The Firn Line

If you’re a climber, who consumes climbing related media like writing, video and podcasts - well, chances are, you’ve heard of Kathy Karlo.
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Kathy is the creative force behind “for the love of climbing”, an entertaining and insightful blog that combines honest, to the point writing about life on and off the walls, mixed with a good dose of self-deprecating humor.
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I had heard of Kathy’s renowned blog probably sometime in 2017. Although I perused thru some of her stories and photos, I have to admit, I never really took the time to sit down and actually delve into her work. But when I heard she was starting a new podcast, I eagerly awaited her first episode. Let’s just say, I was not let down.
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For me, listening to Kathy’s podcast for the first time was an emotional gut punch that had me laughing one minute, crying the next and at the end of it all - feeling astonished at the level of creativity and production quality. A true lesson in the power of audio.
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That’s why I was stoked to connect with Kathy a few months ago when she came thru Alaska on assignment with her job with the No Man's Land Film Festival. We got to sit down for an engaging conversation about the ups and downs of life on the road, how she first started writing a blog, and how that eventually led to her starting a podcast.
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Music by Evan Phillips:
evanphillips.bandcamp.com/album/cabin-...s-volume-one
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Links:
https://fortheloveofclimbing
http://thefirnline.com
http://evanphillips.net
patreon.com/thefirnline
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Sponsors:
www.alaskarockgym.com/
www.moosestooth.net/
www.hoardingmarmot.com/
www.behindthesuntherapeutics.com/

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know legendary backcountry skier, Noah Howell.
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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.
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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.
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Music:
https://www.timeaston.com
https://www.evanphillips.net
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Links:
https://www.noahhowell.com
https://www.evanphillips.net
https://www.thefirnline.com
https://www.patreon.com/thefirnline
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Sponsors:
www.alaskarockgym.com
www.moosestooth.net
www.hoardingmarmot.com
www.behindthesuntherapeutics.com

The Canadian Rockies are home to some of the most iconic alpine peaks in North America. Mountains like Alberta, Columbia, Edith Cavell and North Twin (to name a few) are synonymous with classic rockies alpine climbing: variable rock quality ranging from total choss, to flint hard quartzite - hanging glaciers and double cornices, veins of pristine alpine and water ice - and the classic sandbag grade of 5.9 A2.
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But if there’s one mountain that stands out from the rest (Literally) - it’s Mount Robson. Topping out at nearly 13,000’ in height, and with huge relief on all sides, Robson is truly a sight to behold. It’s massive south face rises nearly 10,000’ from the Yellowhead Hwy - luring tourists, hikers and climbers for a closer look.
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But it’s the northern side of Robson that speaks the language of the true alpinist. In 1913, mountain guide Conrad Kain led a group of climbers to the summit after navigating the crevasse-laden Robson Glacier, and chopping steps up the northeast face and on the the summit. This ultra-classic line, aptly named the Kain Face - was in some ways ahead of it’s time - and is still a serious route.
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The ante was upped in 1963 when Pat Callis and Dan Davis ascended the intimidating apron of 60 to 70 degree blue ice and steep snow, known as the north face. But it wasn’t until 1978, that the biggest face of all - The Emperor Face - was finally climbed by Mugs Stump and Jamie Logan. The duo spent four days on the route - a line that more or less takes the central rib that splits the 8,000’ face - and with that, established one of the most committing Grade VI lines in the rockies.
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Another line on the face was climbed in 1981, by the legendary Dave Cheesmond and Tony Dick. And finally in 2002, after multiple attempts over many years - Barry Blanchard, Phillipe Pellet and Eric Dumerac climbed “Infinite Patience” - a classic line following couloir like other classic rockies routes.
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Although Infinite Patience has now been climbed multiple times (and even soloed by the late Marc Andre LeClerc), it is still one of the most serious lines in the Canadian Rockies - and like other classic rockies routes - an ascent is largely based on finding the face in perfect conditions.
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That’s why I was excited to hear about the line getting repeated again in September of this year by the Canadian / Dutch team of Jas Fauteux and Maarten Von Haren. I recently got a chance to talk with Jas about his experience on Robson - what it felt like to find that face in perfect conditions - and what it means to have climbed such an iconic line on the emperor of the rockies.
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Music:
www.evanphillips.net
www.eastonstaggerphillips.com
https://www.podpeak.com/andrew-tholberg/
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Links:
www.thefirnline.com
www.evanphillips.net
www.patreon.com/thefirnline
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Sponsors:
www.alaskarockgym.com
www.moosestooth.net
www.hoardingmarmot.com
www.behindthesuntherapeutics.com

On today’s episode of The Firn Line, we’ll get to know legendary Alaskan outdoorswoman, and wilderness educator, Nancy Pfeiffer. I first heard nancy’s name probably when I was around 17 years old. At the time, I was what you might call a neophyte alpinist, and Nancy was a well-known skier, mountaineer and wilderness instructor in the community, which automatically made her a hero of sorts in my mind. Although we rarely crossed paths in the ensuing years, she was always on my radar, and someone I admired and respected for her skills and expertise in the mountains.
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That’s why I was intrigued this last year when I saw that Nancy had written a book. And it wasn’t any ordinary book. Released in May of 2018, Riding Into The Heart of Patagonia chronicles nearly 20 years of Nancy’s travels through the different regions of Patagonia - on horseback.
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Although the stories are full of adventure, close calls, and sometimes clever bursts of self-deprecating humor, the core of the story goes deeper than that: to the moments of self-doubt she faced, to the relationships she shared with her partners, and most importantly, her emerging understanding, and connection with the people of Patagonia.
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Last month I got to sit down with Nancy to talk about her experiences in Patagonia, what it meant for her to write the book, as well as some of her more recent adventures in Alaska. We started our conversation by talking about Nancy’s early experiences teaching NOLS courses in Patagonia, and how an experience on one of those courses, reshaped the trajectory of her life.
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Music by evanphillips.bandcamp.com/
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Links:
www.nancypfeiffer.com
www.thefirnline.com
www.patreon.com/thefirnline
www.evanphillips.net
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Sponsors:
www.alaskarockgym.com
www.moosestooth.net
www.hoardingmarmot.com
www.behindthesuntherapeutics.com

In April, 2019, alpinists Alan Rousseau and Jackson Marvell flew into the Ruth Gorge, intent on repeating "Blood From The Stone", arguably one of the most difficult routes in the Alaska Range. But when the duo found poor conditions on the face, they re-directed their efforts, eventually succeeding on a new route between "Blood From The Stone" and "The Wine Bottle".

The pair were harassed by a group of ravenous ravens, and endured a pummeling at their second bivy. But the suffering was balanced out by incredible climbing, which followed a series of vertical, razor cut, ice-tubes splitting the granite walls. On the third day, the team topped out on Mount Dickey, establishing ‘Ruth Gorge Grinder’, an instant Alaska Range classic.

Music by Evan Phillips

Support the show on Patreon

Links:
Alan Rousseau
Jackson Marvell
Ruth Gorge Grinder (AAJ 2019)
The Firn Line (website)

Sponsors:
Alaska Rock Gym
The Hoarding Marmot