25 years but that hasn't stopped him making regular visits to the Shaky Isles. And it seems that he hasn't ever slowed down.
Besides the climbing, Rick found time to become an internationally competitive kayaker. As you do. He has also done "about 450 days" of ice climbing, competed internationally in orienteering and no doubt done many other things. Exhausted? Rick isn't. At 67 years young, he's still going strong.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 43 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with father, businessman, alpinist, ice climber, rock climber and big waller, Daniel Joll.
Daniel is one of New Zealand's best all-round climbers. From the Hawke's Bay to the Himalaya via Whanganui Bay, the Blueys, Patagonia, Yosemite and the Darrans, he has climbed more hard pitches and rapped off more V threads than you've had hot dinners.
Perhaps best known for his role in establishing the New Zealand Alpine Team or for being part of a team of 3 that claimed the first repeat of the infamous west face/rib on Changabang in the Garhwal Himalaya, Daniel has also climbed 8a sport routes in Europe, established grade 28 multipitch routes ground up in the Darrans and freed El Capitan in Yosemite (one of only 3 New Zealand climbers to do so). In short, his résumé deep and impressive. And yet you probably didn't know that because Dan prefers to let his climbs do the talking....until the Powerband Podcast twisted his arm, that is.
In our conversation, I try to get to the bottom of who Dan Joll is as a person and as a climber and what makes him tick. I'll let you decide how well it went. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 42 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with the one of the finest climbers ever to escape from the Manawatū, Mike Rockell.
Born in Waiouru, Mike went to school and university in Palmerston North. He was an adventurous youth, who quickly developed a keen interest in mountaineering and rock climbing. After some top roping on the vertical dirt cliffs that flank Pork Chop Hill near the Manawatū river, Mike's interest in the mountains quickly gave way to an interest in (solid) cliffs and soon Mike was flying north on his motorcycle heading for Whanganui Bay. And, more or less, the rest is history.
In our conversation, we chat about Mike's early years as a climber, his days at the Bay and Paines and Baring Head and about some of his classic first ascents such as Bizarete and Fawlty Towers. Mike reflects on his place in New Zealand climbing history and on the many ways in which the climbing scene has changed since he first tied in. He shares some stories about his travels to Yosemite and the Verdon and we even get 'deep and meaningful' on climbing ethics, retrobolting and the value of risk.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 41 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with the most internationally famous Kiwi rock climber of all time, Mayan Smith-Gobat.
Mayan needs no introduction. In her prime, Mayan was one of world's leading female adventure and big wall climbers. And her sport climbing game wasn't half bad either. From freeing the Salathe on El Capitan, to the first female ascent of Punks In The Gym at Arapiles, to nearly the first full free ascent of Riders On The Storm on Torre Central, to a speed record on The Nose, Mayan's climbing resumé is impressive by any measure. She has been on the cover of Rock & Ice magazine, been fully sponsored by Adidas and she even has her own Wikipedia page. How cool is that?
Mayan grew up in the shadow of Aoraki Mt Cook and climbing and adventure were in her blood. However, it wasn't until Mayan suffered a jaw-shattering accident while extreme skiing that her passion for rock climbing emerged. Mayan was a natural and she had all the attributes necessary to climb at a very high level: she was athletic, adventurous and single-minded.
In our conversation, we cover the formative years that Mayan spent climbing in New Zealand, we talk about the long, winding path to becoming a professional rock climber, we discuss the good, the bad and the ugly sides of being paid to climb, and we go deep as Mayan reflects on what has she learnt along the way - about climbing, about life and about her body and about herself.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 40 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with climber, mother, designer and one half of castlehillbasin.co.nz, Erin Stewart.
Erin is a born-and-bred Christchurchian but her path to climbing was not the usual one. By her own admission, Erin was not sporty or adventurous as a young person, preferring to read books and listen to music. She says her friends would have voted her as the least likely amongst them to become a rock climber.
But that all changed after leaving school. As a young 'party girl', Erin found herself flatting with a couple, one of whom (Jamie Vinton-Boot) was a bad ass climber. And he had a lot of bad ass climber friends. And the rest is history.
In our conversation, we cover Erin's journey to becoming a climber, from virtually no athletic background to a world of training, spreadsheets and redpoint tactics (#whatisgame).
We also discuss a few 'meaty' issues including: managing fear in climbing; parenting as a climber; and, perhaps the most topical topic, the place of women in New Zealand outdoor rock climbing (after Erin called out the Powerband Podcast for its notable interviewee gender imbalance).
The discussion on women in New Zealand rock climbing flows from an article ('Mind The Gap') that Erin wrote for the New Zealand Alpine Journal, where she identified a large gap between the relative performance levels of leading male and female climbers in Aotearoa and explored some of the reasons why that might be. In our conversation, we pick up that thread and run with it and hopefully you find it thought-provoking. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 39 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with coach and competition climber Cirrus Tan.
You may know or recognise Cirrus as 'chicksnchalk' - the name on her Instagram profile. She is one of New Zealand's leading climbing coaches and competition climbers.
Growing up in Christchurch, a renowned 'climbing city', Cirrus actually forged her own path into the climbing life, starting out on the little climbing wall at her secondary school. As a teen, she joined a climbing team at her local climbing wall and quickly became immersed in the indoor climbing scene. She dabbled in outdoor climbing too, although seemed to think that that was just about having fun (if only the Powerband Training Tips From The Bunker episodes had been available to her back then she would have realised that if you're having fun, you're doing it wrong).
In our conversation, we cover her 'self-made climber' approach, her decision to combine her professional training in sports and climbing to become one of New Zealand's only professional climbing coaches, her love of competitions, her thoughts on many aspects of competition climbing, her Olympic qualification experience, her feelings about outdoor climbing and her brief stint as a reality television star. And more besides. Enjoy!
You can find Cirrus on Insta here and her online training service here.
Welcome to Episode 38 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with child-prodigy-turned-off-the-couch-crusher, Zac Orme.
With a natural aptitude for climbing, Zac was part of a wave of youth talent to emerge in the early 2000s from the dingy, dust-filled corners of Lower Hutt's finest (only) commercial climbing wall, Hangdog.
Zac fell quickly into the competition climbing scene, where (more often than not) he dominated - including being crowned national male open lead champion multiple times, winning the national bouldering championships and representing New Zealand at several youth world championships.
But inevitably the rocks callled, and Zac answered. Often as one third of an awesome threesome (Zac, James Morris and Derek Thatcher), Zac quickly established himself as one of the top guys, with impressive ascents on the boulders of Castle Hill Basin, the granite walls of Fiordland, the limestone tufas of Fyfe River Gorge and the volcanic steeps of the Cave.
In our conversation, we cover all the usual stuff plus some exclusive insights into the life of a 165cm climber, the real reason why Zac Keegan is called Bob and the Lord Humongous project in the Fyfe. Enjoy.
Welcome to Episode 37 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with economist, uber-volunteer and alpine rock enthusiast, Ross Cullen.
Born in 1948, Ross came (relatively) late to climbing, at the tender age of 29. And he hasn't stopped since.
On completing his education, Ross initially pursued a career as a young farmer. But after a few years of working on the family farm, Ross decided that a life as a climber and academic economist seemed more appealing. Perhaps not an obvious change of tack but it's hard to argue with his logic.
In relatively short order, Ross found himself on a New Zealand expedition to the West Ridge of Everest, part of a team that included Sir Graeme Dingle. It was brief foray into the big league of Himalayan climbing.
On his return to New Zealand, Ross gravitated towards exploring the vast potential for alpine rock routes in the Southern Alps immediately south of the Aoraki Mt Cook region. What followed was several decades of exploration and first ascents, and two guidebooks to the area.
His climbing partner for so many of those first ascents was the legendary and reclusive Bill McLeod. In our conversation, Ross paints a vivid picture of Bill and the traits that made him such a force of nature in the mountains.
Throughout his climbing life, Ross has been a committed and highly productive volunteer, with stints in various New Zealand Alpine Club roles (including President), as a search and rescue volunteer, as a guidebook author and, more recently, as one of the founding trustees of the Tūpiki Trust. As Ross says himself, he has a strong sense of duty.
Enjoy the chat. And if you want to know more about Ross, you can buy a copy of his book here.
Welcome to Episode 36 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak, via the magic of the information superhighway, with the one and only Charlie Creese.
Here's a question: was there ever a time when a New Zealand rock climber was at the forefront of international climbing standards? Probably not. But if there was, it was in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Charlie, a teenage phenom, was establishing some of the hardest routes and boulders in Australasia. Indeed, perhaps his most famous climb - A Show Of Strength V8 - at Baring Head is reputed to have been one of the hardest problems in the world when he climbed it.
Born and bred in Wellington, Charlie discovered climbing at the tender age of 13. Despite the truly awful quality of rock accessible from his house (climbing gyms hadn't been invented and he had no driver's license or car), Charlie progressed quickly. Before long, he was part of a cohort making regular trips to Titahi Bay and then Baring Head, where his steely strong fingers and love of a good sequence yielded many classic boulder problems (including the aforementioned A Show Of Strength).
A little incongruously, the Quarry in Auckland was where Charlie really made his mark on a rope. In the late 1970s, the Quarry was home to most of the hardest rock climbs in Aotearoa. Charlie promptly dispatched them all, then set about adding such test pieces as Studio 54, Pet Cemetery and Blam Blam Blam (all pre-sticky rubber). Blam Blam Blam was among the hardest things going at the time.
And then he vanished from the scene. Or, more accurately, he had to walk away from climbing on account of debilitating chronic finger issues. Yet, as you will hear, he found his way back to the "coolest secret society in the world", albeit without a singular drive for hard ticks. And, decades later, firmly rooted in the climbing community he remains. We cover it all and the stuff in between.
One last thing - in our conversation, frequent mention is made of the late Andy Pollitt and late Athol Whimp. If you want to know more, click here and here to read Charlie's excellent words about his two departed friends.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 35 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with paddler, canyoneer, instructor, climber, father and lover of marine life, Keith Riley.
Keith hails from Invercargill, one of four children in a 'typical' Kiwi outdoorsie family. Tramping, camping and riding inner-tubes on the local rivers led to a early passion for slalom kayaking. That gave way to 'free kayaking' (I just coined a new phrase) and other adventurous pursuits, including climbing.
A stint in Dunedin as a 'year on, year off' university student led to more kayaking and climbing and, to fund those adventures, a move into outdoor instruction and guiding. He never really looked back.
In our conversation, we chat about a life of outdoor adventure, life working in the outdoor industry, building his own outdoorsie family and, no matter what the discipline or terrain, the endless search for that feeling of flow in the outdoors. Keith is a humble master of many trades, a man with a thirst for adventure (mostly of the 'prolonged suffering' type) and just an all-round good bugger. If you want to know more, just Google: 'Keith The Great'.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 34 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with route setter, raver and ultra-talented climber Alec McCallum. Alec is a third generation climber and possibly the most fizzed-for-climbing person you could ever hope to meet.
Born and raised on the notorious slippery slopers of the Castle Hill Basin, it sometimes seems like Alec has evolved special powers of adhesion, such is his preternatural ability to cling to the featureless features that make the basin the best climbing basin on earth. To say that Alec has a talent for climbing is like saying that the Engine Room is the crucible of hard bouldering in Aotearoa - so true that it needs not be said.
In our conversation, as I desperately try to sound hip with the youth, we cover everything from drum'n'bass to deadhangs to death solos masquerading as boulder problems. Plus I learned that Jonty Francis (fellow Dojo'er) is New Zealand's leading trad climber. And that Alec is the sweetest guy in climbing.
Enjoy the fizz that oozes out of every corner of this one. And if you're interested, check out The Dojo on Insta or YouTube.
Welcome to Episode 33 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with biogeography professor, father, guidebook author and climber Len Gillman. Len was a leading protagonist in the golden years of Whanganui Bay and, in this interview, we (unapologetically) talk about very little else. Just the Bay in the 1970s, the Bay in the 1980s, the Bay in the 1990s, the Bay in......you get the picture.
Growing up in Auckland, Len cut his teeth at the Quarry. It was there that he forged new skills and forged new and productive friendships with local hotshots Robbie McBirney and Rick McGregor. With Rick in particular, Len found a strong and competitive companion with whom to push development of climbing standards at the Bay.
Initially, the focus was on crack climbing, and many of the cracks climbed by the trio remain classics to this day. After a visit to Yosemite in the late 1970s, Len returned with not one but two bolts (!), which he placed at the Bay thereby ushering in a new era of face climbing for the North Island's premier crag. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Key Bay characters, Camp Hog, the Two Car Raid and more. Something for everyone. Enjoy.
Welcome to Episode 32 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with climber, photography and self-confessed 'climbing tragic' Eddie Fowke.
Eddie was a young punk in the Auckland climbing scene in the early 1990s. Independent and keen to travel from a relatively early age, Eddie dived head first into the climbing lifestyle, pursuing performance both outdoors and at indoor climbing competitions. He was ambitious and "cocky", harbouring a desire to one day climb for New Zealand at a World Cup event. Unfortunately, a serious knee injury put paid to any prospect of realising that dream and, for a period, Eddie drifted away from climbing and from New Zealand.
A passion for photography and a renewed enthusiasm for climbing found Eddie in the thick of a strong scene in Australia. A trip to Europe with Aussie strong man James Kassey resulted in a series of events and meetings that led to Eddie self-publishing a magazine dedicated to competition climbing (called The Circuit) and, later, a job as official World Cup photographer for the IFSC.
In our conversation, we cover all of the above plus the unhappy demise of his connection with the IFSC. As you will hear, Eddie's had his fair share of ups and downs. We also talk about the Olympics, the state of competition climbing in New Zealand and about the future for the sport on a global scale. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 31 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with DJ, climbing wall magnate, 3 time father and 3 time national lead champion, Sefton Priestley.
Yet another great climber born in Wellington (so many I have lost count...), Sefton is now based in Christchurch where many will know him as a co-founder of New Zealand's ground-breaking Uprising boulder gym and its sister company, Uprising Industries, a wall and hold design and manufacture business.
But Sefton's climbing story is much deeper and richer than a corporate takeover of New Zealand's climbing gym world. In fact, his climbing roots were laid down on the granite cracks, slabs and faces of Tahquitz and Suicide Rock in southern California, as his parents moved to the USA when he was very young.
Returning to New Zealand on the cusp of his teens, Sefton quickly found his groove at the old YMCA wall in Christchurch. In particular, he was drawn to the boulder room built in an old squash court, with its classic 45 and low ball horizontal roof. Despite his trad roots, it turns out that Sefton had an aptitude for plastic pulling, going on to have a very successful national competition climbing career, as well as some great experiences at international competitions.
Sefton found his groove on "real" rock too, becoming the youngest Kiwi to climb a grade 30 (possibly still is?). Since then, he has climbed extensively around New Zealand and abroad.
And he also found his groove outside of climbing; in his youth, embracing techno and house music, DJing and organising dance parties; and now, embracing life as a busy father of 3.
In our conversation, we cover all of that and more.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 30 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with rural doctor, snowboarder, surfer, mountain biker and bona fide climbing legend, Dave Fearnley.
For those who have been living under a rock for the last decade or two, Dave is a mythical character in New Zealand climbing. In the 1980s and early 90s, Dave was at the forefront of climbing development, establishing a slew of hard and often committing routes from Whanganui Bay to Paines Ford to Castle Hill to the Port Hills to Hanging Rock to Long Beach and back again. He was one of the very best climbers in what many regard as the golden era of New Zealand rock climbing.
The myth of Dave Fearnley is one of a bold, uncompromising climber, who valued commitment and style above all else and who had no time for closed projects! That myth was built on the many classic test pieces he established but, as myths tend to do, it really flourished after he vanished from the climbing scene in the mid 1990s; lured away by the charms of snowboarding, surfing and mountain biking.
In our conversation, we go beyond that myth to discover (surprise, surprise!) that Dave was and is just another climber - albeit a particularly capable and well-accomplished climber. It's a rollicking chat covering everything from Dave's origins as a climber to his significant contribution to New Zealand rock climbing to his drift away from climbing and his reflections now on climbing, on who he was as a climber and what climbing meant to him.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 29 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with retired surfer, retired skier and very much unretired rock climber, Glen Einam.
Like all great climbers, Glen grew up in Wellington, where he developed a passion for surfing and for killing possums. In 1984, he decided he would like to try skiing so, instead of joining his friends on a surf trip to Australia, he headed for the southern lakes. Glen pitched up to Treble Cone having never seen snow before, strapped some skis on, and let it rip. And, more or less, he never left.
At the only pub in Wānaka at the time, Glen fell in with the small but enthusiastic local climbing scene, led by Guy Cotter. Initially with hand drills and later with the Wānaka Rock Climbing Club's very first power drill, Glen started to contribute to the development of sport climbing in and around Wānaka. And he hasn't stopped since. Just for context, there are probably 1000 routes in Wānaka and Glen has established over 200 of them.
In our conversation, we cruise at a leisurely pace through Glen's experiences and perspectives on climbing. And we discuss his unabating passion for hunting and killing possums!
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 28 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with kayaker, rock climber, ice climber, motorbiker and expedition mountaineer, Patricia Deavoll.
Patricia grew up on a sheep farm in North Canterbury. From a very early age, she wanted to be a mountaineer and, as soon as she completed secondary school, she set about making that happen. After 30 days of instruction courses based at Mt Cook village, she embarked on a rapid apprenticeship that saw her making early ascents of several notable climbs in the Southern Alps. Even at that stage, Patricia's focus was on pushing her limits on more and more challenging climbs.
That pursuit of difficulty followed her on a five year foray into kayaking, which included making the second decent of New Zealand's then most difficult rapid.
Kayaking gave way to rock climbing, which she also excelled at. Patricia climbed extensively in New Zealand, Australia, the USA and the United Kingdom.
But her real passion was for the big mountains where, over a 20 year period, she went on 17 expeditions to the greater ranges of Alaska, India, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It was there that she was able to bring together her rock and ice climbing prowess on bigger, more sustained objectives and was rewarded with several remote and committing first ascents.
In our conversation, I do my best to ask intelligent questions about mountaineering while trying to get to the heart of what makes Patricia tick. I will leave you to decide how well I did that.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 27 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with the indefatigable crusher of all rocks (including choss), Jon Sedon.
Originally from the North Island, Jon has been based in Wānaka for nearly 20 years. From there, he has climbed more rocks than you can poke a stick at, both around Wānaka and in Fiordland. His Wānaka rock guide is nothing but ticks. And that includes dozens of new routes, including area classics such as Huffer 27, Peking Man 27 and The Complete Bastard 27. So many 27s. And there are more, not just in Wānaka. Like the uber-classic Moses 27 at Little Babylon.
But he's not just a craven sport climber. He boulders and big walls too. Jon established many classic boulders during the heyday of Quantum Field and Spittle Hill bouldering. And he has climbed a ton of multipitch, with first ascents at Babylon, out at Copper Point and in Pakistan.
Add to that a staggering amount of mileage in places like Yosemite, Indian Creek, Zion and the Black Canyon and you start to get the picture that this quietly spoken builder from Mt Iron is quite possibly the most climbed person in the land. Go ahead, prove me wrong!
In our conversation, we barely scratch the surface of Jon's deep climbing résumé. But somehow we still cover a lot.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 26 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with 'crazy' skier, climber, family man and natural born leader, Ed Nepia.
Ed hails from the East Coast (Ngāti Porou) and comes from impeccable sporting stock (Google: George Nepia). As a teenager, he moved with his family to Christchurch where a close encounter in the local library with a book containing photos of Gaston Rébuffat looking effortlessly cool on the granite aiguilles of the French Alps lit a fire for climbing that still burns hot several decades later.
In the mid 1990s, Ed moved to Wanaka "for the skiing" and found acres of accessible unclimbed rock and a fledgling club of enthusiastic route developers. 25 years on, the sport climbing resource in Wanaka is second to none in Aotearoa and Ed played no small part in that.
In our conversation, Ed reflects on the changes in Wanaka climbing (and in Wanaka itself) over his time there. We discuss some of the characters in the scene and a few of his more notable new routes, such as the mighty Taniwha at Hell's Gate. We talk about his time at the helm of New Zealand's oldest dedicated rock climbing organisation: the Wanaka Rock Climbing Club and the role that it has played in enabling the development of sport climbing areas in Wanaka and in managing access for climbers. Ed shares his perspective on Maori in New Zealand climbing, including why he believes Maori are under-represented in the demographic of our sport. And we chat about skiing and family and Fiordland and few other things besides.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 25 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with fly fisherman, free diver, canyoner, author, father, partier and climber, Dave Vass.
Born in Australia, Dave quickly fled east to Rotorua (he was only 6 weeks old). An outdoorsy childhood led to a passion for fly fishing (unquestionably the ultimate outdoor activity), which led to zoology and botany studies at Canterbury University, which led to a university tramping club, which led to mountaineering and rock climbing, which led to a remarkable life of adventure and high-end climbing in the mountains, which led to a tragic accident, which led to life as an incomplete tetraplegic, which led to a whole new life.
Yes, it's been quite the "journey" as Dave puts it. And, as I discovered, he has written a book all about it. But don't worry, this episode isn't a spoiler for what promises to be a great read. Instead, we get nerdy on lots of climbing stuff, particularly his escapades with the two Dicks in the central Darrans. And we talk about how he has grappled with moving from a life of physicality to a life of the mind. It's quite a journey too.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 24 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with surfer, free diver, cyclist, snowboarder and climber, Andy Milne.
Andy hails from Dunedin, where, as a rebellious teenager, he discovered the vibrant world that was New Zealand climbing in the mid 80s. Equally drawn to the mountains and the crags, Andy threw himself in the deep end - an "all or nothing" approach that would come to define his relationship with a number of athletic disciplines.
Not long in the game, he witnessed climbing tragedy first hand when two friends died in a climbing accident on Mt Aspiring. Andy and his climbing companion were first on the scene. That experience changed the course of Andy's life, as he dropped out of art school and (perhaps paradoxically) 'doubled down' on his climbing obsession.
In our conversation, Andy reflects on the twists and turns that his life has taken since, as he moved into working in the outdoor equipment industry, moved around the South Island and pursued a number of other challenging and adventurous activities such as surfing, backcountry snowboarding, road cycling and free diving - all to a high standard. And yet he has continued to return to climbing - as much for the process as the outcome. Now on his 4th or 5th comeback, Andy's deltoids are as big as they ever were and his 6mm crimp game must be (pound for pound) as good as it gets.
Andy has dedicated this episode to lost (but not forgotten) friends Jeremy Strang, Grant Crumpton and Donald Hollows.
Welcome to Episode 23 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with crop harvester, committed shoveller and climber, Robin Hood.
Robin is one of the stand out characters from the Canterbury rock climbing scene of the 1980s and 1990s. He was particularly active at Castle Hill where he contributed a number of classic moderate sport routes to the area, including Tales From The Riverbank, Kiss In The Dreamhouse and On Some Faraway Beach. He was, however, also infamous for chipping and modification of climbs - something that he admits he did whilst noting that he was far from the only one doing it at the time.
In our conversation, Robin describes his upbringing on the Canterbury plains, the circumstances that led to him sharing a name with the legendary outlaw of Sherwood Forest, his early experiences of climbing at Castle Hill in the late 1970s and stories from the heyday of route development there. He also shares a lot about his personal life, including significant physical and mental health challenges. Some of Robin's experiences have been very traumatic and some listeners may find parts of the interview distressing. Listener discretion is advised.
Special thanks to Greg Cole for helping improve the audio quality on this one.
Welcome to Episode 22 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with grimdark writer, powerlifter, UFC enthusiast and retired boulderer, Stuart Kurth.
Stu was part of the first generation of New Zealand climbers born and raised on plastic - the gym generation. However, unlike most of his contemporaries, Stu developed his strength, skills and perspective on climbing in a state of (near total) isolation. That isolation allowed his imagination to run wild and, fuelled by international magazines and VHS copies of The Real Thing and Rampage, Stu hatched an outrageous plan - to climb V14 one day.
At the time, V14 was the global benchmark in bouldering difficulty. The hardest problem in New Zealand was only V8 (not that Stu knew that). Undeterred, he set about pursuing his goal with an almost single-minded obsession. His unashamed focus was on reaching the highest levels of difficulty, regardless of the time or energy that it took.
In our conversation, we cover the events and circumstances that led to this obsession, the 25 year pathway to realisation of Stu's dream and the price he paid for that realisation - a total loss of the love of climbing. But it's not all big grades and big ticks. There's powerlifting and grimdark chat too. Enjoy!
And if you want to check out Stu's book Two Blades, you'll find it here.
Welcome to Episode 21 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with climber, biker, glider, paddler, parapanter and future fly fisherman, Grant Davidson.
Grant was a key player in the development of cragging in the North Island in the late 1970s and 1980s. His name is associated with new routes at Mangatepopo, Motuoapa, Crag 2/25, Crag Serenity and Wharepapa South. He likely "discovered" and climbed the first routes at Kawakawa Bay. At Whanganui Bay, on the Winter Wall alone, there are 29 Grant Davidson first ascents. And his sacrifice for the development of climbing at Whanganui Bay is immortalised the "Lobotomy Buttress" name. Yes, he got around!
After growing up in various parts of New Zealand, a secondary school trip to the then newly established Outdoor Pursuits Centre at National Park introduced Grant to the challenge and reward of rock climbing. And he never looked back. In fact, despite a beckoning career in theoretical physics, Grant embraced an outdoor lifestyle that led him to pursue many adventurous activities and develop a professional life in the outdoors.
In our conversation, we cover his early years as a climber and alpinist, his reflections of the 'heydey' of central North Island rock climbing and his many travels and adventures abroad. He has some great stories and a fair bit of wisdom to share too. Not bad for a terminal intermediate. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 20 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with climber, instructor and indefatigable inspiration, Dave Brash.
Hailing from New Plymouth, Dave is a highly respected stalwart of the Dunedin climbing scene. Since arriving in Dunedin in the 1980s, there aren't many holds on the cliffs of Dunedin that Dave has not acquainted himself with.
Something of the late starter (having taken up climbing in his mid 20s), Dave has since made a life for himself and his family around climbing: both as a recreational pursuit and a profession. At 71 years young, he's still getting after it.
In our conversation, we traverse Dave's life from the pre-climbing years to his early experiences at Arapiles to a lifelong love affair with Long Beach to 'danger walking' in the Darrans to discovering the joys of climbing on Mt Taranaki - his turangawaewae. He also gives a brief insight into the dangers of hitch-hiking. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 19 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with friend, philosopher and photographer, Tom Hoyle.
Based in Christchurch where he runs the New Zealand Alpine Club climbing media empire, Tom (otherwise known as 'Gomez Garcia Gonzalez' or 'Big Tony') has been in the thick of the sport climbing and bouldering scene since the early 2000s.
With the physique of a heavy-weight body builder, it would be easy, from a distance, to dismiss Tom as a juiced-up jarhead. In fact, he is thoughtful, measured and highly creative, sporting a degree in philosophy, a masters in fine arts and an exquisite music collection. He's no ballerina on the rock, however, preferring beefy spans and wild dynos to minging finger stacks and precision toe pointing.
In our conversation, we cover Tom's background in climbing, his contributions to New Zealand climbing media over the last two decades, his experiences in some of Christchurch's more hardcore climbing flats and, of course, many of his more memorable climbing adventures - here and abroad. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 18 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with renowned mountain guide, climber, skier and opinion-holder, Murray Ball.
Based in Hawea Flat, Murray is a larger-than-life character who has climbed and skied all over the globe. He entered the mountains at young age and quickly began guiding. After serving his apprenticeship in the Southern Alps he moved to France where his alpine and rock climbing flourished. He lived, climbed and guided there for many years before returning to New Zealand in the early 2000s.
Once back and settled in the Wanaka region he became increasingly active in developing rock climbs both at the local crags and in Fiordland. Indeed, he co-authored what is probably the most popular multipitch alpine rock route in New Zealand - Lucky Strike on the Moir massif.
As he says himself, Murray has no filter and his blunt exchanges have left many bruised and bewildered (me included). He holds his opinions strongly and without apology.
In our conversation, we cover everything from his school days to redpoint soloing to bolt chopping in 2020. It's quite a ride. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 17 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with alpine legend, NZAC life member, international mountain guide and prolific rock route developer, Nick Cradock.
In a climbing life of over 4 decades, Nick has done it all. From hard first ascents in the Southern Alps to big walls in the Valley to summits in Patagonia and the greater ranges to epic multipitch rock routes in the Darrans to consumer classic clip-ups in Wanaka and back again.
Over a 6 pack of ice-cold Coronas (beers not viruses), we have a free-range and convivial chat about life and climbing. For a man with a reputation for a quick and ruthless wit, it seems Nick may have mellowed in his middle ages.
There's something for everyone here but for those who have climbed on one of Nick's many routes on the Moir massif in Fiordland, Nick's account of the Camp Dawg days will be especially interesting. It turns out that the secret to success on such high quality routes was to come top down, not go ground up. Who would have thought.
There's also an excellent story about the time that he pulled his mate off the top of what would have been a first ascent at Castle Hill. On purpose. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 16 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with Wanaka climber Jane Presto.
Jane is something of an undercover crusher with her own unique take on the sport of sport climbing. And she's not here to waste time. Despite starting climbing in her early 30s, with three young kids in tow, she has amassed an impressive ticklist of local Wanaka test pieces. In fact, her recent grade 30 redpoints put her (by some margin) atop the Aotearoa female rock climbing league table (well, they would if that league table actually existed).
In the interview, we talk about all the things that Jane did before she became a climber, from horse-riding to skiing to being "super mum". Then we talk about Jane's personal approach to climbing; specifically, her singular focus on siege-style ultra-hard redpoints. Jane is more than willing to sink 40+ into a project and still find a way to enjoy it. It is a remarkable skill.
Another remarkable skill that Jane has is the ability to juggle work, three kids and a redpoint obsession. It turns out that a bit of tittle tattle and an aversion to time wasting will carry you a long way. Maybe we can all take something from Jane's refreshing perspective to our favourite sport. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 15 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with climber, cyclist, photographer, designer, author, editor and experientialist, Mark Watson.
Perhaps most widely known for his bike-packing exploits (Mark and his partner Hana were inches away from completing a 4 years bike-packing journey across the Americas when the COVID pandemic hit and they were forced to return to New Zealand), Mark is also a very accomplished and well-travelled climber, with a deep resumé across many climbing disciplines.
As you will hear, Mark has fashioned a life and a living for himself around climbing; he has worked in the local outdoor apparel and gear industry, he led the transformation of The Climber magazine from club newsletter to glossy news-stand publication and he worked his way to becoming one of New Zealand's best climbing and adventure photographers.
In between all of that, he has done a ton of climbing, often in a bold and uncompromising style. He has (by his own admission) a "pure" ethical approach to climbing, setting high personal standards that place a premium of intensity of experience and managing the many mental demands of climbing. Despite my own cravenness, I find his approach really inspiring and, hopefully, you will too.
There is plenty of crag chat, from the Port Hills to Castle Hill to the Darrans to Whanganui Bay and (of course) Baring Head. All the very best spots!
Check out Mark's amazing photos here. Or check out his amazing blog. Or if you want to hear Mark talk about biking, click here.
Welcome to Episode 14 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this episode, I speak with the real Paekakariki Express, Kristen Foley.
Kristen is an accomplished all-round climber with many decades of local and international climbing under his belt. He is one of my oldest climbing friends and we have shared many great adventures together.
In our conversation, Kristen explains his love of climbing and the community around it. For Kristen, it is mostly about the people, the places and the lifestyle. We reminisce about many of our shared experiences, about mutual friends and about some events that have shaped us both.
Kristen also reflects on the changes he has seen in the New Zealand climbing community in his time as a climber - the changing pathways to climbing, the flow of climbing information and changing attitudes, ethics and standards.
Besides the climbing chat, Kristen recalls a lifetime of parties and antics and tells some cracking stories along the way. It's a classic fireside chat, fuelled by beer and infused with banter. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 13 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with the flash king of Upper Hutt, Neil Parker.
For many decades, Neil has been flashing rock climbs around Aotearoa, Australia and beyond. By his own account, Neil cannot remember a time when he didn't want to climb. And he didn't let growing up on the river flats of Upper Hutt slow him down.
In our conversation, we chat about climbing in the 70s, in the 80s, in the 90s, in the 2000s and today. Trad, sport, boulder, big wall and indoor. We even talk about mountaineering (sorry about that).
Neil reflects on his early adventures, his trips to Australia and the USA and on his decision to settle back in New Zealand, juggling the challenges and rewards of family, work and climbing.
I froth about my top 3 favourite Neil Parker routes and we make plans to revive New Zealand's greatest climbing competition of all - the Baring Head Rock Hop. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 12 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with artist, sculptor and hold-crusher, Ivan Vostinar.
Ivan has been in self-imposed rock exile in Whanganui in recent years but don't be fooled - as I discovered, he's still a total beast!
Perhaps best known for his hard first ascents at the Cave and the Castle Hill basin and his co-authorship of the benchmark Rock Deluxe rock guides for the South Island, Ivan is a warm, perpetually enthusiastic fellow who gives the proverbial "110%" to whatever passion or pursuit happens to be capturing his imagination at any given time. And for a long time, that was rock climbing.
I have known and climbed with Ivan for a long time and, in the interview, we reminisce about the good ol' days, about the characters of the Canterbury rock climbing scene in the 1990s, about the golden age of Castle Hill bouldering and about the Cave. Spoiler alert: nostalgia plus.
If you are interested, you can find out more about Ivan's artworks here. And if you are passing through Whanganui sometime, please check out his gallery. He might even be so kind as to shred you on his boulder wall!
Welcome to Episode 11 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with New Zealand climbing royalty, Roland Foster.
Roland, the peripatetic star of 1980s climbing in Aotearoa, should be a household name. Some have said that he should be on the $5 note. Or maybe "the $3 note", to quote the man himself.
Certainly, at a time when rock climbing was emerging as a pursuit in its own right, when crampons were being swapped for rubber boots, snowstakes for bolts, scroggin for chalk, Roland was a leading light. With a strong drive to establish new climbs and the talent to back it up, Roland's bold, hard, cutting edge ascents here and abroad made him a pretty big deal.
Yet the secret to Roland's success was surprisingly simple (and yet, at the same time, futuristic) - he had a home bouldering wall. Not a plywood 45 in the basement but the 1980s equivalent - a brick wall with homemade mingers on it.
Some things change, some things stay the same. At 58, Roland may not be establishing sporty test pieces these days but he still boulders hard on minging holds. At his local quarry (the Archaeology wall), at Castle Hill basin and in far flung boulder fields in the South Island.
In this interview, we cover it all. From teenage angster to globe-trotting hot shot to free-solo arbortist to quarryman. As a result, this one is a bit longer than the usual. But it's worth it. Enjoy
Welcome to Episode 10 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with the Dani Andrada of Paraparaumu, Derek 'the Dispatcher' Thatcher.
Derek is New Zealand's most prolific hard rock climber, having established hundreds of hard routes and boulders around New Zealand. And if he didn't establish it, he probably got the second ascent.
As you will hear, he's good with numbers. Big numbers, large volumes of numbers. He makes lists, he ticks lists. And its an approach to climbing that he adopted right from the start, meticulously cataloguing his climbs on the Victoria University of Wellington climbing wall, working his way through every climb in Phil Castle's Baring Head guidebook and with so many other guidebooks thereafter.
This one is a real climbing nerd chat. We chat about his development of ground breaking routes at Babylon and Little Babylon in the Darrans. We chat about his ascent of New Zealand's first 33 and his recent first ascent of a 35 at the Cave (you can study Derek's contribution to hard climbs in Aotearoa here). And we chat about training (or the lack thereof).
Enjoy. And be sure to check out the Castle Hill Basin website.
Welcome to Episode 9 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with granite aficionado and mountain guide, Paul 'Dodgy' Rogers.
Referred to by some as the grandfather of New Zealand sport climbing (a title that he vehemently disavows), Paul is actually a dyed-in-the-wool granite trad climber. The more trad the better - he never climbs past a good placement.
Growing up in south London ("the cheap part of the Monopoly board"), Paul's early adventures were strictly urban. But a series of events and chance encounters led him to the granite sea cliffs at Land's End in western England and, with a little bit of funding from "Prince Charlie", straight on to Fiordland. Obviously.
Paul and I chat (actually he chats, I mostly listen) about his early forays on Darrans rock, his time developing sport routes at Whakapapa crag and Paines Ford and about the climbs and walls in Fiordland with which his name has become inextricably entwined: Labyrinth, Charismatic Wall, Sinbad and The Chasm. It's an epsiode for the graniteheads! Enjoy.
Welcome to Episode 8 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with climbing writer, photographer, highly-paid political journalist and yet committed dirtbagger, Derek Cheng.
If you've been a climber in New Zealand for a while, you will doubtless have read one of Derek's excellent climbing stories or gawked at one of his draw-dropping images. The astute readers among you will have noticed Derek's penchant for adventure, both in the horizontal and vertical world. And that is basically the subject matter of our conversation.
In a single malt-fueled tête-à-tête, Derek and I exchange ripostes while he recounts his pathway to #vanlife and the ways of the dirtbag. And despite claiming to be 'not much' as a climber, he also touches on parts of his impressive résumé of adventure climbs, especially in North America.
We chat about soloing, about racial profiling and about facial reconstruction.
And last but not least, Derek explains why my new nickname for him is The Free Candy Man.
Look out for Derek's articles in The Climber and on his "blog": Dirtbag Dispatches.
Welcome to Episode 7 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with up and coming climber, Erica Gatland.
Originally from Auckland, Erica is a 22 year old Palmerston North-based student with an impressive array of competition and outdoor climbing achievements already under her belt.
In our conversation, we chat about her background as a gym climber and her transition to the weird and wonderful world of Castle Hill bouldering. It is a transition that went exceptionally well resulting in her ascent of Moby Dick V12, a rarely repeated test piece at Flock Hill.
But, as you will hear, she's not all about the grades (or "tickets" as she calls them). Erica is in it for the challenge, not the points. And her passion for New Zealand's best bouldering area has led her to establish the FlockFest - a fledgling outdoor bouldering festival that not only aims to bring climbers together at Flock Hill to throw down but also to give back, with the soon-to-be-infamous wilding pine pulling competition.
Erica shares her perspective as a female in a predominantly male climbing scene, and her perspective as a youth in a scene that (sometimes) seems much too old.
She also talks candidly about her positive and negative experiences as a competition climber. And about sticking her "V12 arm" up the arse of a cow. Enjoy
Welcome to Episode 6 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with leading alpinist, Jono Clarke, winner of the Macpac Alpinist Of The Year 2018.
Jono is almost certainly the most outstanding alpinist from Wainuiomata via Otaki. Ever. But he also is an excellent all-round climber.
In our conversation, we kick off with Jono's DIY entry into alpinism. As interesting as that is, it's really just a segue into his efforts to become an accomplished rock climber, something he managed despite being (in his words) the size of "two or three sport climbers".
Jono reflects on his university years in Wellington, where he was one of a talented group of young thrusters that coalesced around the legendary Evolution rock wall, getting after it in the vertical world anywhere, anytime.
Jono talks about his developing focus on hard technical alpine climbs. One catalyst for that was his decision to become an professional climbing guide and then his decision not to become a professional climbing guide. Walking away from that dream was hard but Jono went on to establish some of the hardest pitches of technical alpine climbing in New Zealand - not that Jono will tell you that. He's not that sort of bloke.
We talk about a serious rock climbing accident that Jono sustained several years ago, a serious accident sustained by a close friend and about death in the mountains. And we reminisce about good times at Whanganui Bay.
There's something for everyone in the episode - there's even a couple of chihuahuas. Enjoy
Welcome to Episode 5 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with Auckland's primoris rock climber, James Field-Mitchell.
James is yet another climber who hails from Wellington but his climbing roots definitely lie in the rich volcanic soils north of the Bombay Hills...or is it the Mumbai Hills these days?
This is the very first interview that I recorded - a test run for what became the Powerband Podcast - where James kindly agreed to be my podcast guinea pig while I grappled with the challenge of speaking to someone about climbing whilst recording it at the same time. How hard could that possibly be?
In our conversation, we discuss James' pathway to climbing, his memories of the Auckland climbing scene in the 1990s and how those early years shaped his climbing philosophy. We talk about his move to route development in the North Island, including a (minor) closed project scandal at the then newly-minted White Falls super crag.
James reflects on his time living and climbing in Christchurch, giving his perspective on the 'hard' climbing scene in the nation's epicentre for performance rock climbing. And, speaking of performance climbing, we chat about the state of competition climbing in New Zealand and New Zealand's prospects at the (now deferred) Tokyo Olympics.
Basically, we cover "all styles". Even hair styles. And cash pigs. Say what?
Last but not least, many thanks to Joshua Windsor for the outstanding cover photo for this episode.
Welcome to Episode 4 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with climber, bike-racer and doctor philosophiae, Peter Allison.
This is actually a re-interview after the first interview was ruined by my complete ineptitude at operating audio recording equipment in an open-air setting. What a loser.
Our second conversation focuses on a big year in Pete's climbing life: 2009. In that year, Pete found himself living and working in Wanaka but travelling almost every weekend back to Canterbury to climb on the boulders in Castle Hill basin. One climb in particular became the object of his ambition: Trifecta Middle. An unrated problem first climbed by Chris Sharma, it was assumed to be around V13 and, whatever the grade, was probably the hardest climb in Aotearoa at that time and had sat unrepeated for many years. Pete decided he was going to climb it, a decision that had unexpected consequences.
But don't worry, we don't just talk about bouldering. We also talk about cars, helicopters and motorbikes. What more could you ask for?
Here's a link to a photo of Pete that I mention in the conversation.
And here's a little video of Pete on Trifecta Middle. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 3 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with OG climber, editor and extreme tramper, Richard Thomson.
Richard is yet another climber who cut his teeth on the paradoxically incredibly-hard-but-also-dangerously-loose-and-brittle cliffs of Wellington, at a time when a good belay was a nylon rope wrapped around your mate's waist. Undeterred, Richard has climbed extensively in Aotearoa and fashioned an impressive résumé over several decades.
In our conversation, we chat about his early days and what it meant to become a rock climber in the 1970s when, in New Zealand at least, the sport was really only beginning to develop a discrete identity (as opposed to being an adjunct to mountaineering). We chat about the main influences on his climbing or, more accurately, his attitude to climbing. And we discuss his travels overseas, his time living in Christchurch and climbing at Castle Hill and his ponderings on whether or not to become a sport climber in his late 50s.
But mostly we talk about his love for the central Darrans and some of the more memorable and dramatic experiences he has had there - with over 15 years of going ground-up onsight on some of the nation's best and most remote big walls. Richard, it seems, mastered the art of social distancing long before that even became a thing. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 2 of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
In this episode, I speak with Wanaka-based climber, prolific route developer and Sly Stallone body double (from the Rocky era, of course), Bruce 'Broozer' Dowrick.
Like all excellent rock climbers, Bruce first touched stone in Wellington but is now safely ensconced in Otago's other resort town and retirement village where he sometimes designs and builds buildings but mostly designs and builds rock climbs. At 55 years old and with nearly 40 years of climbing under his belt, Bruce shows no signs of slowing down.
In our conversation, we chat about his motivation for route development, his contribution to Wanaka rock (including the recent addition of a steep, athletic sport route - What We Do In The Shadows 29) and his knack for picking excellent route names. But mostly we talk about the Darrans, his love for the 'big picture' that is Fiordland and his polite dismay that very few local climbers climb at "big" Babylon and that some still think that New Zealand's best crags are in Australia. Sigh.
And last but not least, I get the exclusive scoop on the backstory to his route on the White Wall in Wanaka: The Gutless Wonder.
Welcome to the first episode of the Ω Powerband Podcast - a podcast dedicated to rock climbing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
What better way to kick this exciting and historical project off than with Wellington-based climber, climbing film maker and Castle Hill bouldering aficionado, Isaac Buckley? That's a rhetorical question.
At 24 years old, Isaac has already climbed all but a few of the hardest moves on New Zealand rock. But there is more to Isaac than V Blah Blah Blah and Instagram muscle-ups. In this interview, we grapple with Isaac's formative years as a climber, his fateful move to Wellington and how and why he got into making climbing films. We talk about ego and style. But mostly we talk about Castle Hill and, in particular, the evolution of Isaac's relationship with the place and with climbing in general. Get ready to go deep and go big!
Here's a link to Isaac's feature film...about himself The Man From The Moon
And here's a link to Isaac's film about the Engine Room