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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) #114 Pushups on the summit with Major Rob Marshall May 19, 2015

Show notes

Major Rob Marshall is a Reserve C-17 pilot in the Seattle area, co-founder of the USAF 7 Summits Challenge, and the director of the USAF 50 summits challenge. In the 7 Summits Challenge, Rob led the climb of Mt. Everest (and other mountains) in the process of fundraising for the families of fallen soldiers. On the summit of each mountain, Rob does pushups to honor his fellow veterans.

(R) #113 Herding the sheeple with Brian Warren May 14, 2015

Show notes

Brian Warren is a year-round professional mountain guide based out of Jackson, WY. He guides in various parts of the world including Jackson Hole, the Pacific Northwest, and the European Alps. He has also climbed and guided in Alaska, Canada, South America and the Himalaya. Brian presently holds IFMGA and AMGA Aspirant status and an Avalanche level III certification.

(R) #111 Wake up with a smile with Kalen Thorien May 12, 2015

Show notes

Kalen Thorien is a professional skier, adventurer, writer, and photographer based out of Salt Lake City, UT. She has been placed on the covers of Ski Magazine and Powder Magazine among many other publications. Until recently, to support her skiing, Kalen held jobs in construction, as a dock hand, and as a firefighter. Contrary to what some might think, Kalen didn't start seriously skiing until 16.

(R) #104 Mapmaker, make me a map with Casey Greene May 07, 2015

Show notes

Casey Greene is based in the mountains of western Montana and is a long time cartographer of Adventure Cycling Association. He has been labeled a pioneer by Sierra Magazine for his numerous bikepacking trips and by BIKE magazine for his numerous packbiking trips. Casey's maps have also been featured in many publications including the New York Times. During his time at Adventure Cycling Association, he has spearheaded a diverse array of projects including the research, design, and mapping of the Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route.

#129 Run, Daren, Run! with Daren Wendell May 05, 2015

Show notes

Daren Wendell puts himself through extreme physical and mental hardship in order to save lives. On April 10th, he completed his most recent endeavor: running 100 marathons in 100 days across the entire united states to raise $140,000. The funds are enough to provide 3,500 people in Africa with clean drinking water for the rest of their lives.

#128 Bachelor of First Descents with Brad Ludden Apr 30, 2015

Show notes

Brad Ludden is a professional kayaker who began traveling internationally at the ripe age of 12. He has completed over 100 first descents. "First Descents" is also the name of the non-profit he founded in 1999 to offer young adult cancer fighters a free outdoor experience to reclaim their lives and connect with others doing the same. Quite possibly his most prestigious accolade is Cosmopolitan Magazine’s hottest Bachelor in America in 2008.

#127 Nepal earthquake and unanswerable questions about giving with my mom and sister Apr 28, 2015

Show notes

On Saturday, April 25th, a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Kathmandu and caused multiple avalanches on Mt. Everest. At the time of this recording, 22 climbers are reported dead and over 3500 people total. These numbers will almost certainly rise. In this time of crisis, donations are needed to help in the recovery effort. Coincidentally, we at MTNmeister were planning on launching a "support" page for the podcast's benefit that we had been planning for the last couple of months. Asking for listener donations seems wrong when we compare it to donations to Nepal. Should we still do it? How should we think about charitable giving? This episode addresses these difficult questions.

#126 Facilitating astonishment with Shelton Johnson Apr 23, 2015

Show notes

Shelton Johnson is a ranger with the National Park Service and has worked for the National Parks for 28 years. After growing up in inner-city Detroit, he found his way to Yellowstone and now Yosemite, where he has been for the past 22 years. He is the author of Gloryland and has shaken hands with both Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama.

#125 Feeding the addiction with Andy Kirkpatrick Apr 22, 2015

Show notes

Andy Kirkpatrick is a British mountaineer, author, speaker, and comedian at times. Some of his more notable climbs include the Reticent Wall on El Cap, the first winter ascent on the Troll Wall, and the South Ridge of Ultevanna in Antarctica. He is the author of Psychovertical and Cold Wars, which both won the Boardman Tasker award for climbing literature in 2008 and 2012 respectively.

#124 Thru hiking thru winter with Shawn Forry Apr 16, 2015

Show notes

Shawn Forry may in fact be the most interesting man in the world. As an Outward Bound wilderness instructor, he takes both children and adults on backpacking and climbing expeditions. During the winter, he runs scenic interpretive tours with 10 dog sled teams. He’s also a hiker. This past winter he and Justin Lichter became the first people ever to thru hike the Pacific Crest Trail in the winter.

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