Mike Zawaski and a friend were ski touring in the popular Jones Creek area of Colorado in mid-December. Mike started their descent first and stopped in what he thought would be a safe point, but a slab avalanche broke loose and swept him hundreds of feet down the slope, breaking his femur. In this episode, learn how even well-trained and well-prepared ski mountaineers can get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Boulnd School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Denali mountaineering ranger and flight medic Dave Weber returns to the Sharp End to discuss the ins and outs of calling for a rescue: when to do it (and when not to), how to make the call and what to say, and how to prepare for a helicopter rescue.

The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Photo by Menno Boermans.

Ice climbing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula can be seriously cold. In this episode, Ashley speaks with Jason Eicholtx about a midwinter adventure in the UP that went dangerously wrong as an ice climber collapsed with hypothermia. Plus, wilderness medicine specialist Dr. Bryan Jarrett explains how to prevent hypothermia and treat it in the field.

The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Starr Jamison suffered the agony of watching a good friend die in an avalanche in Colorado. He was one of three friends she lost to avalanches in a single year. In this episode, Starr describes the first accident and the painful, disorienting aftermath, how she recovered, and how she's working to help others deal with similar experiences.

The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

When climbers, skiers, and other backcountry adventurers have an accident, they often aren't the only ones to suffer an injury. Partners, rescuers, and witnesses at the crag can feel the affects of "stress injuries" for years to come. In this episode, Ashley speaks with Laura McGladrey, a mental health nurse practitioner and veteran health provider in wilderness and humanitarian settings, about the importance of psychological first aid for outdoor adventurers and rescuers.

The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School, Suunto, and Prival USA. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Brad Carter had started up a very difficult climb at Index Town Wall in Washington state. In the first 50 or 60 feet, this route has three widely spaced bolts for protection. When Carter decided to rest at the third bolt, he got the shock of his life. This incident occurred almost a decade ago, but the lessons about bad bolts are extremely relevant today!

The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Patrick Stefanik and a friend headed to Clear Creek Canyon, Colorado, on a beautiful Saturday in April. Crowds at the busy Creekside area forced them to change their plans, and Patrick started up an unfamiliar 5.9. When it came time to lower from the anchor, Patrick's fun day out went very, very wrong.

The Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Kris Nova and a friend were attempting Mt. Rainier's remote and difficult Liberty Ridge when a boulder pulled loose and sent her on a tumbling fall, badly injuring one hand. In this episode, Kris describes her preparation for the climb, what happened on Liberty Ridge, and what she learned about calling for help after a mountain accident.

The Sharp End is presented by Mammut and co-sponsored by Colorado Outward Bound School and Suunto. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

Hans Florine was attempting his 110th ascent of the Nose of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. He and a partner were doing the Nose in a Day (an elite climb), but were not attempting any speed records. Yet Hans still took a bone-breaking fall, despite all of his experience. Learn what went wrong for the man who literally wrote the book on climbing the Nose.

The Sharp End Podcast is presented by Mammut and co-sponsored by Suunto and Colorado Outward Bound School. This podcast is produced by the American Alpine Club.

It was October 2017, and Alex Doria and Jonathan Wachtel were starting up a dream climb: the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome, high over Yosemite Valley. Alex was in the lead on the third pitch, and he felt good. Too good, as it turned out. He ran it out a long way between protection, and just as he was getting ready to place his next piece, he lost his balance and fell. Alex, Jonathan, and Ashley discuss what happened next and the lessons they learned.

This episode of the Sharp End is presented by Mammut, with additional support from Gnarly Nutrition, Colorado Outward Bound School, and Health IQ. This show is based on Accidents in North American Climbing, an annual publication of the American Alpine Club (AAC), and is produced by the AAC.