Zack DiCristino
Zack DiCristino grew up in rural North Carolina in the Appalachian mountains. Zack spent a lot of time outdoors playing in the woods; and he loved school and sports. While attending the University of North Carolina, Zack…
Ascent Archive: Oral Histories with Rock Climbers
Tucked away in the archives of the University of Utah and brought to life by the J. Willard Marriott Library, a remarkable collection of voices waits to be heard. Ascent Archive: Oral Histories with Rock Climbers, hosted by Rachel Wittmann and Tallie Casucci, is where these raw, first-person accounts find their breath. This isn't a polished interview show; it's a direct conduit to the past, presenting unedited recordings from the Rock Climbers Oral History Project and the American West Center’s Everett L. Cooley Oral History Project. You'll sit in on conversations with pioneers and visionaries who shaped the sport, hearing their stories in their own words, complete with all the authenticity of the original moment. That means you might encounter background noise, the occasional technical glitch, or language that reflects a different time, but it also means you get the unfiltered truth-the adrenaline, the fear, the camaraderie, and the sheer audacity of early ascents. Each episode of this podcast is a primary source document, placing you right beside climbers as they recount forging routes, pushing limits, and living a life defined by the wilderness. It’s for anyone captivated by the intersection of human endurance, sporting history, and the untamed landscapes that test both.
Episodes
Cheryl Pirozzi
Cheryl Pirozzi grew up in Manhattan Beach, California, outside of Los Angeles. She recounts an impactful experience going the Mojave Desert with the Girl Scouts as her first experience in wilderness and an introduction i…
Ron McKay
Ronald McKay grew up outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In high school, Ron's school had an outdoor program class, which took students to the Shawangunks in New York to top-rope. After a few years, Ron began to lead…
Priyam Patel
Priyam Patel grew up in Bayonne, outside of New York City. She recalls the significant role of her family and education played in her childhood. She recounts large family gatherings and playing with her sisters and cousi…
Mike Call
Mike Call was born and raised in Salt Lake City. As a kid, he spent time hiking with friends by Olympus Mountain. In his older teenage years, Mike discovered climbing. He created his own home climbing wall and was a memb…
Lea Hernández
Leandra H. Hernández grew up in Houston, Texas, in a tight-knit multigenerational Mexican-American family. At a younger age, Lea spent time roller skating, participating in organized sports, and reading. Lea attended the…
Merrill Bitter
Merrill Bitter (b. 1953. d. 2022), born in Salt Lake City, was first introduced to the outdoors in Michigan in the Boy Scouts. He got into climbing in the mid-1970s with a course at Timberline Sports instructed by Dave S…
Katey Blumenthal
Katey Blumenthal grew up in Manhattan, New York, and was introduced to rock climbing at a young age was interested in both the movement and the culture of climbing, such as the independence, silliness, satire, and creati…
