Ground Up 25: 3,000 Feet of Psyche with Ethan Morf

0:01 Ari Grode So you guys met down in El Salto? Robert well yeah man how we did yeah Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode Yeah? Ethan Morf They're filming that project on LaGloria. Robert Yeah. Yeah. It was a good time. We were down there with Carly and Mango filming their first free ascent of Guerreras on La Gloria, which was pretty epic project. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert Had a blast down there. We're working on the post-production side of things. So certainly more to come on that. But yeah, we met in Hanuman, right? Ethan Morf Yeah. how Ethan Morf Yeah, dude. Yeah, that's where, like, the scene in Mexico. So classic. Robert Yeah, man. so Such a cool little spot. i it's It's pretty funny, actually. i I texted Ari like five minutes after we met because I was like, dude, you're never going to believe this.

0:47 Robert But someone just asked me if I'm on the ground up podcast. And I was like pretty convinced that Travis or somebody else from the crew is like putting you up to ask if if that was me. Robert But I guess, you know, our buddy Armand as well, who was on the podcast. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert So that's how you'd seen it. But yeah, small world. Ethan Morf Yeah. Yeah, dude. Ari Grode Oh, you know Armand as well? Ethan Morf Yeah. I actually hadn't met him when I met, like, Sawyer Mexico. I'd only seen, like I mean, it's getting out there. i had only seen, like, the Instagram reels of, like, your guys' podcasts with them. Ethan Morf And I was like, who is this kid? Like, he's insane. Robert ah Ethan Morf And then we started texting online about climbing. And, yeah, i met him in the valley this spring, which was super sick.

1:29 Robert Yeah. Yeah. Ari Grode OK. Robert i remember I was, uh, you were out there when he was working wet Lycra. Um, so yeah, it's full circle moment, but yeah, he's an absolute tank just like yourself. Um, Ari Grode did did you ah Ethan Morf such a weapon. Ari Grode Did you get up on their, on What Like or Nightmare with him? Ethan Morf I didn't get on what Lycra when I was in the valley. I was kind of like, since it was near the end of my trip, I was like really psyched to just get out of the valley kind of soon. So I was pretty honed in on my project. Ethan Morf And then once I did it, I was like out of there. But I'm definitely psyched to go onto it. It looks so good. Robert Yeah, yeah, it's all time for sure. Ari Grode Yeah, i ran and I ran into him outside the gym a couple weeks ago because he's in the same area as me. And man, i he's like, the dedication that he's got is pretty impressive. Like he'd just go up there on Awani ledge and then post on Instagram looking for partners and just be like, I'm up here. If anyone decides to jug my fixed lines, like we can climb.

2:26 Ari Grode Yeah. Ethan Morf It's crazy like it is unreal like he's like yeah dude like I'm just gonna go rope solo up there and then like I'll go ask around and I'm just like You're like it's insane to me. Robert yeah. Ethan Morf It's so funny Robert Yeah, the stoke is certainly there. I mean, funnily enough, Ethan, you know, Chris from El Salto as well, too, is one our crew. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert So he was down there and I was like, hey, man, like, because Chris is always up for like a little adventure, a bit of a suffer fest. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert So was like, hey, very random, but... I got a buddy that's trying to work on wet like it right now. Like any chance you or someone, you know, would be down to give this man a catch and he was immediately in it. So I think he jugged up for part of it. And then I think he had a work thing and had to, had to bail on on section of it. But yeah, it's all the, all the El Salto dots are connecting for sure.

3:14 Robert What, um how long did you end up staying down there? Ari Grode Small world. Robert Well, because we were kind of in and out. We were there for like two weeks for the project, but you were down there for quite some time, right? Ethan Morf Yeah, I guess I got to Mexico like January ah or something. And then I was there until, I was there until like nearly the end of, Salto until like nearly the end of and February. Robert Okay. Ethan Morf And then right at the end, i went to La Popa and spent like 10 days there. Robert Okay. Robert Okay. What was that like? Ethan Morf La Popa? Oh, dude, it was so sick. Robert Yeah. Ethan Morf It was crazy. Robert Yeah.

3:54 Ethan Morf It was like, I mean, it was such a hectic turnaround there. We had basically like, yeah, we're in our salto session. And then one night, like we left in the day and then we got all the groceries and shit for La Popa in Monterey. Ethan Morf And then we got to ah EPC at like, Robert Okay. Nice. Ethan Morf At like 10 p.m. maybe. And then the next day we got up at like 5 a.m. to go do El Cendero Luminoso. Robert nice Ethan Morf And then we had were up there for like 12 or 13 hours. Ari Grode Okay. Ethan Morf and then we And then we got down. And like so fucking late. And the next day we were leaving we're leaving EPC at like 9 a.m. to go get our donkeys and like go to La Popa.

4:43 Ethan Morf go to the top. It was a really hectic, really hectic few days. But the experience in La Popa was so, it was like, it was magical. It's so cool up there. It's insane. Robert Yeah, I mean, I think that's like kind of all time. a couple couple of things in that little list right there kind of all time for a lot of people. So it's cool that you guys squeezed so much into that. was was that with um Was that with Arlo and Connor and all them? Or like, who are you who are you going on EPC with in La Popa? Ethan Morf It was with Arlo, and then, I don't know, did you meet Zavi, the French-Canadian? Ethan Morf see yeah He might have got there. Robert Hmm. Robert Does he long brown hair? Ethan Morf no Robert No, no, no. Ethan Morf No, I think he got there right after you left.

5:23 Ethan Morf But, yeah, I went there with Arlo, Zavi, and then my friend Tim Greenwood that was in Mexico, not this past winter, but the winter before. Robert Okay. Ethan Morf And, yeah, we were, I guess, like two teams of two. Robert Cool. Robert Nice. Nice. So you'd been down to Mexico before, which kind of makes sense because I feel like you guys were, I mean, your whole crew, but you especially as well, were like really kind of doing some damage while you're down there? Robert Because you ended up doing, was it murder weapon 514 or something like that down there? Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert How is i was like, I guess from like a project tick list and everything when you went down there, like was that a pretty productive... Ethan Morf who Robert trip down there, I guess you would say, or was there the more that kind of left on the table you want to go back or like walk us through a little bit since you've been down there a couple of times, like how you started going down to Mexico for the winter and just like what else you kind of were able to manage to squeeze into that one trip. and if there's anything left on the itinerary, I guess, or the wishlist for, for next season.

6:23 Ethan Morf Yeah. um Yeah. So basically, i guess I went to Mexico. Yeah. Like, no, no last season, the season before. And that like a six months before i went to Mexico, i had like torn my labrum in Yosemite. Ethan Morf And then i like didn't was off climbing like five, six months, maybe. And I had these tickets booked to Mexico already. And I was like, oh, fuck, like, should I go? i don't know. And then was like, I am also a photographer. And I was like, I'll just go there and end up shooting. Ethan Morf And so I just lined up a little photography thing with like a local clothing company. And then we bought the clothes there. And the first, so yeah, the first time was in Mexico, i didn't really climb that much.

7:07 Ethan Morf I climbed like I there for like, yeah, little less than a month. And I probably climbed like a handful of days because my shoulders get so fucked. I like couldn't really do much, but I was taking a lot of photos and that was sick. Ethan Morf And then, yeah I got back. I got back to the Okanagan, like back home. We had my shoulder climbed. And then this past winter went back and yeah, I mean, I did like, Ethan Morf It was a very productive time in Mexico for me, for sure. Robert right. Ethan Morf I mean, this whole States trip and like whole winter was kind of like it really expanding what I thought was possible in my own mind. Like I got there and really did not think I'd be trying out something like murder weapon.

7:52 Ethan Morf And I was able to do like, yeah, a few 13 pluses. And then my first like 14, a, which was cool. And then, yeah we did. El Cendero ground up in a day, which was cool. And, like, Los Noguales and El Gavilan. Like, all of them, like, total dream boots. Ethan Morf And, like, just had, like, the fucking sickest few weeks, if like, month of my life. It just seshed. It danced a lot, which was awesome. Robert nice nice Ethan Morf And then... Yeah, I don't know. Leaving Mexico, I was kind of like, I feel very satisfied. i'm kind of like, I think I'll come back in a few years and there's definitely like, I mean, El Salto in Mexico is like so much like infinite climbing. That's so good.

8:33 Ethan Morf And the scene is so good. But um I think I'm gonna like take a step back to the next few seasons and go do go to some other places for the winter. Yeah. Robert cool no Ari Grode Was there a big learning curve with, cause I know you're, you're from Squamish and you grew up climbing on a lot of like your, your, most your career has been spent climbing these like granite routes where, you know, the feet are non-existent or you're following crack features or whatever, you know, granite climbing couldn't be more opposite than a steep limestone. Ari Grode So was there, was there like a big learning curve there did, did it, I don't know, did it just kind of come together? Robert Thank you. Ethan Morf I mean, it was definitely a bit of a learning curve for me. I've done like, I'd say I'm pretty balanced in my mix of disciplines and climbing like I love bouldering I love sport climbing I love track climbing but I've done like the only limestone sport climbing I've done has been in Mexico and so basically that like month was my only month really limestone sport climbing like the Mexico season before I did like a few pitches and I was like this is fucking hard and then yeah I mean I Ethan Morf cut On my first few days there this season, i like couldn't, I mean, I'm like 12 minus. I was like falling. i was like dogging up like 12 minus. And I was just like, this is, I was like, it's so steep. And like, I don't know. I was just like, Ethan Morf It was hard. Like it's just steep and but the feet are big insanely polished though. It's crazy on limestone. But after like a week of being there, think it's climbing like as much as I can every day. i feel like I guess like I don't know.

10:12 Ethan Morf I feel like I picked it up pretty fast and it worked out thankfully. Yeah. Ari Grode Yeah, i'm sure I'm sure you take a limestone sport climber and you put them on some ah some nice smooth granite and they have the same reaction. So other but that yeah, it is it is it is kind of wild how quickly you kind of adapt to the styles, like how something can go from so impossible to pretty kind comfortable so quickly. Ethan Morf Yeah, for sure. Ethan Morf yeah yeah Ari Grode It's cool to hear. Robert Yeah, and definitely like as a guy who ah I think the highlight of my El Salto climbing, granted I wasn't climbing too many days. I was kind of more focused on the film project, obviously. Robert But like me hang-dogging my way up the 512s was like the highlight. So I would certainly say you you had a productive time down there. I think it's probably... Worth circling back to Squamish though, right? Because that's kind of where this all started. And you've been climbing for what?

11:05 Robert Four, four and a half years now? Ethan Morf Yeah, like four and a half years now. Robert Is that... Ethan Morf Yeah, pretty much. Robert Okay. um I think it's pretty incredible, at least for us to like, think about everything that you've already ticked off. Like some of those routes, as you mentioned, just on this one trip, like for some people, those are lifetime type days. Robert Right. So I think it'd be really cool to kind of like understand how you first got introduced to climbing when you're in Canada and like Ethan Morf Mm-hmm. Robert how you seemingly progressed as quickly as you did in, in a sport where, especially with big walls, like there is usually such a steep learning curve and yeah, kind of paint the picture of like when you first got introduced to climbing and how it grew from there.

11:48 Ethan Morf Yeah, so, um, it's kind of funny, I guess, like, when I was younger, i was i was very much, like, not an outdoorsy kid at all. Like, I did a lot of skiing and stuff, because that's, like, the thing where from. Ethan Morf But I, like, oh I just played so much video games, like, I really hated outdoors, kind of. And then... I did a lot skateboarding too, but that was about it. And then when I was like 15 one day, me and my dad like went on this hike in the mountains in Canada, guess on a random weekend for fun. Ethan Morf And I had like this like little scramble at the top, this little dihedral. And I was like, we just did it. i was like, damn, that was so sick. Like, is this a thing? And then i think that I went home and like, Ethan Morf we watched the Dawn Wall or something. And I was like, oh, that's cool. Like, I want to try that. And think, yeah. And then we, it was 20, winter of like 2021, think.

12:46 Ethan Morf And then we, I started going to the climbing gym with my friends and we get like session in the gym for a few, ah few months. And like, This is awesome. But then the second it warmed up, like it's time to like go outside and do like do the Dawn Wall things, like climb on rock. Ethan Morf And we it like we just had no mentors, though. Ari Grode Yeah. Ethan Morf like Our local scene in Skaha, it's quite small. There's like definitely experienced people out there, but it's like kind of hard to find them, I thought. So basically, me and my friend, like we just... Ethan Morf I went and like bought a rope and ATC and draws and stuff. And like, he got a shoes harness chalk bag and we just started like going out to the Craig and like watching YouTube videos on like how to top rope belay. There was like, I remember very vividly, there was like REI videos on like how to tie a figure eight and how to use an ATC to belay.

13:45 Ethan Morf So we didn't a guidebook either. So we'd just like go to random crags that like, was on very small niche websites in Canada. Like we don't have mountain projects that much. Robert you Ethan Morf And we just would like go to Craig's. We could like walk to the top and reach over and like put on your top rope. And then we're just like, dash like five, like five nines and stuff. Robert Nice. Ethan Morf And then after like two days of top rope, we're like, Oh, it's time to do a lead climb. And then like, I remember leading my first pitch and it was like some 10 B and I was so, so gripped. Ethan Morf And my friend had just learned how to play on YouTube. And then we'll, I like get to the anchor and I like go in direct and I like pull up my phone and I'm like searching up, like, how do I get my stuff back from this climb?

14:35 Ethan Morf Cause I couldn't just walk to the top. Ari Grode I don't know. Ethan Morf And so, yeah. Locked to the top, watched a YouTube video. And yeah, basically learned everything off of YouTube, which was very fun. I'm glad we survived. Ethan Morf It worked out. Robert Yeah. Ethan Morf And yeah, that first season, like, i don't know, we get psyched. Like, we just get out, like, every day after school. Like, our parents are driving to the Craig. It was, like, right before we got a license. Ethan Morf And we're, like, just dog every 5, 10. It was crazy. Like, I would, like... We'd yo-yo everything in the park. So basically I would like, I would go like one or two bolts up on some like 10 minus and like, God, dude, this is, this is nails. I can't go any higher. And then I would lower it to the ground.

15:21 Ethan Morf My friend would tie in and then he would push it one bolt further and be like, no, I can't do it. This is, this is messed. And then we'd just do that on like one pitch for like six hours in a day. And we'd do that one pitch and we're like, call it a day. Ethan Morf And yeah, we're getting like frothing. And then that winter, I guess like moon boarded. i guess like I worked in, um I still go into school. Ethan Morf And then I was like working ah like a pizzeria. And I just like moonboarded every day at the gym. Like no warmup, had no tactics. I could show up and moonboard. Ethan Morf And then I went back climbing the next outdoor season and it like changed the game. I was like, wow, I can pull on holds. Like my first few weeks back, I did my first 512. It was like a 12B.

16:09 Ethan Morf And I'd only done 11C before that. So I was like really psyched. Minigs went from there. Yeah. Robert Wait, sorry, so when was the first 512B? Ethan Morf It was my second my second season climbing. So, like, my first season, that summer of, like, dogging every 510. And then right at the end, I did an 11C when I learned, like, you could try things multiple times and then do them. Robert Yep. Robert Right, right. Ethan Morf I learned what projecting was, basically. And then it was, like, in March of 2020. twenty 2022 then, I guess. it's ah It's hard to think of the dates, but I think that's when. Ethan Morf And yeah, I did my first 12B and that was, it really opened my eyes. i was like and into just like projecting and like how much training actually helps and stuff too.

16:59 Ethan Morf And like bouldering and being multidisciplined. So yeah. Ari Grode It's kind of, it's kind of funny. You you almost took like an old school approach combined, like, or like married with a new school approach. You know, all the guys back in the day, i was like, the thing was to yo-yo roots, you know, they'd work as a team to push the rope higher until they eventually got the ascent. Ari Grode And then, you know, Mary in the training tools that we have available to ourselves now with like the moon board, I guess you, yeah. Robert Yeah. Kilter board, YouTube, you know, just like new age, old school. Ethan Morf yeah exactly. Robert Incredible. That's amazing. Ari Grode What was the what was the but was the climbing you were doing like? I mean, was this all all sport climbing, kind of it just local crags, or what was kind of the scene?

17:42 Ethan Morf Yeah, it was it was all sport climbing. Basically, i grew up in... it's like I grew up in this small town. It's Summerland, British Columbia, Canada. Very small. And it's like 30 minutes away from this like quite good sport climbing area called Tsukaha. Ari Grode Okay. Ethan Morf And yeah, it's just like all sport climbing. like It's really well known for like slightly overhanging, crimpy roots. like It's a lot of... it a lot of shift routes like it's not insane but it's like there's definitely a lot shift routes and so it ends up being a lot of like crazy crimp ladders and stuff like that and it's like i find it very very fun there yeah it exactly like slightly off vert and like big walls like very long routes like very enduro stuff which is very yeah i love it Robert like slightly off like kind of steep, but nothing crazy.

18:36 Robert Yeah, I mean, that sounds like a blast. i like I grew up playing soccer my whole life and I played in college and stuff. So for me, after school was always soccer, but I'm always envious when I hear about people like yourself that's like, okay, after school, I'm going to go hang with my boy and we're just going to like hit the crag and have a blast. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert So I mean, I think that that probably lends itself to progressing quickly as you did, but it's still kind of astonishing me. Robert hearing someone that says, yeah, in my first, basically full year of climbing, right? Like a season, season and a half, take down a 512B. Ethan Morf Mm-hmm. Robert Is there anything that you think attributed to the fact that you were able to progress as quickly as you have been able to? Ethan Morf Mm-hmm.

19:19 Robert Obviously, like this is a theme and a trend that has carried on ah beyond just like your first season or two seasons sport climbing. But is there anything like, is it, because you were frothing and you're always training and always kind of working at it? Or was there like anything else that you kind of think helped you find the early success that you did? Because 512, I mean, even 11C in your first season out at the crag, like that's not exactly the most common story you ever hear, you know? Ethan Morf hey Yeah. I mean, I'm sure it's a big, a big mix of things for me, but I think that one thing that I've really found in my climbing that has helped me just progress so much so consistently is that i I, don't, I guess feel like a very, Ethan Morf when I like hone in on a goal or an idea, it's like, that is all that I'm doing. Like I'm making every, every choice that I'm making is hopefully something that is like going to bring me towards my goal.

20:16 Ethan Morf And so it's like, it does come at the sacrifice of other things in my life, in my life. But like, I think usually all the progression has been t was just like frothing and being very like, Ethan Morf dedicated and honed in on goals. And like, I remember like on my first like five 12s, like that 12 my first like 12 C I was already looking for new tactics to like do these things faster. Ethan Morf So like on my second five 12, I was like writing down all the beta, like memorizing everything, rehearsing it in my head, not realizing that these are tactics that are like going to help me so much in the longterm.

20:58 Ethan Morf So yeah, I think it's just like tactics. And also I think, yeah, I guess being ultra psyched, like trying so hard. i feel like that's a good gift that I have. i can like try very hard when I want to. Ari Grode So, okay. Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode So you're, you're working on these, you're kind of progressing through the grades a little bit, employing some training, learning bill, I would say laying a nice, uh, building some good habits that are leading towards, uh, you know, like a proficiency in, in, in pushing your, your climbing grades. Ari Grode But mean, when did you start, Or where did your climbing go from there? I mean, eventually where did you kind of set your sights on some of these bigger goals that you you started to work towards?

21:41 Ethan Morf hey um I guess like I've always i guess like my biggest goal is always like freeing El Cap like I watched the Dawn Wall and then I like watched me solo and then I'm like wow like El Cap like that is it I need to go there and climb that and then i guess Yeah, like, I very quickly started getting very into, like, climbing media. Ethan Morf I mean, super classic, like, teenage boy gets into climbing. It's whole it's his whole personality. Like, all I did was watch the old dosages and return to sender and stuff and being, like, lucky. Ari Grode Oh yeah? Okay.

22:22 Ethan Morf I was very drawn to old, like, the trad climbing stuff, like Tommy and Yosemite and, like, all, like, the Squamish stuff. I mean, like, Didier vs. the Cobra. I remember watching that. Ethan Morf like in the winter that I was like moonboarding a lot. I was like, I'm going to Squamish and I want, like, I haven't tried it yet. I want to touch it. But like, I was like, I'm going to Squamish. Ethan Morf I'm going to do Cobra crack one day. Like that was like huge goal. And obviously still is, but I like basically graduated high school. And like the day after i graduated, I drove like my van to Squamish. Ethan Morf And then I lived in, my van in Squamish for a month and like met the community and then I like went to the Bugaboos and that whole first like summer in Squamish really solidified all my goals and like taught me what I love to do it's like this great get the aesthetics I got like super in love with certain lines and like certain kinds of climbing yeah get something like Ari Grode what what is it What is it like about that or what was it about Squamish or the characters there that I guess got you so psyched or drew you in? I mean, was it the people like like a Didier a Sonny Trotter or was it you know the particular lines or yeah?

23:42 Ethan Morf I think it was definitely, for me at first, it was like the lines and the climbing. Because like I started watching those and then I was like trad climbing in Skaha. Like I bought a rack and then I was just like learning how to trad climb via YouTube. Ari Grode Okay. Ethan Morf and Robert but Ethan Morf But it's like so, all the cracks in Skaha, like so bad, like incredibly not splitter. was just so gripped all the time. And then I was like watching these videos squall rush and be like, wow, those cracks look so good. Ethan Morf And it was definitely the lines that like brought me there. But then what has kept me here is definitely like the people and the community. Like it's like such, but such a good scene here. Like I love it. It's so good.

24:24 Robert That's awesome. So I got a follow-up question on that for sure. Just thinking back on my my learning curve for trad and like placing gear and all of that. Robert Like you're learning on YouTube, you're looking at placements. Ethan Morf Yes. Robert Is it one of those situations where you don't know enough to be worried about like some of the potential dangers or anything of like placing trad gear and like that? Or are you like terrified and you're just like rewatching YouTube videos like 12 times? Like, is that place right? Am I good? And like, like what was that process light of like of just like learning how to place gear like via the internet as opposed to having a mentor? Like you mentioned, you didn't really have one necessarily. You guys were just figuring out as you were going.

25:06 Ethan Morf Yeah, I would say it was definitely probably more of like a ignorance is bliss situation. I remember ah my first trad lead ever was on like some 5-5 with my friend who had just bought his trad rack. Ethan Morf And he didn't know anything either. And we're like, let's just go climb a crack. And I remember climbing it and like po placing and this point, I hadn't watched YouTube videos. i was just like, i'll guess like seems easy enough. Like, let's go figure it out. Ethan Morf And then I like was placing gear. And every time i would like my foot would hit a piece of gear, it would literally just fall out of the crack. And I was just like, this trad climbing thing is so sketchy.

25:48 Ethan Morf I can't, I thought it was just normal. I can't believe people do this. Robert What? Ethan Morf And then, I watched a bunch of YouTube videos. And I think my first, like that first experience climbing trad was so jank that I was like, oh, everything is staying in the rock. Like I'm totally chilling. Ethan Morf Like it's not, it's falling out. I'm sure I'll be fine. But it definitely came to bite me in the ass a bit. Like, my first season in Squamish, I was there for, like, yeah, I was there for, like, three or four weeks. Ethan Morf And on, like, week two, I was like, oh, I want to try and onsite this, like, single crack. It looks so good. And like we rock up to it and yeah, I guess I started climbing it and it kind of had like a little bit of a lip on the crack.

26:34 Ethan Morf And obviously I wasn't very good at placing gear yet. And I'm like at the crux, halfway up the wall and the my piece is like a few feet below my foot. And I'm like, cruxing out super hard. was like, oh, I'm, I'm just gonna, like, whip right now. Ethan Morf and then I let go. and the piece is like, ping, like, straight out of the rock. See you later. And then, i had this, like, little.1 that was so shit. And like, it like, Ethan Morf Got tight a tiny bit, but I like decked pretty hard. It was like right by these railway tracks. So the ground was flat like pebbles, which was nice. But I guess it landed completely flat on my back at this crag.

27:15 Ethan Morf And there was like these other old guys there. They're like, holy shit, dude. Like that was crazy. and Yeah, that was definitely a pretty wild first decking experience. Ari Grode ah first deck Robert Wow. Ari Grode well i mean what was there any like what was the aftermath i mean were you injured at all or you just popped back up Robert Oh, no, you definitely got right. Ethan Morf i yeah I was like, I basically like landed and my son like, Oh my God, are you okay? Robert You got right back up on the route. I'm like, oh, I'll try that one again, didn't you? Ethan Morf And I was like, yeah, I'm fine. And that's like my, everything kind of hurt a bit, but nothing was like lots of adrenaline. i was like, oh I think I'm fine. And then I sat there for a few minutes and then I, went back up and like, so I was like, I don't want to build a mental block. I just have to go for it right away right now.

27:59 Ethan Morf Then I pulled the rope and then tried it again. And I did not send it the second time. i was really gripped, but I did not deck and I got to the top. Robert precise Ethan Morf Like that was nice. Robert and that's That's progress, baby. That's all you can ask for. That's amazing. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert Have you since sent the route? I'm hoping so. Ethan Morf Yes. Robert Nice. Ethan Morf i like I went back to it one more time, and I did end up having like kind of a mental block on it. Robert Nice. Ethan Morf like I'd get to the place and be like, oh my god, like I'm just going to hit the ground right now. But then I went back the next season, and then I get to the first go, and I was like, oh it's actually okay, now that I know how to play Skier a bit more. Ethan Morf But yeah. Ari Grode it is It is amazing. Robert That's awesome. Ari Grode like you you you know Once you kind of know how to place gear, you kind of just you forget that it could be that difficult to or like that possible to place gear that poorly. But you know you give people some trad gear who don't really know what they're doing.

28:49 Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode like even if they're good climbers and it always blows my mind how bad placements can look that you're like, you know, you just you touch it with your finger or move the rope a little bit and it just comes right out of the rock. Ethan Morf Yeah. it Ari Grode I'm sure I was the exact same way. Cause I mean, I, you know, when I got into trad climbing, I just kind of brought a rack up and climbed some easy stuff. And I'm sure the gear was just atrocious. Like, don't even want to know what it looked like. Robert Oh yeah. I remember, i remember I, uh, I was on whiskey sour Ari with, uh, there's like a five, six at one of the crags that myself, Ari, and some of our friends used to climb at in North Carolina. Ethan Morf Mm-hmm. Robert And like, same thing as you were like, yeah, I'm on this five, five, five, six. I'm not going to fall. Hopefully I learned how to place gear along the way. And like my buddy, fault my buddy, Josh followed up and was like, yeah, I'm pretty sure you were just free soul.

29:35 Ethan Morf Mm-hmm. Robert And that whole thing is he's just pulling cams out left and right without putting the triggers. So yeah. Ethan Morf oh Robert Yeah, we'veve we've all been there for sure. i think the the moral story is certainly learn on the ah the lower grades. But yeah, it's ah it's definitely like a progress thing that like all of a sudden it just clicks. Robert And and yeah, like like Ari said, you forget that like you can place it as poorly as as is possible. So that's funny. Ethan Morf yeah. Robert um Go ahead, Ari. Ari Grode So as a, go ahead. No, I, I was going to ask. Um, so aside from, you know, your first decks and, you know, not really knowing what you were doing with the trad gear, uh, how did that first season in Squamish go? I mean, did you, did you find any mentors or did you find a crew that kind of was able to impart some wisdom on you about maybe how to, how to safely trad climb? Like what did, what did that kind of look like?

30:27 Ethan Morf yeah um Yeah, thankfully I did find a crew and I survived the season, which was nice. Ari Grode ah Ethan Morf But yeah, basically I got there and I was pretty shy when I first got there. The scene was really like, it's kind of different nowadays, but Then it was, like, very prime era of the dirt lot in Squamish. Like, at the chief campground, you have, like, the chief parking lot for, like, the day is the day lot for the visitors. It's paved. Ethan Morf And then, like, there's the actual campground right there. And there's this, like, dirt lot where people park to go set up, like, tents and stuff. And, like, all the van lifers and dirt bags have, like, Ethan Morf totally taken it over. It's just like no people staying in tents. Like it was just like rows, like a hundred bands, everyone's staying in it. And I just like rolled up there, immediately learned that I could just like post up there and it was no worries.

31:21 Ethan Morf And i was just hanging out for a few days, climbing with people from Facebook. And then, um, yeah, some, one of my friends, like one of my good friends nowadays walked up to me and he's, his name is Mateo. And he was like, Ethan Morf hey, dude, I've seen you around. Like, do you just want to come hang out with us? You're always just, like, alone. and I was like, oh, yeah, sure. I'd love to come hang. And, I was quickly taken under the wing of this, like, amazing group of dirtbags. Like, yeah, it was awesome. Like, it was just, they're all, was 17 at the time, so they're all quite a bit older than me. Ethan Morf But it was like, I don't know, yeah, it's like this little family. They took me under the wing, and we, like, was climbing every day with them on different multi-pitches, and, like, I had an amazing season.

32:06 Ethan Morf i ended up doing a bunch of boots in Squamish I was psyched on. Like I climbed. I climbed the Grand Wall. I climbed like 11 plus trad. I like, it was our first month like learning trad and it was like, yeah, i mean, it was amazing. Ethan Morf And then right after that, i ended up going to the Bugaboos with some friends from Squamish, which was like insane experience because I had just learned a trad climb. And then I was in this amazing Alpine environment. Yeah, it was like the best summer i could have ever asked for for sure. Robert that That's awesome. How long were you in the Bugaboos for? Ethan Morf I was there for like, first I went up with some friends from the Okanagan and I was there with them for like five days maybe. And then I left and then my friend from Squamish was like, let's go back in. Like, it's so good.

32:54 Ethan Morf And then I went back up for another like four days or something. So I was there for like a little little over a week. Robert Nice. Robert Yeah, that's awesome. I mean, it sounds like that's like a summer and like a chapter of your life that you'll just like never forget. I mean, that's that's super special. With the Chief, I mean, obviously it's such a striking piece of rock and just floating and in Squamish, right? Robert um Ethan Morf Mm-hmm. Robert What was like some of those early memories, like ah any routes or any lines stand out to you? Like any any absolute classics like for you that if someone is spending... two weeks up in Squamish, like they have, they cannot leave without getting on or anything like that. Like, what were some of those like early ones that really kind of stood out to you and and also kind of showed you like, oh, like I really can keep at this. Like, this is like my path to the Donwall and El Cap and all of that.

33:47 Ethan Morf um I would say like absolute. I mean, the thing is like the busy, they're all pretty busy, these classic roots. And it's like, for good reason, they're amazing. Ethan Morf But like, all you guys probably like heard of the Grand Wall. I mean, it's like amazing. Robert Right. Ari Grode Mm-hmm. Ethan Morf You cannot miss it. It's so good. And then there's some stuff on Slahani we ended up climbing called like, I think it was, It's rainy, rain something. or It's like, it starts on this route called Halley's Comet. Insanely good. Ethan Morf 11A. I don't know. It's like those early day routes that can't miss. I mean, i ended up just climbing like super classics. Like if you go to Squamish, you look at the guidebook, it's like, the top 100s, like, Angel's Crest, Crime the Century, Grand Wall, like, Sunset Strip.

34:36 Ethan Morf All of these are, like, in so good. You cannot miss them if you come to Squamish. And those are definitely my early day things. And I was like, yeah, I mean, they're kind of big. I mean, the Chiefs, it's not huge, but it's like, Ethan Morf 12 pitches kind of maybe a bit bigger in places and it's like you're sort of like oh like you can climb big things and like i love the whole all-day aspect of it and it was really like oh i want like it really made me like okay el cap is like probably more realistic because it's like just like three chiefs and you've done el cap so yeah Ari Grode Yeah, I want to, I want to, wanted to circle back to something you said, ah maybe like 10 or 15 minutes ago. Robert Thank you.

35:17 Ari Grode um you said something about like after that first summer in Squamish, you know, it really solidified, ah you know, your path or your, your kind of your goals in climbing. Ari Grode ah you want to circle back to that and just elaborate kind of what you meant and what that looked like post that first climbing season there. Ethan Morf you um I guess like, i don't know, before going to Squamish, like, I knew of all these climbs and I knew that like, obviously people go do them, but I didn't know how like how sustainable it was to live on the road and be able to do it and how fulfilling the community was and everything.

36:00 Ethan Morf And so I got there. i like kind of learned about the whole dirtbagging culture and like people traveling for climbing and just like living very cheaply, like how to make it realistic. Ethan Morf And it was really like, oh, I can like go travel for extended amounts of time, go do all these goals and like, feel very fulfilled at the same time. don't know, it all gets became very realistic to me. And like the progression with my climbing, I was like, Oh, maybe it is realistic to like get on our cap one day kind of thing. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert Amazing. Yeah. I mean, i can I can only imagine like just especially you said you were like 17 at the time, just like how many like like formidable and like transformative experiences you probably had like within that month in Squamish, like alone. So yeah, it sounds super unique. It sounds like such a rad experience. Yeah.

36:57 Robert With that season kind of coming to a close, like what was but was next after that month in Squamish and going up to the Bugaboos? Like what was like kind of that next little phase for you? Ethan Morf Yeah, so it was a weird period for me. i kind of like was in Squamish, learned about the whole dirtbagging thing, went to the bugs. i like, this is awesome. And then after the summer ended, was like, okay, like, guess I just go home and work and I'll come back the next summer. Ethan Morf And then I'm like at home working in this like greasy kitchen. And I was looking on Instagram and I'm like, all my friends are in this place called Indian Creek. Like that looks very good.

37:37 Ethan Morf And then like the Indy 70, I'm like, what the hell is going on? and I just like did not realize that I had missed a memo that everyone just keeps going. Like it doesn't just end after Squamish. Ethan Morf And ah so I kind of just spent another winter on the moon board working and making money and stuff. And then the next summer I was like, I'm going to Squamish and then I'm going to keep going and it's going to be sick. Ethan Morf So, yeah. Robert ah Oh, amazing. Okay. So we spend the winter in the, on the moon board, get absolutely jacked and strong, right? Ari Grode And is it Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert You save up, save up some money. Robert you go to Squamish. What's after Squamish? Like what's like that immediate. Okay. Like I'm, I'm with my boys now. Like we're, we're traveling. We're hitting the road. Like, where'd you guys go from there?

38:22 Ethan Morf Yeah, so it was, it's good to it's a little grim, but basically was in Squamish, and i like, in Squamish, I got the most insane tendonitis. Ethan Morf It was so messed. I was just, like, crazy injured all summer, and I, like, barely climbed. Robert Oh. Ethan Morf I climbed with a shit ton of off-width and stuff, and I didn't, like, I had that more of like a victim mentality and I was just like, God, like, what is it going to be fixed? It's resting, waiting for it to go away. Ethan Morf And then eventually it like kind of got better. And then I went to Yosemite right after. And within the week in Yosemite, that's when I tore my labrum. So I was like there, i climbed the Staxalathe, climbed generator crack. Robert oh Ethan Morf And then like a few days later, toy my labrum on separate reality. And then I was going to go to the creek, go to these places, but then, yeah, that winter i ended up going back home again and then just like doing, hitting legs every day and rehabbing my shoulder until it was better.

39:23 Ethan Morf And then that's the winter to I went to Mexico the first time and just took photos and stuff. And then the next winter, this like past winter, basically, that's when I got to the circuit for the first time. Robert Gotcha. Ari Grode So what... Robert Gotcha, gotcha. Ari Grode Okay. Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode what What happened on this separate reality? like you know how you like what happened to Tara the Layroom? Ethan Morf Yeah. So basically it's just on it. Like at the end, there's like this little boulder problem. I don't know if you guys have been on it, but it's like you get a few thin hand jams and there's like a little crimp out there. Ari Grode Uh-huh. Ethan Morf And I don't know, I guess, I think I'm a little bit injury prone and I like hadn't learned how to really like do injury preventative stuff yet. And so I was like, no warmup, hop on it.

40:08 Ethan Morf And then I guess like, get this Gaston in the crack, like behind my head kind of. And then I like reach up, hit this jug and do this like massive swing, like to bring my feet in. Ethan Morf And i was like kind of scorpion. But then as I swung through, my shoulder was just like on the whole swing. And i was like, oh, that wasn't good. Ari Grode no Ethan Morf And I could just feel like instant weakness. And then I just dropped off and I couldn't really move my arm after that much for the next like few days. was like, this is not good. So yeah. Ari Grode Curious, what was it like? i mean, you you'd spent the whole ah winter, you know, working, saving money with this master plan of, okay, I'm going to go to Squamish and then I'm goingnna go to go creek and I'm going to go to the valley and I'm going to live this like extended dirtbag life.

40:54 Ari Grode And you get to Squamish and you're fighting all this, all these injuries with the tendonitis. And then you finally make it to Yosemite and you tear your labrum. I mean, what was the, what was the mentality like there? I mean, was that just like, or how did, how did you kind of handle that? Ethan Morf it was definiteaf It was really... i mean, it kind of rocked my world a little bit because I learned, oh, this is my path. like This is what I want to do, whatever. And then it was just kind of like... I don't know. it was we I was just like... At that time, i had all these injuries and I wasn't like... I did the tendonitis. Ethan Morf I wasn't like doing rehabbing things. I was just like hanging and stuff instead of like climbing because I couldn't climb. and After I tore my labrum, I was kind of just like, oh, like, should i I, was really contemplating just like stopping climbing and just being like, okay, like it's time to just go to school and like do normal, normal people things.

41:51 Ethan Morf And then, but I was like, oh, I, I could either like stop or give it like a really good, give it everything I have, see if it works out. If it doesn't like, I'll just go do my own thing. Ethan Morf Cause I really don't like doing stuff. at a very like, I would say low, like hobby, like, I guess climbing is more of a passion. Like I don't like is like chilling on things. like I would find it very hard. Just like, I guess I'll just like go to, so I guess I guess hang out and like do five times and stuff. Ethan Morf I was like, I'm either here to climb or I'm like, not going to do this. So after I tore my labrum, I was really gets like, I'm going to do everything I can.

42:36 Ethan Morf to make my body healthy and like go and try and climb. And it really made me a lot more focused after that. I feel like after I got back climbing from the injury, I've instantly just like way stronger, way more focused and honed in. Ethan Morf It really changed. Like I used to like got way more dedicated after it, way more psyched. Yeah. Ari Grode And what did that kind of look like? I mean, were you, uh, I guess two questions. I mean, what were some of those tactics, I guess, that you implemented to, you know, future proof your body. So that way you could kind of go all in, like you said, on this climbing thing. And then I guess too, just to set some context, I mean, what was your, you know, we had talked about kind of your climbing ability or level grade wise, uh, you know, Ari Grode a couple of seasons ago. I mean, were you still seeing incremental progress or was this like you'd kind of plateaued and then this, you know, some of these things that you did ultimately kind of helped you level up?

43:37 Ethan Morf Yeah, so it was like, I mean, I guess I'll do like the progress thing first. But basically, like, that summer that I had tendinitis, I had a really good start to it. was crying I climbed my first like 12 pluses on gear. I was like, oh, it's going very good. Ethan Morf And then I really like plateaued out with my injury and like wasn't improving that much. And then i started like, once it injured my shoulder, i guess it was like, Ethan Morf Yeah, I guess I really learned a lot of stuff that is normal for a lot of people, but I thought I could just get away with not doing so like basically nowadays, I like it's very old man vibe, but I do like a 30 or 45 minute warm up for like every day I climb basically.

44:24 Ethan Morf If I'm going to the Craig, if I'm going bouldering, if I'm doing anything, Unless it's like five ten or like 11 minus, like I'm doing like a massive warmup to make my body feel good and going through every muscle group. Ethan Morf And I'm doing just like a lot of stretching. Ari Grode Thank you. Ethan Morf I like... This is kind of funny. I like was a very, very picky eater growing up. I like almost ate no vegetables. And in Yosemite, the first few times I was like, for the first time, I was like, my friends were introducing me to vegetables. Like, this is a sweet potato. And like, this is a zucchini. And we're having like a new vegetable every week. Ethan Morf And then once it hit my shoulder, i was like, I can't just eat Annie's and hot dogs every night. I need to like probably have nutrients. So now I like try to eat well and stuff like that. And that has like made me feel very good and doing a lot of lifting. I do love a lot of bench press and shit like that. And instantly like I just felt like so much more of a unit getting back into climbing.

45:24 Ethan Morf I just feel very much more resilient to it all. Robert Okay, well, that might be a like a good way to to transition, I guess, into ah maybe maybe a little bit of El Cap. Ethan Morf you Robert So you you go to Yosemite, you start getting on your Popeye grind, eating some spinach, you know getting the nutrients and everything. when is ah When does like the ultimate goal start to come to fruition? I'm like, okay, you realize that this is very doable where I want to I wanna go live the Donwall life, right? I wanna go up LCAP. Robert And when when does like the site start to get set on that and and walk us through that a bit? Cause you've mentioned you've been to Yosemite a couple times now, right? So when does like the the big goal start to come into play?

46:08 Ethan Morf me Ethan Morf Yeah, so I guess I always wanted to free free rider and like any style. When I started climbing, I imagined it would be like wrapping in and working it like I guess thought that was the way. Ethan Morf And then ah my first time the assembly when I tore my shoulder, I was gonna go up free rider with my friend and we were gonna go ground up because we got very sick. Like I'm very psyched on that style nowadays. And I was like, we're gonna go ground up. Ethan Morf That tore my shoulder like this is the time. But then yeah, I guess like the summer previous to the this past assembly season, I was just like, feeling very fit and ready to go and I we did like a practice wall in Squamish where we like walled out the chief over two days and tried this route and I was just like oh what I don't know it gets like at some point i was like I never felt ready but I just like I have to go try and see what's up and yeah I mean we went up El Cap in October and like we were ready i mean we ended up doing Freerider over seven days which was super sick and then after that Ethan Morf it was It was still a huge leap in my mind to do it in a day. But I was like i was kind of's like, if you take away the bags, like i mean hauling sucks. like You could go so fast without bags.

47:30 Ethan Morf But yeah, I guess it was after that Squamish season. Ari Grode so that that that first attempt you guys or the first seven day push you guys did manage to free it Ethan Morf Yeah, I, um, it's, we were kind of, there's like a team of four, like two teams of two, but we're like leapfrogging and then I freed it. And then my other friend got pretty close. Ethan Morf Everyone was kind of going like at three years, three as can be kind of clear. Ari Grode okay okay Ethan Morf Mm-hmm. Ari Grode okay So did did you immediately think like, mean, you mentioned trying to do it in a day. I mean, was that like the next obvious goal or. Ethan Morf Um, it was like, I see the next obvious goal at first was like, oh, now I try Golden Gate. Like I try different routes.

48:15 Ari Grode Okay. Ethan Morf But then, i don't know, I just like, it was always in the back of my mind. And my friend Sam, which I'm Sam Stroh, like one of my mentors nowadays, kind of, he was like, Ethan Morf oh Dude, like if you do it in the spring like you'll be the youngest like he was the youngest before me and he was like I don't know it's fun having that little friendly competition and he was just like dude you should go try it and I don't know I found it hard to believe in myself, but he like obviously truly believed in me so I was like it seems golden gate seems sick but doing Freeing out half in a day just kind of seems like the pinnacle of free climbing in my mind.

48:58 Ethan Morf Like, doing that much climbing in a day is like the sickest thing ever. Ari Grode Oh, totally. I mean, you're leaving the ground with like relatively small rack, you know, and, and, and a bit of equipment and you're, mean, you're just going to the top. Robert Yeah, absolutely. Ari Grode There's no, like, there's no seaging. Ethan Morf Yeah, exactly. Ari Grode There's yeah, it's, it, it looks, I mean, yeah, it's bad-ass cause you know, for sure. Ethan Morf You get to climb 3000 feet. Like it's so sick. We get to climb so much rock. Like it's amazing. Oh yeah. Very fun. Robert Yeah, Ari and I had ah hope, dreams, and aspirations of of of doing part a part of it in a day, and it ended pretty quickly on the second pitch. Ari Grode So i what did that ahead? good Robert But um yeah, I mean, you look up you look up at it from underneath, and you're like, wow, that is so much more rock than I thought. You know, like, because obviously, like, LCAP from a distance, right?

49:49 Robert Like, you think you have an idea of the scale and everything, but then, like, once you pull on, you're like, this is... Ethan Morf mean Robert wild So, yeah, I'm sure you guys were just absolutely buzzing, just riding it to the top. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert what um What were you going to say there, Ari? Ari Grode No, I wanted to just hear about the process of, you know, how you kind of went from doing it over seven days to like, you know, working towards that goal of of freeing LCAP and, you know, under 24 Robert Yeah, yeah. Ethan Morf Yeah. So, I guess it was like Ethan Morf It was weird. It was mostly a big thing of it was kind of versus the mental thing of believing. Like, I was in Australia the month before, and I had this, like, pretty bad finger injury there.

50:33 Ethan Morf And just, like, really wasn't climbing that much there. And I was just, like, fuck, like, I'm going to from climbing, like, four pitches a week to climbing, like, 3,000 feet in a day. That sounds, like, not a thing. Ethan Morf And then Ari Grode Thank you. Ethan Morf a Yeah, I just got to Yosemite and I was just like, I'm going to to just give it, like, take it really step by step. So I got there and I, like, did the free blast twice. And I, like, in my phone, I have all of the, like, every move on El Cap written down, like, bottom to top of Free Rider. Ethan Morf Like, even on the five ten Any weird section, like, I have beta on it. And so I, like, Just like went step by step, went up free blast, like ticked every foot, figured out my beta.

51:18 Ethan Morf And then I like jugged heart, started doing the middle section. And like, we just really broke it down. We wrapped in over three three or four days and we like worked the top, path like worked the head wall, worked the middle, and then we'll do the monster shit ton. Like, yeah, we just really broke it down and until we were like, Ethan Morf it's just time to give it a push. Like we hadn't done that much climbing, but I just, after my experience at La Popa climbing those roots in a day, i did a very similar style where we worked like half of the roots would work like one half the root, jug out, work another half of the root, jug out, do it in a day and like writing all the beta on our phones.

51:59 Ethan Morf And I guess knew that like that muscle memory and like visualization, once I got back up there, those pitches will like feel very easy. So I knew that even if I hadn't been climbing a lot, I would have the margin to do that. Ethan Morf So yeah, just look at that. Ari Grode What do you, what would you say kind of the crux of climbing something that big in a day is, I mean, is it the variety of, you know, different styles and the, you know, different, you know, types of climbing you have to do throughout all those pitches, or is it like the pure difficulty of, you know, some of the moves you encounter on the crux pitches mind, like kind of breaking it down a little bit. Ethan Morf he um I think the hardest part of something like that in a day is definitely like your to me it was like the pacing of it and the fueling like there'll be hard moves and stuff but like you know that like you could go and we we could go and do any pitch like it's no worries like there will be hard moves but once you dial it in it'll feel easy but it's like being able to do that after like 16 hours of climbing like you have up to that point you have to have made like done it all perfectly so we're like Ethan Morf taking breaks for the right amount of time like making sure i'm like eating the right things and i'm like fueled the whole way through like not going too slow but not going too fast like just really trying to have like a steady pace with that all i think that's the biggest crux because you could like burn out real right at the beginning or could go too slow run other times or you could like You bonk halfway up if you don't have been eating and shit.

53:40 Ethan Morf Like, that's such such a big part of it, for sure. I mean, you guys just chatted with, like, Laura and, um, what's the other name? Ari Grode Okay. Robert Kate Kate kate Ethan Morf kate Yeah, Laura and Kate. I mean, they did that like insane... They did the triple like insane, and like basically ultra-marathon endurance feat, plus this strength feat. But like I haven't listened to it yet, but I'm sure they... I would imagine they talked a bit about like that, like the fueling and... like I don't know, it's less to me, climbing out cap in a day, with less of like a strength beat and more of like, it felt like a marathon. And I'm sure that they would say similar. Like, I'm sure they had like, the nutrition shit pretty dialed in how they were eating.

54:31 Robert Yeah, yeah. So that episode with Laura and Kate came out today, like the day we're recording, obviously. So if you haven't listened to it, by the time this comes out, what are you doing? Ethan Morf Oh, sick. Robert Go back and listen to episode 23. But they certainly had a quite the feat. And then also like Tanner Wanish, also him and his partner did the quad that we interviewed as well and a while back. Ethan Morf dude yeah Robert i just Yeah, the... As you mentioned, like the logistics side of like the Sufferfest really can be a bigger crux than the actual climbing. Obviously, it depends on where the climbing is in relation to your level as a climber. Robert So it sounds like for you, you are in a comfortable zone of like, yeah, all of these pitches on their own, I can certainly put them down. And I think that that probably does change the game a bit for sure, where it's like if someone's a little closer to their limit, it definitely like, yeah, feels super important at that point.

55:25 Robert But also like making sure they don't botch beta so that they're not having to redo a pitch that's like pretty difficult for them can like really take its toll. Ethan Morf I Robert What was like your... ah you're like quick food, like happy food of choice up there. Like, do you have any like little treats or anything like that? Or were just like sticking the chicken and rice with a little bit of broccoli because your boys had shown you some veggies in the valley? Ethan Morf mean, we had like, I basically, guess I like ah my only actual food was like an actual thing that wasn't just, like, some heinous ultra, like, bar was, like, a sandwich, which was really nice, but I ate, like, a million of these, like, Clif Bar energy gels and, like, thankfully did not shit my pants, which was nice because I, like, never eat them, but that was nice, was having, like, that very consistently, um and there's, like, the coat, like, Kodiak, the pancake brand or whatever, I had, like, this, um, Robert Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, Robert yeah.

56:22 Ethan Morf like this little protein ball thing they gave me that like it's like no big protein balls and I guess at this massive box of like like peanut butter and chocolate balls and they were so good. Ethan Morf but I mean it really helped I thought with the carbs. Ari Grode Nice. Yeah, that's important. You got to have, you got to have the right fuel and, uh, you know, something you're kind of psyched to eat too. Cause then, then very easy to get on that slippery slope of, nah, I'll just skip it this pitch or this bitch. Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode And all a sudden you're bonking. Ethan Morf Yeah, definitely a lot of candy as well. I love sugar so much. Ari Grode Yeah. Oh yeah. Robert Yeah, for sure. Ari Grode Oh yeah. So you mind like talking us through the day? Like, how did it go? You know, when you finally decided to kind of step up and and try to take it down 24 Ethan Morf Yeah, ah it was... Yeah, i mean, it started out very smooth.

57:13 Ari Grode Thank Ethan Morf like i'd um I'd done the Free Blast twice, but I hadn't done it in like a while, in like a week and a half before the day we went up. And it was amazing. Like, the free blast felt, like, so chill when I did it. Ethan Morf And, i don't know, all the way up to... It was just going so smooth all the way into the roundtable. Like, we just, like... there was I didn't fall until the roundtable traverse. Ethan Morf So were just, like... We stopped at Heart for a bit. We stopped the Spire. We stopped at the Block. And, like, the whole time up, like, were just, like... Ari Grode Thank Ethan Morf i was I had a friend supporting me, jugging. So I'd just climb the pitch, fix it, chill. He'd pull up, I'd eat a snack, keep going. like Very short turnaround on every pitch.

58:02 Ethan Morf It went super smooth for the first while. um Yes, and everything first try. And then got to... the Enduro corners and that's when I was like, I'm getting kind of tired. Ethan Morf Like I screamed my way up the second Enduro, it was like the 12B. remember was a really sick moment. I was like up there and Jordan Cannon was with Mark Udon and Jordan was like sending the Salafé and Mark was like hanging in the Salafé roof when I was climbing the Enduro. Ethan Morf And was just like screaming way, way up. And Mark like yells down. He's like, you're a fucking stud. Like get it, dude. And ah it was like crazy moment.

58:45 Ethan Morf Like fought up that, got to the blade of the round table to rest. And I was like, okay, like I'm so tired. And then Zavi pulls up to the blade. And at that point, like I had been going very fast. Like he was like hustling on the jug. Ethan Morf And then like, um that point And he would get to the play and I'd be like, off? Then he would get to the play at that point and I was just like, oh, I don't want to go, dude. Like, I'm so tired. He's like, you have to go. Like, it's time. Like, here's your rack. Ethan Morf And so my first fall was on the round table. was just climbing on the corner. It was the only pitch I hadn't rehearsed on the route. And it showed because I had it got up there and it felt like I was like re-onsighting it from when I was in the fall.

59:29 Ethan Morf I was just like, where the fuck do I go? And then, yeah, fell on it. And it's a really heinous pitch to me do because it's literally like a 20-meter horizontal traverse around the corner. Ethan Morf So I, like, kind of back whipped a bit and had to do some shenanigans, ticked some feet, got back to the belay, fell asleep on Zavi's lap at, like, this hanging belay, like, very, very heinous belay. Ethan Morf Fell asleep in his lap. And then... Yeah, voca woke up like 20 minutes later, tied back in, and then did the pitch, and then did the next pitch, like, fought my way up some 11-minus, and then got to the Scotty Burke, which is, like, was also so hard for me in the fall, and I had laid-backed it. And the Scotty is, like, to give context, it's, like, ah it's, like, this 10, it's an 11-D finger crack, Ethan Morf It splits up very well. It's like an 11d finger crack right at the top of El Cap. And then there's like this big horizontal break. And so you can like get into this alcove and like go no hands and then like pull this onto this like ledge and then go no hands there.

1:00:37 Ethan Morf It's like you just like chill there. And then it's this 10d off with boulder thing. It's like super, super flaring like five. Ethan Morf But you and it's like threes in the back, but it's too deep. So you can't fish jam. And you can't do knee locks, so it's too flaring. But you're using a five. So you end up doing this, like, double fist stack above your head through this, like, bulge. Ethan Morf And in the fall, I could not do it. I could not off with it. So I laybacked it. And it's probably, like, felt like a 5-12 layback. Like, it's, like, heinous sloper crystal thing.

1:01:18 Ethan Morf It's so hard. And I had planned to do that for the inner day. I had like beta, I had tick marked all these crystals and i was like, I'm just gonna lay back it. It'll be chill. Ethan Morf And then, yeah, I get down the inner day and I like, like every move on the 11 D fingers was like the fight of my life. Like I was like scratching at the crack, like yelling, like someone was murdering me. Ethan Morf And then I get to but like no hands and I'm just like stand there for a super long time. And I'm like, dude, I feel fucked. Like, I don't know if I can do this. And I was like, dude, you got it.

1:01:59 Ethan Morf And I get up to, the bulge part of the Scotty, and I, like, start to do my Layback Beta, and I can feel that it, like, does not feel good. Ethan Morf And I get, like, one move from finishing it. I'm, like, one move away, and I just take this, like, massive whip out of it. Like, I just slide out, and then, yeah, I guess, like, take this massive whip, and I'm like, fuck, dude, like, I do not think I'm gonna be able to do this. Like, I can't, I can't do the Layback Beta. It's way too... Ethan Morf It's just way too hard for me. Ari Grode Thank you. Ethan Morf And so this is like, this is where I'd say like my asterisk is of the scent. So it's pretty tame, I'd say, but I basically like, Stance the pitch.

1:02:43 Ethan Morf um It has happened quite a few with other people on this. And basically it's like this 45 meter pitch. But like was saying in the middle, there's like this ledge basically you can like stand and chill on. Ethan Morf And so instead of going all the way back down to the belay, I went back down to the ledge and then started from there and basically split the pitch into two. um yeah. Ethan Morf Other people have done that. I feel pretty good about it. Like, I felt very tame. And so I started back up the off-width and I get up to the bulge again and I'm like, I get in the layback and like, this is not, it's not possible. Like, I can't do it. Ethan Morf And I get back into the off-width and I'm just like, looking at the off-width, like, maybe I can, maybe I can do the off-width beta. And I had spent an hour like it's onto your solo trying to figure it out when I went top down, could not do a single move of the offward. Like it just didn't make sense to me. Like I could not do it.

1:03:45 Ethan Morf And then I get there on the end of the and I just like put both fists above my head and I just like start doing it. Like it, I just start moving upwards. Ari Grode Yeah. Ethan Morf And as I'm doing it, I'm like, za Zavi, like, I'm doing it, dude. Like, i'm doing the off-wind. And he's like, yeah, let's go. And then, yeah, I guess, like, did the off-wind, got to the next pitch. Ethan Morf Then it was, like, a 10-D fingers, screamed my way up that. And then the last pitch, basically, there's a 10-D roof. It's, like, a one mover, like, so hard. Ethan Morf I fell on that, like, five times, maybe. And then at some point, I just, like... I guess I took a breath and then did it. And it's like, I guess when fall, go back the play. Fall, go back to the play.

1:04:34 Ethan Morf And then I did it. And that was the day. Yeah. Ari Grode Wow. Ethan Morf It was very nice. Ari Grode Okay. Robert guys my Ari Grode That's amazing. Ethan Morf 18 hours. Yeah, that was a long, that was a long, long spiel. Ari Grode That's. Ethan Morf So I was, hey, no, yeah. Robert I mean, you were climbing for 18 hours, so I think you did a pretty good job of of hitting the highlights. i Ethan Morf and Yeah. Robert Long days call for long explanations. Don't don't worry about that. Ethan Morf Thanks. Ari Grode Yeah, that's, ah that's some amazing, uh, ending bits there. You know, it seems like you had to really unlock some, both some try hard and some like new techniques. Ethan Morf Dude, it was crazy. I just could not believe it. Ari Grode Yeah. Ethan Morf It was Ari Grode Was there was there like moments up there where you were kind of like, well, is this is over. like'm I'm not going to be able to do this. like i can't The bait I had, like it's not going to work? Or...

1:05:18 Ari Grode or Robert Yeah, was that was the nap like a strategic nap or was the nap like a, dude, I need a minute type of nap? Ethan Morf It was definitely like, I need a minute. Robert Yeah. Ethan Morf I can't keep my eyes open right now. When I fell on the mount table, I was like, A lot of doubt started coming to my mind. i was like, oh, yeah, i I think I can do the roundtable. But, like, I know the Scotty's up there waiting for me. And, like, I have to lay back that. it's going to be fucked. And, like, I really was like, I don't know if I can do it. But my partner, Zavi, that i was supporting was, like, very much like, dude, you got it. Like, just take your time. Ethan Morf Like, you can do it. I mean, until I was like on the 5-6 slab at the top, I like did not know if I would do it. like even Like the 10-D finger crack at the top was like, and like the whole head wall was like, every move was like the hardest move of my life.

1:06:11 Ethan Morf It was like, I guess every time I clipped the chains on a pitch, like, ah holy shit, I can't believe I just did that. yeah. Yeah. Ari Grode Oh, amazing. Robert Yeah. A thousand feet of max max effort head wall. Gotta love that. Ethan Morf Dude, yeah. It's like when... do you Have you guys ever like been to the gym, like a normal lifting side of the gym, and you hit a drop set on something? Are you familiar with that? Robert Yeah. Oh yeah. Ethan Morf It felt like i was hitting drop set on El Cap. Ari Grode Yeah. Robert but Ethan Morf I'd the 10D fingers, and it was a slightly easier pitch after. And then it was like just as hard, but like yeah, it was very fun.

1:06:53 Robert You're like mentally preparing to power scream on the five, six finish. It's just like, i did right but they've all felt harder. Ethan Morf Dude, yeah. Robert This one's going to be brutal. Ethan Morf Yeah, there's like this 5'9 chimney at the top, I think. Ari Grode I don't know. Ethan Morf And I, I guess like lay back it usually because it's like a squeeze chimney. And I i guess I got in it. i was like, this hurts too bad. And I was like, I'll just lay back it. And I was like, even that, like, it's like a 5'7 lay back probably. But it was like every move, like scream on it. Ethan Morf And then Jordan commented on my post later. And he's like, I was... put in my caption that I was like, it sounded like I was like being murdered. And he's like, Oh, like, that's what I was hearing. Ethan Morf Because him and Mark were on the Salathay ledge. Robert ah Ari Grode but Ethan Morf And I was up there with that. was like, dude, they definitely think I'm like, just like such a tweaker. Like i it was so it was the noises I was making were so bad.

1:07:44 Ari Grode Yo, Sar just starts rappelling in and like, go i check out what's going on. Ethan Morf But dude, yeah. Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode ah amazing. What was the feeling like after you'd you'd kind of finished? Did you feel like you'd kind of had your Dawn wall moment? Ethan Morf Dude, like... Ari Grode Like I've made it. Ethan Morf Yeah, I mean, it was... It gets felt surreal. I mean, um um sure it's a very cliche moment that lots of people have talked about, but it's just like this goal that I did not think was possible... Ethan Morf And I was standing on top having done it. And it was just so magical. Like it's felt like such a wave of relief. And then like Sam was up there as well because he was rapping in words and something on our cap.

1:08:26 Ethan Morf And he like, we run over to him and it was just like, yeah, such a magical moment. It was amazing. Ari Grode I feel like too, when you, when you've got to dig, really dig deep, like to a level that you kind of didn't feel like you, you necessarily knew you could get to, you know, it just makes those experiences like so much more special. Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode So that that's, you know, I'm sure your body would have felt better had you just cruised the whole thing and, and, you know, called it a day, but, you know, having to actually like really, really fucking fight for it, you know, that, that, that makes it all the more epic. Ethan Morf Yeah. Ethan Morf Dude, yeah. We really, we really earned that large food after. So if you could squeeze it, you'd be like, why am I even eating this burger right now? But after Friday, you're like, this is good. Ari Grode ah Ari Grode Yeah. Amazing.

1:09:08 Robert Oh, that's ah that's incredible, man. Ari Grode amazing Robert Yeah, that's hats off to you. That sounds like an incredible effort, to say the least, but obviously it's such a monumental ah task to take off on on your own, regardless of whether you're trying hard or not. Robert So well done for sure. I mean, what was ah what was the come down like after that? Ethan Morf Thank Robert I mean, like I got to imagine you probably didn't leave the Valley the next day. You're hanging around like As you mentioned, this was sort of in some ways like this large goal you'd set for a long time. Robert or Is there any moment of like, all right, like what's next? Ethan Morf you. Mm-hmm. Robert Like, am I done with climbing now? I did the thing. Or is it like immediately immediately thinking like, oh, what else do I want to get on tomorrow? Like what was that experience like once it was all said and done?

1:09:57 Ethan Morf It was kind of like, I guess it was definitely this euphoric feeling the next few days because I'd been so like, not stressed, but just like very like focused the last like few weeks. And it's like, it was just like, I was on total vacation mode after like, i was like, I'm a cynico. I was just like, I definitely was like, I'm done climbing. But was like, I'm done with El Cap a little bit right now. and So like, I supported Davi on an attempt. Ethan Morf And then like, After that, like, it's been bouldering. And then, like, we went to San Francisco and, like, saw a show. And I was, like, just really living it up. It was pretty fun. But it's definitely, like, it's time to – I felt very, like, cardio fit.

1:10:40 Ethan Morf But after that effort, I felt pretty, like, physically weak. Like, I couldn't pull that hard. And it was definitely, like – I put a lot of stuff off in life. was, like, my finger was still kind of messed. Like, it felt weak. I had, like, photography things I wanted to do. And I was like, Ethan Morf It's time to, like, get strong and start, like, locking back into other parts. But I definitely was like, okay, I'm psyched to come back, climb on El Cap, and not on the west side. Ethan Morf Because, like, it is so busy over there, and I want to go look at other things that's not the Seerider in Saladay. Robert Okay. Ethan Morf So, yeah. yeah Ari Grode Maybe this is a good moment to, ah you know, talk a little bit about the, the photography and and filmmaking side of your climbing. Uh, I mean, we haven't really dabbled on that at all, but, uh, you know, you, you've taken some really like awesome shots out there and, you know, you, you, you know, there's quite a bit of content out there on like your YouTube channel and on your website and stuff like that. You mind just talking a little bit about the, that side of, of, you know, how you interact with rock climbing.

1:11:47 Ethan Morf Yeah. yeah um Yeah, I mean, I've always kind of played with cameras and stuff growing up. Like, I used to make skateboard videos and ski videos and stuff. And um When I was injured that season in Squamish, my friend Victoria, um Victoria Kona Flanagan, that how you pronounce her name? I don't know, but very like very much like a photographer of the time right now. Ethan Morf was hanging out with her a lot, and she's like, oh, if you used to play the camera, you should pick it back up. And I started shooting, and I guess, like I don't know, it's just such a amazing outlet to me, because I feel like... Ethan Morf I don't know it's sick climbing and stuff, but it's also sick, like capturing the climbing in this like vision you have in your head. I mean, Robert, I know you do a lot of like creative work like that. It's just so sick having these artistic outlets in this sport that you're so connected to.

1:12:42 Ethan Morf And it feels like you can make such authentic work because you're so like close to it. And yeah, I mean, I loved taking photos. I love taking photos i'm like it just feels like this art to me in some way. And it's cool, like documenting the people of our time. Ethan Morf And then with making the videos, like I like froth Sean Villamueva's videos and like ah Tyler Corro's videos. It's like very authentic, like we're out here doing a thing, like having a great time. Ethan Morf And I'm really, i really want to bring that. I feel like we're kind of missing that a little bit in some climbing media and It's like, it's all, a lot of media is very beautiful and like well produced, but I also kind of like the things that are less produced and like feel more of like this journal in some way.

1:13:34 Ethan Morf Like, yeah. And that's what I kind of want to do with my videography and stuff. So yeah, I've been making a lot of like self-documented videos of us like climbing on La Popa or a stateship video and like climbing in Squamish. Yeah, it's a very, very fun. Robert Yeah, I mean, like Ari said, like your work, fantastic. I mean, there's some really cool photos on your Instagram at Ethan Morph. We'll put to all this in the show notes, but definitely definitely check out Ethan's work because he is, and from one photographer and videographer to another, like you know what you're doing. Robert It's like cool to see everything that you're doing, it's also really unique like because you do have this kind of different lens than what's out there, I guess I would say. Ethan Morf Uh-huh.

1:14:18 Robert like And I think part of that is I think it's probably, I mean, there's probably a lot of factors, right? Ethan Morf Thank you. Robert But I think part of it is because like, you're so immersed in it as well, that like you said, you understand it to a different degree. But then also too, like you've just got the, the physical capability to get to some of these places that like, you know, such a comfortable manner that like probably allows you to set up for really cool shots. So yeah, if you, if you guys haven't seen Ethan's work, definitely go check it out. Cause it is awesome. Like I am curious kind of hearing you describe, I wouldn't say the lo-fi nature, but just more of like that raw documenting kind of style that you seem to be drawn to. Like, do you have any plans for, Robert like like special projects for anything like that? Like not necessarily like a ah film or anything, but whatever that capacity may be. Like, is there anything that you've like tried to test out a little bit and like, you're kind of curious, oh, this media might work pretty well.

1:15:07 Ari Grode Thank Robert Or is there, is there anything like you that you're sort of starting to toy around with? Ethan Morf I mean, i guess when it comes to like mediums of shooting, like... Robert Yeah. Yeah. Ethan Morf my contact video that I made that's like on my youtube was filmed all on like mini dv on like random camcorders and stuff and I love this like I did a lot of skateboarding growing up and I like consumed a lot of skate media and I love bringing that like that style of that like tape feel to climbing and stuff that skate style and Robert Yeah. yeah Ethan Morf i I mean, I love shooting on like ran like its kind of random janky camcorder cameras and stuff and seeing like what you can do in camera. And then like, I don't know, they just give it this cool old feel to it.

1:15:58 Ethan Morf And when it comes to projects and stuff, like the contact video is very like, we'll just pick up a camera and film along the way. And it kind of opened my eyes. that Oh, like, Ethan Morf I can make more things that feel like that are raw and documented and authentic, but like plan it a bit more and like have more of a story to it. I'm yeah, kind of like in the works of planning some projects like of climbing in South America and stuff and filming them hopefully on like tape. Ethan Morf Yeah, I'd be very psyched on that. Ari Grode Yeah, I see you got the, is that is is the t-shirt the pusher? Ethan Morf Yeah, I got my pushers tee. Ethan Salvo gave this to me one night. Ari Grode sick. Okay, yeah.

1:16:39 Ethan Morf Shout out to him. He makes really good climbing videos. Ari Grode ah Sick, sick. And and can can I ask, like is Dead Point Magazine, is that is that something you're a part of or associated with? Ethan Morf So Dead dead Point... um Dead Point Climbing is like a... It's... Yeah, I guess... They're not a magazine. yeah Ari Grode Okay. Ethan Morf They just make like... Robert Yeah, chalk, right? Ethan Morf chalk and clothing and stuff. Robert Yeah. Yeah. Ethan Morf Yeah. And they're, yeah, i guess like one of the companies that supports me, but they're from the Okanagan, which is very cool. Like where I'm from and the super homies, like very skate style. Robert ah sick i It sounds like the media side might be the fact that Ethan's just pumping out beautiful content for them all the time. Ethan Morf Yeah. Shout out to them. They're lovely, lovely people over there.

1:17:21 Ari Grode Okay. but But they do have a media side, right? Maybe it's not magazine. it's is it Is it just Dead Point? Or am i am I totally off about this? Ethan Morf a Ethan Morf i Robert And so like, it's just, there's enough coming from you that it seems like they've got the whole all internal team. Ethan Morf Yeah, I've definitely some of the videos I've made. I've like put the look. I mean, yeah, they support me. So I put the logo in it and stuff. But um they I guess I wouldn't say they have very much like a big media site. I was a pretty small operation they got going, but it's so it's so core. It's awesome.

1:18:01 Ari Grode Okay. Okay. Confusion on my end, I guess. Yeah. those Those, man, I love those types of videos. Like the, there's a small video that just came out about the, the new river gorge, which is a spot that Rob and I have climbed at a lot. Ari Grode It's called seasons as S Z N S. And it's like, it was kind of a cool story, but it was, it was, you know, shot by basically show showcasing like what the new river gorge is like throughout the four seasons. Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode And it's just very like, you know there's a lot of climbing footage in there but there's also a lot of like deep water soloing and white water rafting and like hanging out at the campground and like it's kind of shot more in that like yeah not more of that like that local feel i guess and and i yeah i thought of that when you were kind of talking about kind of what how you were trying to you know tell those types of stories so that's cool Ethan Morf dick I have to check it out. That sounds sick.

1:18:56 Robert Yeah, that was it with Steep South, right? Ari Grode yeah if you're ever Robert Or Steep South was putting it out, I guess. Ari Grode ah I think they shared i think they shared it but it's... Robert Yeah, yeah. Ari Grode ah like i can i can always Robert Yeah, we'll throw it in the show notes and all that good stuff. Ari Grode yeah yeah yeah Robert No, it's cool. Ethan, you mentioned South America a little bit. And so I do want to ask, is there like certain objectives on on the mind for that? Like, are you trying to get down to Patagonia or is it just in general, you want to go check out what the scene is like down there and spend spend some months a little a little further south? Ethan Morf Yeah, I mean, ah me and a group of friends, like, yeah, yeah me and a bunch of my Squamish friends are planning a trip to Cochimo next winter.

1:19:37 Robert Oh, cool. Yeah, yeah. Ethan Morf And, like, yeah, I mean, it looks so sick out there. And, yeah, we want to go spend a few months in Cochimo and just go sesh and see what's up. Like, we don't have many objectives in mind We're kind of going with an open mind and, like, kind of see what we're able to do. Because it is, like, it is kind of well known now, but not, like, I don't know. guess... Ethan Morf it seems like there's so much opportunity and it's so big that it still seems pretty loose. So we want to go out there, have a few months there, make a video and just like see what's up. And I mean, I definitely aspire to climb in Patagonia and stuff someday, but I think I want to do like another separate full trip to Lake Chalten sometime. Robert Yeah, fair. Ethan Morf Yeah.

1:20:18 Robert No, it's interesting you bring up Coach Mo. You should chat with Chris at some point because Chris is working on some sort of project down there as well. He's tapped me into, so I don't have all the details yet. Ethan Morf Okay, sick. Robert But we might also be down there in the winter, so maybe maybe we'll cross paths against. Ethan Morf Dude, it would be sick to see you guys down there. Robert Yeah, we shall see. Definitely bring the camera if that's the case. But we'll ah ah once I have more information on that, we'll we'll certainly circle back. Yeah. No, that's cool. Ethan Morf yeah. Robert I mean, I think one of the really rad things about it, like all of these climbing stories and like everything I can kind of gather from the couple weeks we got to spend together, but also your stories is like, it does seem like you just have this really like awesome crew that you guys have kind of locked in with.

1:21:02 Robert And I, like, I gotta imagine that's partially do like has led to some success on some levels. Like, Robert but like what's your favorite part about climbing with this crew? Cause it seems like you kind of go back and forth with these guys all the time. Like, is there, is there anything that stands out? Ethan Morf Dude, yeah. Like, we were just talking about this last night. um But, like, it's the... It seems kind of like it's a rare to me, but it's like... We're all was so tight. Like, we get along so insanely well. And on the wall, like, we feel so comfortable with each other. And it's like, feels like that perfect amount of, like, pushing each other.

1:21:44 Ethan Morf Which I feel like... not a lot of people get to experience having climbing partners that you're that dialed with, but it's like, there's a group of us. Robert For sure. Ethan Morf And like, the biggest thing to me is that everyone is really psyched to like try hard and push themselves all very like-minded, but we also all like want to have a good time. Like we all love to dance and love to like do other, like we all go skate together. Like it's just like the, the balance of like, Ethan Morf climbing to like other activities and like experiencing cultures and places is like so good that it keeps us like so psyched and like frothing all the time yeah it's just like such such a good crew and I don't know it's just I feel very lucky to have it because I like look at other people sometimes and they're like i mean a lot of people are always kind of looking for partners and having that kind of struggle but it's like I've just never had that problem because it's like I have this built-in group of friends that are like always psyched on the same things and yeah it's like that's also a big thing I think with like my progression it's like the community around me it's like we continuously push each other like it's not just you would have to be some like insane zen master to have the discipline of like Ethan Morf keep going all the time without like having ah group behind you to be like dude keep going so yeah it's awesome

1:23:18 Robert Yeah, it's super special. I feel like the like the idea that there's like strength in numbers, I feel like it's certainly, it's like such an important thing. like I grew up playing team sports and I feel like that like doing it for like like competing for the team, it like brings out an extra level for you. Robert So I gotta imagine like the fact that you guys are all session together, working on projects and just like kind of yo-yoing together to figure out how to like climb and like hang draws and all that stuff and get to the top. Ethan Morf Mm-hmm. Robert It's like ah probably like, gives you a little bit extra energy in some capacity and lets you dig a little deeper. So super rad. Ethan Morf Mm-hmm. Robert I mean, I think what you guys are doing is awesome. So it's it's cool to see some of this initial success you guys have had and like, It is also wild to think that you guys have basically, it sounds like a large part of your crew is probably in the same boat of like been climbing for four to five years.

1:24:10 Robert And it's like everything you've already done is incredible, but like just sort of still just scratching the surface on like what's to come. Like, do you, do you have any thoughts on like what the next four and a half years or five years of your climbing looks like? Ethan Morf Dude, like... I don't know. After this winter of, like, doing... and basically just, like, was able to go to the States and do everything. Most things that I've always, like, that dreamed of for the past few years since I started climbing. Ethan Morf It, like, my next few years, it's, like, hard to imagine because I'm feeling like I'm in a place where I'm, like... it feels more okay to dream big because it's like, it all feels more possible.

1:24:54 Ethan Morf I'm hoping that it's a lot more climbing on El Cap, a lot more in a day things. Like I love that. And I mean, hopefully like, yeah, I mean, it's like the session with the boys on El Cap. Ethan Morf Like El Cap is just, I mean, to me, it's like all I think about most of the time and I can't wait to go up there more and then just like keep, Ari Grode Yeah. Ethan Morf but becoming closer in the community in squamish like it's gets such i don't know i'm really excited for all of that and for objectives like it's hard to imagine but yeah okay dude it's all okay Ari Grode Well, we're certainly s stoked to to follow along as, ah you know, to see what you kind of kind of do and what you what kind of objectives you take on, on especially on El Cap, man. The climbing up there is just so rad.

1:25:43 Ari Grode if If like listeners want to follow along with kind of what you're doing or check out some of your ah some of the the the work you've done from the photography and videography side, I mean, do you mind kind of plugging your stuff, telling people where they can kind of get more? Ethan Morf Yeah, for sure. um I guess like my Instagram, everything, like you search up my name, you'll find it all. like Ethan Morph, at Ethan Morph for Instagram, YouTube.com slash Ethan Morph, EthanMorphPhoto.com, all of these things. and like It all kind of intertwines and links into each other. And I kind of treat my YouTube as like this... Ethan Morf Yeah, I have all my projects there. My Instagram, I kind of treat it as like life's blog that I like. I don't know. ah like using the captions as like a place to do my writing and stuff. So if you want to hear more stories, look at that. But um yeah, all the socials is where you'll find what's going on.

1:26:40 Ethan Morf And in Squamish, come say what's up if anyone is around. Ari Grode Yeah, rob Rob and I, we had kind of planned a trip. We were thinking about planning a trip like last fall to Squamish, or well, it was the end of last summer to Squamish, but we ended up kind of pivoting and going to Yosemite instead later in the year. Ari Grode But I still want to go to Squamish so badly. Like, um I'm kind of like you, man. Like, I've seen all those, like the shadow and, you know, the Cobra crack and all these, like, I mean, routes that I won't get on, but like, you know, are like amazing to to, you know, draw you into an area like that that has so much like, Ethan Morf Yeah. Ari Grode history and uh you know some of these amazing people that have come out of there so yeah stoked to get out there sometime yeah oh hell yeah Ethan Morf Mm-hmm.

1:27:22 Ethan Morf yeah If you guys make it out there, i'm make it out here, let me know. Robert Yeah. Ethan Morf It'd be sick to take you guys out. That'd be so fun. Robert Dude, it'd be a blast. It would be a blast. i I need to as well, too. my ah My sister-in-law lives in Vancouver, so really not far away at all. Ethan Morf Dude. Robert So, yeah, there's no excuse. Got to make it happen. Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert But, um, dude, this was amazing. Ari Grode sweet Ethan Morf Sick. Robert We appreciate you taking the time. um let's, let's wrap this thing up. But I feel like this was, this was an absolute blast, dude. This was, this was so cool. Like getting to hear, I guess a deeper dive on everything we've been following along with. Robert And, uh, it's like, It's kind of fun. Ari's brother was actually down in El Salto while we were down there too. So he heard a couple of stories from me and a couple of stories from Avi as well. So it's like kind of, kind of been a fun one just to like relive that little, that little period.

1:28:06 Ethan Morf yeah Robert But yeah, man, they just keep, keep getting after it, dude. It's been, it's been a blast to watch. Ethan Morf Yeah, for sure. Thank you guys so much for giving me the space to chat and reaching out. I mean, it was so fun. My first podcast, pretty cool. Robert oh Oh, love that. Ethan Morf ah Yeah, it was a lovely chat. Ari Grode Well, yeah. Ethan Morf and You guys are yeah, very fun and easy to talk to. So that was that was lovely. Ari Grode Good, good. Yeah, man. Some of your stories were just, there were they're so fun. Like, that's the shit I just love about climbing. Like, they're so relatable, like, wherever, you know they you know, they take place, whether it's at the top of El Cap or, you know, on the bottom of some Chaussee trad route. Ethan Morf ye Ari Grode Yeah.

1:28:48 Ethan Morf Yeah. Robert Lying next to the railroad tracks. Ari Grode and Yeah. Ethan Morf Yeah. Watch out, man. Ari Grode ah