When you hear the phrase living legend, what comes to mind?....to me…this is someone who has lived a life to their fullest. A life that inspires us to be our best. Someone whose legacy will outlast them.

Today, I have the pleasure of releasing my conversation with a true living legend…Bob Gaines.

Bob began climbing in the mid-1970s—right in the thick of climbing’s golden era, alongside icons like Ron Kauk, Scott Cosgrove, John Bachar, John Long, and Lynn Hill. But Bob wasn’t just in the audience—he was part of the show. He became John Long’s main climbing partner for five years. He trained hard, soloed hard, and became a Joshua Tree lifer—watching legends like Bachar soloing 5.10s and 11s before most people had their morning coffee.

It's easy to remember these iconic names like John Bachar and Lynn Hill, but Bob Gaines has his own right to stand amongst these icons of climbing. With nearly 600 first ascents under his belt, and 500 of them located solely in Joshua Tree California. Bob has certainly stamped his name into the history of climbing. His routes are known for being clean, creative, and undeniably classic—if you're on a Bob Gaines line, chances are you're giving it four stars on Mountain Project.

This episode marks Bob’s first-ever podcast appearance. I give him the chance to share his origin story. How he found climbing and how the icons of history directly influenced his journey. We dive deep into several of his key first ascents, so get out your MP and be ready to add a bunch of climbs to your to do list. We explore the controversial issue of bolting, how that process developed over the decades, and how we are currently in a time period where we may lose the freedom to bolt in wilderness areas entirely. We explore Bob’s unique experience in Hollywood as a stunt double for William Shatner in Star Trek V and a stunt coordinator for the 1993 movie Cliffhanger. And finally we speak about Bob’s unique experience as a small team rescue instructor for SEAL Team 6.

This is a rare, wide-ranging conversation with a man who’s lived more life than most of us can imagine.

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The TCM movement is growing but we need your help to spread the word! Please share this podcast with your friends and family. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to support the show. If you enjoyed the show we’d appreciate it if you could rate and review us on your favorite podcatcher.

We are always looking for new guests. If you or someone you know would be a great fit for the show please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can reach us on IG or email us directly @ theclimbingmajoritypodcast@gmail.com

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Resources

Bob's Instagram

All Of Bob Gaines' Books

Opening Scene of Star Trek V

Bob's Write Up on Slab Climbing

Star Trek V & Free Solo Parody

In a world flooded with climbing content, tech tips, and loud online opinions, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re educating yourself on safety systems. The truth? Learning how to climb safely and efficiently can be confusing—and quite honestly pretty dangerous. So what is the best way to learn? Books, YouTube, mentors, guides? Honestly, it’s a mix of all four.

Today’s guest is someone who has spent his life thinking deeply about how we learn, how we climb, and how we can stay alive in the mountains. Silas Rossi is an IFMGA certified guide, current president of the American Mountain Guides Association, and owner of Alpine Logic Guide Services... With 24 years of climbing under his belt, he’s instructed athletes, recreational climbers, and guides around the world. He’s climbed the Matterhorn nearly a dozen times, spent multiple seasons in the Alps, and enjoys crushing hard trad routes near his hometown in New York—Silas is the real deal.

And yet, despite his deep experience and knowledge, Silas is the first to say that no matter how dialed you are, luck undoubtedly plays a role in the mountains. Mistakes happen. Conditions shift. And with enough time out there, luck is often the invisible hand that tips the balance.

But that doesn’t mean we’re helpless. “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” If we prioritize safety, build good systems, and stay aware, we give ourselves the best chance to succeed—and survive.

In this conversation, we dig into the philosophy of risk. We uncover the truth that most of us are probably less prepared than we think—for emergencies, for rescues, for moments when things really go sideways. We unpack the phrase: “If you’re not falling, you’re not trying.” And we go into some simple yet often overlooked ways to build safety and redundancy into our systems.

We also take a hard look at the guiding industry in America, the public’s misconceptions about hiring guides, and how the influencer-ification of safety content has both helped and hurt the profession.

This one is packed with knowledge, insight, and reflection—and I’m stoked to share it with you.

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Don’t forget to check out our full video episodes on Youtube!

The TCM movement is growing but we need your help to spread the word! Please share this podcast with your friends and family. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to support the show. If you enjoyed the show we’d appreciate it if you could rate and review us on your favorite podcatcher.

We are always looking for new guests. If you or someone you know would be a great fit for the show please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can reach us on IG or email us directly @ theclimbingmajoritypodcast@gmail.com

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Resources

Alpine Logic (Hire Silas As A Guide)

Sign Up For The Ascend Membership

Silas' Instagram

Silas' Youtube

Picture this: you’re ice climbing. Now picture doing it… without fingers on one of your hands. Sounds nearly impossible, right? Well today, I sit down with Kimber Cross, a kindergarten teacher, adaptive athlete, and living embodiment of her own personal motto: Can’t. Will. Did.

Born without fingers on her right hand, Kimber grew up doing all the “normal” sports and activities—fully adapting to the world around her. But when she discovered ice climbing, for the first time, she hit a wall. How do you climb vertical ice without a second ice axe?

In true Kimber fashion, she reached out to a prosthetist, and together they designed a custom prosthetic ice tool that allowed her to return to the ice on the sharp end.

Fast forward to today—Kimber is pursuing professional climbing, setting bold goals like the Moose’s Tooth in Alaska. She’s inspiring those around her through grit, vision, and a refusal to let anything hold her back.

In our conversation, we talk about how she discovered ice climbing, the story behind her custom ice tool, a high-stakes malfunction on the Moose’s Tooth, and what is next on her journey.

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SIGN UP FOR EXCLUSIVE EPISODES! | For a little as $5/mo!

----

Don’t forget to check out our full video episodes on Youtube!

The TCM movement is growing but we need your help to spread the word! Please share this podcast with your friends and family. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to support the show. If you enjoyed the show we’d appreciate it if you could rate and review us on your favorite podcatcher.

We are always looking for new guests. If you or someone you know would be a great fit for the show please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can reach us on IG or email us directly @ theclimbingmajoritypodcast@gmail.com

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Resources

Kimber's IG

Kimber's Website

Short Film "Can't. Will. Did."