18 | Accidents, Mentorship & The Art of First Ascents w/ AMGA Guide Joshua Reinig

In this episode, we sit down and talk with AMGA guide Joshua Reinig. I met Josh about 7 years ago when I first started climbing. His immediate willingness to share his knowledge and stoke helped shape me into the climber I am today. Throughout his climbing career, Josh has led over 6000 guided trips, established over 2000 first ascents, and is currently in the top 25 all-time contributors to Mountain Project. His deep excitement for climbing and passion for sharing it is contagious energy to everyone around him. In this 2.5-hour conversation, we talk about Josh’s past and how he came to be an AMGA guide involving a freak accident that almost cost him his life. We dive deep into what it means to be a mentor, explain how to manage fear & risk, go over the ethics behind the creation of first ascents, and finally talk about Josh’s most recent undertaking, the creation of the Mt. Whitney Climbing Ranch.