EP 69: Ron Kauk — Hollywood Stories, Camp 4 in the 70s, and Connecting with Mother Nature

The Nugget Climbing Podcast

Ron Kauk is a legendary Yosemite climber. He recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his many accomplishments, within and beyond climbing. We talked about life in Camp 4 in the 70s, climbing ‘Astroman’ with John Bachar, influential music and books, stories from a brief career in Hollywood, doing the FA of ‘Magic Line’, his non-profit Sacred Rok, daily practices, connecting with Mother Nature, and much more.

Support on Patreon:

patreon.com/thenuggetclimbing

Show Notes:

http://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/ron-kauk

Nuggets:

4:17 – Out of the blue, and reflecting on a life of climbing

8:19 – Sylvester Stallone, Wolfgang Gulich, and a brief career in Hollywood

18:48 – Doubling for Tom Cruise, and working on films in Yosemite

20:14 – “We would do anything to make $1000.”

23:24 – Ron’s first wilderness trip at age 14, and early rock climbing

28:43 – Rattlesnake Ridge

32:33 – Climbing ‘The Nutcracker'

35:17 – Catching rides to Yosemite, and Dale Bards bakery van

38:07 – ‘Outer Limits’ with Bridwell

39:28 – Ron’s first summer in Yosemite, and “all I needed to do was get there.”

42:55 – A day in the life in Camp 4, and climbing The Nose in a day

48:23 – Jimmy Hendrix

52:40 – ‘Midnight Lightning’

57:41 – Playful training, and 100 fingertip pull-ups

1:00:13 – Catching waves, and freeing ‘Astroman’ with John Bachar

1:07:53 – Carlos Casteneda, ‘Tales of Power’, and ’Separate Reality’

1:13:47 – The end of the 70s, ‘To Bolt’, and ‘Magic Line’

1:18:27 – “I am that waterfall.”

1:20:19 – Mother nature, nurture, and becoming better caretakers

1:21:47 – Sacred Rok, and the universe as our university

1:26:15 – Sponsorship and performing

1:29:34 – Ron’s vision for what climbing could be

1:35:44 – Taking time in nature, and getting back to the basics

1:39:45 – Barefoot standing

1:49:12 – Slowing down

1:54:11 – Words from Alan Watts (the climber)

2:03:30 – Questions from Alan

2:12:12 – The photograph

2:15:56 – “We really are all connected.”

2:19:21 – Follow-Up teaser, and show notes