Episode 185 - Longs Peak
Summary
Alex Waterfield recounts a terrifying encounter on Longs Peak, Colorado’s deadliest 14er, where he met a man named Tim who claimed to have died during a previous climb. As a storm approached, Tim’s impossible movements and eerie warnings left Alex shaken, leading to a frantic escape from the mountain. The episode explores the unforgiving nature of high-altitude wilderness and the lingering mystery of the unexplained event.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Culligan Purity water cooler
Introduction to hiking dangers and a hiker's death
Guest background and introduction to Longs Peak
First ascent of Longs Peak and altitude sickness
Winter climbing conditions and the Keyhole route
Missing hiker Ryan Albert and private investigator
Ice field dangers and climbing equipment details
Previous accident and dangerous descent with roommate
The solo hike: Storm clouds and the man in black
Sponsor: Alma therapy
Encountering the man in black on the ice field
Conversation with Tim and the ghost story
Tim's account of his friend and the panic
The man in black's warning and the descent
Reporting to rangers and the search for evidence
Investigating the 1991 death and matching details
Hypoxia theory and the mountain's presence
Future plans to return to the boulder field
Host's investigation findings and skepticism
Credits and call for listener stories
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