IIAWT Preview/Recap - Mt. Kilimanjaro, August 2013

Good news everybody! Tonight, there will be another great IIAWT podcast - except this time, the podcast will have a new twist. That's right: on tonight's episode, IIAWT is packing their ice axes and heading off the continent to discuss one of the behemoths of worldwide mountaineering: Mt. Kilimanjaro. On tonight's episode, we will be talking with a long-time friend of the show, JestheCCC about her recent successful climb of the highest peak in Africa. This show will cover everything an intermediate mountaineer will need to know about planning an expedition to one of the seven summits; and it will also cover what one would need to know about how to successfully train for and how to successfully summit the highest mountain in Africa. If you're interested in learning more about JestheCCC and her climb, either before the show; or after the show, read her blog here, about: 1) Preparing to Climb Kilimanjaro; 2) Part One of Climbing the Mountain; 3) Part Two of Climbing the Mountain; and 4) Wrap Up of Climbing the Mountain. Also, if you're interested in learning more about Jes' partners and sponsors in climbing the mountain, you'll want to check out them here: 1) K2Adventures (at Twitter here); 2) TETON Sports (at Twitter here); and 3) Sly Fox Foods (at Twitter here). Tune in here for what will be a great show, or on iTunes!

IIAWT April 2013 and May 2013 Recaps

Muir Snowfield, Mt. Rainier

If you think you think Matt and I missed our podcast window on Wednesday, you'd be wrong. Yes, there was no show last week. And yes, we did not Tweet or promote a show this week. No, goats have not completely eaten IIAWT's technical equipment and clocks. The answer to why there was no IIAWT is because IIAWT is only on the second and fourth Wednesday's of each month, and between May and June, the calendar sets us, the hosts up with a nice little break. So look at things positively - you didn't miss anything, and we didn't trick you - the calendar did! But in case you did miss us, here's what you've been missing in the last two months!

Ingraham Flats, Mt. Rainier

April 10, 2013, Episode 6:  Mt. Rainier, Part I: The IIAWT How-To-Climb-Guide. Mt. Rainier - a mountain - no, a volcano so big it deserved two shows. On this first episode, Matt and I spoke with Katie Levy of Adventure Inspired, who had some great insights to how a novice prepares for the Disappointment Cleaver, and mountaineering in general. Katie also had some great comments about climbing mountains for charity; and about how she reviews gear for her readers, so this episode, like always, is a must listen! (Also, stay tuned to the end for a special guest - and friend of the show!)

April 24, 2013, Episode 7:  Mt. Rainier, Part II: The IIAWT How-To-Climb-Guide-Continues.  What's better than talking Mt. Rainier? Talking Mt. Rainier with a veteran climber like Kevin Cherilla of K2Adventures. We also had on our friend of the show, Jes (more info here) for some added color commentary. On this show, we again talked about climbing for charity, and the difficult - and STEEP Liberty Ridge Route. 

 May 8, 2013, Episode 8: Mt. Whitney, Part I: The IIAWT How-To-Climb-Guide. This show is also known as "When Goats Attack". Although there was no guest host, both Matt and Chris picked up the slack in an information packed must-listen guide about climbing Mt. Whitney. (For an added bonus, read more here  about what you need to know about Whitney, the highest peak in the Continental United States).

Western Side, Mt. Whitney Trail

May 22, 2013, Episode 9: Mt. Whitney, Part II: The IIAWT Guide on the JMT and Other Routes to the Top. Once Matt and Chris got rid of those pesky goats, they were ready to talk Whitney the way Muir saw it after his long treks in the Sierras. What better way than to talk about this than with a bona fide expert, the SoCalHiker, also known as Jeff Hester. This show had some great details from Jeff, who has hiked the John Muir Trail twice, and also had some great secret tips on how to ascend Whitney via non-traditional ways. 

If these shows don't get you out into the mountains, perhaps next week's show on Mt. Shasta will intrigue your mind and inspire your body; but until then, see you on the trail!

In Ice Axe We Trust, March 2013 Recap

​Humphreys Peak, Arizona

​​Ahoy-hoy listeners and readers! If you’re not listening to In Ice Axe We Trust (“IIAWT”), you are missing out! March was a great month of podcasts for IIAWT, and we had three fantastic guests, @jesthecc (Her website here​), @jenniferwoods (Her website here), ​and Jonathan House (his website here​). We discussed two big peaks - Mt. Humphreys and Mt. Hood; and had some fun debates along the way, including to trekking pole, or not to trekking pole - a timeless and eternal question.

March 13, Episode 5: Humphreys Peak, Arizona.: the IIAWT How-to climb guide. I previewed this episode here a couple weeks ago, but on it, we had two great guests, Jes and Jen, and we discussed all things Arizona, including its highest point. Catch it here, or on iTunes. (Update! Read to the bottom to learn how to make your own homemade Larabars, courtesy of Jen!!)

​Mt. Hood, Oregon

March 27, 2013, Episode 6: Mount Hood, Oregon: the IIAWT How-to climb guide. We were lucky to have a great guest, Jonathan House, who shared his story of how he climbed Hood just last year; and in case you missed it, you can listen here, while viewing his fantastic photos here. This show had a great discussion of the considerations that go into roping up, and more importantly, which Oregon team you should root for in collegiate sporting events. Don’t believe it? Listen HERE, or on iTunes.

Coming Shows: We will be back on the air on 04/10/13 with another mystery guest or two, and we will be discussing thepeakseeker's climb of Mt. Hood, my time on Mt. Whitney, and our upcoming climb of Mt. Rainier. Stay tuned to us on Twitter to find out who or whom!

Giveaways/Sponsors: On March 27, 2013, we had a winner in our COLD giveaway, and it was WalkSimply, with her great story about encountering a snake on Sitton Peak. While we're not sure what our next giveaway will be, you can be certain that it will be interesting! If you’re interested in entering any contests or sponsoring the show, contact myself, or thepeakseeker, and be sure to tune in!

Recipe for Homemade Larabars: ​

Homemade Lärabars: Mango Lassi Bars

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unsalted almond or almond pieces (raw or toasted/roasted)

1 cup medjool dates

3/4 cup dried mango

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut (shredded or curls)

1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder (use up to 1/2 teaspoon if you love cardamom)

pinch sea salt

Line an 8x8 square baking dish with parchment or waxed paper.  First, pulse the almonds in a food processor (or a blender should work) until they are finely chopped (but not so much that you’ve created a nut butter).

Pour nuts into a bowl.

In the food processor (you don’t have to clean it out) add the remaining ingredients and process until you’ve created a uniform paste.  If you need to add tiny splashes of warm water to get it to come together, feel free to do so.  If your mixture has turned into a ball, turn the machine off and use a spoon to push the mixture back down into the blades.  

Add back the nuts and then process until it’s a uniform consistency again.

Press the mixture into your baking pan so that it’s even.  Dipping your hands into a bowl of water helps tremendously here.  Place the pan into the refrigerator for at least a half an hour to make it firm up enough to easily cut into bars.

Wrap in a cloth, or squares of parchment or waxed paper and take with you for your adventure on the trail.

In Ice Axe We Trust, February 2013 Recap

​Summit View, Mt. Elbert, Colorado

Ahoy-hoy listeners and readers! If you’re not listening to In Ice Axe We Trust (“IIAWT”), you are missing out! February was a great second month of podcasts for IIAWT, and we had three fantastic guests, Epic Bill Bradley (@epicbillbradley), Michael Restivo (@mikeoffthemap), and Bob Doucette (@RMhigh7088). Both shows had great practical mountaineering tips, and more mountaineering stories than you could shake your trekking poles at; so, without further ado, check out the episodes below:

February 13, 2013, Episode 3: Introduction to Expedition Mountaineering. Unofficially, I’m going to call this the “Show up and suffer” show in honor of Epic Bill Bradley, who is an amazing guy and personal friend of the show. If you’re interested at all in the nuts and bolts of getting into the sport of expedition mountaineering, Bill provides a how-to guide of how he climbed Denali in 2012 from start to finish. This is something you really need to listen to, so check that out: HERE, or on iTunes.

​Not a wolf, but there are wolves in our Podcast! Tune on in to find out where and when!

February 27, 2013, Episode 4: Mount Elbert, Colorado: the IIAWT How-to climb guide. If you thought that we couldn’t top the stories of Epic Bill in Episode 3, you’d be wrong. We were lucky to have two great guests, Michael Restivo and Bob Doucette in studio who, along with me, broke down the tips, tactics, route, gear, and everything else needed to climb the highest point in Colorado. More importantly, we learned that when the weather gets cold, you need that ice axe in hand to fend off the dangers of wolves. Don’t believe it? Listen HERE, or on iTunes.

Books: On 02/13/13, we talked about many a mountaineer’s inspiration, Into Thin Air, and learned that while the book is enthralling, the made for TV movie is nothing but a bust. And, on 02/27/13, we talked about Colorado’s Fourteeners, the definitive hiking and climbing guide for the peaks of Colorado. Both are great books, and great resources to have!

Coming Shows: We will be back on the air on 3/13/13 with another mystery guest or two. Stay tuned to us on Twitter to find out who or whom!

Giveaways/Sponsors: We are still offering a copy of COLD to anyone that can provide us a 250 word story on mountaineering or other hiking derring-do; and currently we are sponsored by Inthebivvy.com. On 2/27/13, our guests were lucky enough to receive some swag from Racespace.org, the go-to couch surfing site for runners and other racers. If you’re interested in entering any contests or sponsoring the show, contact myself, or thepeakseeker, and be sure to tune in!