Todd Perkins is one of those local legends who you’ve probably never heard of. That is unless you’ve climbed on some of his routes around St George, Utah. We talked about growing up in the Mormon church, the mind-opening effects of cannabis, climbing his first 5.14 in the 90s and maintaining that level for 25 years, near-death experiences, the intelligence of the cosmos, aliens, and much more.Support the Access Fund!accessfund.org/donateCheck out Crimpd!crimpd.comOr download the Crimpd app! (Available for iOS and Android)Check out PhysiVantage!physivantage.com (link includes 15% off coupon)Use code "NUGGET15" at checkout for 15% off your next order!Check out Petzl!petzl.comOr shop for Petzl quickdraws at your local climbing shop!Check out Athletic Greens!athleticgreens.com/NUGGETUse this link to get a free year's supply of vitamin D + 5 travel packs! We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun Become a Patron:patreon.com/thenuggetclimbingShow Notes:  thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/todd-perkinsNuggets:0:05:22 – Todd’s pancake beta0:08:29 – Growing up in the Mormon church0:10:40 – Cannabis0:17:50 – Solar-powered weed smoking0:19:41 – “Get down from there!” and how Todd got introduced to climbing0:23:08 – Getting into route development in the 90s, and learning from Jorge Visser and Randy Leavitt0:28:34 – Developing routes at the Cathedral,0:31:26 – Climbing Planet Earth at the VRG, and progressing from 12a to 14a (7a+ to 8b+) in two years0:33:18 – Chris Sharma’s psych for climbing as a 15-year-old kid0:35:07 – Longevity, gratitude, and being present0:39:08 – Setbacks, trying Golden for a Moment 14b (8c), and using a portable fan 20 years ago0:45:51 – Coming back from hip surgery and other setbacks0:48:28 – More about being present0:56:00 – What motivates Todd in his climbing these days0:57:52 – Having an out-of-body experience on Planet Earth, and other most meaningful ascents0:59:24 – My (Steven’s) two hardest routes and how different those experiences were, and Todd’s thoughts on mental tenacity1:05:24 – Adventure in sport climbing and route development, and Todd’s near-death experience1:11:01 – Spirituality, the intelligence of the cosmos, and the goods and bads of religion1:16:15 – Steven shares some thoughts on the damaging parts of growing up in a religion1:19:37 – What Todd learned from studying Buddhism1:21:00 – Aliens1:33:14 – Nuclear testing in the 50s and 60s1:36:48 – Why Todd never left St George1:39:07 – Plans to try Flight of the Conchords 14c (8c+) this winter1:42:27 – Trusting your intuition, getting lots of sleep, and not pushing too hard1:47:07 – Wrap up, and we should all spend more time thinking about something other than climbing