Podcast · Sport

The Duffel Shuffle Podcast

by The Duffel Shuffle Podcast · English · Sport

A new podcast covering the world of climbing and skiing in all its forms, through the eyes of mountain guides. In each episode we'll unpack exhilarating stories, share invaluable insights, and get up close and personal with some of the most experienced and passionate guides and athletes in the indus

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 22 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 38 min

Is Alex Honnold Going to Start High Altitude Climbing?

On Episode 65, Alex Honnold returns for his second appearance on the show, this time flipping the script and taking over as guest host. Sam and Adrian open with the tragic avalanche that struck base camp on Nepal's Himlung Himal and a quick look at a storm-battered fall season in the Himalaya before handing Alex the mic. Fresh off town-to-summit days on the Eiger and the Matterhorn, Alex arrives with the questions anyone who's climbed high has wondered about. Why does it feel like...

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S7 · E64 · 23 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Fall Himalaya Coverage: Autumn Avalanches
*Editor's note: This episode was recorded on September 18, before an avalanche at Camp 3 on Manaslu killed two climbers. Our thoughts are with their families, their friends, and everyone involved in the rescue.* In Episode 64, Sam and Adrian open with quick hits on The Gear Project, a new online consignment shop for used outdoor gear, and a wave of climbing and ski films landing on major streamers this fall, before turning to the autumn Himalaya season. Adrian opens the episode with why...
S7 · E63 · 9 Sep 2026 · 2 hr
Ryan Mitchell: The Minecraft YouTuber Who Summited Mount Everest
Episode 63 opens with Adrian and Sam's conversation on the devastating Nepal-China border flood at Gyirong Port, and a nod to Laura Rogora's blazing six-day ascent of Bibliographie, before settling into a wide-ranging interview with viral Minecraft-YouTuber-turned-mountaineer Ryan Mitchell. Ryan built a following of millions making Minecraft videos before walking away to chase Mount Everest — a goal he set purely because he thought it would make a good video title. With no outdoor backg...
S7 · E62 · 26 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 27 min
Cody Townsend and Tommy Caldwell: When Elite Climbers and Skiers Team Up
Episode 62 opens with quick hits on T-Mobile's satellite phone service and a run of Alps headlines — climbers requesting paid rescue after ignoring a Mont Blanc closure, a family of 36 rescued in the Austrian high country, and Kilian Jornet's viral post on the range's fast-changing climate — before Sam and Adrian sit down with Cody Townsend and Tommy Caldwell to talk through their spring traverse of Norman's 13. Norman's 13 links the Sierra's thirteen 14,000-foot peaks from Mt. Langley to Nor...
S7 · E61 · 12 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 45 min
Unlocking the Mountain: How Rope Fixing Really Works
Episode 61 opens with a somber update on the Broad Peak avalanche in Pakistan that killed all ten climbers, including members of Nims Purja's team, on their July 30th summit push. Following the update, Sam and Adrian dig into the episode's real focus: rope fixing, the process that makes the world's biggest mountains climbable. Adrian breaks down the difference between alpine style — climbing a mountain in one unsupported push — and siege style, where teams fix rope from camp to camp so climbe...
S6 · E60 · 29 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 22 min
How to Get Started as a Climber
More than two years and sixty straight episodes for the Duffel Shuffle! Adrian calls in from a Nicaragua surf trip, and before getting into it, he and Sam touch on a rough week of accidents on classic trade routes (Mont Blanc, Huascarán, Rainier) and the FAA's new approval of drones for avalanche mitigation. The real focus of the episode is a full roadmap for getting into climbing and mountaineering — for total beginners and for rock climbers eyeing high-altitude objectives alike. Adrian trac...
S6 · E59 · 15 Jul 2026 · 54 min
Pakistan Coverage: War won't stop these climbers
Sam and Adrian open episode 59 with three news stories — a bolting controversy resolved (kind of?) on Snake Dike, the public comment window on the PARC Act's draft management plans, and freeride skiing's addition to the 2030 Olympics — before shifting into a full rundown of the Pakistan 8,000-meter season, now underway. Following spring season in the Himalaya, climbers and skiers move on to the Karakoram range, with the season often starting in June and peaking in July before temps warm too m...
S6 · E58 · 1 Jul 2026 · 2 hr 1 min
Garth Miller: Everest In a Week with Xenon Gas
Episode 58 brings the Duffel Shuffle audience back to the top story from the 2025 Everest Season. While both Sam and Adrian have been skeptical of the use of Xenon Gas that made headlines last season, the two sit down with Garth Miller, a UK-based airline captain and former British Army officer. In 2025, Garth was part of a four-person team that pulled off a London-to-London ascent of Everest in just 6.5 days, attributing their success and safety margin to the use of Xenon Gas. The conv...
S6 · E57 · 17 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 29 min
Everest Coverage: Left for Dead, and Found Alive
On episode 57, Sam and Adrian dig into two stories making waves in their respective corners of the outdoor world before launching into an unplanned fifth installment of Everest season coverage and a full listener mailbag. Sam kicks things off with a story from his own week on Mount Shasta, where he watched runner Sarah Burke blow past his group near the summit and set a new women's unsupported FKT — Horse Camp to summit in 2 hours and 10 seconds, breaking the previous mark of roughly 2:13. Th...
S6 · E56 · 3 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 21 min
Everest Coverage: Was this season a smashing success?
With the 2026 Everest season now officially in the books, Sam and Adrian are back for their fourth and final installment of Everest coverage, with Adrian calling in from Denver where the season's biggest stories have been the talk of the festival floor. Before diving into Everest, Sam and Adrian each share a news story from the week. Adrian touches on the trending trademark lawsuit between outdoor apparel giant Patagonia and Pattie Gonia, the drag persona of environmental activist and outdoo...
S6 · E55 · 20 May 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Everest Coverage: Summits begin, will chaos ensue?
With the 2026 Everest season hitting its most critical stretch, Sam and Adrian are back for their third installment of armchair mountaineering coverage. Before diving into Everest, Adrian recommends HBO's four-part series The Dark Wizard on the life of Dean Potter, which has now released all episodes and has been making the rounds well beyond the climbing community. Adrian reflects on his feeling genuinely moved by how elegantly the filmmakers handled the full arc of Dean's life, ...
S6 · E54 · 6 May 2026 · 1 hr 25 min
Everest Coverage: Onward and Upward Despite Real Hazards
With the 2026 Everest season now firmly underway and the icefall finally open, Sam and Adrian are back for their second installment of armchair mountaineering coverage. Sam opens with a somber news section, paying tribute to two losses that hit close to home in the outdoor community: Bernie Rosow of Mammoth and Will Stanhope of BC, killed in separate incidents within days of each other. Adrian knew both casually, and reflects on what made each of them so magnetic — Bernie grinding away ...
S5 · E49 · 22 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 14 min
Everest Coverage: Icefall Holdup and South Side Action
With the 2026 Everest season officially underway, Sam and Adrian kick off what will be four consecutive episodes of armchair mountaineering — a first for Adrian, who for most of the last two decades has been on the mountain rather than watching from home. It's a unique vantage point, and one he's leaning into fully. Before diving into Everest, the guys pay tribute to Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Everest in 1963, whose passing was announced recently at the age of 97. Adrian refl...
S6 · E52 · 8 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 22 min
What does it mean to be a Mountain Guide?
With a string of high-profile guiding accidents making headlines this winter — including close to home here in Tahoe — Sam and Adrian sit down to dig into what it actually means to be a mountain guide, how guide companies are held accountable, and what you, as a consumer, should be looking for before you hire someone to take you into the mountains. Before diving in, Adrian shares a personal update: a fractured back sustained in a sport climbing fall at Starwall that has him sidelined for the ...
S6 · E51 · 25 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 7 min
Will this season on Everest's South side be the busiest yet?
With the 2026 Everest season just around the corner, Sam and Adrian sit down to preview what's shaping up to be one of the most consequential years in the mountain's modern climbing history. While Alpenglow Expeditions has made the decision not to pivot their north side operation to the south side following the closure of the Tibetan route, Adrian's deep familiarity with both sides of the mountain gives him a uniquely informed perspective on what the season ahead holds. Between insider knowle...
S5 · E50 · 11 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 22 min
Risk, Reward, and Pressure with Emily Harrington
Emily Harrington is a professional rock climber, alpinist, and adventurer known for pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the vertical world. A five-time American sport climbing champion and member of The North Face athlete team, Emily has established herself as one of the most accomplished and versatile climbers of her generation, with landmark ascents on big walls and high-altitude peaks around the world. For Emily, climbing is as much about the journey and the people as it is about...
S5 · E49 · 25 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 41 min
How David Goettler's Introduction to Alpine Climbing Defined His Style for Decades at the Top
David Goettler has been a professional alpinist for nearly 3 decades, and part of The North Face athlete team his entire career. With a focus on classical alpine style climbing on the highest peaks of the world, David has set out on a quest to climb in the way that suits him. For David, climbing the tallest peaks of the world is a dream, and the challenge is in their height. Climbing without supplemental oxygen and Sherpa support above basecamp is the only way for him to truly test his ...
S5 · E48 · 11 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 19 min
Duffel Shuffle 2025 Wrap and 2026 Preview
Still technically only a "few" weeks late, Sam and Adrian look back on 2025 and forward to 2026. This episode was delayed due to the Seven Summits series, but as we move into the new year, there's lots to talk about, from personal experiences in 2025 and goals for 2026 to the industry as a whole. - Adrian had a big year, with his 10th summit of Everest and the acquisition of Alpenglow Expeditions by Milky Way Park. Meanwhile, Sam started and finished his year on separate ski trips to Japan,...
S5 · E47 · 28 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 31 min
Mt Everest: The Tallest Mountain on the Planet
Sam and Adrian wrap up the Seven Summits Series with none other than Mt. Everest. At 29,032' above sea level, Mt Everest is much taller than any of the other seven summits, and its history, notoriety and reputation speaks for itself. While Everest has been well covered on the Duffel Shuffle Podcast, Sam and Adrian endeavor to provide an unbiased look at climbing the mountain, and compare the two regular climbing routes for guided climbers, with as little opinion as possible. - Different "...
S5 · E46 · 14 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
Carstensz Pyramid: The Rock Climbers' Peak
The sixth in our series on the Seven Summits, Carstensz Pyramid, is the tallest peak within Oceania. While some Seven Summits lists include Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, most modern lists acknowledge Carstensz Pyramid due to its higher altitude and increased technical challenge. Locally known as Puncak Jaya, the peak sits at 4,884m or 16,024 feet above sea level, on the island of New Guinea. Unlike all other peaks on the list of seven summits, Carstensz Pyramid is a true rock climb, where ...
S5 · E45 · 31 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
Vinson: The Last Great Challenge
On Episode 45 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast, Sam and Adrian head to the bottom of the world to discuss the Vinson Massif. This is the fifth episode in the series covering each of the Seven Summits, and while Vinson lacks some of the culture of previous mountains discussed, it makes up for that in the uniqueness of the adventure. First climbed in 1966, Vinson is known by Seven Summit climbers as "The Last Great Challenge" as it was the final peak climbed by the first to complete the seven ta...
S5 · E44 · 17 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 10 min
Kilimanjaro: The Roof of Africa
Our next episode in the Seven Summits series takes us to Africa, and we're talking about Mount Kilimanjaro. What is arguably the most culturally enriching experience of all of the Seven Summits, Kili is the most accessible of the tallest peaks on each continent. Sam and Adrian chat about Kilimanjaro and all of the ins and outs. While Kili's technical challenge is nonexistent, the specifics around how the mountain is climbed are quite particular. - All climbers on Kilimanjaro must climb wi...
S5 · E43 · 3 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 14 min
Mount Elbrus: Vodka and Altitude
Episode 3 of the Seven Summits Series takes us to the tallest point in Europe, Mount Elbrus. With first ascents on each of the two summits, both occurring in the 1800s, Elbrus' history is both lengthy and, at times, entertaining. Adrian and Sam dive into the details of a Mount Elbrus expedition, which includes so much more than just climbing. While Elbrus is well positioned for a strike mission type attempt due to its relatively low altitude (as far as high altitude goes) and significan...
S5 · E42 · 19 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 18 min
Denali: The High One
Our second episode in the Seven Summits Series centers on Denali. An Athabaskan word meaning "the high one," Denali is the tallest peak in North America, sitting at 20,310'. Measured from its base to its summit, Denali has a larger vertical rise than Everest, making it the tallest land-based mountain on Earth by that measurement. Sam and Adrian dive into some of the unique characteristics of Denali. Despite being only climbed once between the two of them (Adrian in the early 2000s), countless...
S5 · E41 · 5 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 18 min
Aconcagua: Roof of the Americas
The Duffel Shuffle podcast is kicking off a 7-episode series, covering all things Seven Summits. Popularized and first completed by Dick Bass, the 7 Summits List comprises the tallest mountain on each of the 7 continents of the world. These include, in order of height, Everest (Asia), Aconcagua (S. America), Denali (N. America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Elbrus (Europe), and Australia/Oceania (Mount Kosciuszko/Puncak Jaya). Adrian and Sam start with Aconcagua, the tallest mountain out...
S5 · E40 · 22 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 46 min
The Key to Successful First Descents with Christina Lustenberger and Guillaume Pierrel
Together, Christina "Lusti" Lustenberger and Guillaume "Gee" Pierrel have teamed up for some of the most notable and impressive first descents in recent years. Lusti is an Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) Ski Guide and professional skier. A career that started with alpine ski racing took Lusti all the way to the Olympics, but more than five knee surgeries later, a career pivot has taken her to ski some of the most impressive and challenging lines around the world. Ge...
S4 · E39 · 8 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Should You Climb Everest in Autumn?
Sam and Adrian connect for Episode 39 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast to discuss the fall season in the Himalaya and, in particular, two athletes with specific objectives on Everest. With a break in guests for the show, Sam and Adrian used this week's episode to catch up on a few items. - Adrian is tuning in while attending the Black Diamond Athlete Summit, so we took the opportunity to learn more. Athlete Summit’s are a popular event among brands, but there’s not much info about them for...
S4 · E38 · 24 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 30 min
Outdoor Alliance: Conservation Powered by Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor Alliance is the only organization in the U.S. that unites the voices of outdoor enthusiasts to conserve public lands. They help ensure those lands are managed in a way that embraces the human-powered experience. Sam and Adrian host Adam Cramer, CEO of Outdoor Alliance, and Nicole Brown, Communications & Public Engagement Manager. Adam and Nicole's passion for the outdoors is clear, and their joy in representing and connecting human powered users is contagious. - With t...
S4 · E37 · 10 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 40 min
Amie Engerbretson: An Indirect Path to Professional Skiing
Sam and Adrian are joined on Episode 37 by Amie Engerbretson, a Tahoe local who shares her non-traditional path to becoming a professional skier. One could say being a skier is in Amie's blood, or you could argue that the career found her, but nonetheless, Amie has been a staple in magazine's and movies for more than a decade. Amie was born and raised in Tahoe, and as the daughter of a professional skier, she was surrounded by the industry from the very start. As Amie grew up, she pursu...
S4 · E36 · 27 Aug 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
K2: The Savage Mountain
George Bell, a climber on the 1953 American Expedition to K2 said "It's a savage mountain that tries to kill you." Nearly than 75 years later, the reputation is intact. Adrian successfully climbed K2, without supplemental oxygen, in 2019, doubling down on his no o2 ascent of Everest in 2017. With decades of experience climbing and guiding clients throughout the Himalaya, Adrian has spent little time in the Karakoram, and has only climbed K2 once. Following the 2025 K2 climbing season, Sam an...

About The Duffel Shuffle Podcast

The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is a English sport podcast from The Duffel Shuffle Podcast. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Duffel Shuffle Podcast
Language: English
Category: Sport
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 1 hr 22 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1737311190

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