Lynn Hill is a living legend. She is best known for being the first person to free El Capitan via The Nose in 1993. We talked about what it is like to be Lynn Hill in the modern climbing world, her upbringing, what sets her apart, the story of freeing The Nose, tips for shorter climbers, her mindset and affirmations, self-belief, how she makes a living these days, upcoming video projects, and much more.
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Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/lynn-hill
Nuggets:
(00:00:00) – Intro
(00:06:27) – Lynn’s technique video
(00:12:58) – How Lynn thinks about climbing technique
(00:16:47) – The documentary Lynn is working on, and Lynn’s thoughts on Free Solo
(00:18:53) – Having the vision to free climb The Nose
(00:21:01) – What it feels like to be Lynn Hill, and why she likes her gates facing out
(00:28:07) – Being famous before the internet
(00:29:48) – Harrison Ford, and how to act toward famous people
(00:33:33) – Being the first woman to climb 12d (7c), traveling to Europe in 1986, and learning French
(00:38:01) – Finishing college, getting “kidnapped by climbing”, and her first sponsorship
(00:42:33) – Being connected to the people who are pushing the sport forward, and Lynn's project with Sasha DiGiulian
(00:50:24) – Who excites Lynn the most in climbing right now
(00:56:22) – Why Lynn decided to try to free The Nose
(01:00:33) – The reality of aging, and appreciating the journey
(01:06:11) – Why The Nose was such a special experience
(01:08:53) – Lynn’s visualization process, climbing her first 5.14 in France, and yawning before redpoint attempts
(01:11:14) – Breathing and screaming
(01:14:12) – Lynn’s process of freeing The Nose
(01:23:41) – Projecting the Changing Corners pitch
(01:28:11) – Going for it, and Brooke Sandahl’s role in The Nose going free
(01:32:07) – Why Lynn decided to free The Nose in a day, and how she trained for it
(01:35:56) – Her mindset for efficiency on The Nose, and sending during the full moon
(01:40:01) – “It’s actually pretty strenuous…” and the Lynn Hill traverse
(01:41:59) – Lynn’s height and ape index (5’1 1/4”, 0 ape index)
(01:43:29) – Advice for shorter climbers
(01:45:53) – First Ascent (Naked Edge film by Bob Carmichael), and the training Lynn was doing in the early 80s
(01:53:14) – Lynn’s family upbringing, her temperament, and what sets her apart
(01:55:58) – The “what if” game, and taking an unconventional path
(01:59:07) – Lynn’s current sponsorships, and how she makes a living these days
(02:03:09) – There are a lot of ways to make it as a pro climber
(02:07:56) – Patron Question from Nick: What parts of climbing culture would you like to see maintained? What would you be happy to see disappear?
(02:13:33) – Patron Question from Bradley: What do Lynn’s passions look like today?
(02:15:23) – Patron Question from Jessica: Onsighting the FA of Mingus in 1994 in the Verdon
(02:21:59) – Patron Question from Matt: What was it like climbing on The Nose with Nina Caprez? Are you mentoring any other women?
(02:29:07) – Building ab strength after having a baby, and Lynn’s replica of the Changing Corners intro move
(02:32:20) – Other women Lynn has mentored
(02:33:51) – Patron Question from Craig: Who have you climbed with that had amazing footwork?
(02:36:12) – Patron Question from Christoph: Can Lynn speak about the mental side of pushing boundaries?
(02:41:32) – Patron Question from Emily: How did Lynn learn to be independent from the limiting gendered cues coming from society at the time in order to realize her true potential?
(02:44:33) – Lynn’s positive affirmations, challenging societal norms as a teenager, and seeing injustice in the world
(02:51:12) – Patron Question from Mark: Have women reached parody in climbing? If not, what can be done?
(02:58:45) – What Lynn is most excited about right now, her Italian name, and the value of learning other languages
(03:02:26) – Feeling excited about her new route on The Maiden, and ideas for her next trip to France
(03:05:32) – More about the documentary Lynn is working on
(03:09:04) – Where to buy “It goes boys” shirts, and signed photos from Lynn!
(03:11:01) – Lynn’s plans for Hueco
Follow-Up: Natasha Barnes — Climbing Harder in a Stronger Body (Teaser)
EP 92: Tom Herbert (Part 1) — Eating More to Train Harder, Protein Synthesis, and Carbohydrate Timing
EP 91: Craig DeMartino — Amputating His Leg to Climb Again, El Cap Stories, and Embracing a New Normal
EP 90: Josh Wharton — Onsight Tips and Tricks, Training to Flash El Capitan, and Risk Assessment as a Parent
EP 89: Q&A 3 — How My Training Has Evolved, How to Stay Strong on a Road Trip, and Life Mottos
Follow-Up: Allison Vest — ‘Throwin’ the Houlian’, Mono Training, and the Periodic Table of Elements (Teaser)
EP 88: Ben Ditto — Early Climbing and Photography, Dynafit Dangling, and Adventures With the ‘Wild Bunch’
EP 87: Alita Contreras — Learning Languages, Coaching Women to Climb Powerfully, and Translating Training Books
EP 86: Dylan Barks — Spray Wall Sessions, RMNP Rampaging, and Recovering From an Eating Disorder
Follow-Up: Steve Maisch — My Summer Training Plan, Listener Q&A, and Steve’s Go-To Training Exercises (Teaser)
EP 85: Emil Abrahamsson — Trying Hard Projects, Hangboarding Two Times Per Day, and a Career on YouTube
EP 84: Boone Speed — Training in the Hell Cave, the Grasshopper Board, and the Future of Artificial Climbing
Follow-Up: Nathan Hadley — Two Routes on The Diamond (Teaser)
EP 83: Neely Quinn — Lessons from the TrainingBeta Podcast, Nutrition Advice for Climbers, and Kids vs. Houses
EP 82: Christine Deyo — Learning Creativity, Fontainebleau Circuits, and the Role of Diversity in Route Setting
Follow-Up: Dru Mack — Play Hard. Rest Hard. (Teaser)
EP 81: Hazel Findlay — The Ego, Fear of Falling, and Mental Training for ‘Magic Line’
EP 80: Robb Wolf — Prioritizing Protein, the Importance of Sleep, and a Case for a Meat Inclusive Diet
Follow-Up: Ron Kauk — Listener Q&A, Who Punched John Bachar, and a Plane Full of Weed (Teaser)
EP 79: Tyler Nelson — A Deep Dive Into Blood Flow Restriction (BFR), Finger Training, and Doughnut Eating
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