https://slasrpodcast.com/

[email protected]

Welcome to Episode 224 of the Sounds Like a Search and Rescue podcast. This week we are joined by outdoor educator Ben Mirkin, the 2024 American Mountain Guides Association Educator of the Year. We'll talk about avalanche education, backcountry leadership, guiding culture, and how students turn mountain skills into actual careers. A hiker from New Jersey dies after losing the trail near the summit of Mount Marcy, a 15-year-old is evacuated from Mount Washington, Mount Webster rescue updates, snowmobile chaos across New Hampshire including 35 incidents since January 1st, four fatalities in one day in Quebec, and we'll discuss the long-missing hikers Kevin Race, Stephon Porith Suo, and Michael "Mick" Miller. All this plus smart underwear that monitors your gut health and is power tool company Dewalt now in the snowshoe game?

Join the SLASR Podcast 48 Peaks Team on June 13 to hike Mount Adams

Topics

• Daytona 500 Adventures

• Live SLASR Show coming up at Mountain Wanderer

• Mountain Wander Beer Release Party - Today

• Mt. Marcy Fatality

• Patrick Bittman Rescue on Franconia Ridge

• NH Search and Rescue News - Mt. Washington and Mt. Webster

• Snowmobile Crashes

• Yellowstone

• Gear Talk - Smart Underwear, Concept E-snowshoes, Thule Roof Box

• Nick Recaps all his Adirondack Hiking Adventures

• Welcome Guest of the Week - Ben Mirkin

Show Notes

• Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews

• SLASR Merchandise

• SLASR LinkTree

• SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE

• Order Hike Safe Card

• 48 Peaks website

• Nick's Instagram

• Mountain Wanderer Beer Release Party

• Hiker from New Jersey dies after losing the trail near Mt. Marcy summit

• Great Article in Boston Magazine about the 2024 rescue of Patrick Bittman

• 15 year old evacuated from summit of Mt. Washington

• Mount Webster Rescue

• 5 snowmobile crashed over the weekend updated on 2/17

• 4 Fatalities in one day in Quebec - Snowmobiles

• Valentine Geyser in Yellowstone erupts for the 1st time in 21 years

• Smart underwear monitors gut health

• Dewalt 20v Snowshoes

• Thule Motion Rooftop Box

Sponsors, Friends and Partners

• Wild Raven Endurance Coaching

• burgeonoutdoor.com

• 48 Peaks - Alzheimer's Association

• Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast

• Hiking Buddies

• Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear

• Fieldstone Kombucha

• CS Instant Coffee

• The Mountain Wanderer

https://slasrpodcast.com/

[email protected]

Welcome to Episode 223 of the Sounds Like a Search and Rescue podcast. This week we're joined by Dave, who's back with us and may or may not finally decide whether he's going public with his last name. We've got some follow-up on Great Britain versus the United Kingdom, more coyote talk as mating season ramps up and how not to get yourself in trouble, a little animal-track trivia now that winter actually showed up, and some positive feedback on Stomp's return.

We've got listener shoutouts, including some love for Dave's PSAs, a funny comment about Mike's snow sculpture on Tecumseh, updates on our Alzheimer's 48 Peaks plans — including a potential Mount Adams hike — and a look at what's been happening around New Hampshire with rescues on Camel's Hump, avalanche incidents on Mount Washington, a disturbing number of snowmobile press releases, and new technology being used in long-term missing person cases as we mark the anniversary of Maura Murray's disappearance.

Nationally, we'll talk about a K-9 finding a missing child during a bomb cyclone, fatal ski accidents out west and in Europe, and why this winter seems determined to remind people that mountains don't care about your Instagram plans. Plus, we've got gear talk, a dad joke, a music minute featuring Great Grandpa, recent hikes, future plans, and — in our main segment — Dave brings us the wild and surprisingly dark legend of the Silver Virgin Madonna, a New England treasure story that sits right at the intersection of frontier warfare, folklore, and wishful thinking.

Join the SLASR Podcast 48 Peaks Team on June 13 to hike Mount Adams

Topics

• Tech Support misadventures with Dave and Welcome back Dave

• Nick's photography and instagram

• Catching up with Dave - Recent Hike on Mount Dinsmore, 50 finest

• Difference between the United Kingdom, England, Britain…

• Coyote Talk

• Everyone loved Stomp's return to the show

• Dave's Public service announcements and gear/safety tips

• Snow Sculptures on Tecumseh

• Mount Washington Road Race

• Rescue on Camels Hump in Vermont

• Avalanche season on Mt. Washington

• Maura Murray

• Snowmobile crashes

• NH Dog wins agility contest at Westminster Dog Show

• Hiking Movie filmed in NH

• National news and Olympics talk

• Nick's new photography gear

• Music minute - Great Grandpa

• Alzheimer's Association

• Beer talk, Recent Hikes, Future Plans, Notable listener hikes

• History Segment - The Legend of the Silver Virgin Madonna

Show Notes

• Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews

• SLASR Merchandise

• SLASR LinkTree

• SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE

• Order Hike Safe Card

• 48 Peaks website

• Nick's Instagram

• Monadnock's Fifty Finest List

• Three ways to prevent conflict during coyote mating season

• MWRR deets released

• Hikers Rescued in Vermont on Camels Hump

• Skier caught in an avalanche takes a tumble down Mount Washington

• 22 year Anniversary of the disappearance of Maura Murray

• New Technology being used to search

• 13 press releases for injured or lost snowmobilers in the last 10 days.

• NH Dog and its owner win agility competition at the Westminster Dog Show

• https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21236688/

• Bo the K9 finds missing boy during bomb cyclone

• Skier dies after fall at Mammoth

• Italian mountains see record toll as 13 skiers, climbers, and hikers die in one week

• Four skiers killed in avalanches in the French Alps in 3 days

• Nick upping his astrophotography game with a skytracker

• Join the SLASR Podcast 48 Peaks Team on June 13 to hike Mount Adams

• The legend of the Silver Virgin Madonna

• New Article about the treasure

• History news article

• Treasure Hunting post

Sponsors, Friends and Partners

• Wild Raven Endurance Coaching

• burgeonoutdoor.com

• 48 Peaks - Alzheimer's Association

• Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast

• Hiking Buddies

• Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear

• Fieldstone Kombucha

• CS Instant Coffee

• The Mountain Wanderer

This week, a new So You Wanna Episode - Mount Adams!

Thanks to Andy from the Cog for joining us!

https://slasrpodcast.com/

[email protected]

Welcome to Episode 222 of the Sounds Like a Search and Rescue Podcast, where this week we've got a packed show — we're talking winter conditions in the White Mountains, some SAR news, big news out of Lincoln Woods with trail closures coming for several weeks.

Also - Stomp is back and has stories from snowmobile guiding a near-death moment, moose encounters, and some rumors floating around about a possible shoulder-season live show. Plus we've got news out of England involving people behaving badly, a winter gear check-in with Nick's new Black Diamond Mercury Mitts, favorite cold-weather trail foods, and a reminder that if your wool isn't as warm as it used to be… We'll do some pop-culture talk, including A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and a rundown of some early Oscar buzz movies, we'll talk about beer, recent hikes, future plans, and we've got another great batch of listener hikes of the week.

And for a history segment, we're going way back — we're digging into early Appalachian Mountain Club field meetings and what hiking looked like in the late 1800s when it was very much a group sport, with large organized excursions, committee oversight, and post-hike reporting that sounds nothing like modern hiking culture.

All that plus sponsors, donations, stickers, swag, and everything else you've come to expect.

Topics

• Dave Shits Last name remains a mystery

• Ransom Talk

• Listener Feedback

• Moltbook - AI is taking over

• Groundhog Day

• Guest of the Week - Welcome Back Stomp, Snowmobile stories

• Rescue near Diana's Bath

• Lincoln Woods Trail Closure

• Hikers behaving badly in England

• Gear Talk - mittens and wool clothes

• Pop Culture

• Recent Hike on Mt. Tecumseh

• Notable Hikes

• White Mountains History - Early AMC Field Meetings

Show Notes

• Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews

• SLASR Merchandise

• SLASR LinkTree

• SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE

• Hike safe Card Reminder

• Order Hike Safe Card

• 48 Peaks website

• Ty Gagne Event at Spyglass Brewing on Feb 7th (Scroll down for info and to register - free event)

• Moltbook

• Exhausted Hiker Assisted in Bartlett

• Lincoln Woods Trail (finally!) Closing for Several Weeks

• Closure Map

• Official Announcement

• Fallout on the socials after the announcement

• More Details on the Pemi Valley hiker Group

• Our friend Craig explains in more detail

• Hikers in England Behaving Badly

• Minus 33 heavyweight series

• REI rewards must now be used within a year

Sponsors, Friends and Partners

• Wild Raven Endurance Coaching

• burgeonoutdoor.com

• 48 Peaks - Alzheimer's Association

• Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast

• Hiking Buddies

• Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear

• Fieldstone Kombucha

• CS Instant Coffee

• The Mountain Wanderer

https://slasrpodcast.com/

[email protected]

Welcome to Episode 221 of the sounds like a search and rescue podcast. This week we are joined by Jo Giese. Jo is an award -winning journalist, lifelong hiker, and the author of the upcoming memoir You'll Never Walk Alone, out February 10, 2026. After a devastating accident left her unable to walk, Jo refused to give up on her love for wild trails. Her journey back was nothing short of remarkable: one tiny step at a time. We are excited to hear from Jo about her journey back from a tough injury. Plus, we discuss Alex Honnold's recent free solo climb of Taipei 101, Snow and arctic weather hits New Hampshire hard, A new tax on bicycles - so we will discuss again the fascinating fun fact about how Nick never learned to ride a bike and what this means for his kids, two skiers rescued off Mt. Moosilauke, Snow Leopard attacks skier, Hiker in the Catskills is warned by a ranger, tells ranger they are all set and then later needs a rescue, all this a little white mountains history.

About our Guest

• Jo Giese Website

• Purchase You'll Never Walk Alone

• Instagram

Topics

• Alex Honnold's Free Solo of Taipei 101

• Snow and extreme cold weather in New England

• NH Fish and Game getting the word out on Winter safety

• Two backcountry skiers needed to be rescued on Mt. Moosilauke

• New Hampshire proposal for annual bicycle registration fee / Nick learning to ride

• Skier gets attacked by Snow Leopard after attempting to get a selfie

• Catskills hiker needs a rescue after ranger cautions them to stay safe

• Everything you ever want to know about winter hiking boots

• Pop Culture Talk - Patriots going to the Super Bowl and Nick loves Pulp Fiction

• Welcome Jo Giese - Author of the new book You'll Never Walk Alone

• White Mountains History - The History of the Early Hotel used by hikers

Show Notes

• Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews

• SLASR Merchandise

• SLASR LinkTree

• SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE

• Hike safe Card Reminder

• Order Hike Safe Card

• 48 Peaks website

• Ty Gagne Event at Spyglass Brewing on Feb 7th (Scroll down for info and to register - free event)

• Alex Honnold free-solos Taipei 101

• Alex Honnold paid embarrassingly low amount by Netflix

• Good news for hikers with arthritis?

• More snow in NH

• NH Fish and Game public service announcement on NH Public Radio

• Another warning from Channel 10

• More Warnings for reckless hiking on MassLive

• Skiers rescued on Mount Moosilauke in Benton (1/17)

• Proposed NH bill would require an annual bike tax in NH

• Aloka, the dog of peace is walking across America

• Snow Leopard attacks skier who was trying to get an up close photo

• Ranger warns hiker in the Catskills about late start, then hiker needs a rescue

• Winter Hiking Boots - Sectionhiker list

• The Patriots are Super Bowl Bound

• Shoutout to Pulp Fiction, such a good movie

Sponsors, Friends and Partners

• Wild Raven Endurance Coaching

• burgeonoutdoor.com

• 48 Peaks - Alzheimer's Association

• Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast

• Hiking Buddies

• Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear

• Fieldstone Kombucha

• CS Instant Coffee

• The Mountain Wanderer

https://slasrpodcast.com/

[email protected]

Welcome to Episode 220 of the Sounds Like a Search and Rescue Podcast. This week Andy is back and we will recap media reported search and rescue events for the year 2025 - will look at trends, some notable rescues and lessons to be learned. Plus some listener feedback, an arctic cold blast is coming this weekend so advice on how to prepare, a music minute plus winter hikes on Mount Jefferson, Mount Pierce, Cherry/Mt. Martha/Owls Head. Let's Go!

Topics

• Pemi Valley SAR Volunteer Openings

• SLASR Email & Listener Feedback

• Arctic Blast and Cold Weather - Hiking advice for extreme cold conditions if you must go out.

• Avalanche Risk

• NH State Legislature is looking at increasing toll rates for non NH EZPass holders

• European skiers and avalanches

• Gear Talks - gloves, gaiters and face gloves

• Music Minute - The Last Dinner Party

• Recent Hikes - Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Pierce, Mt. Martha, and Rehoboth State Forest

• NH Search and Rescue Data for 2025

Show Notes

• Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews

• SLASR Merchandise

• SLASR LinkTree

• SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE

• Hike safe Card Reminder

• Order Hike Safe Card

• 48 Peaks website

• Ty Gagne Event at Spyglass Brewing on Feb 7th (Scroll down for info and to register - free event)

• 48 Peaks Alzheimers Instagram

• Pemi SAR Website

• Coldest stretch of weather this winter incoming this weekend

• Avalanche Forecast

• Toll Hikes may be coming

• 8 skiers killed in Austrian Avalanche

• Black Diamond Absolute mitts

• Black Diamond Mercury mitts

• Face Glove - Anti Fog for Goggles

• Kahtoola LEVAGaiters

• SAR Data for 2025

Sponsors, Friends and Partners

• Wild Raven Endurance Coaching

• burgeonoutdoor.com

• 48 Peaks - Alzheimer's Association

• Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast

• Hiking Buddies

• Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear

• Fieldstone Kombucha

• CS Instant Coffee

• The Mountain Wanderer

https://slasrpodcast.com/

[email protected]

Welcome to episode 219 of the sounds like a search and rescue podcast - our first episode of 2026. This week - Meghan and Paul from the Alzheimer's Association join us to highlight their kick off event for the 2026 48 Peaks Hike to Fight Alzheimers event. The kick off event is on February 7th at Spyglass Brewing in Nashua where Ty Gagne will share a live reading from the Lions of Winter and speak about how his fathers dementia diagnosis impacted his writing and family. Plus, we are kicking off the new year with hiking reminders on safety, volunteering and spring and summer events. We will have updates on local NH outdoor related news, and some national news including a hiker killed by a mountain lion, black bear living in a crawl space in California and the homeowner is not able to remove it, Nick breaks down how the Adirondack and the Olympic range in Washington State used to be connected, plus recent hikes on Jefferson/Adams, Liberty/Flume, Moosilauke, Willey Tom, Field and Avalon and sledding down the cog. All this plus recent search and rescue news.

About This Weeks Guests

48 Peaks website

Ty Gagne Event at Spyglass Brewing on Feb 7th (Scroll down for info and to register - free event)

48 Peaks Alzheimers Instagram

Topics

• Welcome Paul and Meghan from the 48 Peaks Alzheimer's Association

• Beginning of the year reminders

• NH is the healthiest state

• LED Lights are too damn bright

• Proposal to ban Chinese Drones

• Conway Scenic Railroad

• Drunk hiking

• Olympic Snowboarder dies in an avalanche

• Mountain Lions and Black Bears

• Adirondack are really ancient mountains

• Slow Sleds

• Music Minute - Meatloaf

• Mountain Wanderer Beer Release party

• Recent Hikes Mike - Jefferson/Adams Traverse, Sledding down the Cog Railway

• Recent Hikes Nick - Mount Agassiz, Liberty/Flume, Moosilauke, Willey, Tom, Field, Avalon

• Welcome Meghan and Paul from the Alzhemier's Association - 48 Peaks kick off with Ty Gagne

• Recent SAR News

Show Notes

• Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews

• SLASR Merchandise

• SLASR LinkTree

• SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE

• Hike safe Card Reminder

• Order Hike Safe Card

• Mount Washington Road Race Lottery is opening up on Feb 10th

• Wilderness First Aid Classes - SOLO

• Trail Adoption

• AMC Trail Adopter Application

• Program Guidelines

• Trail Maintenance trips and groups to get involved

• NH ranked the healthiest state in the nation.

• Raise your hand if LED headlights are blinding you.

• Will drone ban impact SAR?

• But wait… The government pivots

• A really satisfying video of the Conway Scenic Railroad plowing tracks

• The Cog does the same

• Drunk hiker could be billed

• Olympic snowboarder dies is avalanche

• Hiker killed by Mtn. Lion on New Years day in California

• Mountain lion in New York

• Another sighting in October

• Wolf in New York as well recent news

• California homeowner terrorized by squatting bear

• Stiga Racer

• Mountain Wanderer Feathered Friend Release Party

• Two Massachusetts Men Rescued from Mount Lafayette - 12/12/25

• Two Hikers Rescued on Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey - 12/19/25

• Injured Hiker on Black Mountain - 1/2/26

• Injured Hiker Rescued on North Pack Monadnock - 1/4/26

Sponsors, Friends and Partners

• Wild Raven Endurance Coaching

• burgeonoutdoor.com

• 48 Peaks - Alzheimer's Association

• Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast

• Hiking Buddies

• Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear

• Fieldstone Kombucha

• CS Instant Coffee

• The Mountain Wanderer

Opening up 2025 with a So You Wanna Episode - Stomp breaks down the Algonquin Trail!

Enjoy!

It's been a minute, or a blink of a minute, since the last mix. Out of hundreds of potential tracks, here are a few comets that kept catching my ear. For 2026, the SLASR family wishes everyone an epic year of adventure, growth and love.

Excelsior - Sonus Magicus - Audi et Impera Sonum

~ stompmachine

https://slasrpodcast.com/

[email protected]

Welcome to the sounds like a search and rescue podcast, this week we are joined for our year end episode by our friend and sometimes cohost, Dave or Dave shits in the woods fame. Dave will join me and nick with a year end reflection of all the hiking and adventures we did. Listen up and you can start planning for 2026 hiking and hear about some of the moments that stood out the most to us. Plus some jokes and shenanigans, we have local NH hiking news, recaps of recent hikes on Whaleback, a sunrise hike on Mount Kearsarge and a trip out to Mount Cannon for the December grid. All this and more as we say see ya later to 2025.

Note - we had some audio issues for the last 30 minutes - Nick worked his audio editing magic but just a heads up the audio changes slightly at the end.

Topics

• Welcome Dave and no one knows Dave's real last name

• Mike's leave no trace violation and more Mt. Agassiz

• Nick hosts games - Would you rather? And Two Truths and a Lie

• Thanks to Mountain Wanderer

• NH Fish and Game Retirement

• MA is too expensive

• NH Parks 1st Day Hikes

• Fiance's family pranks her over a 10k race

• Cold Case Murder Update

• Gear Talk

• Music Minute - Heart

• Recent Hikes - Mike, Dave and Stomp hike Whaleback Mountain and Patrick McCarthy Search

• Recent Hikes - Nick hikes Kearsarge and Cannon

• 2025 Highlights

Show Notes

• Apple Podcast link for 5 star reviews

• SLASR Merchandise

• SLASR LinkTree

• SLASR's BUYMEACOFFEE

• Mount Agassiz

• Logging RR Poster at the Mountain Wanderer, thanks Forrest!

• Shout out to Heidi Murphy who is retiring from NH Fish and Game

• High cost of living in the Baystate driving period to NH

• Register for NH State Parks 1st Day Hikes - good idea for families

• Families who run - fiance's family pranks bride to be about a fake 10k race

• Image of backpack from 2001 hiker murder cold case released

• Former WM Trail Collective director to lead guilty to Federal charges of fraud

• Article with more details

• Cat Shield

• Snowfeet Walkski

• Patric McCarthy Case

• Step Mother Disputes Murder Theory in death of Patric McCarthy

• Troubled Homelife Preceded Young Boys Death

Sponsors, Friends and Partners

• Wild Raven Endurance Coaching

• burgeonoutdoor.com

• 2024 Longest Day - 48 Peaks

• Mount Washington Higher Summits Forecast

• Hiking Buddies

• Vaucluse - Sweat less. Explore more. – Vaucluse Gear

• Fieldstone Kombucha

• CS Instant Coffee

• The Mountain Wanderer