Leo Houlding is one of the greatest adventure climbers of all time. He’s put up new free routes worldwide from the Amazon Rainforest to the remote regions of Antarctica. We talked about his upcoming trip to Baffin Island, his childhood in the UK, using the fix-and-follow system to climb 2000’ big walls with his kids, epic stories from his El Cap days, what he learned from his worst injury, and much more!
Check out The Nugget on YouTube:
youtube.com/@thenuggetclimbing
Check out PhysiVantage!
physivantage.com (link includes 15% off coupon)
Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!
Check out Rocky Talkie!
RockyTalkie.com/Nugget
Use this link to get 10% off your first order of backcountry radios!
Check out Rumpl!
rumpl.com/nugget
Use code "NUGGET" at checkout for 10% off your first order!
We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:
Become a Patron:
patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing
Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/leo-houlding
Nuggets:
0:02:54 – Prepping for his trip to Baffin Island
0:07:16 – Enjoying the logistics, and planning the food for a month-long expedition for three people
0:13:50 – Leo’s beta knowledge for expeditions, and going beyond roads
0:16:01 – Leo’s “little issue”, and base jumping off the top of Mount Asgard
0:23:56 – The challenge of attempting to free climb Asgard again
0:27:29 – Leo’s Instagram cover photo
0:29:16 – Writing his book, his mom and dad, and his adventurous spirit as a kid
0:33:39 – Leo’s first big adventure climb, Old Man of Hoy
0:37:24 – How his life has turned out compared to how he imagined it as a kid
0:38:24 – Being born at the right time
0:42:45 – Generations in Yosemite
0:45:18 – “Climb that goddamn mountain.”
0:49:49 – Adventuring with his kids
0:53:59 – Using the fix-and-follow system with the kids to climb big walls
1:00:56 – Climbing in the Wind River Range with Llamas and the kids
1:05:11 – Tips for keeping the morale high for kids
1:13:13 – Compromises with kids, and plans to take them out of school for an around-the-world mission
1:16:41 – “The days are long but the years are short.”
1:17:10 – My travels with my family around South America as a 5-year-old, and seeing the developing world as a kid
1:20:34 – A final tip for parents who want to adventure with kids
1:22:41 – Rest in peace Ammon McNeely ❤
1:23:34 – The Alfa Romeo badge story
1:35:41 – Question from Sam Stroh: What are Leo’s thoughts on going ground up on The Prophet?
1:42:51 – Getting caught in one of the worst storms in Yosemite history, and doing the first free ascent of The Prophet
1:48:41 – Closer to the Edge
1:49:29 – The end of his Yosemite chapter
1:52:03 – Leo’s accident on Cerro Torre
1:56:41 – Leo’s expeditions to Antarctica
2:02:11 – Kite skiing
2:07:11 – Rock climbing at the end of the world
2:08:42 – “I wanted the most hardcore trip ever, and I got it.”
2:09:52 – His trip to the Amazon rainforest, and making The House of the Gods film
2:13:58 – Dropping loads out of an airplane into the rainforest
2:18:21 – Free climbing a new route on Mount Roraima
2:20:31 – More about Leo’s book Closer to the Edge, and the film 2.4 about adventuring with kids
2:23:35 – Why we should travel to the developing world
2:24:41 – Wrap up
EP 66: Mercedes Pollmeier — How to Improve Flexibility in 6 Minutes Per Day, and Cycling Your Training
BONUS: Matt Sparks — Earth Day, and the Impacts of Chalk
EP 65: Natalie Duran — Ninja Antics, Fear Conditioning, and Living Like a Superhero
Follow-Up: Jon Glassberg — Sending ‘The Nest’, and Representing for the Big Guys (Teaser)
EP 64: Christophe Bichet — Climbing As a Metaphor for Life, Finding ‘Why’, and the Awe of Being Alive
EP 63: Megan Mascarenas — Solving Puzzles, Pole Dancing, and Discovering a New Identity
Follow-Up: Natasha Barnes — Listener Q&A, and Training “The Position” (Teaser)
EP 62: Q&A 1 — How We Get Strong, Dealing with Injuries, and Patterns Among High Performers
EP 61: Chelsea Murn — How to Rewire Your Brain, Take Courageous Leaps, and Manifest Your Dream Life
Follow-Up: Ben Herrington — A Guide to Developing New Boulders (Teaser)
EP 60: Leif Gasch — Becoming a Trainer, Mini-Goals, and Tackling Listener Questions
EP 59: My Eating Disorder — Starving Myself to Climb Harder, and Lessons Learned
EP 58: Carlos Tkacz — Lessons from Teaching, a Free Training Book, and Self-Publishing Sci-Fi
Follow-Up: Emily Harrington — Sending 'Golden Gate', Shoe Tricks, and Pancakes (Teaser)
EP 57: Dave MacLeod (Part 2) — Highlights From ‘9 Out of 10’, Flexible Programming, and Listener Questions
EP 56: Dave MacLeod (Part 1) — Jumping Up 4 Grades in 18 Months, Fingerboard Rituals, and Nutrient Density
BONUS: Blake Cason — Upcoming Retreats
Follow-Up: Blake Cason — Dancing with ‘Joe SixPack’ (Teaser)
EP 55: Kai Lightner — Disordered Eating, Flexibility for Tall Climbers, and Climbing for Change
EP 54: Matt Segal — ‘Miami Vice’, Coffee with Benefits, and a Brief Stint with Paragliding
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The MeatEater Podcast
Bear Grease
Backpacking Light Podcast
Live Wild with Remi Warren
Outside Podcast