Sam In Cham with Samantha Ryder

Joining me this week is Iranian alpinist Nasim Eshqi. Kickboxing champion of Iran, many times over, Nasim left the sport in her early 20’s because of the pressure to ‘cover up’.Climbing mountains gave her the chance to be outside, and away from prying eyes. Since she started climbing aged 23, Nasim has established many new routes in countries including Iran, Turkey, India, and across Europe. She left home on a climbing expedition in 2022, but following the death of Mahsa Amini, she never...

John Falkiner, Professional ski bum, stunt man, telemark skier, and now mountain guide, there seems to be little he cannot conquer when it comes to mountains. At 18, lured by the prospect of deep powder skiing, he moved from the snowy mountains of Australia to the Swiss resort of Verbier – and it didn’t disappoint. A chance meeting on the slopes with fellow skier Ace Kvale and photographer Marco Shapiro – next stop, the front cover of Powder Magazine. From here, sponsorship deals and lif...

This week freeride skier Megane Betend joins me for a chat. The French speed queen started skiing at the age of 2 and soon joined the ranks of the local alpine ski club. It gave her all the essentials - discipline and great technique - but her heart was never really in it. After she qualified as a ski instructor, she started to freeride, skiing often in the wild mountains of the Chamonix valley. It was fast, steep, and exciting and in her first competition she made the podium … the rest,...

Chamonix legend Gary Bigham is about as original as you can get. Luckily, he had some free time...and was available for a chat! From the ski bum era of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, we take a trip down memory lane to some of the wild times here in the valley, when beer was cheap, and work was a dirty 4 letter word…Gary travelled the world with his skills as a photographer and filmmaker – films including ‘Life’s a beach in the Alps’ and ‘I’d rather be skiing than happy with you’. During this time, he...

Joining me this week is Carly Van-Evelingen – groom/ equestrian/ climber/ ski bum/ van lifer… yes, it’s been a mixed bag…even for her. Having delved into all kinds of professions, she says she never really fit…then one summer, decided to come to Chamonix to climb…it may have been a fleeting visit, but she knew she’d be back, And within months, Carly had returned – this time for good.Carly has not only had her fair share of jobs, but also life’s hurdles. She talks about mental health with...

Joining me this week is ultra-runner Emily Schmitz. Born in Wisconsin, Emily studied art at university there but says she didn’t realise how little it was going to prepare her for life in the real world. After finishing, she waited tables before a friend of hers suggested heading to Colombia. With few plans on the horizon, she boarded a plane to a country she had never been to with a language she didn’t speak. Determined to learn Spanish, her plan was to stay in Colombia for a few months...

Fay Manners has had quite the year so far. In her ‘spare time,’ the UK-born Data Analyst likes to play in the mountains here in Chamonix. In fact, not just here in Chamonix, but in any mountains. For Fay - it’s been a year of firsts so far. Along with climbing partner Lina Van den Berg they got Phantom Direct’s first female ascent of the Grandes Jorasses. Then, a few months later, crossed the pond to the US where she joined expedition partner Michelle Dvorak to become the first fem...

Emmanuel Ocampo is dedicated, determined, and incredibly disciplined. He’s also an ultra-runner who lives in Chamonix. Growing up in a small town in Argentina, he was always very sporty – competing mostly in team disciplines, hockey, football, swimming, and the like.In his early 20’s he ran a 10km road race – he didn’t like it. Then he discovered a trail race of the same distance…he completed it…and the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, he has completed numerous ultra-marathons,...

Tamsin Gay may not have known what she wanted to do with her life growing up, but she has certainly found her niche. The International Mountain Guide and TV Safety Location Advisor spends the majority of time at home in the mountains – whether it’s guiding people around some of the most stunning peaks in the French and Swiss alps, trad climbing in the Scottish Highlands, or ensuring the safety of TV crew in some of the world’s most remote locations. In this week’s podcast, Tamsin b...

British and world-renowned mountaineer and author Victor Saunders has not only reached six of the seven summits but has also made SIX ascents of Everest – however, he still won’t agree he’s a good climber. Instead, he’s happy to play down his MASSIVE achievements and focus on his ‘failures’ – which you and I would be happy to have even considered. He spent his adolescence in Lossiemouth, Scotland, where he developed a love of exploring, and while academia was more of a chore, he did mana...