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MtnMeister — Outdoor
MtnMeister

A high altitude mountaineer travels through sub-zero temperatures, scales treacherous terrain, and carries hundreds of pounds of supplies. Many of us have very little in common with this person. We don’t need to worry about the lack of oxygen in the air or the extent of frostbite in our toes.

Yet, we are all human. There are certain ideas which apply to all of us, no matter if we are standing at 29,029 feet or sea level. Why is it important to step outside of our comfort zone? How do we weigh risk vs. reward? What psychological biases impact our behavior and decision making? On MtnMeister, we explore these ideas by talking with those who have found answers in the extremes.

Ben Schenck, the host of MtnMeister (pronounced Mountain Meister), asks thought-provoking and sometimes uncomfortable questions that you won’t hear in a typical interview. Notable guests include Alex Honnold, Sasha DiGiulian, Ueli Steck, Jeremy Jones, Lynn Hill, Conrad Anker, Aaron Gwin and other adventurers in climbing, skiing, hiking, biking, and everything else in the mountains.

Latest Episodes:

(R) #119 Couch to 100-mile ultramarathon with Jeffrey James Binney Jun 23, 2015

Show notes

Jeffrey James Binney is currently training for the Leadville Trail 100 on Saturday, August 22. On MTNmeister, this is typically something that we’d expect to hear, but Jeffrey’s background is anything but typical. Jeffrey grew up on a pig farm in Missouri and is now a comedian based out of Los Angeles. A little more than three years ago, he lost his mom to obesity, and he himself weighed 340 lbs at his heaviest. He has lost over 100 lbs and is in the process of creating a hybrid comedy/documentary called Once Is Enough.

#138 Exploring the risk threshold with Lonnie Dupre Jun 18, 2015

Show notes

Lonnie Dupre is an arctic explorer, a mountain climber, and the founder of One World Endeavors. He has a robust list of accomplishments, many of them firsts: the first Pacific to Atlantic traverse of the Northwest Passage by dogsled, the first human-powered circumnavigation of Greenland, and the first human-powered summer expedition to the North Pole. Most recently, this past January he became the first person to ever summit Denali solo in the winter.

In this episode, there are a few times where we credit Lonnie with the "first winter solo ascent". CORRECTION: This was the "first January solo ascent" with the first successful winter solo ascent belonging to Vern Tejas in March, 1988.

#137 Balance and potential with Raphael Slawinski Jun 16, 2015

Show notes

Dr. Raphael Slawinski is a physics professor at Mt. Royal University in Canada. You might be wondering, What is he doing on MTNmeister? Great question. Supplemental to his physics professing is a climbing career that could stand on its own. He has completed first ascents in the Canadian Rockies and the Karakoram range in Pakistan. He was named a 2014 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year with a first ascent of K6.

#136 Drugs and adventure: what's the difference? with Roman Dial Jun 11, 2015

Show notes

Roman Dial is a legendary Alaskan adventurer, although he won't tell you he is. He has traversed the entire Brooks Range in Alaska by ski, packraft, and kayak. He has also done it on a bicycle. When he is not on an adventure, Roman is a professor at Alaska Pacific University.

#135 Levels of adventure with Peter Metcalf Jun 09, 2015

Show notes

Peter Metcalf is the CEO of Black Diamond Equipment and a board member of the Outdoor Industry Association. He wasn’t always all business though. He has climbed audacious routes in Alaska, one of which is a first alpine ascent of the Central Rib on Mt. Hunter’s south face. Black Diamond was started when Chouinard Equipment filed for bankruptcy and Peter and some other passionate climbers scrounged up enough money to buy out the assets.

#134 A different daily grind with Andrew Skurka Jun 04, 2015

Show notes

The average person walks 110,000 miles in a lifetime. Andrew Skurka has probably covered that in a 10-year span. He is the only person in the world to have done the Great Western Loop, which is a series of trails that total 6,875 miles. He has also completed the 7,778-mile Sea to Sea Route, which connects the Atlantic to the Pacific through Canada and the northern part of the US. He is the author of The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Tips to Hit the Trail, a National Geographic adventurer of the year, and now, a MTNmeister.

#133 Environmentalism + Exploration with Parker Liautaud Jun 02, 2015

Show notes

Parker Liautaud is an environmental campaigner and a polar explorer. At the ripe age of 15, he and his expedition partner Doug Stoup attempted to reach the North Pole but fell 15 miles short. The following year at 16 they made it, and again at 17. At the age of 19, Parker and Doug completed the fastest coast to south pole expedition of Antarctica - 350 miles in a little more than 18 days.

#132 Going it alone with Mike Libecki May 28, 2015

Show notes

Mike Libecki is climber, explorer, athlete, and father. He has completed over 60 major expeditions and 40 first ascents, many of them solo, in some of the most remote locations in the world. Mike has received a long list of grants and awards for both his climbing and also his fathering - he's even won Father of the Year at his daughter's school! Mike is based near Salt Lake City, Utah where he lives with his daughter, dogs, cats, parrot, pot-belly pigs, chickens, and rabbits.

#131 It's all in the mind with Hazel Findlay May 26, 2015

Show notes

Hazel Findlay is a professional rock climber who started at the ripe age of 7. She is a 6-time British junior champion indoors, and at 16, she shifted her focus to outdoors climbing. Starting first in the UK and now every other corner of the globe, Hazel has climbed in South East Asia, India, Australia, New Zealand, Morocco, and North America. She is currently recovering from shoulder surgery after an injury to her labrum.

#130 Chasing waterfalls with Rush Sturges and Tyler Bradt May 21, 2015

Show notes

Rush Sturges and Tyler Bradt are both professional kayakers and have been paddling together for many years. Tyler holds the world record of the largest waterfall descent in a kayak of 189 feet at Palouse Falls in WA. Rush, in addition to kayaking, is well known for his film making with his company River Roots. He also raps from time to time under the stage name Adrenaline Rush.

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