JCPC 174 Steph Davis part 1

JCPC 174 Steph Davis part 1

Author: Niall Grimes March 28, 2025 Duration: 1:30:25

This star of US adventure climbing shone brightly in the early 2000s with big free ascents on El Cap at a time when few ventured there without aid. Big solos, desert sandstone crack testpieces, expeditions to Kyrgyzstan, Baffin and Paragonia, amongst others, made her one of the most experienced adventureclimbers of her day. Later years saw the adventures continue with the embracing of base jumping and wingsuit flying.

Beyond all these has  lain a thoughtful and considered approach, always ready to self check and ask twice. Skills that surely came to the fore during tough times around loss of sponsorship and latterly, personal tragedy. 

Steph lays it all out with a thousand laughs along the way.  Such fun, so honest. Check this, part one of this two-part interview. 

Support in this episode from Summit Financial Services. Summit Financial Services have been providing Life Insurance, Income Protection and Critical Illness Cover for climbers for over 25 years. Speak to a climbing and mountaineering specialist today on 0345 565 0935 or click here for quote https://www.summit-fs.co.uk/


There's a particular sound to a well-placed nut or the satisfying scrape of a boot on gritstone, and Jam Crack-The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast captures that atmosphere perfectly. Hosted by Irish climber and author Niall Grimes, this isn't just a series of interviews; it's a gathering of voices from the crag. Grimes pulls up a metaphorical rock next to a wild array of characters-local legends, international pioneers, and everyone in between, the kind of dedicated souls who live for the next hold. The conversations flow naturally, covering the triumphs, the epics, and the sheer comedy that comes from a life spent clinging to stone. Beyond the chats, this podcast often features Grimes reading aloud from classic climbing literature, letting those timeless tales of adventure and mishap wash over you. It’s a blend of deep knowledge, genuine passion, and good humour, all delivered with Grimes' distinctive warmth. Whether you're planning your next project or just love a good story from the hills, this podcast feels like the best kind of post-climb debrief in a crowded pub, where the stories are always better than the beta.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast
Podcast Episodes
JCPC 209 Rachel Pearce - Journey to the Indian Face part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:04
North-Wales-based trad machine Rachel Pearce set headlines this summer with her ascent of the Indian Face. Indian Face, the country's first E9, had only had ten ascents in the 40 years since it was first done, practicall…
JCPC 208 Steve Bancroft - Gritstone Renaissance Man [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:31
An honour to have climbing legend Steve Bancroft who, along with John Allen, headed up the Gritstone Renaissance of the 1970s. Many stories and slices of life from that golden era. Hear the tales behind Moon Crack, Edge…
JCPC 207 - ClimbFestering [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:55
A lame account of how I went to the North Face's DWS event in London the other week and failed to corner anyone for the Jam. Sorry. But at least I survived.
JCPC 206 Tom Livingstone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:06
Tom Livingstone is a hugely driven mountaineer, alpinist and rock climber. He has redpointed up to 8b+ and trad E9 and is best-known internationally for a first ascent on Latok 1 for which he won the acclaimed Piolets d'…
JCPC 205 Tina Breslin - Peace of Mind [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:07:35
She may be small but she likes to go tall! At 5 foot 2, Tina Breslin has to get creative to solve the sequences on the stunning highballs on remote gritstone crags of North Yorkshire. But when she does, she find a peace…
JCPC 204 Ascent: The Rise of British Rock Climbing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:11
Anthony King talks about his book, Ascent, which weaves his personal experiences with the rise and change of rock climbing in Britain over a century.
JCPC 202 Jason Pickles pt 1 - Dean Potter, Honnold, Leo and me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:00
Jason Pickles spent the best part of a decade in Yosemite hanging with the fabled Stone Monkeys. Here we hear about Jason's times there and time spent ith Dean Potter, Leo Houlding, Alex Honnold and others. Banging. Than…
JCPC 201 Lena Drapella [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:51
As official photographer for World Climbing, Lena gets to witness the action we don't. Let's hear about what she sees when she looks outside and in.