105 | The Performance Paradox: Redefining Success in Climbing and Life w/ AMGA Guide Kevin Heinrich

The Climbing Majority

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In his earlier years, Kevin dedicated his life to the craft of climbing. He lived in a van, chased adventure across the globe, and devoted every ounce of his energy to the pursuit of performance. During that chapter, he climbed up to 5.13b, established several major first ascents, and ticked over fifteen hundred routes. Climbing wasn’t just something Kevin did — it was who he was. His identity was built around his achievements, his grades, and his ever-growing tick list… until one day, everything changed. After successfully rope-soloing Freerider on El Cap, a dream that would represent the pinnacle of accomplishment for many, Kevin found himself not elated — but empty. Confused. Frustrated. Wondering what it all meant. That moment became a turning point — a quiet reckoning that forced him to question why he climbed in the first place. It was from that reflection that a new path emerged. Today, Kevin is an AMGA-Certified Rock Guide and co-owner of Vertical Pursuits, a guiding service based out of Lake Tahoe. His focus has shifted from personal performance to mentorship — helping everyday climbers build competence, confidence, and a deeper connection with the craft.

In our conversation, we use Kevin’s climbing stories as a framework to explore some of climbing’s bigger questions. We start with his rope-solo ascent of Freerider — and how that experience reshaped his identity. Then, we dig into a story from his time climbing with Brad Gobright, using it to dissect the psychology of risk management. From there, we travel back into Kevin’s dirtbag years and get to hear several increidble stories. A bear encounter in the Wind River Range. A remote big-wall first ascent in the wilds of British Columbia. And his time on the iconic Andean peak Alpamayo. We wrap up by exploring Kevin’s guiding philosophy — how he sees mentorship as one of the most underutilized tools in modern climbing, and how professional instruction can change the way we learn, grow, and stay alive in the mountains.

This conversation is full of honesty, vulnerability, and hard-won wisdom. I walked away from it reflecting on my own relationship with climbing, and I think you might too.
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Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Climbing Chit Chat (00:03:40)

3. Rope Soloing The Free Rider (00:10:19)

4. Redefining An Identity (00:31:34)

5. Climbing With Brad Gobright (01:00:04)

6. Risk Management (01:12:06)

7. A Bear Scare (01:48:43)

8. Remote Big Wall First Ascent (01:59:47)

9. Alpamayo (02:08:29)

10. Guiding Philosophies (02:16:20)

107 episodes

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