Justin Bowen’s first time scaling walls and new routes was in a climbing gym during a friend’s birthday party. It wasn’t until high school, driven by persistent memories of that experience, that Bowen started climbing on a more consistent basis.
Eventually, while attending college in Arizona, Bowen planned his first trip to Yosemite, where he jumped right onto the East Buttress of Middle Cathedral. He quickly realized just how much he still had to learn about building anchors and placing gear. A few years ago, Bowen met friend and mentor Mark Jenkins, who he says shared a wealth of knowledge based on his decades of climbing around the world. Bowen still climbs with and learns from Jenkins on a regular basis.
In this episode, Bowen reflects on how he manages fear—both in the mountains, and in his day-to-day life. He talks about being a PhD student, and the terrifying prospect of only having two-to-three weeks off a year to pursue climbing objectives after finishing school. And he speaks to the striking similarities between the Tetons and Mt. Kenya. Tales from Bowen and Jenkins’ Mt. Kenya expedition are featured in Alpinist 83.
This episode is brought to you by the American Alpine Club
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Host: Abbey Collins
Guest: Justin Bowen
Producer + Engineer: Mike Horn
The Self Motivator: Chantel Astorga
Balancing Risk and Reward: Mike Gardner
From Pebbles to the Himalaya: Pete Takeda
The Novelty Seeker: Madaleine Sorkin
Not in Ohio Anymore: Anna Pfaff
Alpinist Aloud: “To Look the Bear in the Eye”
Alpinist Aloud: "Less Rich Without You"
Alpinist Aloud: “Melting Giants”
Fire and Ice: Scott Coldiron
A Visit with Mark Twight
Alpinist Aloud: “Life Compass” by Brette Harrington
"All that Glitters": Margo Talbot
Alpinist Aloud: “The Raven at the Door” by David Stevenson
Alpinist Aloud: “The Force of the Soul,” by James Edward Mills
The Lifestyler: Chris Weidner
Climber, Transcending: Kai Lightner
Rethinking Mountaineering Histories: Amrita Dhar
From the Gunks to Desert Towers: Jeff Achey
Perspective: Robbi Mecus
Inner Ranges: Geoff Powter
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