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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:

#162 Outdoor Retailer preview & #MyOutdoorStory Jan 06, 2016

Show notes

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2016 will be in Salt Lake City from January 7-10. MtnMeister is there to create our semi-annual gear giveaway episode, where we give thousands of dollars of free gear to our listeners. To gain a competitive advantage, you can purchase the exact date and time of the episode's release here - http://mtnmeister.com/gear-giveaway-at-winter-or-outdoor-retailer/

#MyOutdoorStory from OIA: "Each of us has a story—unique in its particulars but ubiquitous in its theme—about how we fell in love with the outdoors. The first time you went camping, your first job at a local outdoor retail shop, the piece of gear that saved or changed your life, the ‘aha’ moment when you realized that you were an outdoorist." In this episode we hear from four industry professionals about their outdoorist beginnings.

#161 2016 Goals: Write it down, make it happen! Dec 31, 2015

Show notes

Happy New Year! In our annual goals episode, we look back at what we accomplished in the previous year and look forward to 2016. You'll hear from MtnMeister listeners who reveal their 2016 goals and some familiar Meisters who provide tips on how to achieve them. The special format encourages making goals of varying difficulty:

Goal 1: Your pretty safe goal. You’re fairly sure that you can do it, although it’s still not a sure thing and you’re going to need to work at it.

Goal 2: You’re 50/50 whether you can do this. It’s a reach — something that you either have never done before or you haven’t done in a very, very long time, possibly in a previous life.

Goal 3: A BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) in the purest sense. You’ve never done it, and maybe nobody else has ever done it. You’re sincerely not even sure if you’re capable of it. All the stars will need to align to make it happen. Some luck might be involved. This is the goal that, as you write it down, you feel butterflies and nerves over even making it public.

What are your goals? Share them on the discussion forum here - http://mtnmeister.com/meister/2016-goals

(R) #141 Delusional optimism with Kelly Cordes Dec 23, 2015

Show notes

Kelly Cordes is climber, writer, and margarita specialist. For climbing, he’s established first ascents in Alaska, Pakistan, and Peru. At one point in his life he was nicknamed "Sketchy Kelly" for his risky and perhaps reckless style of climbing. For writing, he’s been published many times in Alpinist and is the author of The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre. For margaritas, well, listen to find out.

For more info on submitting your 2016 goals - http://mtnmeister.com/2016-goals-get-featured-on-mtnmeister/

For more info on our Outdoor Retailer Gear Giveaway - http://mtnmeister.com/gear-giveaway-at-winter-or-outdoor-retailer/

(R) #136 Drugs and adventure: what's the difference? with Roman Dial Dec 16, 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.

To submit your 2016 goals and hear your voice on MtnMeister, http://mtnmeister.com/2016-goals-get-featured-on-mtnmeister/

To purchase the extra information related to the date and time of our Outdoor Retailer Gear Giveaway, http://mtnmeister.com/gear-giveaway-at-winter-or-outdoor-retailer/

#160 Partners in climb with Jack Tackle Dec 09, 2015

Show notes

Jack Tackle is a renowned alpinist most known for his climbing in Alaska over the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and 2000’s . He’s done over 35 major expeditions to Alaska and 17 first ascents. In 2001, Jack was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre, a rare condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves. In this episode, Jack talks about dealing with the syndrome, what he looks for in climbing partners, and mentorship. Jack is the former director of the American Alpine Club and a guide for Exum Mountain Guides in Jackson WY.

#159 From bubble boy to Colorado man with Luis Benitez Dec 02, 2015

Show notes

Luis Benitez is a renowned mountain guide who has taken the lessons he's learned from climbing and applied them to business. He has summited the seven summits 32 times, with Everest being six of them. He was recently named the first director of the new Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, which is a $14B industry.

(R) #135 Levels of adventure with Peter Metcalf Nov 25, 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.

#158 Live Interview with Alex Honnold Nov 13, 2015

Show notes

For his daring free solo ascents, Alex Honnold has received worldwide recognition both within and beyond the climbing community. Yet, the free solo tick list is only a fraction of his accomplishments. In his new book Alone on the Wall, Honnold recounts some of his more memorable climbs, and co-author David Roberts fills in with the meaning of those ascents. We sat down with Alex in NYC to talk about the book, free soloing, the media, and more. In the second half of the discussion, we take questions from the audience. This was supposed to be a live-streamed discussion, but unfortunately there was an issue. Apologies to those who tuned in and didn't see it!

#157 Rocked by the mountains with Barry Blanchard Nov 04, 2015

Show notes

Barry Blanchard is a Canadian alpinist who in the 80's and 90's established highly technical routes in the Canadian Rockies and the Himalaya. Throughout his childhood, he faced challenges of poverty and growing up "a dark-skinned, brown-eyed, half-breed kid" in a predominantly white, affluent area. His transformation from a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks to one of the most respected alpinists in the world is chronicled in his most recent book The Calling: A Life Rocked by the Mountains.

#156 Five star camping cuisine with Expedition Chef MB Galyean Oct 28, 2015

Show notes

Mary Brent Galyean is an expedition chef. She cooks some of the tastiest dishes you’ll ever eat in places that very few people have ever been. MB does it all without electricity and running water, and I had the wonderful opportunity to taste this five star cuisine on the Gauley River in West Virginia. Courses included but were not limited to lamb sliders, salmon and acorn squash poached in spiced honey, and the crowd favorite sweet potato and red apple au gratin.

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