In this podcast, I speak with Scott Parazynski, who is about as unique an individual as you will find these days. Consider a small fraction of his achievements:

Five-time space shuttle astronaut, seven spacewalks, and a former NASA researcher.

Spent over 8 weeks in space with more than 47 hours outside on spacewalks, and traveled over 23 million miles in orbit.

Attempted Everest in May 2008, but was forced to turn back before the summit due to a ruptured disc while at Camp 3

Served as team physician for the Discovery Channel's Beyond the Limit series for IMG

May 20, 2009, at 4:00 am, he successfully summited Everest

Visited the wreck of the Titanic

Conducted a scientific dive in the summit caldera lake of the 19,700-foot Masaya volcano, the world’s highest lake

Life-long SCUBA diver and accomplished mountaineer

Commercial, instrument, multiengine and seaplane-rated pilot with over 2,500 flight hours

I hope you enjoy the episode and perhaps consider reading his book, The Sky Below: A True Story of Summits, Space, and Speed.

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2026/02/06/podcast-with-scott-parazynski/

Ryan Mitchell, a Summit Coach client, is preparing to climb two 8000-meter peaks, without supplemental oxygen, with his friend and professional mountain guide, Justin Sackett. In this podcast, we discuss the expedition, its risks, decision-making and emotions. As usual, Ryan will film the climbs and post on his very popular YouTube channel.  We also discussed the upcoming Everest season and some potential policy changes, especially on the Nepal side.

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2026/01/23/podcast-with-ryan-mitchell-justin-sackett-plans-for-two-8000ers-no-os/

As we close out 2025, I caught up with Garrett Maddison, founder of Madison Mountaineering, for a rare moment while he was home in the Seattle area. Garrett summited all of the Seven Summits (Messner List) in 2025, plus had some interesting times on Cho Oyu, watched one of his teams struggle, like the others, on K2, and is actively guiding on Vinson. We discussed all this, including what to expect for Everest in 2026, with the more expensive permit fees, new requirements for Everest applicants from China, and proposals from Nepal.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/12/23/7-summits-in-one-year-podcast-with-garrett-madison/

Mid-December is a quiet time in the mountaineering world, so I thought it would be nice to pick meteorologist Chris Tomer of Tomer Weather Solution’s brain on the upcoming winter season for mountaineering across the globe. And, of course, we have to touch on Everest.
The 8000er season is chiefly over, and the true winter climbs have yet to begin in earnest. But soon, we will have activity in Antarctica with adventurers attempting full crossings, climbers going for Vinson, Tyree and maybe an unclimbed peak or two. Then, as we move towards the new year, the slopes of Acocnagua become busy with a new group of aspirants wanting to test themselves at 7,000 meters, perhaps for training for an upcoming Everest climb.
In this Podcast, I briefly review the 2025 year in mountaineering and share my thoughts on a “Climber’s Holiday Season." #everest2026
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/12/12/2025-wrap-up-talking-weather-with-chris-tomer/

New Zealander Peter Hillary needs no introduction, as his last name recalls the historic achievement of his father, Sir Edmund Hillary, who, along with Tenzing Norgay, first summited Mt. Everest on May 29, 1953.
In this podcast, we discuss Peter's relationship with his father, his upbringing, adventures, and the future of mountaineering. We also discuss the Himalayan Trust, a foundation started by his father in 1961 that continues today, building schools, infrastructure, roads, and more throughout Nepal, a country close to Peter's heart.
https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/10/10/podcast-with-peter-hillary/

Australians Bianca Adler, 17, and her dad, Paul Adler, 50, are back in Melbourne, Australia, after their recent Everest attempt. They were thwarted by strong winds and illness, but made a valuable attempt. Bianca's social posts have gone viral as she struggled to breathe upon returning to Camp 4 at the South Col after reaching 8163 meters on the 8848-meter peak. She climbed with Rinji Sherpa of the Makalu region.

This podcast discusses Paul's Everest attempt and summit, Bianca's Ama Dablam attempt and summit and of course, Everest with the risks, decision-making, and emotions. I think you'll enjoy meeting this young lady, who, by the way, has become friends with Ryan Mitchell. The two gave me a lot of hope for the sport I love, as I saw two very mature young people embracing mountaineering. #everest2025

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/10/03/everest-2025-podcast-with-bianaca-and-paul-adler/

Ryan Mitchell, a Summit Coach client, is back from his recent K2 attempt. They were thwarted by a deadly rockfall that killed two other people on other teams.

They climbed to Camp 1 to see the conditions firsthand and abandoned their expedition. However, they climbed a previously unclimbed peak near K2 for acclimatization, so there was some solid mountaineering this year for the Madison Mountaineering team led by Terray Sylvester.

They also collected 600 pounds of trash, primarily from the K2 Base Camp and Advanced Base Camp, which were exposed to unexpectedly dry and warm conditions.In this podcast, we discuss the expedition, its risks, decision-making and emotions. Ryan is currently dropping a new YouTube episode almost daily on his channel, which provides his followers with a unique inside look at what K2 offered in 2025.  #k2025

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/09/08/k2-podcast-with-ryan-mitchell-after-k2/

The summer 2025 Karakorum for the 8000-meter peaks is over, and what a season it was. There were summits, deaths, disappointments and survivals. Was it a “successful” season? I’ll leave that judgment to others—but honestly, it often felt like safety took a back seat to ambition.

Summits:

K2- 42 with two deaths

Broad Peak: 0

Gashbrum II: 0

Gasherbrum I: 17

Nanga Parbat: 25 with one death#K2025

Climb On!

Alan

Memories are Everything

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/08/24/k2-2025-coverage-wrap-a-rocky-season/

With teams still hoping to summit, popular American climber Ryan Mitchell, Phurba Sherpa, Terray Sylvester, ⁠Madison Mountaineering⁠ lead guide, and several other Sherpas ended their expedition after climbing to Camp 1. Terray felt the rockfall was too dangerous to continue despite several teams already higher on the mountain, hoping to summit on August 11.
Only a few teams remain on the mountain, each with a few climbers, including a few independent ones foregoing supplemental oxygen and HAP/Sherpa support like Czech climbers ⁠Jan Polacek⁠, ⁠Lenka Polackova⁠, and Pakistani ⁠Sohail Sakhi⁠. French climber ⁠Charles Page⁠, guided by Vinajak Malla, was last reported at 7661 m/25,134 feet, higher than the elevation of traditional Camp 4 of 25,080'/7600m as of August 11, 2:00 a.m. local time per his ⁠Inreach⁠.
Regardless of classification, they must work together to set the ropes, break the trail, and reach the summit. Then, they must descend, which might be one of the riskiest in recent history. Remaining teams include Seven Summits Treks, Imagine Nepal, and Elete Expeditions. As of yesterday, the fixed ropes are 200 meters above Camp 3, around 7400 meters or 24,300 feet. With Page's report, they are obviously higher now as they are on their summit push. Teams expect to summit on Monday, August 11.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
⁠https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/08/10/k2-2025-coverage-risk-taking-case-study/⁠

After almost five weeks, a weather window long enough for a summit attempt on K2 has emerged. Most teams and many individuals have left, but an estimated (very rough guess) that 20-30 total people, split equally between commercial and independent climbers, remain for the summit push starting today, August 5th, 2025. #k2025
https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2025/08/05/k2-2025-coverage-k2-summit-push-on/