RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly

This fall, two American women found themselves in an unlikely race to reach the summit of Shishapangma, and thereby earn themselves a place in the record books as being the first American woman to have done all 14 8,000-meter peaks (with oxygen). Unfortunately, both Anna Gutu and Gina Rzucidło, alongside their respective Sherpa guides Mingmar Sherpa and Tenjen Lama, perished in two separate avalanches about 30 minutes apart around 7,800 meters. Did this informal competition lead them to making bad decisions that ultimately cost everyone their lives? To make sense of this terrible tragedy, as well as to discuss some of the ongoing issues around competency, infrastructure, and regulations within the Himalayan guiding industry, we speak to Adrian Ballinger of Alpenglow Expeditions. Adrian has guided numerous high-altitude peaks, including many summits of Mount Everest, and his company Alpenglow leads over 30 international expeditions each year. And he has also personally climbed Mount Everest and K2 without using oxygen, and notably made the first ski descent of Makalu.

But first, your friendly neighborhood climbing podcasters think about what would happen if the Rapture came for pro climbers and they were all smite’d away from this good, green earth. Would that change anything about the climbing we know and love?

Last, today’s final bit comes from an experimental instrumental band called Les Rhinoceros, with drums and percussion played by climber and friend of the pod Jon Burrier.

Show Notes

Via Explorer’s Web: “What Happened on Shishapangma: The Climbers Speak Out”

Shishapangma Avalanche: Two U.S. Women, Two Sherpas Dead/Missing

Adrian Ballinger on Instagram

Follow Jon Burrier on Instagram and check out his SoundCloud

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RunOut #113: How a Race to Get a Climbing Record Turned Deadly

The RunOut Podcast