Ep. 19 - It’s All About Climbing and It’s Nothing About Climbing with Jackson Yip
Mar 6, 2024
What are the things in your life that have infinite complexity upon closer inspection?
I’m betting you didn’t expect that question on a podcast about ice climbing.
But that’s Jackson Yip for ya. An atmospheric researcher by training who specializes in cloud-microphysics, Jackson is also a deeply passionate climber and alpinist who has coupled his interests in a myriad of ways.
Whether scrabbling through murky datasets or slogging to break trail, Jackson finds beauty in the mundane and labyrinthine.
In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about:
Cloud physics and the complexity of turbulence
The importance of first-hand experience
How to develop mental models
Why we can and need to do better when evaluating ice conditions
The mechanics of pillar collapse
And more
Hope you enjoy this chat, I certainly did.
Timestamps:
01:41 - The concept of heat death and its implications
04:00 - Having perspective
05:37 - The complexity of cloud micro-physics
09:15 - Observing and first-hand experience
11:30 - Engineering challenges in climate research
17:58 - Predicting ice formations
20:20 - The tragic consequences of misreading ice conditions
23:10 - Mechanics of slip-out pillar collapse
28:31 - The importance of patience in climbing and life
35:38 - Accessible doesn't mean easy or safe
41:13 - The seasons of life
42:43 - Supporting socioeconomic equality
Resources and links:
If you’re interested in collaborating on one of the ice climbing models that Jackson mentioned, you can reach him at jackson.yip@utah.edu. To connect with him on Instagram, he’s @jp_yip. You can learn more about his research on his website: jpyip.com
Find the rest of the notes, timestamps, resources, and more on the episode page.
Credits:
Episode cover photo provided by Jackson Yip
Intro music by Hannah Noelle Enomoto (thanks, sis!).
Patreon:
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