The Duffel Shuffle Podcast

With a string of high-profile guiding accidents making headlines this winter — including close to home here in Tahoe — Sam and Adrian sit down to dig into what it actually means to be a mountain guide, how guide companies are held accountable, and what you as a consumer should be looking for before you hire someone to take you into the mountains.
Before diving in, Adrian shares a personal update: a fractured back sustained in a sport climbing fall at Starwall that has him sidelined for the spring. Ever the risk management thinker, he unpacks the decision-making lapse that led to the accident and what the takeaway actually is. Sam, freshly back from a family ski trip to Davos, also weighs in on a developing fraud story out of Nepal in which rescue companies are alleged to have poisoned clients with baking soda to trigger fraudulent helicopter rescues — and why the distinction between mountain guides and high-altitude workers matters enormously in that conversation.
From there, Sam and Adrian turn to the main event: a wide-ranging conversation on guiding, certification, and accreditation.
What Is a Mountain Guide?: Why the term is so contested in the US versus Europe, and why the semantics actually matter for clients trying to evaluate who they're hiring.
Certification: How the AMGA certification and scope of practice system works, where Sam sits in that process, and why the gold standard is both certification and experience — not one without the other.
Accreditation: What AMGA accreditation means for guide companies, why only 32 businesses in the US have achieved it, and why Adrian believes it should become the industry standard — not the exception.
The Client's Role: Why the best guided experiences are partnerships, and why showing up as an active participant — not just a passenger — matters regardless of how qualified your guide is.
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.

With the 2026 Everest season just around the corner, Sam and Adrian sit down to preview what's shaping up to be one of the most consequential years in the mountain's modern climbing history.
While Alpenglow Expeditions has made the decision not to pivot their north side operation to the south side following the closure of the Tibetan route, Adrian's deep familiarity with both sides of the mountain gives him a uniquely informed perspective on what the season ahead holds. Between insider knowledge from the guiding community and the ever-reliable Sherpa grapevine, Adrian and Sam have plenty to say that hasn't yet made it into the mainstream conversation.
Sam and Adrian talk about the following storylines heading into the 2026 Everest Season:
North Side Closure: The Tibet side of Everest has been closed to international teams this season, sending a wave of expeditions scrambling to pivot to the Nepal side — and setting up what could be the busiest south side season in history.
Alpenglow's Decision: After a 90-minute internal meeting, Alpenglow chose not to redirect their north side operation southward, citing concerns about Khumbu Icefall dangers and the growing number of inexperienced climbers and operators on the south side route.
Notable Expeditions: FKT attempts, no-oxygen ascents, and sea-to-summit adventures are among the compelling storylines worth watching as the season gets underway.
Guiding & Regulation: Adrian and Sam make the case that the industry's focus on client experience requirements misses the bigger issue — the need for stronger regulation of guide companies themselves.
The Everest Experience: Whatever your style or approach, the guys take a moment to reflect on what makes climbing the world's highest mountain so enduringly extraordinary.
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.

Emily Harrington is a professional rock climber, alpinist, and adventurer known for pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the vertical world. A five-time American sport climbing champion and member of The North Face athlete team, Emily has established herself as one of the most accomplished and versatile climbers of her generation, with landmark ascents on big walls and high-altitude peaks around the world.

For Emily, climbing is as much about the journey and the people as it is about the summit. Whether projecting the hardest multi-pitch routes in Mexico or commentating a live Netflix broadcast of Alex Honnold free soloing Taipei 101, she brings the same curiosity, grit, and openness to every experience.

- Emily recently served as a commentator for Netflix's "Skyscraper Live", in which Alex Honnold free soloed Taipei 101. The experience offered a behind-the-scenes look at the complexity of live television production — coordinating hundreds of crew members while capturing one of climbing's most audacious feats in real time.

- On a recent trip to Mexico, Emily attempted "La Sombra del Chamán," widely considered the hardest multi-pitch route in the country. The climb tested her relationship with fear and exposure on big walls and led to a deeply personal decision to step back from her own send attempt to support her climbing partner, Matt Segal.

- After a busy stretch of travel and high-output experiences, Emily reflects honestly on nervous system overload and the quiet loss of motivation that can follow — and what it looks like to reset, recalibrate, and find joy in climbing again, as she's currently doing on a low-key rock climbing trip in Italy with minimal gear and zero performance pressure.

To learn more about Emily Harrington, follow her on Instagram @emilyaharrington. Her new documentary Girl Climber follows her career-defining attempt to free climb El Capitan in under 24 hours — becoming the first woman to free climb the 36-pitch Golden Gate route in a day, a feat previously accomplished only by male climbers like Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell. Watch Girl Climber now on Prime Video or stream it at jolt.film/watch/girlclimber.

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.

David Goettler has been a professional alpinist for nearly 3 decades, and part of The North Face athlete team his entire career. With a focus on classical alpine style climbing on the highest peaks of the world, David has set out on a quest to climb in the way that suits him. 
For David, climbing the tallest peaks of the world is a dream, and the challenge is in their height. Climbing without supplemental oxygen and Sherpa support above basecamp is the only way for him to truly test his abilities. 
- David has successfully summited seven 8,000m peaks without supplemental oxygen, many of which required multiple attempts. On his fifth attempt of Nanga Parbat in Pakistan in 2025, David summited via the Schell Route and descended by Paraglider from 7,700m on the mountain. 
- David has gone on expeditions with countless partners, and the list includes some of the most notable alpinists in the last 3 decades. For David, finding the right partners for his objectives is almost as calculated as the climb itself. 
- While David believes that all professional alpinists should be climbing without supplemental oxygen and sherpa support, he recognizes that for non-professionals, just being in the mountains is what's important, and style should be chosen based on what each individual is seeking. 
To learn more about David Goettler, follow him on Instagram @david_goettler.
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.

Still technically only a "few" weeks late, Sam and Adrian look back on 2025 and forward to 2026. This episode was delayed due to the Seven Summits series, but as we move into the new year, there's lots to talk about, from personal experiences in 2025 and goals for 2026 to the industry as a whole. 

- Adrian had a big year, with his 10th summit of Everest and the acquisition of Alpenglow Expeditions by Milky Way Park. Meanwhile, Sam started and finished his year on separate ski trips to Japan, but the highlight of the year was his growing family. 

- From expected films to impacts of tariffs, 2026 is sure to bring lots of interesting twists and turns. Andrzej Bargiel and Jim Morrison both broke the ceiling of 8,000m peak ski mountaineering, and expected films are potentially coming in 2026. On the other end of the industry, the ski industry may continue to see the direct effects of tariffs and other economic impacts. 

As we look forward to 2026, we want to thank our listeners for their continued support and encourage you to share feedback. Comment or message us what you like and what you don't like. Guest and topic ideas are always welcome!

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast, where you can learn more about our guests and us. 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.