EP 139: Lynn Hill — Breaking Barriers in Climbing, How to Find Self-Belief, and Challenging Social Norms

Lynn Hill is a living legend. She is best known for being the first person to free El Capitan via The Nose in 1993. We talked about what it is like to be Lynn Hill in the modern climbing world, her upbringing, what sets her apart, the story of freeing The Nose, tips for shorter climbers, her mindset and affirmations, self-belief, how she makes a living these days, upcoming video projects, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

• Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

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Show Notes:  

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/lynn-hill

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:06:27) – Lynn’s technique video

(00:12:58) – How Lynn thinks about climbing technique

(00:16:47) – The documentary Lynn is working on, and Lynn’s thoughts on Free Solo

(00:18:53) – Having the vision to free climb The Nose

(00:21:01) – What it feels like to be Lynn Hill, and why she likes her gates facing out

(00:28:07) – Being famous before the internet

(00:29:48) – Harrison Ford, and how to act toward famous people

(00:33:33) – Being the first woman to climb 12d (7c), traveling to Europe in 1986, and learning French

(00:38:01) – Finishing college, getting “kidnapped by climbing”, and her first sponsorship

(00:42:33) – Being connected to the people who are pushing the sport forward, and Lynn's project with Sasha DiGiulian

(00:50:24) – Who excites Lynn the most in climbing right now

(00:56:22) – Why Lynn decided to try to free The Nose

(01:00:33) – The reality of aging, and appreciating the journey

(01:06:11) – Why The Nose was such a special experience

(01:08:53) – Lynn’s visualization process, climbing her first 5.14 in France, and yawning before redpoint attempts

(01:11:14) – Breathing and screaming

(01:14:12) – Lynn’s process of freeing The Nose

(01:23:41) – Projecting the Changing Corners pitch

(01:28:11) – Going for it, and Brooke Sandahl’s role in The Nose going free

(01:32:07) – Why Lynn decided to free The Nose in a day, and how she trained for it

(01:35:56) – Her mindset for efficiency on The Nose, and sending during the full moon

(01:40:01) – “It’s actually pretty strenuous…” and the Lynn Hill traverse

(01:41:59) – Lynn’s height and ape index (5’1 1/4”, 0 ape index)

(01:43:29) – Advice for shorter climbers

(01:45:53) – First Ascent (Naked Edge film by Bob Carmichael), and the training Lynn was doing in the early 80s

(01:53:14) – Lynn’s family upbringing, her temperament, and what sets her apart

(01:55:58) – The “what if” game, and taking an unconventional path

(01:59:07) – Lynn’s current sponsorships, and how she makes a living these days

(02:03:09) – There are a lot of ways to make it as a pro climber

(02:07:56) – Patron Question from Nick: What parts of climbing culture would you like to see maintained? What would you be happy to see disappear?

(02:13:33) – Patron Question from Bradley: What do Lynn’s passions look like today?

(02:15:23) – Patron Question from Jessica: Onsighting the FA of Mingus in 1994 in the Verdon

(02:21:59) – Patron Question from Matt: What was it like climbing on The Nose with Nina Caprez? Are you mentoring any other women?

(02:29:07) – Building ab strength after having a baby, and Lynn’s replica of the Changing Corners intro move

(02:32:20) – Other women Lynn has mentored

(02:33:51) – Patron Question from Craig: Who have you climbed with that had amazing footwork?

(02:36:12) – Patron Question from Christoph: Can Lynn speak about the mental side of pushing boundaries?

(02:41:32) – Patron Question from Emily: How did Lynn learn to be independent from the limiting gendered cues coming from society at the time in order to realize her true potential?

(02:44:33) – Lynn’s positive affirmations, challenging societal norms as a teenager, and seeing injustice in the world

(02:51:12) – Patron Question from Mark: Have women reached parody in climbing? If not, what can be done?

(02:58:45) – What Lynn is most excited about right now, her Italian name, and the value of learning other languages

(03:02:26) – Feeling excited about her new route on The Maiden, and ideas for her next trip to France

(03:05:32) – More about the documentary Lynn is working on

(03:09:04) – Where to buy “It goes boys” shirts, and signed photos from Lynn!

(03:11:01) – Lynn’s plans for Hueco