Shades Of The North Cascades: Nikki Frumkin

 

Narrative

If you’ve ever spent time flying over, or travelling through the pacific northwest, you’ve most-likely been taken by the monolithic glacier-capped volcanoes that dot the horizon line.  Giants like Mount Rainier, Hood and Adams hold court over some of the most beautiful terrain in north america – and in doing so – form an inspiring backdrop for hikers, climbers and even artists – like Nikki Frumkin.

From an early age, Nikki always had an outdoorsy and creative side, blending a love for animals and playing in the woods, with a deep rooted passion for drawing, sketching and painting.  But it wasn’t until Nikki finished college and headed out west, that her love for art and creativity, would merge with her passion for mountains and the wilderness.

Since that time, Nikki has immersed herself in her craft – forging a lifestyle that revolves around creating art in beautiful places – most notably – the North Cascades of the pacific northwest.

I recently got a chance to sit down with Nikki, to talk about her passion for adventuring in the mountains, her creative business ‘Drawn To High Places’, and the triumphs and challenges she faces making a living as a full-time artist.


Music

• The Fox / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Learning To Climb / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• I Come Alive / Evan Phillips /  Cabin Vibes Volume One (2018)
• Silhouettes /Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Old Dirt Road / Evan Phillips /  Cabin Vibes Volume One (2018)
• Goodbye Blues / Evan Phillips /  Lonely Mountain (2017)


Links

Drawn To High Places
Evan Phillips
Support The Firn Line
Jeremy Collins
Rachel Pohl
Semi-Rad

Sponsors

Alaska Rock Gym
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria
The Hoarding Marmot
Behind The Sun Therapeutics

Backcountry Master: Noah Howell

 

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know legendary backcountry skier, Noah Howell.

In an epic career spanning over 20 years, Howell has established himself as one of North America’s most prolific and enduring backcountry masters.  From early life-changing experiences in the Alps, thru a decade-long run of creativity at the helm of the infamous Powderwhore Productions, to a span of big mountain descents in Alaska, culminating in a recent ski decent of Mount Hunter’s west ridge and Ramen Couloir, Howell continues to push the limits of what’s possible in the mountains.

I recently got a chance to sit down with Howell, for an engaging conversation about his life in and out of the mountains.  We started our conversation by talking about his roots in Utah, and how that led to his first experiences skiing in the Wasatch, and eventually to the bigger mountains of Alaska.


Music

• Space Walker / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• Elmore James / Tim Easton /  Paco & The Melodic Polaroids (2018)
• Tired & Hungery / Tim Easton / Not Cool (2013)
• Not Cool / Tim Easton / Not Cool (2013)
• Never Punch The Clock Again /Tim Easton /  Paco & The Melodic Polaroids (2018)
• Knock Out Roses (For Levon) / Tim Easton / Not Cool (2013)


Links

Noah Howell
Tim Easton
Evan Phillips
Support The Firn Line

Sponsors

Alaska Rock Gym
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria
The Hoarding Marmot
Behind The Sun Therapeutics

A Conversation With David Lama

 

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know world-renowned and visionary alpinist, David Lama.

The son of Nepalese and Austrian parents, David was was born with an affinity for movement over natural terrain, and a deep reverence for the high places. As a youngster, Lama excelled at indoor and sport climbing, dominating the competition circuit, and honing his rock climbing skills to the highest standards.
But eventually, a natural progression to the mountains occurred – which has culminated in a multitude of ground-breaking ascents in Patagonia, The Himalaya and beyond.

I recently got a chance to sit down with David in Anchorage, Alaska – to have a candid conversation about his life as a climber, and the vision he follows as an alpinist. We talked about everything, from his early days as a competition climber, to a life-changing experience on the southeast ridge of Cerro Torre, to his meaningful relationship with fellow climber and friend Conrad Anker, to the limitless ideas and projects that lie ahead.

We started our conversation by talking about David’s natural inclination to climb as a youngster, and how a fateful meeting with famous Austrian mountaineer, Peter Habeler, helped steer the trajectory of David’s life – from the confines of rock gyms, to the limitless arena of the mountains.


Music

• Lonely Mountain / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• I Come Alive / Evan Phillips / Cabin Vibes • Volume One (2018)
• Hard Times / Evan Phillips /Cabin Vibes • Volume One (2018)


Links

David Lama
Evan Phillips
Support The Firn Line

Sponsors

Alaska Rock Gym
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria
The Hoarding Marmot
Behind The Sun Therapeutics

The Revelator: Eric Parsons

 

Every mountaineer has a favorite mountain range, a place that for whatever reason centers them, gives them a piece of mind, creates a sense of belonging.  For some, it might be a well-known place like the Sierras: an area of impeccably clean granite towers, speckled with pristine, aqua-colored alpine lakes and a constant supply of near perfect weather.  For others, it might be the Swiss Alps, a range steeped in mountain history and culture, with a list of bold and ultra-classic lines too innumerable to count. And for others, like Alaskan climber and mountain adventurer Eric Parsons, it’s the more obscure areas, like the western ramparts of Alaska’s Chugach Mountains, that define their lives.

Growing up in New York, Eric spent summers camping and taking cross-country road trips with his family to places like the Canadian Rockies, and the desert southwest.  These early experiences created an adventurous mindset that would follow him to college at Colorado State University, and ultimately, the vast expanses of Alaska.

Since that time, Eric has created a unique lifestyle for himself that centers around his family and close-knit group of friends, his bike-packing gear company Revelate Designs, and of course, a constant effusion of adventures in the western Chugach Mountains.

Last summer, I was fortunate to sit down with Eric to talk about his love for the mountains, the passion and creative drive that led him to start Revelate Designs, as well as the meaningful partnerships and friendships he’s developed through climbing and other outdoor pursuits.


Music

• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• Something To Believe In / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• I Come Alive / Evan Phillips / Camp Vibes, Vol. 01 (2018)
• Guess I Was Just Young / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Begin / Easton Stagger Phillips / Resolution Road (2014)
• Ode To Easton / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Traveller / Evan Phillips / Lonely Mountain (2017)


Links

Eric Parsons
Revelate Designs
Little A Triathalon
Bellicose Peak
Baleful Peak
Evan Phillips
Support The Firn Line

Sponsors

Alaska Rock Gym
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria
The Hoarding Marmot
Behind The Sun Therapeutics

Seeking The Sublime: Klara Maisch

 

Alaska is a vast and wild place; a constant fluctuation of movement and changing landscapes.  Rugged mountains are carved by massive, chaotic glaciers – and lush, brown-green valleys are cut by powerful silt-laden rivers.  During the spring and short summer seasons, the landscapes come alive; the lowlands teeming with wildlife and colorful and fragrant boreal forests.  Then in the winter, a darkness falls, blanketing the ground with snow and ice, and I quiet the you can sometimes feel, more than hear.

Some people shy away from these natural environments, choosing a more urban existence full of creature comforts and predictability.  While other folks, people like artist, skier and wilderness guide Klara Maisch, embrace it, choosing to let the wildness of Alaska shape every aspect of who they are, and how they live.

To immerse yourself into Klara’s artwork is to transport yourself into the heart and soul of Alaska’s wilderness.  Flowing lines are meandering rivers.  Circles and shapes are glacial erratics.  Wistful strokes on canvas are citadels in the distance.  And introspective shades and colors, are the crisp interior sky.


Music

• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• Her Glorious Morning /Evan Phillips / Goodnight My Dearest Stranger (2012)
• Learning To Climb / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Afterschool Special / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Old Dirt Road / Evan Phillips / Cabin Vibes, Vol. 01 (2018)
• The Search / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)


Links

Klara Maisch
Evan Phillips
Support The Firn Line

Sponsors

Alaska Rock Gym
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria
The Hoarding Marmot
Behind The Sun Therapeutics

Alaska Vibes: Conrad Anker

 

Narrative

Over the course of an distinguished 30+ year career, Conrad Anker’s adventures have taken him from the bigwalls of Yosemite, to the icy flanks of The Alaska Range, The Himalaya and Antarctica.  Although Anker is probably best-known for discovering Mallory’s remains on the north side of Everest in 1999 (and his stunning climb on Meru), it’s his earlier adventures in Alaska that I’ve always been fascinated with. That’s why I was excited to sit down with Conrad this past February, to talk about his formative experiences in the mountains, the friends and partners that meant the most to him, as well as his efforts in environmental activism.  


Music

• I Come Alive / Evan Phillips / Cabin Vibes, Vol. 01 (2018)
• Lucillia / Easton Stagger Phillips / Resolution Road (2014)
• Lonely Mountain / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• The Talkeetnas / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• I Come Alive / Evan Phillips / Cabin Vibes, Vol. 01 (2018)

Links

Conrad Anker
Mugs Stump
Seth Shaw
Gurney Peak  – SE Face
Middle Triple Peak – East Buttress
Mount Hunter – Rattle & Hum
Khumbu Climbing Center
Support The Firn Line
Evan Phillips

Sponsors

Alaska Rock Gym
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzaria
The Hoarding Marmot

The Spaces Between: Ryan Johnson

 

Narrative

Sometime in the days after March 5 2018, Ryan Johnson and his partner, the brilliant Marc Andre Leclerc, lost their lives after completing the stunning first ascent of the north face of the Main Tower in The Mendenhall’s, just outside of Juneau, Alaska.

The route, which was a dream line of Ryan’s, epitomized what he looked for in alpinism: Elements of the unknown, physical and mental challenges, as well as an aesthetic, direct and pure line.  One can only imagine what it must have felt like for Ryan to be on that summit after what had surely been one his best experiences in the mountains.

Although I had never met Ryan, we’d corresponded in the months before his passing, and had planned on sitting down for an interview this April.  So in a way of honoring Ryan, I decided to talk with some of his best friends and partners, to talk about their memories, experiences, and the ups and downs they shared in and out of the mountains.  


Music

• Hard Times  / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• Silhouettes / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• The Search / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Something To Believe In / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• Pick Yourself Up / Evan Phillips / Lonely Mountain (2017)
• Guess I Was Just Young / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Her Glorious Morning  / Evan Phillips / Goodnight My Dearest Stranger (2012)
• Hard Times  / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)

Links

GoFundMe

Sponsors

Alaska Rock Gym
Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzaria
The Hoarding Marmot

Desert Delusions: Friendship and Failure on The Thunderbird Wall

 

Narrative

In March 1999 I found myself wedged in a sandy chimney, fully-gripped and trembling, five hundred feet off the deck.

Me and my partner Scott were attempting to climb The Thunderbird Wall, a grade VI backcountry behemoth in Zion National Park’s Kolab Canyon.  The face, which is among the highest sandstone walls in the world, had only been climbed twice since Jeff Lowe and Cactus Bryan made the first attempt in 1971.  Scott had been to Zion once before.  I had never stood in a pair of aiders.  In hindsight, I can only blame the ignorance of youth for leading me to believe I had any business being on The Thunderbird Wall.


Music

• Always Came Back To You  / Easton Stagger Phillips / Resolution Road (2014)
• Stay /Easton Stagger Phillips / Resolution Road (2014)
• Lost Again / Evan Phillips / Goodnight My Dearest Stranger (2012)
• Thru The Clouds / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Lonely Mountain / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Stormy / Easton Stagger Phillips / One For The Ditch (2009)
• Denali Dreams /Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Infinite Spur / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Waterman / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Fairbanks 1975 / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Red Bandana / Easton Stagger Phillips / One For The Ditch (2009)
• The Fox / Evan Phillips /Silhouettes (2015)


Links

Support The Firn Line
Evan Phillips
The Alaska Rock Gym
The Hoarding Marmot

Episode 22 // Alaska Roots: Danielle Varney

 

Narrative

Growing up in the Yupik village of St. Mary’s, Danielle Varney was raised on a steady diet of winter camping, and long summer days spent working on the family’s Yukon River fish camp.

These core experiences instilled a work ethic that first carried over into college athletics, and ultimately, mountaineering.

Since that time, Danielle has climbed and explored big Alaskan mountains including Denali, Mt. Drum, as well as a harrowing life-and-death experience on the icy crown of The Chugach , Mount Marcus Baker.

I recently sat down with Danielle to talk about her deep Alaskan roots, as well as the important lessons she’s learned from Alaska’s mountains.


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Something To Believe In / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• Hard Times / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• Close To Me / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2018)
• Lucillia / Easton Stagger Phillips / Resolution Road (2014)

 

Links

Support The Firn Line
Evan Phillips
The Alaska Rock Gym
The Hoarding Marmot

Episode 21 // The Firn Line “Live”: Roman Dial

 


Narrative

On December 2, 2017, I had the great privilege to sit down in front of a live audience at the Alaska Rock Gym, and talk with renowned Alaskan alpinist and explorer, Roman Dial.  We had a candid and highly-entertaining conversation that spanned topics including his early years in Fairbanks, his ambitious climbs in The Hayes Range in the 80’s, as well as his forays into hell-biking, tree climbing, and packrafting in the 90’s and beyond.  

In some ways, Roman is a larger than life character, with a list of jaw-dropping outdoor achievements to his credit.  But as you’ll soon hear, it’s the characters, friends and partners that have helped shape Roman’s life, and ultimately meant the most to him.  


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Lonely Mountain / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Space Walker / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)

Links

Support The Firn Line
Evan Phillips
The Alaska Rock Gym
The Roaming Dials
Shwak Magazine


Episode 19 // Commitment, Vision,Trust: Jack Tackle (Part 2)

 

Narrative

Many years ago, I saw Jack Tackle give a slideshow in Anchorage.  I was in my early to mid-twenties at the time, and mountain climbing was the only thing that mattered. That evening, I listened intently as Jack described icefaces, corniced ridges, and run-out pitches that had long captured my imagination.

But I was also impressed by the life-wisdom Jack imparted.  His laid back style, coupled with a philosophy about the importance of vision, commitment and trust, resonated in a way that made sense to me.  I remember walking away that night feeling inspired, and ready to apply some of Jack’s hard-earned wisdom into my own climbs.  

But it’s funny how life works.  Shortly after the slideshow, I sustained an injury climbing, that effectively ended my career, and irrevocably changed my life forever.  Although I went on to make a new path in art and music, I can say without a doubt, that my life was never the same without climbing.

Jack too, experienced life-altering injuries that could have ended his climbing career.  In 2000, while guiding in South America, he contracted Guillain-Barre, a rare and sometimes fatal disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks the nerves.  Although Jack eventually regained his strength, the disease created lasting effects, some of which still linger today.

There was also the accident on Mt. Augusta in the Wrangell-Saint Elias, where jack was struck by a falling rock.  The impact broke his neck, leaving him paralyzed on the face, and stranded fifty miles from the nearest road.  The ensuing high-stakes rescue would become the stuff of legends in the mountaineering world, but for Jack, it was an opportunity to move forward in life, with a new perspective.

Fifteen years later, and despite some limitations from his injuries, Jack is still climbing at a high level around the world.  Over the years, I’ve watched his career from afar, and often wondered how his brush with Guillain-Barre and the accident on Augusta affected him.  

That’s why I felt fortunate to sit down and have a face-to-face conversation with Jack this last fall.  We talked at length about his climbing career in Alaska, the Himalaya and elsewhere.  But we also talked about his life outside the mountains, and how he’s managed to navigate thru challenging injuries and situations.  Turns out, if it weren’t for his friends, family and partnerships in climbing, he wouldn’t be where he is today.


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Isis / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• The Cave / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Till You Came Along / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2014)
• Lexington / Evan Phillips / Goodnight My Dearest Stranger  (2012)
• Stormy / Easton Stagger Phillips / One For The Ditch (2008)
• Traveler / Evan Phillips / Lonely Mountain (2017)

Links

Patreon
Evan Phillips
The Alaska Rock Gym

Episode 18 // Commitment, Vision, Trust: Jack Tackle (Part 1)

 

Narrative

On episode 18, we’ll delve into the first of a two-part series with the venerable North American alpinist, Jack Tackle.  With his unmistakable baritone and classic unassuming style, Jack is the epitome of a true Alaskan “hardman”.  His gutsy first ascents up climbs like the Isis Face on Denali, the Diamond Arete on Mount Hunter, and the Elevator Shaft on Mount Johnson, have cemented his place in the storied history of Alaskan alpinism.

Recently, I got to sit down with Jack at his Castle Valley yurt, to talk about his forty-year career as an alpinist, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.  We discussed everything from his early forays in the woods, to his most intense experiences in the mountains and in life.  It was an enlightening and meaningful conversation that I felt privileged to be a part of.


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Isis / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Northeast Face / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Ode To Easton / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• The Fox / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• The Cave / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Isis / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)

Links

Patreon
Evan Phillips
The Alaska Rock Gym
Denali – Isis Face (Alpinist Magazine)
Hunter – Diamond Arete (1985 AAJ)
Mount. Barrill – Cobra Pillar (Super Topo)
Mt. Johnson – Elevator Shaft (1996 AAJ)
Mt. Kennedy – North Face (1997 AAJ)

 

Episode 17 // A Higher Calling: Brad Meiklejohn

 


Narrative

It’s no accident that Brad Meiklejohn makes his home in a beautiful alpine valley outside of Anchorage, Alaska.  An avid pack rafter, climber and skier, Brad has spent much of his life exploring Alaska and other remote corners of the world.  But beyond his accomplishments in the outdoors, the mountains have always been a sacred place of reflection and self discovery, attributes that can certainly be traced to his deep family roots.

As a kid, Brad followed his grandmother and cousins on hiking and climbing adventures in The White Mountains of New Hampshire.  It was during these formative years that Brad would lay the foundation for his future outdoor ambitions.  But more than anything, his family instilled in him a deep loyalty to each other, as well as a sense of duty to protect the natural world they loved.  

This way of life was a natural progression for Brad, first as an avid climber, skier, and avalanche forecaster in Utah, then as Alaska Director of The Conservation Fund, a position he’s now held for over 20 years.  

But as much fulfillment as his career and personal adventures have brought, there’s been equal amounts of tragedy and sadness.  Over the course of Brad’s outdoor career, he’s lost over 30 friends in mountain-related deaths, a toll that has affected him profoundly.  But perhaps none of these deaths have affected him more than loss of Kyle Dempster, a young American alpinist with whom he shared a deep family and spiritual connection.

A few months ago, I drove out to Brad’s mountain-side home in the Chugach Mountains, hoping to gain insight into his wilderness adventures, his philosophies about conservation, as well as his meaningful relationship with Kyle.  


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• By Your Side / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Avalanche / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Falling Down / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Guess I Was Just Young / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Letter That You Sent / Evan Phillips / Lonely Mountain (2017)
•By Your Side / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)

Links

Patreon
American Packrafting Association
The Conservation Fund – Alaska
Kyle Dempster
Evan Phillips
The Alaska Rock Gym


 

Episode 16 // Short Ropes: Committed On The Cassin

 


Narrative

In June 2017, Aaron Kurland and Sam Novey planned to attempt the formidable and rarely-climbed Father and Sons wall on Denali, but when they found the face to be out of condition, they quickly turned their attention elsewhere.

The duo settled on the ultra-classic Cassin Ridge, a 9,000 foot spine of ice, snow and granite that snakes it’s way directly up the center of the south face. With a big storm scheduled to hit within the week, the duo planned a 3 day alpine-style ascent. Little did they know, they would soon be at the mercy of Denali’s weather, totally exposed, and fully committed on the Cassin.


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Sexy Violence / Andy Tholberg / Unreleased (2017)
• Quad Laser / Andy Tholberg / Unreleased (2017)
• Sci Fly / Andy Tholberg / Unreleased (2017)
• Slow Motion Seq / Andy Tholberg / Unreleased(2017)
• Save My Soul / Andy Tholberg / Unreleased (2017)
• Can’t Bleed Thru A Microphone / Andy Tholberg / Unreleased (2017)
• Clad Frog / Andy Tholberg / Unreleased (2017)
• Posted Up / Andy Tholberg / Unreleased (2017)

 

Episode 15 // Denali Dreams: Vern Tejas

 

Links

Patreon
Evan Phillips
Vern Tejas


Narrative

When I was a kid growing up in Alaska, Vern Tejas was one of my heroes. Back in February of 1988, Tejas made the bold first solo winter ascent of Denali, and in doing so, captured the imagination of all Alaskans, including me.

The Denali climb changed Vern’s life. He wrote books, gave lectures and eventually became one of the most sought after high altitude guides in the world. But Alaska never remained far from Vern’s heart, and he returned each year to guide on The High One. To this date, Tejas has summited the mountain a staggering 57 times. A world record.

I recently had the privilege to sit down with Vern, and talk about his life in and out of the mountains. From his first adventurous forays of hitchhiking around the country, to his 1st winter ascent of the Lowe-Kennedy route on Mount Hunter, Vern is a larger-than-life figure and a great storyteller.


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• The Cave / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Denali Dreams / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Lost In The Night / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• After School Special / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• The Cave / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Unnamed Jam / Evan Phillips & Vern Tejas / Unreleased (2017)


 

Episode 14 // Short Ropes: Ashley Saupe

 

Links

Patreon
Evan Phillips
The Sharp End Podcast


Narrative

A few weeks ago I got to sit down with outdoor educator and host of the excellent ‘Sharp End’ podcast, Ashley Saupe. We talked about her upbringing in Alaska, her experiences teaching as an Outward Bound instructor as well as discussing what it takes to produce a monthly podcast about accidents in North American climbing.


Music

• Space Song // Evan & Molly // ‘Evan & Molly’ (2012)
• Augusta // Evan Phillips // unreleased (2017)
• Sharp End // Evan Phillips // unreleased (2017)
• Traveller // Evan Phillips (written by Leeroy Stagger) // ‘Lonely Mountain’ (2017)


 

 

 

Episode 13 // Mindful Mountaineer: Sam Johnson

 

On today’s episode, we’ll get to know Alaskan alpinist Sam Johnson.  Growing up in the foothills of the Chugach Mountains, Sam was exposed to the outdoors and mountain environments at a young age.  But it wasn’t until his teenage years that he discovered a newfound focus and direction thru climbing.

Since that time, Johnson has climbed extensively Alaska, Canada, Europe and even the far reaches of the Karakoram.  His quiet first ascents in Alaska’s Hayes Range, including a bold solo on the South East Face of Mount Hayes in 2013, highlight the spirit of adventure and self discovery that Sam seeks in climbing, and in life.

I recently sat down with Sam to talk about his trajectory as an alpinist, as well as the things that inspire him on a day to day basis.


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Instrumental #1 / Evan Phillips / Songs From Lake Irene (2007)
• Hwy 395 / Easton Stagger Phillips / One For The Ditch (2008)
• Hell Of A Life / Easton Stagger Phillips / One For The Ditch (2008)
• Red Bandana / Easton Stagger Phillips / One For The Ditch (2008)
• Weight Of Changing Everything / Easton Stagger Phillips / Overseas (2014)
• Block Me Out / Easton Stagger Phillips / Overseas (2014)


Links

Patreon
Evan Phillips
Sam Johnson

 

Episode 12 // Short Ropes: Tobin’s Tales

 

On this episode of Short Ropes, we revisit my conversation with legendary Alaskan alpinist Carl Tobin (See episode 11).  Tobin’s climbs in Alaska’s remote Hayes Range raised the bar for hard alpine climbing in North America in the late 70’s and early 80’s. His climb up the Valdez test piece “Wowie Zowie” is an honest grade 6 ice climb, and was way ahead of it’s time when he made the first ascent in 1981 with the late Andy Embick. In this episode, Carl and I talk about the early days in Fairbanks, his relationship with the enigmatic alpinist Johnny Waterman as well as surviving a deadly avalanche in the Hayes Range in 1984.


Music

Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
Fairbanks 75′ / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
Waterman / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
Avalanche / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
Ode To Easton / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)


Links

Patreon
Evan Phillips

Episode 11 // Mountain Memories: Carl Tobin

 

On today’s episode, we’ll get to know legendary Alaskan alpinist Carl Tobin. With an alpine career that has spanned over 40 years, Tobin continues to be a force in Alaska’s climbing community to this day.

In the late 70’s and early 80’s, Tobin and a small group of committed partners, pioneered a number of first ascents in Alaska’s Hayes Range including the east face of Hess Mountain, the northeast face of peak 10,910′ and the historic east ridge of Mount Deborah. These climbs set the standard for hard alpine climbing in Alaska, and in doing so, inspired generations of climbers that would follow.

This last spring, I sat down with Carl at his home in Anchorage, to talk about his early days in Fairbanks, and the whirlwind years in the mountains that followed. Carl seemed wistful that day, as he recounted his years spent climbing in Alaska, the Canadian Rockies and the Himalaya. But it wasn’t just the climbing that had him thinking. It was also the important relationships he’d forged along the way.


Music

Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
Ode To Easton / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)


Links

Patreon
Evan Phillips

Episode 10 // Short Ropes: Mixed Master Vol. 1

 

I first came up with the idea to do The Firn Line in September 2016 – really not that long ago when you think about it.  I think the truth is that i’d always wanted to somehow combine my love for the mountains with my creative pursuits.  I just wasn’t sure how to do it.  I guess you could say I had a light bulb moment when I realized that I could combine my passion for storytelling, the mountains, and music all into one creative outlet.  Nine months and ten episodes in, I guess you could say I haven’t looked back.


My goal from the get-go was to create a podcast that I would have wanted to listen to back when climbing was the only thing that mattered to me.  I’ve thought back to all the endless nights sitting around campfires with friends, all the soggy drives to go ice climbing in Valdez, and all the storm days I whittled away in tents, counting the squares in the ripstop fabric.  Back then, I would have loved to have had a podcast like the firn line to listen to.

So as I look back today at the beginning stages of this podcast, or rather, this community, I wanted to share “mixtape” from The Firn Line episodes.  Some of these moments are light-hearted, while others are pretty heavy.  But like every Firn Line episode you hear, all the clips are genuine, in the moment, and real.


Music

• Space Song / Evan & Molly / Evan & Molly (2012)
• Augusta / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• The Fox / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Silhouettes (w/ Courtney Marie Andrews) / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Lonely Mountain (w/ Courtney Marie Andrews) / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• Unnamed / A. Tholberg / Unreleased (2016)
• Kenny Blackwell / Grand Couloir / Unreleased (2017)
• The Talkeetnas / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Falling Down / Evan Phillips / Silhouettes (2015)
• The Search / Evan Phillips / Unreleased (2017)
• Block Me Out / Easton Stagger Phillips / Overseas (2008)


Links

Patreon
Evan Phillips
Courtney Marie Andrews
Easton Stagger Phillips