EP 298: Sonnie Trotter — Gunning for 5.15, How He Trained as a Teen, and Stamina vs. Strength

About this episode

Sonnie Trotter discusses his climbing goals, training methods, and insights on stamina versus strength.

Sonnie Trotter is a Canadian professional rock climber and one of the most accomplished and respected climbers of his generation. We talked about his goal to climb 5.15, my impression of meeting him at Smith Rock, our parallel family histories, treating life as a game, how the Cobra Crack changed his career, how he trained as a teenager, stamina vs. strength, what makes Dave Graham so strong, and his book, Uplifted: The Evolution of a Climbing Life.

People in this episode

Host: Steven Dimmitt

Guest: Sonnie Trotter

Topics covered

• rock climbing
• training
• stamina
• strength
• personal growth
• athletic goals

Keywords

• Sonnie Trotter
• 5.15
• rock climbing
• training
• stamina
• strength
• Cobra Crack
• Dave Graham
• Uplifted

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Uplifted: The Evolution of a Climbing Life

Places: Smith Rock, Canada

More episodes of The Nugget Climbing Podcast

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• EP 300: Jeff Patterson — What Climbers Can Learn from Martial Arts (and How 20 Minutes of Meditation Could Change Your Life) · May 25, 2026 · 1h 1m
• EP 299: Herm Feissner — A Unique Training Philosophy at Age 53, Understanding Hard Moves, and Balancing an Engineering Career with Travel & Climbing · May 14, 2026 · 2h 10m
• EP 297: Peter Mortimer (filmmaker) — Dean Potter’s Rivalry with Alex Honnold, His Inner Demons, and The Dark Wizard · April 14, 2026 · 54 min
• EP 296: Dave Thompson — Early FAs in Leavenworth, Applying Your Strength on the Wall, and Personal Agency · April 7, 2026 · 1h 47m
• EP 295: Sam Watson — The Fastest Climber in the World on His Routines, Mental Process, & the Olympics · March 23, 2026 · 1h 55m