The Podcast on alanarnette.com
Episodes
Everest 2026: May 24 Weekend Update Nearing the End
24 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What a week on Everest and Lhotse. The first Everest summits were on May 13 by the rope team, plus a few fast followers. Then the jet came in and stop...
Everest 2026: Garrett Madison Podcast from Camp 2, 2 More Deaths
22 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A long-standing tradition is to connect with Garrett Madison, founder of Madison Mountaineering, on an expedition. I caught up with Garrett at Everest...
Everest 2026: The Western Team's Turn, My Summit Anniversary
22 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After a Nepal-side record 274 summits on May 20, it's time for the Western teams to take their turn. As we've discussed, the Nepali operators ...
Everest 2026: Weather Alert and More Summits
18 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Despite sporadic winds and a scary weather forecast, Monday, May 18, 2026, saw scores of summits on Everest and a few on Lhotse. The jetstream remains...
Everest 2026: May 17 Weekend Update—Summits!
17 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With the ropes to Everest and, now, Lhotse in place, there were multiple summits, including records on Sunday morning, May 17, 2026. With the weather ...
Everest 2026 May 10 Weekend Update Ropes to South Col, Sherpa Death
10 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The rope fixers got the fixed line to the South Col on Friday, May 8, 2026 and are on track to reach the summit by the 13th or earlier. As predicted, ...
Everest 2026: May 3 Weekend Update - Climbing!
03 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The route is in to Camp 2, thus allowing Sherpa rope fixers to begin fixing it to the summit, starting with Camp 3. Sherpas have established Camp 2, a...
Everest 2026: April 27 Weekend Update - Icefall Route In?
27 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We may finally see how climate change has impacted climbing Mt. Everest: melting seracs threatening climbers, and helicopters used to bypass the icefa...
Everest 2026: April 19 Weekend Update - 8000er Summits, Icefall Woes
19 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After waiting as long as two weeks, climbers on Annapurna, Makalu and Dhaulagiri finally stood on the summit. But Everest lags as the route from EBC t...
Everest 2026: April 12 Weekend Update–The Kumbu is Alive
12 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Teahouses are buzzing, the trails are full, the yaks are loaded–as are the porters bearing unbelievable loads. Yes, the Khumbu is alive. But the wea...
Everest 2026: April 5 Weekend Update - Debunking Poison Rumors
05 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this weekend update, I cover a lot of ground, primarily around misinformation regarding "Everest Guides Poisoning Clients" - FALSE. The a...
Podcast: Memories Are Everything: Why Alzheimer’s Research Needs Us Now
01 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
After recording a powerful podcast with Lainie Holcomb and Dr. Tammy Awtry of the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, I was reminded that while meaningful progre...
Everest 2026: Climbers to Watch this Season - Weekend Update
29 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Everest Base Camp is taking shape as two more of Nepal's eight 8,000-meter peaks see climbers arriving at their bases. This year, there are severa...
Everest 2026: March 1 Weekend Update
01 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The backbone of every Everest season on the Nepali side are the Icefall Doctors, a team of highly skilled Sherpas who establish the climbing route and...
Podcast with Scott Parazynski
06 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast, I speak with Scott Parazynski, who is about as unique an individual as you will find these days. Consider a small fraction of his ach...
Podcast with Ryan Mitchell & Justin Sackett: Plans for Two 8000ers, No O's 1
24 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan Mitchell, a Summit Coach client, is preparing to climb two 8000-meter peaks, without supplemental oxygen, with his friend and professional moun...
7 Summits in One Year: Podcast with Garrett Madison
24 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As we close out 2025, I caught up with Garrett Maddison, founder of Madison Mountaineering, for a rare moment while he was home in the Seattle area. G...
2025 Wrap Up & Talking Weather with Chris Tomer
13 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mid-December is a quiet time in the mountaineering world, so I thought it would be nice to pick meteorologist Chris Tomer of Tomer Weather Solution’...
Peter Hillary Interview
10 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Zealander Peter Hillary needs no introduction, as his last name recalls the historic achievement of his father, Sir Edmund Hillary, who, along wit...
Everest 2025: Podcast with Australians Bianca , 17, and Paul Adler on their Everest climb this spring
03 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Australians Bianca Adler, 17, and her dad, Paul Adler, 50, are back in Melbourne, Australia, after their recent Everest attempt. They were thwarted by...
K2 2025 Coverage: Ryan Mitchell After K2
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan Mitchell, a Summit Coach client, is back from his recent K2 attempt. They were thwarted by a deadly rockfall that killed two other people on othe...
K2 2025 Coverage Wrap: Season Summary-A Rocky Season
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The summer 2025 Karakorum for the 8000-meter peaks is over, and what a season it was. There were summits, deaths, disappointments and survivals. Was i...
K2 2025 Coverage: Risk Taking Case Study
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With teams still hoping to summit, popular American climber Ryan Mitchell, Phurba Sherpa, Terray Sylvester, Madison Mountaineering lead guide...
K2 2025 Coverage: K2 Summit Push On!
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
After almost five weeks, a weather window long enough for a summit attempt on K2 has emerged. Most teams and many individuals have left, but an estima...
K2 2025 Coverage: Weather Stalls Plans, or Not?
25 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Signs of trouble on K2 and Broad Peak. First is the weather. There have been more high winds and heavy snowfall, preventing the establishment of Camp ...
K2 2025 Coverage: Death, Summits & Progress
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Summits! We have summits in the Karakoram on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Also, climbers are acclimatizing at Camp 3 on BP, and most teams seem focused on a...
K2 2025 Coverage: K2 2025: Coverage: Climbing in Peril
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Teams are finally progressing across the four northernmost 8000-meter peaks: K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, and Gasherbrum II. Multiple teams report re...
K2 2025 Coverage: Dry, Hot, and Rockfall
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Karakorum's drought continues due to the low snowfall from Spring combined with warmer-than-normal temperatures; thus, rockfall is a real dang...
K2 2025: Clibmers at Base Camp
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Teams are arriving at K2 Base Camp, but communications are limited, so not much information is coming out. We know that conditions are harsh, with hig...
K2 2025: Ryan Mitchell Prepares for K2
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
NOTE: This Podcast has extensive pictures so best viewed instead of listened to.Ryan Mitchell, a Summit Coach client, has gained considerable recogn...
Everest 2025 Season Summary
11 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 2025 Everest expedition has come to a close, marked by strong winds, drones, challenging climbing, and innovative strategies. Along the way were r...
Everest 2025: Weekend Update May 25–Season Ending Soon
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What a week on Everest! We had both regular and unique summits, some of which may have unintended consequences for years to come. On the other 8000ers...
Everest 2025: Weekend Update May 18–Summit, Summits and Preventable Deaths
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Blustery conditions stalled most summit attempts last week, but a few teams managed to reach the summit, bringing the total number of Everest summits ...
Everest 2025–May 11 Weekend Update- Summits, Summits, Summits
11 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Summit, Forest, summit! With decent weather, climbers took full advantage of summiting four of the 8000ers, including the first Everest summits, with ...
Everest 2025: Lhotse Summits, Everest Soon & Anticipation
08 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The last few days of low winds have allowed the rope fixing teams to make excellent progress. The rope team from 8K Expeditions summited Lhotse this a...
Everest 2025: Weekend Update May 4–Waiting on the Ropes
04 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Poor weather is delaying getting the fixed ropes to Everest's summit on both sides but is looking better. The Nepal side Everest permits have reac...
Everest 2025: April 27 Weekend Update–On the Move!
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Drone crash, Icefall collapse, ropes to Camp 3, and climbers tag Camp 2. 374 Everest permits thus far, but only 48 on the Tibet side. It's been a ...
Everest 2025: April 20 Weekend Update–Base Camp Sprawl
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 2025 season is well underway, and more teams arrive at Everest Base Camp each day. The Icefall Doctors have the fixed line to Camp 2, where 8K Exp...
Annapurna 2025: Podcast with John Black on Sherpa Deaths
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As I previously reported, two Sherpas lost their lives when struck by an avalanche on the 8000er, Annapurna, on April 7, 2025. Ngima Tashi and Rima Ri...
Everest 2025: Weekend Update April 13–Icefall In, Summits and Deaths
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It was a tough week in the Himalayas. We saw summits on two 8000ers, two Sherpas died, and the Icefall Doctors finally got the route to Camp 1 through...
Everest 2025: Weekend Update April 6–1st 8000er Summits
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Despite ominous weather and route conditions, various media reports have at least four climbers summiting Annapurna on Sunday, April 6, 2025. Early re...
Everest 2025: Weekend Update March 30: Weather
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Early data suggest Everest will see a record year, primarily driven by Chinese and Indian clients. I won’t be surprised to see over 1,000 total summ...
Everest 2025: Weekend Update March 23
23 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is the Weekend Update for Everest 2025. The season is about to get started in earnest. Climber after climber and team after team are leaving home...
Two Dead on Carstensz Pyramid-Interview from the Mountain
03 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Deaths on Carstensz Pyramid, one of the Seven Summits, are rare, but two women tragically lost their lives on March 1 while descending during a storm....
Podcast with Jost Kobusch’s Winter 2024/25 Everest West Ridge Record Climb
01 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
German Alpinist Jost Kobusch is back home after accomplishing his objective of a winter, solo, no-O’s climb to tag over 7500 meters on Everest’s W...
Podcast Series: 7 Summits Episode 9–Aconcagua with Garrett Madison & Ed Vesturs Interview
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. For eight weeks, I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in detail. Today ...
Podcast Series: 7 Summits Eposide 8–Denali with Dave Hahn Interview
09 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in detail for eight weeks. Today i...
Podcast Series: Seven Summits - Kilimanjaro
02 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. For eight weeks, I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in detail. Today ...
Podcast Series: 7 Summits–Russia's Mt Elbrus
25 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. For eight weeks, I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in detail. Today ...
Podcast Series: 7 Summits–Carstensz Pyramid
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my new limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. For the next eight weeks, I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in d...
Podcast Series: 7 Summits Episode 4–Vinson Massiff
11 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my new limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. For the next eight weeks, I'll drop a new episode discussing one of the 7 Summits in d...
Podcast Series: 7 Summits Eposide 3–Mont Blanc
04 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my new limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. Episode 1 is an introduction plus a brief update on the Autumn climbing activity in Ne...
Podcast Series: 7 Summits Eposide 2–Kościuszko
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my new limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. Episode 1 was an introduction plus a brief update on the Autumn climbing activity in N...
Podcast Series: Seven Summits: Introduction
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to my new limited series on climbing the Seven Summits. Episode 1 is an introduction plus a brief update on the Autumn climbing activity in Ne...
Everest 2024 Podcast–Ryan Mitchell's Everest Summit at Age 19
07 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many of you have followed and know about Massachusetts native 19-year-old Ryan Mitchell, who summited Mt. Everest on May 23, 2024! In this extensive p...
Everest 2024: Season Summary Podcast
05 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Everest 2024 might be remembered for summits, politics, deaths, ignored rules, near misses and disturbing allegations of sexual misconduct. It's d...
Everest 2024: Weekend Update Podcast May 25
26 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The week’s activity on Everest revealed significant issues for climbers. While there were hundreds of summits and several deaths, it wasn’t pretty...
Podcast: Alan Remembers his Everest Summit on May 21, 2011
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Taking some personal liberty during this Everest 2024 season coverage, I want to share my 2011 Everest summit with an overview, narrative and Podcast....
Everest 2024: Weekend Update May 18 Podcast
18 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The week started well, but when the winds picked up, as forecasted, teams took risky chances that turned deadly. Now, with a better forecast, hundreds...
Everest 2024: Weekend Update May 12
12 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The first summiteers on Everest marked the beginning of the climbing rush. The rope fixers summited a few days ago, and over thirty-five climbers summ...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 16–Home and The End
10 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The final chapters of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, Part 15, drop today with chapters 49 and 56. I'll continue my annual coverage as us...
Podcast Interview with Uphill Athlete's Steve House
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You know you've made your name in the climbing world when Reinhold Messner calls you “the best high-altitude climber in the world.” Today, Ste...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 15
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 15 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 46, 47, and 48. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 14
06 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 14 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 43, 44, and 45. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on...
Everest 2024: Weekend Update May 5
05 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The biggest news from Everest is the lack of news. Typhone-force winds strafed the mountain like a summer hail storm in Colorado. Reports of forty or ...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 13
03 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 13 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 39, 40, and 41. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Series Part 12–Summit Plan for the Team
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 12 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 37, 38, and 38. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on...
Everest 2024–HIgh Winds on Everest
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Everest's summit is slammed by hurricane-force winds, causing most teams to hunker down or pause rotations for a few days. However, the fixed rope...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 11
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 11 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 33, 34, 35 and 36. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based ...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 10
22 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 10 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 31 and 32. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on m...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 9
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 9 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 28, 29 and 30. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on m...
Everest 2024: Weekend Update April 21
21 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is the late April Everest 2024 Weekend Update. The headlines are significantly more positive than last weekend: Permits are a bit higher, which i...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 8
19 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 8 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 25, 26 and 27. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on m...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 7
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 7 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 22, 23 and 24. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on ...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 6
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 6 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 17, 18 and 19. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on m...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 5
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 5 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 14, 15 and 16. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on my...
Everest 2024: Weekend Update April 14
14 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the Everest 2024 Weekend Update in mid-April. This week's headlines are a bit concerning. The fixed line that should already be at Cam...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast Part 4
13 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 4 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, covers chapters 11, 12 and 13. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual.Based on my 2020 Vir...
Podcast Interview with Will Cockrell on his new book Everest Inc
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In 2024, Everest has become completely commercialized. Shock, right? Well, Will Cockrell's new book, Everest, Inc: The Renegades and Rogues Who Bu...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast–Part 3
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Part 3 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series, drops today with chapters 8, 9 and 10. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual. Based on m...
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast–Part 2
10 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Part 2 of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series during the Everest 2024 climbing season. I'll continue my annual coverage as usual....
Everest 2024: Everyday Everest Podcast–Part 1
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the kick-off of Everyday Everest, my new Podcast series during the Everest 2024 climbing season. Based on my 2020 Virtual Everest series, I...
Everest 2024 Coverage: Weekend Update April 7
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the Everest 2024 Weekend Update. The Everest spring season is on track. Hundreds of people are advancing towards Everest Base Camp on the N...
Everest 2024: Weekend Update April 1: Season Underway, Lost Legends
31 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If it's April, it must be time for Everest. The Icefall Doctors are hard at work. Climbers and trekkers are making their way through the Khumbu or...
Everest 2024: Interview with Garrett Madison on his "Aconcagua Ambush" and the Upcoming Everest Season
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are getting closer to #Everest2024, and there are some new rules Nepal is proposing. In this interview with Garrett Maddison, founder of Madison Mo...
Everest 2024 - Ryan Mitchell on how an 19 yo can afford to climb Everest
09 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How can a 19-year-old can afford to climb Everest? Well, Ryan Mitchell, 19, living in central Massachusetts, explains how in this podcast. Ryan, a Sum...
Podcast with Adrian Ballinger, Alpenglow: Records, Rescues, Deaths and More
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The past few months have been difficult in the mountaineering world. We have seen climbs on many 800ers that turned out tragically: Mohammed Hassan on...
Podcast with Jost Kobusch's Winter 2023/24 Everest West Ridge Attempt
14 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I caught up with German Alpinist Jost Kobusch, who now lives in Chamonix, France, to discuss his upcoming 2023/24 winter, no O's, solo attempt of ...
Interview with Kristin Harila All 8000ers in 3 months and Muhammad Hassan’s Death on K2
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Norwegian Kristin Harila, 37, Tenjen (Lama) Sherpa summited all fourteen 8000ers in three months and 1 day (92 days.) The first was Shishapangma on A...
Podcast with climber, author, and journalist Billi Bierling of the Himalayan Database
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Climber, author, and journalist Billi Bierling is well-known in the mountaineering world for her work with the Himalayan Database. We get to know Bill...
Everest 2023 Season Summary and Coming Home
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The 2023 Everest spring season is over, with some records to take pride in and others to be avoided. If there were one word to summarize the season, i...
Everest 2023 Summit Moments and the Descent
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Monday, May 22nd, was a windy but good day for summits and records. About fifty more people summited, advancing the season total to close to 500. The ...
Everest 2023: Everest 2023:166+ Summits, 6th Death and Carlos Soria, Rescue & Climbing to the Summit
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With masses of climbers on Everest, today we saw over 100 more summits bringing the season total to over 166 and the sixth death of the season. There ...
Everest 2023: First Commercial Summits and Climbing to the South Col
14 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It looks like ten people summited Everest in the leading part of the first wave. Scores, if not over a hundred, are staged at Camp 2, waiting for the ...
Everest 2023 Weekend Update May 12
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As forecasted, the winds have let up, allowing the rope team to continue fixing it to the summit. This will open the mountain for scores for clients w...
Everest 2023: Interview with Garrett Madison from Everest Base Camp
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The #Everest2023 season is taking shape as teams continue to acclimatize with rotations to Camps 1 and 2, with some tagging Camp 3 at 23,000 feet or 7...
Everest 2023: Weekend Update April 30
30 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Everest teams are doing the usual acclimatization rotations but are seeing heavy attrition that will ease crowding concerns. There's a new level o...
Everest 2023: Weekend Update April 23
23 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Weekend Update While teams are as high as Camp 2 on Everest, most of the attention was on Annapurna, where one climber died, and two other climbers w...
Everest 2023 Weekend Update April 16
16 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This was a week of highs and lows across the Himalayas. On Everest, three Sherpas lost their lives in the Icefall. The season's first 8000 meters ...
Everest 2023: Interview with Lukas Furtenbach: The Evolution of Oxygen Delivery on Everest
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lukas Furtenbach, a major mountaineering expedition guide company and is now a top supplier of supplemental oxygen systems to all teams climbing Evere...