Junko Tabei made history as the first woman to summit Everest and complete the Seven Summits, yet her story remained overlooked in the English-speaking world for decades. To mark the 50th anniversary of her historic ascent, host Dina Mufti sits down with author Helen Rolfe and translator Yumiko Hiraki to discuss their book Honouring High Places. This episode offers a rich mix of mountaineering lore, Japanese culture, writing insights, and a deeper look at Tabei’s remarkable life.

Recorded live at the 2015 festival, renowned author David Stevenson delivers a raw presentation reading from his book Warnings Against Myself: Meditations on a Life in Climbing. Stevenson opens up about the emotional geography of a life spent in high places, tackling intimate questions about his personal relationships and the deep impact of lost companions in the mountains.  

Moderated by award-winning journalist Collette Derworiz, Women on Ice brings together top women scientists to reflect on their careers in extreme environments. Over the course of an hour, the panelists dive into the unique challenges they’ve overcome, the power of mentorship, and how storytelling and science intersect to inspire the next generation. Settle in for another great conversation from the 2025 Fire & Ice Symposium! 

Opening the 2025 Fire and Ice Symposium, Bob Sandford, Senior Government Relations Liaison at the UN University Institute for Water, delivers a rousing, high-stakes address. In his brief but powerful talk, Sandford balances scientific urgency with profound optimism, delivering a rallying call for global climate action you won't want to miss.  

Recorded live at our 2023 festival, this energetic episode pairs snowboarder and Protect Our Winters founder Jeremy Jones with climber and guide Timmy O’Neill. What follows is a brilliant blend of lighthearted banter and soulful reflection. Over the course of an hour, the duo covers everything from "shralpinism" and Teton Gravity Research to environmental activism. They even have time for some live poetry! 

In this deeply moving interview recorded after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, the late mountaineer and acclaimed author David Roberts holds nothing back. From achieving bold first ascents to drafting seminal climbing books in just nine days, Roberts reflects candidly on a remarkable life. Raw, honest, and completely unvarnished, this conversation offers an unfiltered look into the mind of a giant in mountain literature.

What drives human beings to test their limits? In this 2025 panel, legendary alpinist Michael Kennedy moderates an intimate discussion featuring climbers Hélias Millerioux, Quentin Roberts, Alik Berg, Chantel Astorga, and Brette Harrington. Together, they explore the true cost of high-stakes climbing, diving into risk, personal motivation, grief, and the elusive quest for balance.  

From pioneering terrifying alpine first ascents in the 1980s and '90s to founding Gym Jones and training Hollywood actors, Mark Twight’s career has been remarkable. In this powerful presentation, Twight takes listeners beyond the public persona to reveal the intense, complex, and often dark story behind his success.  

(Listener discretion is advised: this episode contains discussions of suicide and suicidal ideation.)  

It’s climbers interviewing climbers in this star-studded episode! Host Kelly Cordes sits down with world-renowned big-wall legends Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold for an insider conversation on all things climbing. They talk about what "hard" really means, share the routes they love, and candidly discuss how they see their climbing careers evolving as they age.  

In 1988, Lydia Bradey became the first woman to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, kickstarting a legendary mountaineering career. In this 2025 Voices of Adventure, we sit down with Bradey for an unfiltered conversation. From triumph and fame to controversy and raw human complexity, Bradey puts it all on the table for an unforgettable look at a life spent on the edge.