39 - The Diamond FKT with John Alcorn
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, and spending nearly a decade refining every aspect of movement in the mountains. John shares how trail running, simul-climbing, and countless laps on Eldorado Canyon classics like the Naked Edge became the foundation for bigger objectives, eventually leading to the fastest ascents ever of the Diamond.
Along the way, we dive into the history of speed climbing on Longs Peak, the philosophy behind efficiency in the alpine, balancing a career in aerospace with ambitious climbing goals, and why some of the most meaningful objectives are the ones waiting just outside your back door.
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A huge thank you to our sponsor, Misty Mountain, for supporting The Ground Up Podcast. Since 1985, Misty Mountain has been handcrafting climbing harnesses and equipment in North Carolina, building gear that's trusted by climbers no matter the challenge.
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Read about John's FKT of The Diamond of Long's Peak
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