Our two returning guests make this one of our strongest episodes yet. First, the great Freddie Wilkinson joins us from his home in New Hampshire to give us the latest reporting on the historic first winter ascent of K2 by a team of 10 Nepali and Sherpa climbers. And we muse about what this ascent portends for the future of cutting-edge alpinism in the greater Himalaya.

Next, we connect with the great Kelly Cordes to talk about the recent passing of Cesare Maestri at the ripe old age of 91 years old. Maestri, the affectionately named Spider of the Dolomites, was legend and climbing icon in his home of Italy, but his legacy is inextricably linked to all but debunked claims of having completed the first ascent of Cerro Torre in 1959.

For the Final Bit, Danny Parker serenades us with a song about climbing’s ubiquitous badge of honor—or greatest nemesis—the Gobi. We promise you’ll never go to the desert again without thinking about this song …

SHOW NOTES

“One Mountain, Thousand Summits” by Freddie Wilkinson.

Guiding with Freddie.

Freddie’s op-ed in the NYT about the first winter ascent of K2.

“The Tower: A Chronicle of Climbing and Controversy on Cerro Torre” by Kelly Cordes.

Maestri obit on Rock and Ice.

Follow Danny Parker’s desert adventures on Insta.

Photo: Cerro Torre in Patagonia, Argentina on December 28th 2009 // Corey Rich/Red Bull Content Pool