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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:

#179 Connecting the dots with Arlette Laan Jun 08, 2016

Show notes

Arlette Laan (trail name Apple Pie) took on an audacious project in the summer of 2014. The word diratissima in Italian means "most direct route", and in hiking it refers to the shortest route to connect multiple peaks. Apple Pie coordinated a White Mountain Diratissima where she linked all 48 of the 4,000-foot mountains. It took 258 miles to connect them all and she did it unsupported over the course of 11 days.

#178 Finding the forgotten with Derek Abbey Jun 01, 2016

Show notes

Exploration and adventure allow us to discover certain things: we discover new places, what we’re capable of, and what we love. Derek Abbey discovers something else. He’s a member of the BentProp project, a team of volunteers, trained specialists, and professionals who are dedicated to locating and assisting with identifying American POWs and MIA soldiers from World War II. The effort is done through extensive research, recoveries, and exploration all while coordinating with appropriate national authorities.

#177 Peru Trip Report: Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu May 25, 2016

Show notes

In mid-August of 2015, I received a text from some old high school friends. These are the kind of friends that you see a couple of times each year, maybe at a wedding or when you return home for the holidays. We already have the foundation of a solid friendship, so it's never awkward, but life takes you in different directions. Besides, with social media and technology you already know what's going on in their lives. Anyway, the text said that they wanted to go on a hike in Peru in the spring of 2016. They asked if I wanted to go. I said yes, and so did three other people. This episode of MtnMeister is a trip report about six dudes in their twenties who want to go on an adventure. They have limited time to take off of work, and they don’t have sponsors to pay for it. To put it simply, it’s real life. I know listening to professional athletes and extreme adventurers is fun, and yes, it definitely serves a purpose. But the meisters are outliers. They show us what is humanly possible, not humanly probable. Thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Big Agnes. For 20% off, go to bigagnes.com and use the code "meister" at checkout.

#176 Back at it Agwin with Aaron Gwin May 18, 2016

Show notes

Aaron Gwin is a professional downhill mountain biker who has quickly ascended the ranks to become the best in the world. He competed in his first race at age 20, and today, at age 28, he’s a 3-time World Cup Overall Champion. Gwin has put the USA back on top in sport that in recent years has been dominated by Europeans. In this interview, we’ll talk about what it means to have supportive parents, the difficulty of staying competitive and passionate at the same time, and what goes on behind the scenes in downhill mountain biking and other action sports.

Thanks to our sponsor for this episode, Big Agnes. For 20% go to https://www.bigagnes.com/ and use the code "meister" at checkout.

Want a MtnMeister t-shirt? Check them out here - https://gumroad.com/l/QiebU

#175 A changed identity with Eric McElvenny May 04, 2016

Show notes

Eric McElvenny is an endurance athlete and a retired Marine Corps infantry officer. He deployed three times, and on his third and final tour in Afghanistan, an IED took away his right leg below the knee. Less than two years after stepping on the IED, he stepped up to the starting line at the Kona Ironman and completed the race in 11 hours and 54 minutes.

#174 Tuckerman Inferno Pentathlon with Andrew Drummond Apr 20, 2016

Show notes

The Tuckerman Inferno Pentathlon is a race that covers many miles through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Participants can compete in individual legs as part of a larger team or show off prowess in various disciplines and compete as an individual. A few friends and I competed in the race as a team: I did the 8.3 mile running leg before my teammates took over for the kayak, bike, hike and ski legs. When I looked at the results, I saw that the winning individual did the running leg 4 minutes faster than I did my running leg. He then went on to finish the race in 3 hours, 53 minutes, 41 seconds, beating our team by about 30 minutes. That man is Andrew Drummond.

#173 Third time's a (c)harm with Alex Staniforth Apr 13, 2016

Show notes

Alex Staniforth is 20 years old, and he has already accomplished what some would consider a lifetime of adventures. In 2014, his first Everest attempt was cut short by the avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall. He tried again in 2015 but was stuck at Camp 1 during the Nepal earthquake. Alex is the author of Icefall: The True Story of a Teenager on a Mission to the Top of the World.

Alex's Meister Profile page - http://mtnmeister.com/meister/alex-staniforth/

(R) #150 Climbing by the numbers with Billi Bierling Apr 06, 2016

Show notes

Billi Bierling is a mountaineer, journalist, and assistant for Miss Elizabeth Hawley, the legendary chronicler of Himalayan expeditions. Billi is the first German woman to reach the tops of Lohtse and Manaslu, the latter of which she summited without oxygen in 2011.

Check out Billi's Meister profile page here - http://mtnmeister.com/meister/billi-bierling/

#172 Putting the “out” in outdoors with Elyse Rylander Mar 30, 2016

Show notes

The outdoors has a diversity problem, not with the landscapes or the weather, but with the people who participate. Today's guest is changing that by getting people out, outside. Elyse Rylander is the executive director of OUT There Adventures, an organization that takes queer young people on outdoors adventures to help them develop positive identities and individual empowerment. In this episode, we chat about how the outdoors can serve as a safe space for queer youth and why it's important for everyone to care about the movement.

#171 All about adapting with Jason Romero Mar 23, 2016

Show notes

Jason Romero is a legally blind ultra-runner who is attempting to run across the country. He will leave on March 24th, and he plans to run 50 miles a day from LA to Boston. Jason's previous accomplishments in ultra endurance include Leadville Trail 100, Badwater 135, and many more. In this interview, Jason talks about his upcoming project (Vision Run USA) and the challenges of adapting to a field of vision that is consistently narrowing.

Thanks to this episode's sponsor, Mountain House. For 20% off of your purchase, go to mountainhouse.com/meister.

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