All About Everest Podcast - Stories, History, and Challenges from the World’s Tallest Mountain

In this week’s episode of The All About Everest Podcast, host Pauline Reynolds Nuttall revisits the 1996 Mount Everest disaster — one of the deadliest seasons in the mountain’s history — to explore what really went wrong and how it changed climbing forever. Discover why eight climbers, including Rob Hall, Doug Hansen, Scott Fischer, and Yasuko Namba, lost their lives in a single storm, and how inexperience, overcrowding, and summit fever led to tragedy.Pauline also shares the latest Everest 2025 updates — including the dramatic rescue of 900 stranded trekkers in Tibet and the northern ski descent attempt by Jimmy Chin and Jim Morrison on the North Face.In the second half, we look at how Everest has evolved since 1996 — from better weather forecasting, GPS tracking, and helicopter rescues to modern gear, oxygen systems, and stricter climber regulations. Learn how these innovations have saved lives and reshaped the culture of climbing the world’s highest mountain.Whether you’re an armchair mountaineer or a lifelong Everest enthusiast, this episode blends history, survival, and the mountain’s ever-evolving story. Listen now to learn:What caused the 1996 Everest tragedyWho the climbers were and why they perishedHow Everest expeditions have changed since 1996The truth behind the “1,000 stranded climbers” headlinesUpdates on Jimmy Chin and Jim Morrison’s Everest projectFollow and subscribe to The All About Everest Podcast wherever you listen — and join our free Everest Skool Group to discuss climbs, gear, books, and breaking news from the world’s tallest peak. Follow us @mamabearoutdoors and @allabouteverest. Mamabearoutdoors.comShout out to Nathan Medina and his awesome audio editing.

It's the beginning of the Everest climbing season. I have several updates in this episode: changes on the Nepali side of Everest, the ice doctors have left for Everest, Caroline Gleich is running for the US senate, Lou Whittaker and David Brashears have died, 3 books about Everest including " Everest Mountain Guide", " Everest Inc" and "Fallen", amongst other Everest news and updates. Find me @allabouteverest or @mamabearoutdoors on social media and via email pauline@mamabearoutdoors.com. Shownotes: Everest 2024 Spring Season Update 1 Links: 52 Mountaineering Books to Read Stores and merch: All ABout Everest Store and I Love Mountaineering Store Sponsers/ affiliate products: MyMedic.Com and TheNomadik.com Support this podcast by buying me a coffee.

Today's topic is the best books about the 1996 Everest disaster. Each one is it's one different perspective. Recently I listened to an interview with Sandy Hill (Hill-Pittman), which reminded me that every single person on the mountain that year had their own very unique experience. Though some of the authors are very critical of the other climbers, some of these books are about the very personal stories of the individual climbers. The complete list of books: 12 Books About the 1996 Everest Disaster Find me @allabouteverest or @mamabearoutdoors on social media and via email pauline@mamabearoutdoors.com. Shownotes: ⁠⁠All About Everest Podcast⁠⁠ Links: ⁠⁠⁠52 Mountaineering Books to Read⁠⁠⁠ Stores and merch: ⁠⁠⁠All ABout Everest Store⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠I Love Mountaineering Store⁠⁠⁠ Sponsors/ affiliate products: ⁠⁠⁠MyMedic.Com⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠TheNomadik.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Support this podcast by buying me a coffee.⁠⁠⁠

I have put together a list of questions that any mountaineer should be asking when choosing an expedition company for Mt. Everest. Noone should be afraid of asking the hard questions because choosing the right company can make the difference between life and death. Check out the ⁠"All About Everest" store⁠ to get yourself some cool merch.

Update on the tragedies on Shishapangma and in Israel. The tragedy in Israel has affected the Israeli climbers Aviad Sido and Nadav Ben Yehuda. Today's episode is an opinion piece. Based on what has been happening over the last few years. it seems that those who are looking for records are putting themselves and others at risk because they are prioritizing records over safety. I give 2 examples, including last week's deaths on Shish of the American women Gina Rzucidlo and Anna Gutu. Want to get outside more? ⁠Check out my free 5-Day Get Outside More Challenge,⁠ enrolment opens the 1st of each month and the challenge starts the 2nd Monday of each month. Come and join the fun.

Today's episode (sorry it's late) is about the top ten historical events and expeditions that have shaped Mt. Everest. As I was going through all the seasons, I realized that these events and expeditions have really shaped the current climbing culture on the mountain. As I go in chronological order, I can see how previous years have changed the climbing in the years following the expedition or event. I discuss the following years: 1924, 1953, 1996, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2023. If you are a listener experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder, please seek help. This is a real disorder and there are medical professionals that can provide help. Want to get outside more? ⁠Check out my free 5-Day Get Outside More Challenge,⁠ enrolment opens the 1st of each month and the challenge starts the 2nd Monday of each month. Come and join the fun.

Today's interview was with Samina Baig, the first Pakistani woman to summit Mt. Everest and the first Pakistani woman to summit the 7 Summits. This episode was joyful. We talk about the barriers to mountaineering, her journey to climbing Mt. Everest, and her accomplishments since then. We also talk about her new travel company and the work that she and her brother do towards getting youth into the outdoors. Samina talks about how K2 was her hardest peak and how Denali was challenging, and what she plans on doing next. Her travel company can be found at https://saminabaigtravels.com and Samina and Mirza's outdoor outreach program is https://www.pakistanyouthoutreach.com.

I interviewed Saskia Van Der Drift about participating the Tenzing Hillary Everest Marathon in 2022. It is the highest marathon in the world! We talk about the cost, the routes, and how she trains at sea level for this high-altitude marathon. It occurs every year on May 29, the anniversary of the first summit of Mt. Everest. Follow me on social media @allabouteverest or @mamabearoutdoors, email allabouteverestpodcast@mamabearoutdoors.com - If you love this podcast, show us some support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. - #afflink Special deal for all listeners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠10% discount at thenomadik.com with code Everest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Find us on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AllAboutEverestPodcast⁠

In 1992, Skip Horner became the first mountain guide to lead a client to the top of all of the 7 Summits. He was one of the pioneers of commercial guiding. Skip and I talk about both of his Everest expeditions, commercial guiding then and now, and much more. This is Skip's 50th year of being a guide. He has slowed down a bit but still leads a few expeditions per year. My favorite part of the episode is the last 15 minutes when Skip talks about climbing with Rob Hall and calls me out when we talk about death. Find Skip at skiphorner.com Follow me on social media @allabouteverest or @mamabearoutdoors, email allabouteverestpodcast@mamabearoutdoors.com - If you love this podcast, show us some support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. - #afflink Special deal for all listeners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠10% discount at thenomadik.com with code Everest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Find us on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AllAboutEverestPodcast

Rebecca Long is the fourth person we have had on the podcast that climbed during the 2023 Everest Spring season. Rebecca and I were connected through Alan Arnette. We took about why she loves the mountain, how losing her teammate Jonathan Sugarman affected her climb, and lessons learned from Everest. The last five minutes of her interview are the most powerful when she talks about the most impactful lesson she learned. Follow me on social media @allabouteverest or @mamabearoutdoors - If you love this podcast, show us some support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. - #afflink Special deal for all listeners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠10% discount at thenomadik.com with code Everest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Find us on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AllAboutEverestPodcast

There are over 200 dead bodies on Mount Everest and over 300 people have died on the mountain. In the documentary "Finding Michael", Spencer Matthews goes to search for his brother with a team led by Nimsdai (Nims Purja). This documentary is a beautiful tribute to Michael Matthews who dies in 1999 on Mt Everest. It opens up an honest discussion about how these deaths affect families. It also gives people a better understanding of why so many dead bodies are left on Everest. Next week's episode will be an interview with Alan Arnette! Follow me on social media @allabouteverest or @mamabearoutdoors - If you love this podcast, show us some support by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. - #afflink Special deal for all listeners: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠10% discount at thenomadik.com with code Everest⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Find us on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AllAboutEverestPodcast

Today's episode is with Kami Rita Sherpa, who holds the record for the most summits of Everest at 28 total summits. Some of the things mentioned in the interview are that the record doesn't matter, why he still has all of his fingers and toes after climbing for 25 years, why he climbs, and some of the problems on Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest). I may or may not have been finally convinced to climb Kilimanjaro. Follow on social media @allabouteverest or @mamabearoutdoors - If you love this podcast, show us some support by ⁠⁠⁠buying me a coffee⁠⁠⁠. - #afflink Special deal for all listeners: ⁠⁠⁠10% discount at thenomadik.com with code Everest⁠⁠⁠ - Find us on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/AllAboutEverestPodcast