The Ground Up Podcast

Eric Zschiesche is one of the true pioneers of American bouldering. From establishing some of the Piedmont's most iconic boulder problems and traditional routes to developing classics at Devil's Lake, Eric's influence stretches far beyond the guidebooks. Long before crash pads and social media, he was climbing bold highballs, pushing into 5.13—often barefoot—and building a legacy that continues to inspire generations of climbers. In this episode, we trace Eric's journey from scrambling around t

Snake Dike has become one of the most talked-about routes in climbing after a controversial retro-bolting effort—and the equally controversial decision to chop those bolts. So we brought friend of the pod, Trevor Jones, on to debate one of the biggest questions in climbing today: should classic routes ever be changed? The three of us come at the topic from very different perspectives as we discuss retro-bolting ethics, preserving climbing history, adventure, risk, and who gets the final say whe

John Alcorn has quietly become one of Colorado's strongest and speediest alpine climbers. Best known for his record-setting ascent of the Casual Route on Longs Peak's Diamond, John's journey wasn't built on chasing speed from the beginning—it started with a humbling 24-hour ascent that sparked an obsession with climbing more efficiently. In this episode, we follow that progression from growing up in rural Tennessee to discovering Colorado's alpine climbing scene, falling in love with Longs Peak

Vasya Vorotnikov is a seasoned veteran of the climbing world, with over 30 years of climbing experience and a deep background as a movement coach and route setter. Known for demolishing massive personal goals—like ticking off over ten 5.14s, over a hundred 5.13s, and 365 5.12s or harder in a single year—Vasya approaches climbing from a refreshing perspective: that technique, creative thinking, and mental capacity trump raw physical strength almost every time. In this episode, we talk about adap

David Sharratt is one of the East Coast's great underground crushers. From bold headpoints at Moon Rocks, pushing the boundaries of free climbing at Looking Glass, to the legendary Good, Bad, and Ugly at Ghost Town, David has spent decades establishing and repeating some of North Carolina and the Southeast's hardest and most serious routes. In this episode, we talk about the aesthetic pull of lines that seem barely possible—routes with just enough holds, just enough gear, and just enough myster

Fresh off the world premiere of Queen Swing, return guest Laura Pineau is back on the podcast—this time stepping away from the Yosemite speed climbing stories to dive deeper into the experiences and climbing that shaped her. We talk about Laura’s unconventional introduction to climbing through deep water soloing along the sea cliffs of southern France, how those early days falling into the Mediterranean built both her love for climbing and her tolerance for exposure, and the path that eventuall