
EP 301: Matt Samet — Escaping Benzo Addiction, Rifle in the Early ‘90s, and Embracing the Moonboard in His 40s
From The Nugget Climbing Podcast by Steven Dimmitt
June 8, 2026 · 2h 11m
About this episode
Matt Samet discusses his battle with benzo addiction, experiences in the climbing community, and his new role with the American Alpine Club.
Matt Samet is the former editor-in-chief of Climbing Magazine, a writer and author, and a sport-climbing pioneer. We talked about his decade-plus battle with benzo addiction, his advice for people who experience anxiety or depression, what Rifle was like in the early ‘90s, how Chris Sharma broke the paradigm, embracing training to send his hardest routes, his new role with the American Alpine Club, and the inaugural American Climbing Journal coming later this year. You can learn more at americanalpineclub.org
People in this episode
Host: Steven Dimmitt
Guest: Matt Samet
Topics covered
- benzo addiction
- anxiety
- depression
- sport climbing
- training
- American Alpine Club
- climbing history
Keywords
- benzo addiction
- anxiety
- depression
- Rifle
- Chris Sharma
- training
- American Alpine Club
- climbing
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Climbing Magazine, American Alpine Club
Books & works: American Climbing Journal
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- EP 298: Sonnie Trotter — Gunning for 5.15, How He Trained as a Teen, and Stamina vs. Strength · April 27, 2026 · 2h 8m
- 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
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