EP 115: Jordan Cannon — The Triple Crown in Yosemite, Big Wall Pooping Stories, and How to Build the Skills to Climb El Capitan

Jordan Cannon is a professional climber who exploded onto the Yosemite scene in recent years with multiple in-a-day free ascents of El Capitan, and hard big wall linkups. We covered Jordan’s climbing origin story, playing college soccer, seeking adventure in Yosemite, van life tips, big wall pooping stories, free climbing El Cap in a day vs. multiple days, the value of dirtbagging, and much more.Check out Grasshopper Climbing!grasshopperclimbing.cominstagram.com/grasshopperclimbingTell them I sent you to save $500 off a fully kitted out 8'x10' Grasshopper board! Upcoming ClimbWell Retreat! (June 9-12)climbwell.co/retreat-rifleUse discount code “NUGGET10” at checkout to save 10%  off your ticket!We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, and Craig Lee Become a Patron:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbingShow Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/jordan-cannonNuggets:0:06:46 – Peter Croft’s episode, and how Jordan got connected with Peter0:10:30 – Climbing with your heroes, and getting turned on to sport climbing by Peter0:12:40 – Jordan’s origin story, and teaching himself how to sport climb in a tree at age 70:21:01 – Telling his mom he wanted to become a climber at age 40:23:02 – Appreciating climbing more because he found it later in life0:25:43 – Being burned out on team sports, being let down by teammates, and seeking adventure in rock climbing0:29:08 – Starting to climb at the James Island County Park Climbing Wall0:32:01 – Road tripping to CA0:34:38 – Going to Joshua Tree for the first time0:38:46 – Jordan’s rock climbing education, and what Jordan and I each studied in college0:44:35 – Jordan’s path to becoming a professional climber, feeling alone in his passion for trad and adventure climbing, and getting out of San Diego0:48:07 – What drew Jordan to Yosemite, and seeing Valley Uprising for the first time0:54:04 – People who made history by not trying to make history0:57:28 – Being overwhelmed by the amount of things to repeat in climbing, and Jordan’s first experience in Yosemite1:01:31 – Why you shouldn’t wait until you are “good enough” to go to Yosemite1:03:35 – Why Yosemite is Jordan’s favorite climbing area, and why he needs breaks from it1:05:21 – Working seasonally and living the dirtbag life, working odd jobs, and how Jordan structures his year1:09:26 – Living out of a Honda CRV, living in a cave in Yosemite, and the value of dirtbagging1:15:26 – Jordan’s top vanlife tips, and pee bottle beta1:20:52 – Going number two1:22:30 – Big wall pooping stories, and “shit-putting”1:30:03 – Free climbing El Cap in a day vs. over multiple days1:37:36 – Sending the Triple Crown link-up1:46:56 – The coolest goal Jordan can think of in Yosemite1:49:21 – How Jordan structures his year now that he is a professional climber1:54:47 – Jordan’s bouldering and sport climbing goals, and meeting Tom Herbert1:58:57 – Advice for aspiring big wall or traditional climbers2:01:01 – Diet, sleep, and having different modes (send, training, rest)2:05:54 – “Long term consistency trumps short term intensity.” - Bruce Lee2:07:32 – Taking off-seasons or easy phases2:13:13 – The Classroom Analogy2:17:05 – The skills and steps required to climb El Cap2:20:29 – Wrap up and Jordan’s Yosemite goals for the Spring of 2022