Carrie and Molly begin summit day early, traveling cross country up the slabs below the Quien Sabe glacier. They make an interesting discovery from years past and learn about a new mountaineering style for their soft shell pants. Lead by their guide, they travel on bare glacial ice and navigate a maze of crevasses. Molly experiences a revelation regarding snow bridges and the sisters compare their emotions while traveling in this new terrain. They contrast hiking on a trail vs traveling on a glacier and climb alpine rock up to the summit of the peak!

Molly and Carrie meet their guide at the wilderness information center and set off on their first mountaineering journey. They learn about the concept of risk tolerance vs risk acceptance, pacing considerations for mountaineering, and the three biggest risks to manage while traveling on a glacier. They are spooked by the reports of a grizzly bear near their campsite and drool over their guide’s unorthodox backcountry dinner.

Carrie and Molly prepare to embark on a guided climb of Sahale Peak in the North Cascades. They talk about what a gear check is like, how the itinerary of the trip was planned, and their resting strategy for the day they had to relax between trips. They also discuss how they work to calm anxiety.

If you’re a backpacker who’s dreamed of climbing glaciated peaks, but doesn’t know how or if you should make the transition—this episode is for you! (Spoiler alert, it’s also for those who have no interest in mountaineering, but still love learning about different outdoor adventures!) Molly and Carrie talk about their progression from hiking and backpacking into the world of mountaineering. They talk about signing up for a mountaineering course and the process of obtaining necessary gear and preparing for a new adventure in the mountains. They discuss their objectives for delving into mountaineering and can’t wait for you to join them in a new journey!

Molly & Carrie wake up in an oven….so to speak. They discuss the way they lessen their impact when camping on granite. Explore the lake basin with them as they prepare to return to their car. The trip down contains a fun swim and other stories. Come along!

Carrie and Molly head into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness to explore the beautiful terrain. They discuss ways to reduce impact in popular areas and recount the climb up to Tuck and Robin Lakes. Stick around to hear about goat’s unusual dietary preferences and how to keep them from being unwelcome visitors to your tent at night.