Winter storms arrived early on the Himalayan peak Nanda Devi, forcing the team of American and Indian climbers to retreat down the mountain and abandon the nuclear-powered spying device. Now in the spring of 1966, the team has to go back up to retrieve it. But they are unprepared for what they will discover when they get there.Listen early and ad free with W ... Show More
Apr 2024
Dash to the Summit: Avalanche Approaching…
In remotest India, one moment of misfortune sees a daring adventure snowball into an epic escape. A group of professional mountaineers set out to ascend Panchachuli V, an unclimbed Himalayan peak. But in whiteout conditions the treacherous, adrenalising descent will nearly cost S ... Show More
52m 29s
Mar 2014
Everest: Getting to the Top of the World, Pt. 2
<p>After WWII ended, efforts were resumed to conquer Everest, but it took many, many teams and missions to reach the summit. Eventually, a bee keeper and a Sherpa achieved that loftiest of goals. But what's happened on Everest since then? You can read the show notes for this epis ... Show More
23m 56s
Sep 2019
Mount Everest Pt. 1: The Blizzard of 1996
In 1996, two climbing groups set out to reach the peak of Mount Everest, the highest point on planet Earth. A sudden, unexpected blizzard would leave them stranded on the mountain's summit, where the freezing cold and lack of oxygen slowly killed them off, one by one. Learn more ... Show More
52m 8s
Jan 2024
The Sunday Read: ‘Ghosts on the Glacier’
<p>Fifty years ago, eight Americans set off for South America to climb Aconcagua, one of the world’s mightiest mountains. Things quickly went wrong. Two climbers died. Their bodies were left behind.</p><p>Here is what was certain: A woman from Denver, maybe the most accomplished ... Show More
1h 16m