British outdoor brand Rab has launched a brand new podcast called The Mountain People, inviting elite climbers to tell their stories and reveal what makes them tick.
The Mountain People launched on September 27 and is hosted by mountaineer Andy Cave who is also a writer and TV and radio presenter. In the show’s first episode, he talks to French climber Julia Virat about growing up snowboarding in France, her role as a Chamonix High Mountain Guide, a climbing maneuver called “the double chicken wing” and what it was like solo climbing El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
Of El Capitan, Virat reveals that she’d never considered soloing anything before the 3,000ft wall, recounts calling her mother when she got lost and reveals that the secret to her success was a stash of IPA which she carried with her as a nightly reward.
Episode 1 of The Mountain People podcast
Virat also discusses the challenges and importance of being a female guide in a male-dominated sport as well as the advantages of having women guiding women in rock climbing.
“I think it’s very good for them to have women guiding them because we’re like mothers to them. If they see that we are capable of doing it then they are much more capable themselves” says Virat.
New episodes of The Mountain People will launch weekly. Future episodes in season one will feature the stories of rock climbers Nasim Eshqi, Angus Kille, Bronwyn Hodgins who free climbed the iconic route "Golden Gate" at El Capitan earlier this year and Kev Shields, a Scot known for solo climbing advanced technical routes with one hand and epilepsy. Listeners can expect to be entertained and inspired by the personal and professional stories of these athletes, and also educated with tips and techniques for mountaineering.
The Mountain People is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts as well as Amazon Music, Podcast Addict, Deezer and Player FM.
