Episode Intro:

Hello listeners, and welcome back to the Female Guides Requested Podcast.

This is your host, Ting Ting, coming to you from Las Vegas. I apologize that it took me a little while to publish this episode; I broke my tib/fib in a climbing accident six weeks ago. However, when I relistened to my interview with today’s guest, Patty Lankhorst—a woman who has faced multiple setbacks and always bounced back stronger through sheer grit—I gained the courage and faith to do the same.

The incredibly resilient Patty Lankhorst was, at the time of this interview, wrapping up her 23rd season guiding rock climbing in the iconic Gunks of New York.

Patty shares her powerful journey of entering the guiding profession in 2003 as a young, nursing mother, breaking boundaries in a space that severely lacked female representation. She opens up about overcoming an early “bro mentality” in the industry, navigating client minimization, and battling back from six major knee surgeries to climb harder than ever.

Now a passionate mentor and Head Guide, Patty discusses her dedication to creating safe, supportive, and empowering spaces for women and non-binary climbers, while advocating for diversity and boundary-setting in the outdoors. Get ready for a masterclass in confidence, commanding presence, and a lifelong dedication to the mountains with Patty Lankhorst!

Patty's Bio:

Patty Lankhorst is a lifelong climber who discovered the sport in New Hampshire in the early 1990s. Though she has climbed nationwide, the Shawangunks will always be her home crag.

She began guiding in 2003 to share the empowerment she found in climbing. An AMGA Rock Instructor and newly certified SPI Provider, Patty now trains and mentors the nextgeneration of guides. Having been one of the only female guides in her region for years, championing diversity is her driving force. She actively leads women’s programs to create welcoming, inclusive spaces for underrepresentedclimbers.

Today, Patty serves as the Head Guide for Gunks Guides Climbing School, where she is known for her calm leadership, warm teaching style, and singing custom climbing songs at the cliff. Off the rock, she is an accomplished endurance athlete who continues to race and push her limits even after six knee surgeries.

Links:

• Gunks Guides webpage http://www.gunksguides.com
• Custom Day with Patty Lankhorst
• AMGA information page http://www.gunksguides.com/guide-training
• Instagram http://www.instagram.com/patty_piton/

• 
  

Welcome to another empowering episode of the Female Guides Requested Podcast! This is your host Ting Ting from Las Vegas. Today we sit down with the incredibly inspiring Carol Simpson, a trailblazing climber and guide who is proving that age and societal expectations are meant to be challenged. Raised in the 1950s South where athleticism in women was heavily discouraged, Carol didn’t embrace her inner athlete until her late 20s. But once she did, there was no looking back.

At age 42, she found her life’s true passion in rock climbing, a discovery she describes as a profound moment of empowerment. Following her newfound calling, Carol moved out West and founded First Ascent at Smith Rock, which became the first-ever women owned guide service in the U.S. Now at 80 years old, she is still climbing, lifting heavy, running a yoga practice, and even actively training to break the world record for dead hangs for women over 80!

In this episode, we dive into Carol’s rebellious journey of defying gender norms, pioneering spaces for women in the outdoors, the absolute necessity of strength training as we age, and why it’s never too late to ignite your inner fire.

Carol's Bio:

Carol Simpson’s journey is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of passion. Raised in the 1950s South, she broke away from traditional expectations, leaving an early marriage to earn her degree and launch a successful commercial interior design firm in Washington, D.C. After embracing a fiercely athletic lifestyle in her 30s—eventually becoming an ACE-certifiedpersonal trainer and yoga instructor—she discovered rock climbing at age 42, igniting her life's true passion.

Relocating to Bend, Oregon, in 1992, Carol pioneered new spaces for women in the outdoor industry. She founded First Ascent Climbing Services at Smith Rock, establishing the first female-owned, AMGA-accredited guide service. Long before it was an industry norm, she led all-female expeditionsacross the U.S. and created the weekly “Climb Like A Girl” group to help women discover personal empowerment on the wall.

Her own climbing achievements are equally remarkable. Her proudest ascents at Smith Rock include sending Latin Lover (5.12a) at age 53, and becoming the first woman over 50—at age 60—to lead the notoriously difficult overhanging crack, Whartley’s Revenge (5.11b). Now approaching 81, Carol still climbs three days a week, continuing to defy expectations and inspire climbers of all ages.

Carol’s Links:

• Email: csimpson1114@gmail.com
• Instagram: carolsimpsonclimbing

Quotes:

• “The first climb I did, it changed my life entirely. It gave me a message of empowerment. I think that’s the best word for it. Just ‘I can do this’ and it’s amazing.”
• “I was sort of corralled into what now has become the new thing, the trad wife. That’s what you did. But I’ve always been the rebellious one, and I went against a lot of things I was raised to believe.”
• “So I went big time in the opposite direction. It’s an inner fire. And I know that you know what I’m talking about. And the women listening to this know what that inner fire is because you have it.”
• “Today, women have muscles and it’s considered beautiful, and it was not… I absolutely think the women with the muscles look the best. It’s just beautiful.”
• “I still lift and I lift heavy. And that’s a very important thing for women who are getting older, because the single best example of strength is your grip strength beyond any other.”
• “I’m working now on my dead hangs and I’m up to a minute and a half… The world record is 2 minutes and 1 second for a woman over 80. So, I’m going for it.”
• “Climbing was me competing against myself and it still is. And I will never think about competing against someone your age, but I’ll sure compete with somebody who’s in their 80s.”

Show Notes:

Resources for Candidates and Providers:

• Scenario overview video
• Scoring rubric + guidance
• Updated SPI Program Handbook
• New textbook release (May 5): Rock Climbing: The Official AMGA Single Pitch Manual

Related Links:

• AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Page
• EP 20 – Everything SPI 01 – Professionalism and Risk Management
• EP 29 – Everything SPI 02 – Site Selection & Group Management
• EP 34 – Everything SPI 03 – Current SPI Eval System
• EP 38 – Everything SPI 04 – Teaching & Curriculum Design I
• Andrew Megas-Russell Instagram https://www.instagram.com/megas_sends/

Episode Intro:

Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested Podcast, welcome back. This is your host Ting Ting from Las Vegas. Today in our fifth installment of the Everything SPI series, I am joined once again by Andrew Megas-Russell, the Climbing Instructor Program Manager of the AMGA, to break down the significant updates to the Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) exam that went into effect on January 1, 2026. The changes are designed to standardize and strengthen consistency across the country.

We explore the transition to a more standardized exam format, specifically the new 35-minute technical drill for top-managed skills and the updated instructional assessment component. Andrew explains the rationale behind moving away from volunteer mock clients in favor of a peer-based instructional model. This shift aims to foster richer professional development and allow for more complex teaching topics.

Additional topics in this episode include: Updated Résumé Requirements, Additional Resources and FAQs, and Tips for Success for SPI candidates.