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Thank you.

Hi, I'm Brianna Garza.

Thanks for joining u for another special presentation of films from the Lookout Wild Film Festival.

And I'm Steve Rogers, the director of the Lookout Wild Film Festival.

This year's showcase of outdoor films had no shortage of wild places in the people they inspire, and we're excited to share a few with you now.

From climbing adventure to river journeys, these stories showcase Chattanooga connections near and far.

WTCIs Bo Wheeler sat down with the filmmakers at this year's festival.

Later on in the show, we hear what inspires them about the outside world.

First, we take a loo at the climbing area not too far from here.

Nort Alabama's Cherokee Rock village is a great place to find some major climbing.

And it's home to some big climbing personalities.

Check out Trash Panda.

--Mike is like a classic southea Like what you think of the old what you think they were doing.. Mike is out here doing the exact And it's just been cool to see.

to see first person.

--If you keep his head on strai he's the strongest climber aroun And right now, his mental game he's doing good, I mean that in --Adair is a through and through southeast climber.

He's wild but he has a strong et and he wants to keep climbin exciting and he wants to keep it (Adair): Woo!

Yeah.

Thank you, g (folk banjo music) (Ian): Sandrock is a climbing cr Alabama.

It is on paper called Cherokee R but still kind of goes by the name Sandrock.

That's what it used to be called a ---- ton of Sandrock.

(folk banjo music) (Chris): It had been a local kin Like, people rode horses up ther and people went up there to shoo and spray paint.

It was just the Wild West.

But through that time period peo put up routes.

Trad routes, sport routes... th lends itself kind of to both.

There's traditionally protected and there's also features that lend themselves to being bolted.

and so you sort of had this coe of sport routes and traditional And it just became probably the popular climbing area in the sou just because of the ease of acc the wide variety of routes there There's easy beginner routes, th it's easily top-ropable.

It's just a user-friendly area.

(Micah): It has to be the neares I don't know, 40 million people, The whole population of Florida, South Alabama, South Georgia.

This is the first thing you're really going to hit of any like substantial amount o real rock climbing, I'd say.

It's the only place you're gonna where you can do a 5-star 5.10 and then turn arou you have a V5 30 feet away with a 5.9+ trad line that was p in the 70's, you know, all side by side by side.

Super unique, super unique.

(Nick): Solo bouldering is hard and I was like... Sandrock seems cool, there's a Boy Scout wall I can g and top-rope solo on.

Kinda learned how to do that thr When I was coming up here, I was I got to find someone.

And I thought the best way of do going alone.

That's how I met Mike He was like, "What'cha doing?"

and I'm like, "I don't got frien (laughs) "Like... I just wanted to go up And he was like, "Sick, dude."

That's how I got to know him, b he's just showed me around ever (banjo music ends) (birds chirping) (grunts) (Mike Adair): I started climbin like hiking and camping, just sc And then when we moved to Alabam I was up here climbing just with we bought from Lowe's, like Quick Links and static line and $20 Nikes from K-mart.

And this guy, Tom, stops me and he's like, "Hey, do y'all wanna climb with We'll kinda show you what's up."

And he gave me a harness and som We climbed with him all day and we got done and he just let me keep the harness and the shoes.

And he's like, "Nah, do it the r Go get you some gear.

You're gonna be pretty good."

Later that year, my dad signed m for an indoor bouldering competi He signed me up in beginner and I ended up winning first place in advanced.

And they told me the same thing.

They were like, "Dude, you need to go climb.

Here's some gear.

Have at it."

And then I hit the outdoor circu for maybe two, three years.

--"Climbing."

(Ian): I was always taught that you just came here and you did the 8 throug 12's sport routes and that's all "Couldn't find that heel!"

But Adair kinda opened my eyes to the history and to the immaculate bouldering that are hidden down the mountai (upbeat folk music) Back in the day in like the earl there was bouldering competition here called the Hoedowns and they were huge and you'd hav ------ crushers here sending beautiful lines and peop to stop coming to them and the trails got overgrown aga and the boulders got mossy.

And it's weird to see beautiful lines untouched that nobody knows about who's coming here.

(Nick): To me, like getting lost in a boulder field is some of the best times because it's like you're just in the woods having fun.

It's just forest, forest, forest And all of a sudden you see this and then you see another rock an you see another rock.

And then you drop all like your rake stuff and everything.

You just start touching rocks.

And like, you kind of forget the reason you're out there is to get everyone else out ther (Mike Adair): We're just trying homage to the old bouldering sce And on top of that, revive it wi Like, show them what's up.

Maybe get some development going kind of show people, kind of pass that knowledge on.

The way I've done it, I'd go spot boulders.

I'd pick some out that I can see a potential line on there maybe, then I'd go out and sit d and brush off the key holds and start working it.

And then from there, you'll just clean more and more off if you have to, if not, you leav But then you wanna make sure you got a good landing because if other people are gonn be coming through there and there's gonna be traffic, you want it to be safe and appea Some people don't like climbing deathfalls and ---- like that, b ...whatever.

(Harley): You just kind of step and see how you'd like to climb Of course, you want your start h Cool sloper, crimp, just get you It's good to get the old stuff, (Nick): Out here, it's like, you crimp, you see a crimp, and then it's blank.

And you gotta clean something, you gotta find something, and sometimes it doesn't go.

You'll brush out a piece of Lycr and all of a sudden there's a massive pocket that's just there.

You're like, "Oh, yes, I could send something."

(Mike Adair): 20 years ago, I di to clean boulders off.

I didn't have to scrub them off and prep them and keep them ready to climb and because there was that much traffic out here on the boulders.

We have 10 times more climbers in the sport now, probably more than that, and you're scrubbing an inch of moss off the top of it because nobody's touched it in 1 Bouldering has changed here because when the ABS kicked up, American bouldering series, that and then the IFSC or whatev it's called, IFS something, they picked up.

So now you got two of those goin and everybody's climbing indoors When they come out here, it's a whole different ballgam from the boulders that they're u Route setters, you walk in and p whatever hole you want on the wall, wherever you want it, however you want it.

Out here, you got to work with what you got and what's given to you an allowed by the rock.

You know?

(gentle folk music) In this boulder field we're sitting in right here, 8, 9 out of 10 quality, 3 to 5 star problems.

There's no choss in this boulder It's pretty good.

It just needs traffic.

And it's needs to be cleaned off and get some traffic.

You got to go through and you got to make sure people aren't stepping into snak or stepping over logs in the hol and breaking their legs and thei and it's safe to get to, and you to keep an eye on erosion.

You got to make sure water's not to wash the trail out, wash your retaining walls, your Make sure what you do building t isn't going to cause erosion and and so on and so forth.

(Nick): When we go in, we're go make the place cleaner than when So we got to find at least one piece of trash or clean something because you g to give back a little bit.

(Mike Adair): I just want to get and not forget about these bould not forget about the traditions like what it feels like to be outside and outdoors.

I want my kids to experience tha I want your kids to experience t and keep you alive, like pass it Take care of this place.

(folk music ends) (Nick): Hey, I don't think these keys are in here.

I don't know if these keys are i (Mike Adair): I need you to be p The keys are in there.

We're going to get them, Nick.

Dammit.

(Ian): Wooo!

(Mike Adair): All right, hold on Let me get in the back because I to have to look right here.

Looking at seat.

Yeah.

All right, he's on it.

Oh, it didn't go off.

Yes.

We have time to find it.

Let's climb some rocks.

Y'all do that?

Y'all in that kind of thing?

You gentlemen like to climb rock (Nick): I partake in that.

(Ian): Yeah, a little bit here a (Mike): OK.

OK.

(Ian): Hey, man.

(Harley): What's up, man?

How ar --Doing good, I'm Ian.

--Ian, Harley.

--Nice to meet you, Harley.

--I'm Dave.

(Ian): Heard lots of good things (Harle): Oh, man.

I hope!

(laughter) (Mike): You ain't got to lie to (laughter) (Ian): You gonna come around cli (Harley): I think so.

I'm going to the Citadel here in a little while... You going to try to give that a Look at it.

(Mike): I'm going to go look at My warm-up circuit's over there, (Mike, distant): You climb up to escape on chin-ups is.

(Ian): There's this classic lin at Sandrock called Trailer Trash And it's right at the bottom o this high-ball V0 called the Jaw (Mike): Trailer trash has been o the test pieces up here since I started climbing up here I mean, it's like bad ass.

Not many people do it.

I've only known of like two peop ever doing it, I think.

And I've looked at it every wee for the last 22 years that I'm u And I wanted to climb it.

I've never been able to make the first move on it, though.

(Ian): A lot of people have look who's 38 now and been like, "Hey, man, like, past your prime."

"You're not going to be able to these routes that you set."

"You're not going to set anythin "Like, your muscles are -----."

"Your mental's -----."

"You're not going to do this."

And Adair just kind of gave them the middle finger.

(high-energy rock music) (Mike): I've had a couple of fri not gonna name any names... talking recently about how we're too old to climb like we used to and not strong as we used to be.

And we'll never be able to-- "W if we ain't got it now, we're no And it didn't settle well with m So I went out and tried trailer and I stuck that first move.

And I still got it.

I don't give a ---- what y'all s (Ian): You're on this crimp rail pop to another crimp rail, and then do this incredible camp throw way out left.

Catch it, and then swing and ho on this tiny three finger crimp And then it ends with a huge thr kind of breaks halfway up the fa and then goes out right on the ledge line.

And you catch up in a slot and pull through, and it's beautiful.

(Mike): And here I am, putting t line straight up the seam to the top out.

And it's going to be insane.

(Ian): So basically, Adair's dev a new route that's an extension of trailer t And he's already got a name for Trash Panda.

(Mike): I'm excited about it-- e about it, really.

(Ian): And now he has this line going up the face.

You go up 25 feet, side pull, si pull, another crimp rail.

And you do a second campus move, grabbing onto this jug, and then topping out the boulder It's definitely rated R. Maybe not because it's high, but just that final move.

If you don't have great spots, i going to ------ hurt.

(Mike): I've been out there thre putting burns on the bottom half and the top half.

I've got the top half dialed in to where I've only fallen on it twice out of, you know, like 100 goes.

I've only hit the first move, the hard move, on trailer trash twice.

But they're real temperature sensitive holds.

So hopefully when it cools off, be able to really, really crank on that and send it.

Looking at V11R, but yeah, it's a beautiful line.

Magnificent.

(rock music ends) (grunting) (Mike): That's what I've got to I've got to go into it square.

Or it's not going to hold.

(Harley): Yeah.

Oh, you'll get t You've done it before.

(Nick): Sometimes all it takes shutting that voice that's like, "You can't do this.

I mean, look "It's 80 feet of blank rock."

And you just got to be like, just go for it.

(Mike): If I'm met face to face challenge, not one time will I say, "Well, I'm done," yo know, or, "It got me."

or, "I can't handle this."

And that's what climbing does for me, personally.

I think the biggest thing is my belief in myself, like the confidence that I have to go through life.

You can't not have that when you up on the wall untethered at 80 feet, you know what I'm sa So it really locks it in for me.

(grunting) What brought me back makes me want to stay this time and like focus on not getting outside of this is because the closer I get to rock climbing, the more balanced my life become like the more it levels out and the more things fall into place.

And the farther I get away from it just starts mixing up, going to shambles and chaotic.

And I don't know why, but that's it's been my whole life.

So I figure I'm going to try to stick close this time.

(gentle guitar music) (Ian): I think right before he w to break into his double digit problems, and he wa to start tearing through into real bouldering, he just ki of fell away from climbing.

(Ian): What had happened was, I sleeping in a groove on top of fireplace, and it kind of locks you in.

So you're like two foot from the but it blocks all the wind, and got a 180 degree view of the sky It's pretty neat, so I would la there and go to sleep sometimes.

But one night, I stood up and go piss off the top and stepped on a can or a bottle or something.

And when I did, my foot skidded out from under me, and I went over the edge.

I knew where I was at, so I inst made peace in my mind, like, oh, I'm dead.

And on the way down, I hit some kind of ledge, and it kicked me over in a rotat and I landed flat on my stomach you know, on my belly.

Somehow in a spot that is liter almost like an outline like a pe If I'd have landed anywhere else it'd have ------ me all up.

But it didn't.

It just broke m right foot off, for the most par Get this, my buddy, he's like, "Adair, get up, man."

"What was that sound?"

I was like, "That was me hitting the ground, dude."

He's like, "Nah, man, what are you crawling for?"

... "That was me hitting the gro He's like, "Oh, ----, we need to call an ambulance."

Like, "No, I'm not dead, man."

"Just like, take me to the hospi ... "No, we're calling an ambula "Don't move!"

Like... I'll take myself to the So we get in the truck, and I let him drive or whatever.

He wrecks my ----- truck at the end of the road down there, just like barrels into a tree.

And I'm just, "You stupid mother Just hitting him.

And finally, like, luckily, a bu of ours was following us, and he took me to the hospital.

And Micah comes up here the next day, and he's like, "Is that Adrian's truck in a... Adair's truck's in a ditch?!"

He calls me because I was suppo to meet him to climb, you know?

And he's like, "Where are you at "I'm in the hospital."

"Oh, ----," blah blah blah.

It shattered the whole bottom of my tibia into many pieces.

And then it shattered the bottom of my fibula into four or five pieces.

And I had to get two screws on this side holding it, and then two plates and six screws on this side.

They told me I would never climb again like I was.

They actually tried to amputate And I was like, the ---- you are You know?

Like, leave my foot.

I'll figure it out.

"Well, we can't do that because of liability reasons."

"Like, we have to cut it off."

And my dad ended up coming down We got a fight with a doctor.

We ended up leaving with my foot And here we are.

I mean, I was climbing within 12 months at the injury.

Never got back full swing, like, up to my full strength.

But I got pretty decent again, a then just kind of plateaued for a little while and didn't put a lot into it.

I was trying to focus on other t And I would hop in and out of th sport every now and then.

I got into a relationship, and t where I've got my youngest daugh One of the reasons I didn't get to climb a whole lot.

And when that ended, I went full and got really, really good again pretty quick.

And that was three years ago.

Then I took two years off, and n here I am back this year trying to hit it full throttle.

Been telling myself, you know, t no way I can climb as good as I used to 20 years ago.

And, well no, I can.

I don't know how, but I still ca So I want to see how far I can go with it, really.

(sentimental music) (grunting) And that's the first move.

God, thing's hard.

I'm going to send it.

Like, I'm going to send it.

I've already sent it.

It just don't know it yet.

(upbeat indie music) It's no matter how many cool, aw projects or climbs that I send after this, this one right here is going to be the one that stic probably for the rest of my life I ended up pulling something in my shoulder.

So I'm trying to let that recove let the temperatures drop on dow and then it's go time on that.

You know, once people realize th these boulders are here and that they're ready to be cli there's going to be FAs going up left and right down there.

And then all of that is leading to the reawakening of the Hoedow It was the original bouldering competition trail day that they had up here 20 years a And we're going to open the midf and have a competition down ther It's going to be pretty fun.

I'll never stop working on projects out here.

This is my stomping grounds, you My kids live right down the road I live right down the road.

It's like home.

So... you never stop working on your home, do you?

I learned how to let things slid that are out of my control out here.

My dad used to say the serenity prayer a lot, let me accept things I can't cha change the things I can, and the of know the difference.

I figured that out out here.

Like I learned that out here.

Put it this way, like at least o I meet somebody that tells me this place changed their life, l I'll probably be out here when I not in the physical anymore too, like honestly.

I'm pretty sure I'll haunt this if you want to call it that.

I'll be here.

You'll hear: (whistles) ...riding across the midnight wi (laughs) (music humming) (upbeat indie music) (Lyrics): I live so close to the I live so close to the sea.

You can smell it on me.

You can smell it on my clothes.

You can smell it in my hair.

You can smell it in my hair.

You can smell it everywhere.

You can smell it everywhere.

(Lyrics): I live close to the se You can smell it on me.

You can smell it on me.

You can smell it on me.

You can smell it on me.

me-ee-e-ee-ee-ee.

Hey.

So we're backstage at the Lookout World Film Festiv with, Dave and Ian, the filmmake behind, Trash Panda.

So how did you all get connected to this story?

I've been climbing at sand Rock for about four years now.

I had friends who outdoor climbe and that was the closest crag to where we live in North Florid And so they brought me up there ago, and I fell in love with imm And spending time there.

We got excited to make a projec I had known Dave for a couple of So we started filming, going out climbing with friends.

They had me on repel with the ca for the first tim and just dangling there with my Were like, let's start to edit And, you know, we had some drone We had some interviews with our Yeah, the story just wasn't ther like that was when we me Adair has the potential for a ch And started the project kind of renewed with a better idea to person an yeah,a story you could really te I mean, and then and it's award your first time out for, for, climbing film.

Garnered two awards which were super stoked about i Best southeastern.

Yeah, the perseverance award.

Only one person every year gets Mike Adair won the award.

Yeah.

So cool.

Yeah, yeah.

do you feel like the outdoors are such, like, a good subject for filmmaking?

and the impact it has people, the impact it has on people's lives.

Adair said I can't go out here for less than a week before somebody is talkin about how this place changed you Like he hears it all the time And that right there story when I think of story, I think o I think of the change that a per through of transformation.

Of any type.

Yeah.

For our next film, we explore the same activity on a different continent.

Climb Malawi introduces u to a group of dedicated climbers who want to grow the sport of climbing in East Africa.

And the Chattanooga guides who make it possible.

It means we are a village.

I. My name is Mario Stanley.

I am a climbing coach climbing guide.

I've done route setting and I have dabbled probably in almost every aspect of the climbing community for the last 20 plus years.

Let's do this.

My name is Genevive Walker.

I'm a climber, athlete and rock climbing guide.

I've been climbing for about ten years, and what we were trying to do here with GCI and Climb Malawi was to prep everybody to become mentors in their own community, and through that, being able to teach and lead others.

Pretty much the next generation of climbers in Malawi.

Oh, he's coming up.

Is it inception?

Welcome to the warm heart of Africa.

Yeah, that I'm Genevieve.

Yeah, I get to see it.

Yes.

Scott.

Nice to meet you.

Likewise.

Really good to meet you.

Oh, yeah.

This is awesome.

My name is Ed Nhlane.

My home is Lilongwe in Malawi.

The warm heart of Africa.

A nice and wonderful country, known for its warmth and for its kindness.

That is our treasure.

Climbing in Malawi goes back more than 40 years.

It is amazing to me, and it really bothered me that there is over 40 years of climbing history in Malawi that is almost entirely exclusive of Malawi.

Instead and they're not present in that climbing history in their own country.

And so we set out to certainly change that.

GCI work by partnering with communities to provide resources, and that can be information, knowledge advising, grants or, in the case of this project, training in Malawi to provide the communities with the tools that they need to achieve their own vision.

I started climbing in 2018.

No one here knew anything about it, and I thought, that is the next thing that I that I have to do.

My role with Global Climbing Initiative is twofold.

I serve as an impact consultant, and I also serve as the Africa Regional Coordinator.

So in these two capacities, my role is to walk with the communit in a way that helps them achieve their visions that they have for their own communities.

I would love to see Climb Malawi being led by local climbers who have the passion.

It has to be le by people who are living here.

I think we have had enough exposure now.

We would like to take ownership of our dreams, and that means we have to be at the forefront of the.

I guess I'm glad that I. Like young.

Who I'm feeling good.

Attitude.

In a sea of tiredness.

Yeah.

And heat.

But it feels good.

I mean, look at this.

It's so beautiful.

I mean, let me introduce myself.

My name is Emmanuel.

You get it?

I love rock climbin because it makes me feel special and unique city that I get to meet everybody that we connect when we camp, when we climb.

We develop this relationship with people.

We trust each other when we belaying each other.

It's a very special sport for me.

That's why I love it.

And then she.

She was the one who was encouraging me like, oh, you need to be brave.

The thing that I love.

About rock climbing is rocks are nice, and.

It's fun when you are climbing rocks.

The thing that I love about this community is the people are friendly.

They love each other.

This climbing community is family to me.

Like, yeah, this spot became interesting because of the environment.

Like everyone is so friendly and so overcoming.

So my name is Clive Luanda, 23 years old.

I love rock climbing because i connects me to a lot of people.

Every time.

It's like family.

Where is Clive?

At the climb center.

My name is Shalom Mahalo.

I love climbing because of the places that climbing takes me.

I love the climbing community because of its connection, love and caring for each other.

I'm really excited that you guys are here.

And yeah.

If you need any help and anything.

We are right here.

Please.

I started rock climbing in 2019.

The manual was regularly there, and then Clive was like, you should check this plac out.

Emmanuel was always there.

It was fun at first.

And then he was like, you should come the next day.

And then we kept on coming the entire week, and then it just became home.

Good job.

Thanks, man.

But then ever since I started climbing, like, everything changed.

I found the sport.

You know, I found that that thing I want to be doing for the rest of my life.

This experience so far has been phenomenal.

It's been great being able to connect and meet everybody that's been a part of this program.

Everybody has been so excited to learn.

I feel like they're all these like little sponges that just want to absor as much information as possible.

Thanks for just like, hanging out and coming in and letting us kind of, like get to know you a little more.

You can go eat.

Let's go eat food city.

Along with mentorship, Genevieve and I were tasked with trying to figure out how to establish an accessible route on Mount Melanie.

I am so excited.

We have Genevieve.

We have 122 bolts and anchors combined.

We're going to send tomorrow.

Oh, I got really excited about it.

I don't care what we're doing.

Even if we don't send, we're rock climbing.

I think it's the most amount of talking is going to come from you.

I don't think so.

I'll see you.

I'll see.

The Melanie Massif stands at 1700 meters at its peak.

This thing is huge.

El cap is 914m.

With the hel of our guides, Jeffrey George.

And Witnes we set out to explore the west face of Chom Bay in search of new routes.

Ultimately, where we originally planning is to hard.

We can tell that from here.

So do we deferred any kind of work to go to that slab of base, because that will obviously probably have something.

Strapless by.

How's it feel?

We ground behind you and your.

Paving the way so.

You feel more connected.

I feel connected.

I. Like.

So we'll make sure we have everything Trad line Gear, chec drawers, alpine drawers, slings to split an anchor.

ATC, check to block drill a sender with a mortar.

Check bolts, bolts.

Good thing they'll be a short ride.

Rb's.

Removable check.

Genevieve.

Genevieve.

Check.

Jeffrey, can you free my rope?

Is my rope stuck?

It's wrong.

I just dont feel well.

If there's, like, even kind of like I'm not feeling well.

I'm going to shrug through.

I'm going to do it.

And we were just bolting for ourselves.

Then that's a whole nother story as a whole nother story.

But if you're like I legitimately don't feel well and I'm not.

My energy level is not high, then it's probably best for us not to be here.

We're not here bolting for ourselves.

Yeah, I think and.

Honestly the whole mission on this trip.

And honestly, this gets back to, like, what you were even talking about the very beginning.

Like, I like athlete colonialis or like corporate colonialism.

Like, if we bolt this and it's not acceptable and we do that and we're no better than everybody else.

If we decided to abandon our efforts, due to the simple fact of the matter that, The climbs does not meet the grade, the goal is to be here and make things accessible for other people.

It's simply too hard.

And if we're trying to make things that accessible for the community, we talk about making things that are accessible for the community.

If we bought this knowing tha maybe only minority foreigners, and maybe there's one person in this entire country who can climate that we've met, that we at least think of in our sphere, then we're no better than anybody els who just goes to another country and says that they're going to do something for the community in boat and just puts up what they want.

And then, you know, makes a glorified 5 or 10in or something else.

So at the end of the day, it's not accessible.

It doesn't meet the mission.

And I would rather gracefully and humbly bow my head and say no and then find something else.

So that's, that's what's happening.

So another day.

Another day.

Yeah.

I don't want.

We we.

You do this.

It's so easy.

If I'm trying not to use this.

I to grow in rock climbing in Africa.

One great component is th development of climbing centers.

Climbing centers will provide an easily accessible hub where we can introduce mor young people to rock climbing.

But also, it adds on to that by giving an opportunity to introduce rock climbing.

That would happen at the crack point, by having them learn at ground schools in these institutions skills that they need to thrive outdoors.

I cannot tell you the actual date, but I can tell you the very first moment when I remember another black perso walking into the climbing gym.

I was behind the front desk.

I was doing some morning routine, and I looked up and I was like, oh, another person.

And then I startled.

I was so startled I stopped, I was stunned.

A big deal for me coming here was I wanted to come to a place where that was virtually impossible because everyone here looks like me.

I see a lot of my own life and their lives and just knowing tha every single person was black.

And I know it might sound really silly, but I have just never, ever been in a place that looks like that.

You know, Mario and I have been climbing for many, many years to have us go through that whole progression.

And then now take all of this and go to, of all places, Africa.

It's awesome to see people of colo mentoring other people of color and be able to, like use those skills and then teach.

Pretty much next generation o climbers I think is beautiful.

I think it's.

Coming down.

You want to use the ATC instead?

Yeah, you can use them, Gregory.

Okay.

Do you have an auto block?

Yeah.

Okay.

He was so nervous to repo, but Shalom did a great job.

He was blank down to her an he was just a little terrified.

But she worked with him.

We talked about it and we asked him if he wanted to bolt.

And then right as I was like okay, we're just gonna let him drill one bolt come down and everyone was like, no, let him keep going.

And the fact no matter that they gave up their opportunit to drill a little bit and made sure that he had an opportunity to drill 2 or 3 bolts.

That meant the world to me, because that's literally the reason why we're here.

And.

We got to see what Genevieve and I want to happen, happen in real time.

And I cannot remember wha he named the route into Chara, but he named it Fur because he said that's what it.

He felt furious, like the fur of, like, the drill and bolting and putting it in the wall and.

I think we found some rock.

It's this massive boulder that has seemed to have a lot of potential.

This is the first time in our whole recon that I'm super psyched.

It's har if you're first in the climbing and somebody throws you on a 510.

I know for some you know who climb a lot harder.

Think that 510 might be an accessible grade, but it's really not.

And if it wasn't for us taking a step back from that first day, I don't think we would have found this more accessible crack.

But we made it.

Yeah.

Thank you Jeffrey.

Thanks.

We really couldn't have done it without.

Oh absolutely not.

Like in all reality, it's funny.

We should just listen to you from the beginning because you basically showed us where we should have been the entire time.

Note to self just listening to Jeffrey in.

This.

I only like rocks.

I don't like hiking.

How's that look over there?

Is there room for me over there?

Yeah.

Perfect.

Is such a beautiful view.

You say?

You excited?

Thank you very.

I would call it the.

Oh, this is.

Are you ready?

Here you have this.

This is spot.

Go into here.

It's all.

I built in my first route!

Woo!

Tell me about the experience.

It was fun.

All right.

Oh, Jeffrey.

What was the most memorable moment?

I think the most memorable moment for me was ripping the big rock off at the top.

Any type of destruction.

Demo day is my favorite day.

And then it was a successful day.

Yeah, all the skills were taught.

Five anchors, three routes bolted.

Yeah, it's a lot of work.

And a one day, Genevieve Scott and myself were able to successfully complete a total of three routes and Milan, along with five anchors, five routes and Malone D, along with three anchors that will be used for future accessibility.

Today I have been speaking with, young people of Climb Malawi, as well as the leaders of Climb Malawi, about the value of collective action in growing their community.

And I'm excited with the ideas that they have been sharing.

What I love about low climbing is that it's way I get to connect with different kinds of people, different races.

We all are equal i where I get to express myself.

I feel like everybody is my brother, my sister even though we're not related.

But when it comes to climbing, I feel like we are all the same.

Nice.

Good.

Me.

I really want to see Malawi grow and have more people coming in to climb with us because it's really nice when you have someone from outside Malawi coming camping with you.

I want to be a guide and I want to be a climbing coach and I am really excited about it.

And like, you know, bolting itself, I get to leave a mark in this world.

You know, I take a lot of picture and my friends complain.

Yeah.

Why do you take so much pictures?

And I'm like, if you take a picture that is proof that you exist, it's, you know, it's going to live on for millions and millions of views.

We're going to die, you know?

But then you need something, you know, I get two boats.

I get to give it my name.

I can give it my name.

You know, it can be like somebody climbing Moses Collier any right now, you know?

And then I left a mark.

So I get to live one for years and years.

I get to live, you know?

So it's just so exciting for me.

Even you and I think about Emmanuel, I think about the tribe and the focus and the dedication that I saw in his progress from when we started to learn about wanting to strive to be a coach.

When I think of solo, I think of growth in rock climbing, being able to see her being exposed to so much knowledge.

I see Clive as a column, a village elder, just being so clever in everything and bringing the people together and how he really embraced everything that he learned in the climbing photography.

Happy, so humble yet so deep.

Being able in his own way to have this focus is so deliberate to find and how he has a desire to be in a climbing competition, and how he's willing to take his time to learn what he needs.

I think of Shalom.

She's doing her stuff.

She's very knowledgeable and yet so willing to learn.

She's already exposed to so much and it's so humble.

In showing others how to do it.

It does take a village in th sense of this particular project here with Mario and Genevieve and Scott and the Global Climbin Initiative would not have been as successful as it has been if Rob, working as individuals, it has taken each and everyone of us giving a bit of themselves, a bit of what they know.

And in that way, the project, I would sa has been a resounding success.

Leaving here, I feel like we did our job, and I also feel like I'm like, I can't wait to come back because we have so much more developing to do, and I'm really, really excited to be able to get folks in that community out climbing, because there were so many people who expressed interest, you know, but they just don't have the means right now.

And I'm really, really excited to be able to, like, focus on that more in the future.

Which is these things in here.

I think the biggest reason why I came here is to mento the next generation of climbers, but also to kind of fin a better connection for myself and kind of get connected to a community that I think that I kind of already knew that I belong to.

In a weird way, before I ever even came here.

Oh, oh.

We're on the way to actually building a very good, very strong team that would be able to, to, fulfill our ambitions.

And we hope that the skills and the capacity that we have imparted to the others, they will be able also to pass them on to the others when their time comes.

So it does take a village, and that is what climbing is about.

Climbing is best enjoyed.

When we do it together.

And we have Genevieve and Scott the filmmakers behind Climb Mala Thanks for coming by here.

Congratulations on the win, by t Yeah.

How did you get connected to thi So Folks over at Climb Malawi.

Folks over at Climb Malawi.

Reached out to GCI and aske if they could get help with bolt and establishing new routes in Malawi, and GCI came back and wa how about instea we teach the folks of Climb Mala how to bolt and establish routes And, for Mario and I as climbin instructors, it's really importa as folks of colo to make sure that we can also be for other folks of color in the outdoor spaces.

And I thought that this was lik the perfect opportunity for us t the skills that we've had and that we've develope and created over the last ten, 2 with folks who are eithe just getting started in climbing or the outdoor spaces an want to become mentors in their and want to become mentors in their own space.

to me it seems like a lot of th that we're seeing at this festiv are kind of telling a story of community around an outdoor acti And this is obviously no differe runners, apparently, it's, you k we as humans need that community and, share interests is such an important o shared interests is such an important one.

And it's amazing in you talk about in the film that, you know, we land in East Afric and immediately connect with the And, and then just seeing their for each other within that community is amazing Yeah.

It feels lik after talking to everybody over you know, when we ask, like what does climbing mean to you?

There wasn't a lot of talk aroun you know, this is a great way to get fit o you know, to get strong.

It was always around community a It was always aroun community and around friendships friendships and how this is a w for me to connect with other fol So I really hope we were abl to, kind of show that through th through the film.

Steve, I love this space were meeting in this year.

That's great to hear, because the Roland Hayes Concert Hall at UTC Fine Arts Center is where you'll find the 2026 Lookout Wild Film Festival.

It'll be a fine space to experience fun stories.

Like our next one, My first triathlon.

All right.

This is Adam with Hpm, and we got more action coming your way.

I woke up feeling a little more sporty this morning.

So the plan today to take both of my boys o their first triathlon adventure.

I wish me luck.

Aliright boys what are we going to do today?

We're gonna do that first triathlon.

I was a paddle bike And run.

Are you ready for that?

All right, let's go.

Put em in.

Nice, nice.

Where are we going to put that?

We got a little room over here right.

Wait.

You're gonna put it in the back?

Yeah we're going to put in the back.

Nice.

We're at our transition zone, and we're going to.

What sport are we going to do first?

Run running.

Yeah.

And then we're going to transition.

We got our transition zone right here bike.

And then we're going to bike.

Yep.

And then we're going to end with the paddle.

Because if you guys want to play in the water at the end we'll just come play in the water right.

Yeah.

Peace, whats up bro?

So you guys ready.

We're going to run this whole loop okay.

Ready.

Go ahead.

Go.

Miles, run right.

Good job.

What's this?

This.

Keep going.

Oh, we're done with the run.

Good job, good job.

Now, what do we got next?

Hi.

Yeah, I'm getting ready to roll.

Get a quick drink.

Nice Max.

Quick drink.

I'm going to rock and roll, Nice.

All right, you guys ready?

We're going to go hit the bikes right.

Yeah.

Right.

You guys seem excited for this All right.

Let's do it.

Very good.

Miles, it's hard to start.

All right.

How is that dude?

Good.

Yeah, we had a couple.

We had a couple crashes, but you're good, right, bud?

Good job, good job.

All right, what have we got next?

Paddling!

Its the last thing.

Last we missed the world paddling.

Oh, man.

I think we can get a max.

Should we get him?

Good mile.

Nice.

We.

Max, really know what your next?

Go.

All right, guys, you can get up now.

Good.

Amazing.

Oh.

Oh, you guys have fun out there?

Yeah, I fell into the water.

and almost drownded.

All right, boys, how do we do?

Good.

What was your favorite part?

Paddling by bikes.

Paddling good.

Come on boys, dance around.

We're back in the green room with Adam from my first triathlo Um, Ada this is a little bit different o From what?

Yeah.

Used to making.

Well, tell us about what you do.

Yeah.

So we started human powered movemen It's basically just th the promotion of anything active Running, paddling, biking surfing, climbing, whatever it m And, we basically want to, enco more activity in people's lives.

That's our mission.

So we produce content that really kind of hel that, do some in-person events.

Cool.

Do you usually work with this cast that that you're working with on this?

So, this is actually the second that the, that the three of us, and the two boys who are my son have been on the big screen at L Wild Film Festival.

We had a backyard bikepacking fi that was in last year, But, it's it's kind of fun that get to kind of, you know, get th And there's thing that I would probably be doing a But it's fun to capture it.

Why do you think the outdoors are such a great subjec for filming?

Well, I mean, there's just endle variables involved, right?

Whether that be, you know, weat geography, the scenery, the acti you know, misadventures that hap being outside and exploring and sometimes having things you know, being outside and exp and sometimes having things not your way, is a massive opportun to learn, grow and develop and, you know, kind of just build character over, over the rest of your life that you can lean back on.

You know, for like I said, the rest of your li You know, for, like I said, the rest of your life.

as we mentioned before, this year's festiva will be held right here at UTC Fine Arts Center January 15th through January 18th.

You can find more informatio at our website at LWFF dot org.

It sounds like it's going to be another strong yea for stories from the outdoors.

Thanks again for watching and keep on the lookout for more storie from our community on WTCI PBS.

Your community storyteller.