The Sharp End

Carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless, and poisonous gas, can build up to dangerous levels inside a tent during or after cooking with a stove. Sharp End hostess Ashley Saupe had a personal scare with CO poisoning, and in Episode 47 she discusses her own experience and other people's close calls with Denali mountaineering ranger Dave Weber. This episode is packed with essential information for winter mountaineers or anyone else who camps in snowy conditions. Don't miss it! Photo by Greg Stafford (https://www.gregstaffordphotography.com). The Sharp End podcast is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This episode was also sponsored by Kavu. The Sharp End is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Margie Root and her husband were attempting the classic Culp-Bossier Route up the steep north face of Colorado's Hallett Peak. When Margie broke a hold on the run-out fifth pitch, she fell at least 50 or 60 feet and sustained several injuries. Luckily, a group of good friends, including Leslie Gains-Germain, were climbing nearby. In Episode 46 of the Sharp End, Margie and Leslie (both expert climbers) explain how this group worked together to execute a fast and effective self-rescue. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Sherrie Trecker and a friend had just finished climbing a classic route on Cutthroat Peak in the North Cascades. It was a gorgeous day, and the descent started smoothly. But when they reached the snowy couloir leading down to the foot of the peak, it was much icier than expected. A slip led to sliding fall, and the snow was too hard for self-arrest. Sherrie slid hard into the rocks below. She was lucky and suffered relatively minor physical injuries from her long fall. But the psychological effects of the accident lingered for over a year. Episode 45 of the Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Suunto and the Colorado Outward Bound School. This show is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Dr. Leslie Drapiza had carefully planned a winter hike of Oregon's Mt. Defiance on Superbowl Sunday, expecting the 12-mile round trip to go as smoothly as her previous training climbs. But when she got off-route during the descent, one bad thing led to another. By the time she was rescued, Leslie had spent two nights out in the cold and snow. In episode 44 of the Sharp End, Leslie tells her story: how she got stranded, how she survived, and how she dealt with incident in the weeks and months that followed. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Suunto and Colorado Outward Bound School. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Andrew Smith from Texas dreamed of climbing big walls in Yosemite Valley. He had learned to climb traditional routes with an experienced mentor and had practiced aid climbing in a specially equipped gym. When he decided to try his first outdoor aid climb, he chose the nearby Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma. But things did not go as smoothly as he'd hoped. Andrew fell near the top of his climb, pulled out multiple pieces of protection, and nearly hit the ground. In episode 43 of the Sharp End, Andrew and Ashley talk through his preparation, the fateful climb, and what went wrong that day. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional sponsorship from Suunto and the Colorado Outward Bound School. This episode received additional support from Matador Adventure Travel Gear and Tribe Alpha. The Sharp End podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

In 2012, Mike Drake was still a young climber, but he and his partner were well prepared for the Nose of El Cap and felt ready to take the next step in their climbing. They made it more than 20 pitches up the route before Mike suffered a damaging fall off the notorious short crack above Pancake Flake. In this episode, Mike and Ashley talk through the accident and rescue, and Mike shares insights about the long road to recovery, both physical and mental. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Suunto and the Colorado Outward Bound School. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Casey Brown and a friend were trying a seldom-climbed route at a limestone crag in western Montana. A huge block pulled loose. He tumbled toward the ground. Somewhere along the way, his helmet shattered. He believes the helmet saved his life. In episode 41 of the Sharp End, Casey and Ashley debrief this accident and the ways climbers choose to use (or fail to use) their vital head gear. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Twenty years ago this month, Malcolm Daly and Jim Donini attempted a new route on Thunder Mountain in the Alaska Range. After Daly fell near the top of the climb, the ensuing rescue was one of the most dramatic in Alaskan mountaineering history. In episode 40 of the Sharp End, listen to Daly tell this legendary story in vivid detail. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support for this episode from Kavu, Colorado Outward Bound School, and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Stephen Leimgruber and his wife were wrapping up a day at Fortress Wall in Kentucky's Red River Gorge. He wanted to do just one more climb. Some warning lights were flashing: They were tired, it was getting dark, clouds were threatening rain. But, hey, he thought: It's a well-protected 5.8. What could go wrong? Find out what exactly happened, and what Stephen learned from it, in this episode. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Mike Zawaski and a friend were ski touring in the popular Jones Creek area of Colorado in mid-December. Mike started their descent first and stopped in what he thought would be a safe point, but a slab avalanche broke loose and swept him hundreds of feet down the slope, breaking his femur. In this episode, learn how even well-trained and well-prepared ski mountaineers can get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Boulnd School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Denali mountaineering ranger and flight medic Dave Weber returns to the Sharp End to discuss the ins and outs of calling for a rescue: when to do it (and when not to), how to make the call and what to say, and how to prepare for a helicopter rescue. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club. Photo by Menno Boermans.

Ice climbing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula can be seriously cold. In this episode, Ashley speaks with Jason Eicholtx about a midwinter adventure in the UP that went dangerously wrong as an ice climber collapsed with hypothermia. Plus, wilderness medicine specialist Dr. Bryan Jarrett explains how to prevent hypothermia and treat it in the field. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Starr Jamison suffered the agony of watching a good friend die in an avalanche in Colorado. He was one of three friends she lost to avalanches in a single year. In this episode, Starr describes the first accident and the painful, disorienting aftermath, how she recovered, and how she's working to help others deal with similar experiences. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

When climbers, skiers, and other backcountry adventurers have an accident, they often aren't the only ones to suffer an injury. Partners, rescuers, and witnesses at the crag can feel the affects of "stress injuries" for years to come. In this episode, Ashley speaks with Laura McGladrey, a mental health nurse practitioner and veteran health provider in wilderness and humanitarian settings, about the importance of psychological first aid for outdoor adventurers and rescuers. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School, Suunto, and Prival USA. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Brad Carter had started up a very difficult climb at Index Town Wall in Washington state. In the first 50 or 60 feet, this route has three widely spaced bolts for protection. When Carter decided to rest at the third bolt, he got the shock of his life. This incident occurred almost a decade ago, but the lessons about bad bolts are extremely relevant today! The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Patrick Stefanik and a friend headed to Clear Creek Canyon, Colorado, on a beautiful Saturday in April. Crowds at the busy Creekside area forced them to change their plans, and Patrick started up an unfamiliar 5.9. When it came time to lower from the anchor, Patrick's fun day out went very, very wrong. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Kris Nova and a friend were attempting Mt. Rainier's remote and difficult Liberty Ridge when a boulder pulled loose and sent her on a tumbling fall, badly injuring one hand. In this episode, Kris describes her preparation for the climb, what happened on Liberty Ridge, and what she learned about calling for help after a mountain accident. The Sharp End is presented by Mammut and co-sponsored by Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Hans Florine was attempting his 110th ascent of the Nose of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. He and a partner were doing the Nose in a Day (an elite climb), but were not attempting any speed records. Yet Hans still took a bone-breaking fall, despite all of his experience. Learn what went wrong for the man who literally wrote the book on climbing the Nose. The Sharp End Podcast is presented by Mammut and co-sponsored by Suunto and Colorado Outward Bound School. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

It was October 2017, and Alex Doria and Jonathan Wachtel were starting up a dream climb: the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome, high over Yosemite Valley. Alex was in the lead on the third pitch, and he felt good. Too good, as it turned out. He ran it out a long way between protection, and just as he was getting ready to place his next piece, he lost his balance and fell. Alex, Jonathan, and Ashley discuss what happened next and the lessons they learned. This episode of the Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Gnarly Nutrition, Colorado Outward Bound School, and Health IQ. This show is based on Accidents in North American Climbing, an annual publication of the American Alpine Club (AAC), and is produced by the AAC.

Greg Smith was 10 feet above his last piece of protection on a moderate climb in Calico Basin, outside Las Vegas, when he fell unexpectedly. His only piece pulled out and he hit the ground. At least that's what his climbing partner tells him, because he has very little memory of the day. In this episode, Greg and Ashley talk through the accident and the painful aftermath. Find more details about this incident report in Greg's report for Accidents in North American Climbing: https://bit.ly/2rdN8Kj. The Sharp End Podcast is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Health IQ. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.