The Duffel Shuffle Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

The Duffel Shuffle podcast is kicking off a 7-episode series, covering all things Seven Summits. Popularized and first completed by Dick Bass, the 7 Summits List comprises the tallest mountain on each of the 7 continents of the world. These include, in order of height, Everest (Asia), Aconcagua (S. America), Denali (N. America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Elbrus (Europe), and Australia/Oceania (Mount Kosciuszko/Puncak Jaya). 

Adrian and Sam start with Aconcagua, the tallest mountain outside of the Himalaya, and the tallest peak in South America. Aconcagua, which was first climbed in 1897, sees approximately 3,000-4,000 attempts annually, with a success rate of roughly 30-40%. Considering the altitude, challenging weather, and incredibly short climbing season, Aconcagua is no walk in the park!

- Nearing 23,000' or 7,000m in elevation, Aconcagua is an excellent place for climbers to test themselves at an altitude that isn't found anywhere else, outside of the Himalaya. 

- While the technical challenge on Aconcagua is quite low, each season brings many accidents and near misses due to unprepared climbers and challenging weather and wind. 

- Equipment choices on Aconcagua can be the difference between success and failure, and many cold-weather items are really only needed on the summit. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Together, Christina "Lusti" Lustenberger and Guillaume "Gee" Pierrel have teamed up for some of the most notable and impressive first descents in recent years. 

Lusti is an Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) Ski Guide and professional skier. A career that started with alpine ski racing took Lusti all the way to the Olympics, but more than five knee surgeries later, a career pivot has taken her to ski some of the most impressive and challenging lines around the world. 

Gee, a french IFMGA Mountain Guide, got his start on skis through Nordic racing, but a love for the outdoors and the mountains brought him full circle. He too made a career pivot in his 20's, and what started out as ski instruction eventually led him to guide certification. 

Lusti and Gee join Sam and Adrian to talk about the partnership they've developed and the keys to their success in the mountains:

- With their first big mountain experiences on New Zealand's Mt. Cook in October 2024, Lusti and Gee recount their first descent on the mountain. 

- Following their success in New Zealand, Lusti invited Gee to join her on a more-than-a-decades long project on Canada's Mt. Robson. 

- With the ultimate partnership developed, and technical skills that complement each other nicely, Lusti and Gee have the ultimate potential to push forward the sport of Ski Mountaineering. 

Lusti and Gee's latest film, Robson, debuts at the Banff Mountain Film Festival on November 1. To learn more about Lusti and Gee, and follow their adventures, find them on Instagram @christinalusti and @geepierrel.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Following a successful Everest expedition in which Adrian successfully reached the summit for the 10th time, Sam and Adrian catch up to cover some of the notable storylines from the season.

While much of the 'action' occurs on the South side of the mountain, a route that Alpenglow does not climb, Adrian has such intimate knowledge of both sides that his perspective is unique. Additionally, between mountain guide gossip and the Sherpa grapevine, a lot if information gets passed without percolating to the mainstream media, some of which we get an inside scoop on in this episode.

Sam and Adrian talk about the following storylines from the 2025 Everest Season:
- Deaths and Rescues: While the 5 fatalities on the south side of the mountain (and zero on the North side) is a relatively low number as compared to recent seasons, rescues and near-misses reached record highs.
- Anja Blancha: One of only two successful no oxygen summits of Everest this season was achieved by the German climber, her 12th of 14 8,000ers without supplemental O2.
- FKT Attempts: Neither Karl Egloff nor Tyler Andrews were successful in reaching the summit of Everest, both of whom set out for Fastest Known Times.
- Xenon Climbers: Arguably the story of the season, Furtenbach Adventures' Flash Ascent of Everest using Xenon Gas was successful, but is Xenon really the future of climbing the tallest peaks around the world?

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Adrian Ballinger and the Alpenglow Expedition team had success on Everest! First, Sam and Adrian had a chance to catch up briefly following Adrian's 10th summit of the tallest mountain in the world. In this episode of The Duffel Shuffle, the two touch base with Esteban "Topo" Mena, Alpenglow's co-expedition leader, from base camp on the North Side of Mount Everest before Alpenglow's summit push.

Topo Mena is an IFMGA guide, Black Diamond Athlete and an inspiration to many. Topo’s accomplishments include many summits of 8,000m peaks, including multiple on Everest as well as K2, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, Cho Oyu, Makalu, and Manaslu, as well as more than 250 summits of Cotopaxi in his home country of Ecuador. Topo has participated in grade VI first ascents in the Himalayas and in the Tien Shan, unsupported ascents without supplementary oxygen of 8000m peaks (including Mount Everest in 2013 at age 23 during his first expedition to the mountain), and numerous ascents pursuing difficulty or speed in his beloved Andes, or in the Himalayas, Karakorum, Alps, Tien Shan, Pamirs and Antarctica.

Following up on Episode 2 of the Duffel Shuffle, Sam and Adrian check back with Topo to hear about his recovery, and how he perceives his return to "100%".

- Topo talks about his role as Co-Expedition Leader alongside Adrian with Alpenglow Expeditions' Everest Team.

- Topo shares a bit about the importance of a strong team on Everest, and how being co-expedition leader alongside such a strong team of guides makes the role easy.

- Topo talks about his personal climbing goals, and his continued focus on opening a new route on Mt Everest.

You can learn more about Topo on Instagram, @estebantopomena, and through his sponsor https://blackdiamondequipment.com/blogs/athletes/esteban-topo-mena.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Adrian Ballinger is joining us live from base camp on the North Side of Mount Everest. We've collected more than 30 questions from you, the audience, over the past months, and now it is time to rapid fire answer as many as we can.

With questions all across the board, we cover the following topics:
- Everest costs, financial requirements and alternatives
- Training and physical preparation for Everest and other climbing goals
- How to progress as a climber, and comparing different training grounds
- Mentorship and how to develop your personal climbing mindset
- Routes, risk and other strategies
- Acclimatization and other health factors
- Equipment, food and staying comfortable
- Sustainability and ethics

A huge thank you to those who submitted questions. We're stoked to interact with our audience, and ensure the content we're putting out is of interest to you! If you have further questions, DM us on Instagram, comment on our posts, or leave us a message on our YouTube episodes; we love hearing from you!

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Melissa Arnot Reid is not only a mountain guide, speaker and author, but she's also an athlete. Melissa is the first American woman to successfully summit and descend Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, a peak she has climbed a total of 6 times throughout her career.

Melissa's new book, Enough: Climbing Toward a True Self on Mount Everest, released on April 1, and we had a chance to connect with her following the launch to learn more.

- The three kick off their conversation with a bit of talk about running and Melissa's current running endeavors.

- Melissa shares a bit about her book, the process of writing, the importance in her own healing journey, and the origins of the title Enough.

- Melissa dives into her mountain experiences as a child, how she found her way into guiding through RMI, and some of the challenges of being a women in a predominantly male industry.

- Melissa catches us up on life today, and raising two kids by two working mountain guide parents.

You can learn more about Melissa on Instagram, @melissaarnot, and through her website www.melissaarnot.com/. Melissa's new book, Enough: Climbing Toward a True Self on Mount Everest, can be found wherever you buy your books, including on Amazon.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Beth Rodden is an American Rock Climber who has been at the top of the sport for decades. After getting her start in competition climbing, Beth moved her focus the outdoors, and is known for both hard single pitch climbs and technical big wall climbing. Beth has also been an advocate for women in climbing and has been outspoken about her struggles with an eating disorder early in her career.

Beth released her memoir, A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber's Story, in May of 2024, and we finally had a chance to catch up with her after a recent bouldering trip in France.

- Beth shares a bit about her recent trip to Fontainebleau, and how climbing trips are truly a family affair, with both her husband and son pursuing climbing at a high level.

- Beth talks about her book, the process of writing it, and the importance in her healing journey that the book had.

- Beth gives a brief overview of her wild experience in Kyrgyzstan, where she and her climbing partners were held captive while on a climbing trip in her early 20's. 

- In the end, Beth talks about her true joy for climbing, and while pushing grades and climbing hard are fun, she still finds joy in the easiest climbs and most simple days out.

You can learn more about Beth on Instagram, @bethrodden, and through her website www.bethrodden.com. Signed copies of Beth's book can be purchased through her website. Her book, A Light through the Cracks: A Climber's Story, can also be purchased on Amazon or at your local bookstore.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Garrett Madison is considered to be one of America's premier Everest guides. In addition to leading nearly 100 clients to the summit of Mt. Everest, Garrett has made a lasting impact on the world of expedition climbing in the Himalaya and Karakoram, with notable firsts including the first guided climbs of K2 and guided linkups of Everest and Lhotse. 

Prior to departing for the 2025 Everest season, Garrett joined Sam and Adrian on episode 26 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast. Garrett shares his journey to becoming a guide, and the incredible opportunities he's had throughout his career. 

- Garrett's initial interest in becoming a guide started on Mt. Rainier, where he got his start in the profession through hundreds of ascents in his early years as a guide. 

- Garrett shares his experience with guide certification, and how his career has followed a path in which formal training/certification has not been necessary. 

- Garrett talks about what he's seen change in the industry, and how he's focused on mitigating the negative impacts around the increase in number of climbers each season. 

You can learn more about Garrett on Instagram, @garrettmadison1 and through his business, Madison Mountaineering, on Instagram @madisonmtng and online at www.madisonmountaineering.com. To learn more about his foundation, visit www.madisonmountaineering.com/foundation.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

Referred to by Outside Magazine as "one of the world's most respected chroniclers of Everest," Alan Arnette is not only a journalist, but also a climber. At age 38, Alan discovered a passion for climbing and completed over 37 expeditions, including Mt. Everest and K2. Living in Colorado, he has summited all 58 of the 14,000-foot mountains over 225 times.

In anticipation of the 2025 Mt Everest climbing season, Alan joins Sam and Adrian on episode 25 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast! Alan talks about his life, entering the world of climbing and mountaineering as an adult.

- Alan shares his path to climbing, and how he shifted his life at age 38 and became quickly embedded into the world of mountaineering.

- Alan talks about some of his experiences on expeditions, including Mt Everest and K2 expeditions that were transformative in his life as a climber.

- Alan highlights the importance of having a purpose in climbing, and shares his connection to Alzheimer's advocacy after watching his mom, Ida, decline. Today, he advocates for Alzheimer's patients and caregivers through his mountain climbing.

You can learn more about Alan through his blog, https://www.alanarnette.com/ and his Instagram, @arnette.alan. Alan's coaching services can be followed at https://summitcoach.org/.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.

On Episode 24 of The Duffel Shuffle Podcast, Sam and Adrian dive into the nitty gritty details of what goes into planning an Everest Expedition, behind the scenes. Adrian has guided dozens of expeditions to the Himalaya, and while the industry and technology are forever changing, the process of planning a Himalayan expedition, particularly to Mt Everest, follows a fairly typical path. 

- Everest planning is truly a year-round activity, but Adrian tries to protect the month of July as his "no Everest" month. 

- Beginning in August, and lasting until the early part of January, Adrian is focused on building the best possible team. This often starts with clients, but by the permit deadline he has his clients, guides and sherpa team established. 

- Once the CTMA (Chinese Tibetan Mountaineering Association) permit deadline comes and goes, Adrian's focus turns to equipment and travel plans. With gear cache's in Tingri, Tibet and Kathmandu Nepal, as well as the US, and other supplies coming from Europe and South America, the duffel shuffle is always extensive. 

- Finally, with visa's secured, and equipment en route, Adrian and the team will begin their travels through China, into the TAR, and onto Basecamp. 

You can follow Adrian's Everest season and more on Instagram @adrianballinger, and the entire team through @alpenglowexpeditions.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. Visit our website at www.duffelshufflepodcast.com and join our mailing list. The Duffel Shuffle Podcast is supported by Alpenglow Expeditions, an internationally renowned mountain guide service based in Lake Tahoe, California. Visit www.alpenglowexpeditions.com or follow @alpenglowexpeditions on Instagram to learn more.