Alpinist

About Alpinist

Since 2002 Alpinist has striven to push creative boundaries with everything we do, from award-winning climbing journalism and creative writing to photography and art. Now, with the Alpinist podcast, we aim to extend our conversations with climbers and community members into interviews and oral histories that will entertain and educate our listeners with everything from dramatic and humorous adventure tales to in-depth discussions of the most significant issues in the climbing world today. More at alpinist.com/podcast

Publisher

Alpinist Magazine

Category

arts · sports

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Aug 2017

Latest episode

12 May 2026

Latest episodes

12 of 74 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   12 May 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Kelsey Gray - A World of Routes

   Host Abbey Collins interviews Kelsey Gray, a renowned guidebook author and climber, about his journey developing and updating Alaska's rock climbing routes.

2. 

   29 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Alita Contreras - Woman Warrior

   In the film Guerreras, Alita Contreras is shown preparing for a long, traversing rock route on a cliff in Columbia. Her dog by her side, Contreras mimes the moves, headphones on, eyes closed, meditating on what she's about to climb.  Contreras was born in Venezuela, but her Columbian father made sure to keep traditions from his home country alive during her upbringing. Today, she lives and climbs in Columbia and works as a translator and climbing coach.  In this conversation, she discusses the challenges of navigating identity after living in seven countries, and speaks to the incredible biodiversity and climbing communities found in Columbia. We also talk about her involvement in the making of Guerreras, a documentary that takes an intergenerational look at women climbers in Columbia.  Alita guides us through her tactics for visualization, and speaks to how being engaged in a climb is often the only way she can clear her mind of mental clutter.  This episode brought to you by Patagonia Host: Abbey Collins Producer & Engineer: Mike Horn Guest: Alita Contreras (https://www.instagram.com/alitaclimbing/) Subscribe to Alpinist Magazine

3. 

   14 Apr 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Peter Mortimer & Nick Rosen - The Dark Wizard

   Climbing documentarians Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen are known for films such as "The Alpinist" and "Valley Uprising." Now the directors are out with a four-part documentary series "The Dark Wizard," which premieres on HBO Max on April 14. The documentary traces the life of Dean Potter, who was well known in the world of climbing for his bold free soloing, BASE jumping, and highlining. But the human behind those efforts was quite complicated, something that is illustrated through interviews with friends, family, and climbing partners—and archival interviews with Potter himself. Mortimer and Rosen reflect on their own relationships with Potter, whom they filmed with often before he died in a BASE jumping accident in Yosemite in 2015. The pair share why they felt this film needed to be made in an honest way and how Potter's journals, provided by his sister, presented a lesser-known side of him, one that was quite vulnerable.   This episode brought to you by Patagonia. Host: Abbey Collins Producer & Engineer: Mike Horn Guests: Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen  Watch "The Dark Wizard" Subscribe to Alpinist Magazine

Inside a recent episode

Kelsey Gray - A World of Routes

Published 12 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Oh yeah, Houston, I always say that and everybody thinks I lived in Texas for sure, but Houston is right outside of Wasilla, Alaska, which is about an hour and 15 minutes to drive to Houston from Anchorage to an hour and 20. And Houston is actually just a really small town. In fact, the like city part itself is like probably 10 buildings. you know, a couple of weed shops. And now it's like ice cream shop and firehouse. And that's like the whole, the township of Houston. But as a borough, it's actually quite large. Everybody just lives really spread out. Okay. So you get to college at the University of Alaska Anchorage, you take this rock climbing course and did it click right away? […]

Who has been a guest on Alpinist

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kelsey Gray
• Rick Accomazzo
• Tobin Sorenson
• Colin Haley

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

171 ratings

Spotify

4.9 / 5

35 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

43

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

97

Pitching Alpinist

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting pitches.

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• 

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  the Sharp End Podcast

Questions about Alpinist