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: 100

Jam Crack - The Niall Grimes Climbing Podcast
Podcast Episodes
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.
JCPC 200 What Climbing has Taught Me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:46:20
Just me, folks. Reflecting on some of the lessons climbing has taught me and playing some beautiful music x
JCPC 199 Eben Muse - Landscape, Language and the Llanberis Pass [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:39:45
Welsh-born Eben is passionate about wild places and his and others' rights to be there. We chat about his Welsh childhood and how that and the outdoors have shaped him. Together we look to understand the cultural and soc…
JCPC 198 Adam Ondra - more milk from the GOAT part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:41
Second part of this lovely chat with the greatest climber who has ever lived. In this one we dig deep into his flashing of 8C boulder problems, thoughts on going harder again and about climbers who really impress him.
JCPC 196 Ben Bransby part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:29
Part 2 of the Ben Bransby chat. Talking about losing his dad on an expedition, Patagonia, Leeds, Chris Wentworth, family and mental illness, not climbing all of Stanage. Brilliant.
JCPC 195 Ben Bransby part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:41
Trad master, old-school hone and all out legend Ben Bransby spills his bean. Ben pushed the cutting-edge of trad climbing, going ground-up on E9 when E9 was top of the pops. His easy attitude and spirited approach made h…
JCOPC 194 Mat Wright [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:43:43
Elite climber Mat Wright is cut from a different cloth than your average professional crimp-jockey. We hear about Mat's journey from a sometimes-fractious childhood all the way to 9a, 8C and E11 (not really). Mat opens u…
JCPC 192 Hamish Frost [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:48
Scottish winter climbing activist and photographer Hamish Frost traces his career in the outdoors, thinks about his art and delves into his experience of coming out in the world of climbing.