Episode 232 of The Adventure Podcast features legendary alpinist, Mick Fowler. Mick is 70 and still climbing in the Himalaya. He can't remember how many first ascents he has there, but spoiler alert, it's a lot. In this episode, Mick talks to Matt about balancing his seemingly ordinary tax career with an extraordinary alpine one. He explains his approach to alpine-style climbing, what makes a good multi-decade climbing partner, near misses, and the mindset needed to know when to push on vs when to turn back. Mick also talks candidly about being diagnosed with cancer and the colostomy bag he's lived with since. Together they also reflect on ageing and moderating objectives without losing satisfaction. Mick is one of the greats but is exceptionally humble, and this is an honest, no fluff conversation about the 'simple' life that got him the accolades.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Photo credit - Paul Ramsden

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-09:58: Mick on life after retirement, balancing 39 years at the tax office with family and climbing, and why he never planned to stop.

09:58-20:33: The difference between fixed-rope commercial expeditions and his own minimalist, uncertainty-driven approach - and how his climbing evolved over the decades.

21:02-31:14: What makes a good Himalayan climbing partner, and the criteria behind choosing an unclimbed, remote, culturally interesting mountain.

32:27-39:55: A dangerous descent in China, followed by his cancer diagnosis, surgery, and life afterwards with a colostomy bag.

39:55-53:28: Staying fit through fell racing, moderating ambitions with age, and preparing for an upcoming expedition to Nepal.

54:57-1:02:51: Views on style and bolts in modern mountaineering, and writing his latest book during recovery from injury.

1:02:51-1:05:08: What scares Mick, what gives him hope, and a close.

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Episode 231 of The Adventure Podcast features explorer and polar activist, Matthieu Tordeur. Starting with a solo trip to Antarctica at 26, Matthieu talks through his shift from solo self-funded expeditions to purpose-driven exploration. He explains what drew him to polar landscapes specifically, and they talk in detail about a kite-skiing research-driven traverse he recently did with glaciologist Heidi Sevestre. They discuss what that expedition actually involved logistically - data collection, kites, navigation, no hierarchy. And they get into some of the harder questions facing modern expedition life. The conversation also touches on glaciers, hope, hypocrisy, and whether there's still time to act.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-06:07: Matthieu's relationship with solitude and what led to a self-funded solo expedition at 26.

06:07-8:32: The specific pull of polar landscapes over other extreme environments.

08:32-13:54: Returning to Antarctica years later, this time for a different purpose.

13:54-23:23: The shift from expeditions as personal journeys to expeditions with scientific intent, and the tension of travelling extensively while advocating on climate.

23:23-26:22: Reconciling personal freedom, fatherhood, and environmental responsibility without easy answers.

26:22-37:37: How the kite expedition with glaciologist Heidi Sevestre was built around research from the outset.

37:37-46:35: The physical and logistical demands of the trip, and whether it was enjoyable or simply hard.

46:35-49:33: Decision-making and conflict within a two-person team with no fixed hierarchy.

49:33-54:59: Weighing privilege and personal travel against a backdrop of wildfires and climate change.

54:59-58:04: Rediscovering everyday adventure through his young son.

58:04-1:02:39: Whether it's too late for the world's glaciers, and choosing to act regardless.

1:02:39-1:06:42: What scares Matthieu, what gives him hope, and a close.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

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Episode 230 of The Adventure Podcast features survival instructor, bushcraft expert, and TV adventurer, Naomi Allsworth. Naomi started as a sportswear fashion designer in London, before pivoting to bushcraft and working alongside Bear Grylls as a survival expert. She talks to Matt about finding her place in the bushcraft world, but also the criticism she has and still receives from some. She also reveals what it was like being cast on survival show, 'Alone', with just three weeks' notice, and how authentic survival TV shows really are. Naomi also opens up about her crippling postpartum depression, and that pushing herself back into wild, uncomfortable places was the only thing that pulled her out. Together they dig into the double standards facing adventurous parents, and they both get candid about the guilt, privilege, and precarious balancing act of a career built on being away. They also touch on Naomi's upcoming unsupported expedition, and representation vs community skepticism. It's an honest, no frills conversation around what it costs to build a career that lives online and away from home, but also what that can give you.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-02:31: Naomi on identity, growing up in rural Wales, and finding herself through fashion design in London.

02:31-05:53: Swerving her degree toward mountaineering clothing, and testing kit in the Sahara and on Everest.

05:53-13:42: Naomi's postpartum depression, the fear of leaving her son, and how bushcraft became her lifeline.

13:42-24:01: Matt and Naomi compare notes on parental guilt, presence, and the different judgement mums and dads face for going away.

24:01- 26:34: Why having the right partner makes an adventurous career possible.

26:34-34:00: Naomi's whirlwind three-week casting, hostility from a fellow contestant, and finishing third.

34:00-39:48: How authentic survival TV actually is, and the tension between bushcraft purism and entertainment.

39:48-48:00: Wanting to represent women in the outdoors while keeping the respect of a skeptical community.

48:00-58:36: Why paid TV work funds real expeditions.

58:36-1:03:36: The impossible task of pleasing everyone online, and how criticism still stings even after years in the spotlight.

1:03:36-1:05:34: What scares Naomi and what gives her hope.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.