sharp end

The Sharp End

the sharp end podcasts

Mountaineering / Adventure

Sharp end

Ashley interviews Seth Adams, who fell into a crevasse in Alaska's Hayes Range last spring. Hear Seth describe this scary incident and what he learned about traveling Alaskan glaciers.

Here's a link to the report that will appear in Accidents 2016: http://bit.ly/20Cy2bV. And here's Seth's original account of the crevasse fall, republished at the Climbing Zine: http://bit.ly/1SUlqvl.



Ep 1 - The View from a Crevasse - Seth Adams

Blake Bowling aimed to redpoint 1,500 routes in Kentucky's Red River Gorge. The Madness, a 5.13 route at the Motherlode, would be number 1,499. When a friend came by his camper van and asked if Blake wanted to climb, he grabbed the rope he'd already used many times before while rehearsing the moves on the Madness. This time, however, using that rope would be a near-fatal mistake. 

Sharp End host Ashley Saupe interviewed Blake about his accident and the very simple steps he could have taken to prevent it. Blake and his belayer had 52 years of combined rock climbing experience, proving that experience is no guard against serious accidents. 

Blake's story and photos can be seen at the Accidents in North American Mountaineering website: http://bit.ly/1TrlGTB.

 

Ep 2 - A Rope Too Short - Blake Bowling

Eric Hengesbaugh had planned an expedition into the Palisades section of the High Sierra, with support from an AAC Live Your Dream grant. But a fall during his very first climb left him with a broken ankle and back injury, hundreds of feet above the ground. Amazingly, Eric captured the entire incident on a portable recorder. Afterward, he crafted a moving podcast telling the story of the accident and the people who rescued him.

In this special edition of the Sharp End, Ashley introduces Eric's story and then interviews him about the lessons learned. When you're done, you'll definitely want to hear Eric's full hour-long podcast, "Fall Risk," at this link: https://soundcloud.com/hengesbaugh/fall-risk.  

Ep 3 - Rescue in the Palisades - Eric Hengesbaugh

Mountaineering ranger Dave Weber describes a sobering incident in the Ruth Gorge of Alaska. Plus, Dave and Ashley discuss the realities of rescue missions and his thoughts on avoiding accidents in the mountains. 

Read the full story of this accident: http://bit.ly/1rGb1IU.

Ep 4 - Denali Ranger Dave Weber: A Day in the Life

We think of bolts as offering bomproof anchors and protection. But many of the bolts used by climbers today were placed at least 20 to 30 years ago, and they were never designed to be used by climbers in the first place. In 2015, a climber in California died when an old bolt failed under his body weight. In this episode, Ashley speaks with Jason Haas and Brady Robinson about bolt safety. Should climbers blindly trust bolts? And what are leaders in the climbing world doing about the problem of old bolts?

Ep 5 - Bomber Anchors or Ticking Time Bombs? - Jason Haas and Brady Robinson

Climber and backcountry skier Steven Lozano summited Mount St. Helens with a friend on a beautiful April day. When two climbers joined them on top, one of them, who was making his 69th ascent of the mountain, asked Steven to take a photo of him with Mt. Rainier in the background. What happened next will be seared into Lozano's memory forever.

Ep 10 - The 69th Summit - Steven Lozano

In this story from the mountains near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, a nighttime search for two lost skiers takes a dramatic turn when one of the rescuers is caught in an avalanche. Amazingly, the team from Routt County SAR not only bring their injured teammate home, they also bring out the lost skiers!

The Sharp End is produced by Accidents in North American Climbing, an annual publication of the American Alpine Club, and is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Vertical Medicine Resources and Colorado Outward Bound School.

Ep 14 - A Rescuer Needs a Rescue

Skander Spies, a volunteer with Denali National Park's climbing rangers, had just headed out on patrol on the Kahiltna Glacier. Although they didn't know it yet, the rangers would record eleven separate crevasse falls that day, including Skander's. And his incident was scarier than most! 

The Sharp End is produced each month by Accidents in North American Climbing, an annual publication of the American Alpine Club, and is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Vertical Medicine Resources and Colorado Outward Bound School.

Ep 15 - Water in the Hole! - Skander Spies

By late April, Marcus Mazzaferri had already hiked nearly 1,000 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. He was just about to stop for the day near Tuolumne Meadows, high in Yosemite National Park, when he came across a swollen creek and decided to cross it before setting up camp. What happened next left Marcus all alone, with no gear, 15 miles from the nearest road. His story will make you wonder: What would I have done?

The Sharp End is produced each month by Accidents in North American Climbing, an annual publication of the American Alpine Club, and is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Vertical Medicine Resources and Colorado Outward Bound School.

Ep 18 - Epic in Yosemite National Park - Marcus Mazzaferri

Ashley speaks with fellow Outward Bound instructors Matt Olsen and Ty Guarino, who survived a serious rappelling and rockfall accident during an attempt on the famous Grand Traverse of the Tetons. Hear about their impressive self-rescue and the lessons they learned.

The Sharp End is produced each month by Accidents in North American Climbing, an annual publication of the American Alpine Club, and is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Vertical Medicine Resources and Colorado Outward Bound School.

Ep 19 - Grand Traverse Gone Bad - Matt Olsen and Ty Guarino

Flight medic and Denali mountaineering ranger Dave Weber returns to the Sharp End to discuss the common themes he's heard in the first 20 episodes of this podcast. As he tells Ashley, there are three simple but profoundly effective lessons for preventing and surviving climbing accidents.  

You can hear Dave's previous appearance on the Sharp End (Ep. 4) here: https://soundcloud.com/the_sharp_end/denali-ranger-dave-weber-a-day-in-the-life.

The Sharp End is produced each month by Accidents in North American Climbing, an annual publication of the American Alpine Club, and is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Vertical Medicine Resources and Colorado Outward Bound School.

Ep 22 - The Three Essentials: Lessons from a Mountain Ranger - Dave Weber

Steve Smith was glissading down from Aasgard Pass, gateway to the Enchantments in Washington State, when he plunged into a deep hole caused by a waterfall of melting snow. This was a dangerous mistake: Several hikers and climbers have died falling into this same hole. Steve is now the climbing education manager for the Mountaineers and owner of Experiential Consulting, a risk-management consulting firm for outdoor programs. In this riveting episode, he shares the many lessons from that day on Aasgard Pass.

The Sharp End podcast is made possible by Mammut, Health IQ, and Colorado Outward Bound School, and is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Ep 25 - The Deadly Hole On Aasgard Pass - Steve Smith

A podcast produced/hosted by Ashley Saupe, sponsored by Rocky Talkie and supported by the American Alpine Institute. This podcast aims to minimize future outdoor accidents by way of story telling. Real people sharing real stories. 
"Play Hard and Be Smart"
www.thesharpendpodcast.com