Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS)

Brian Squire started climbing when he was 'born.'  He won his first of two bouldering national championships at age 15.  What does it take to climb to the top. Listen as Brain tells his incredible   story.

Rabies virus can be found in many wild and domestic animals.  Listen as this podcast gives the details of this universally deadly disease. 

An  unlikely climber, Carol Masheter, was 61 years old when she summited Mt. Everest.  And that was only the beginning. Before she was done, she had climbed to the top of all 9 of the 7 Summits and became the only person to summit them in her 60's. Listen to this amazing story. 

In July of 2022, a group of 12 people climbed Utah's highest mountain, King's Peak in the USA.  This hike draws many people to a great height where many common hiking problems occur.

There are a lot of inconveniences and perils in the outdoors.  But there are several that literally will suck you in.   Listen and find out common ways that nature grabs us.

A 57 year old lady had a rash that despite extensive therapy, would not go away.  Doctors went searching for the cause and found of all things - sugar - Alpha Gal. 

One of the most exciting modern sports is also the most ancient of activities - rock climbing.  So, what are the most common traumatic and over use injures in this fantastic sport? What is a suspension injury?  These and other medical issues are reviewed in this episode.

The decision to evacuate is a difficult one at best.  But when, how and by what method makes the decision more complex.  In this podcast, cases are discussed  that point out some of the difficulties. 

Listen as Black Diamond Equipment's founder, Peter Metcalf, tells the amazing story of surviving the first alpine style ascent of the south face of Alaska's Mt. Hunter. 

Listen as Dr. Alex Charmoz details the latest treatments for this terrible cold injury.

What would you do if a climbing partner was injured deep in a mountain range, stranded in a precarious position, and far from help?  How would you get him out?  Listen as Dr. Alex Charmoz describes this dramatic rescue from the Bugaboo Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. 

In August 2017, Doug Julian, a healthy 17 year old boy climbed with scouts to 10,500 feet (3,200 m).  He died of altitude illness.   In this podcast Doug's father tells his story. 

If you were about to hike 2,640 miles (4250 km) would you know what to bring, what illness or injuries to expect?  Listen  to  Forest Streeter's experience in the Summer of 2021 as he did the unbelievable, hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. 

A search and rescue is impossible without supervision to oversee all of the many nuances and problems that arise.  Incident Command or IC, is essential.  This podcast outline the operation and organization  of a rescue.   

Probably the most asked question in wilderness medicine is, "What should I put in a first aid kit."  There is no one simple answer to this question.   But there are a bunch of guidelines that will help you put together a great medical kit for your adventure.

Are you protected from helping people who are injured in the backcountry?  Well, maybe, it all depends.  This podcasts discusses the nuances of law and the wilderness.

Diarrhea at home is a terrible nuisance!  But in the wilderness, it quickly can become a major medical issue.  What are common causes and treatments for diarrhea while in the backcountry? What medicines are appropriate?  When do you evacuate?  This podcast 'runs' with this important subject.

Our outdoor adventures take us to all parts of the world.  Which immunization are needed to keep us safe?  How you decide might surprise you. 

Out of of tragedy comes the story of the creation of a new and safer kayak helmet.

Have you ever wondered what to do if a tooth is knocked out on a back country trip? What do you do if a person gets a toothache or a filling falls out in the backcountry?  In this lecture, Dr. Paul Schmutz gives answers to these and other lessons on dental problems in the wilderness. 

On a hot June day while floating the Colorado River,  a 38 year old lady, with no medical problems, needed help to step off of a river raft.  She then collapsed on the beach.  What could have caused this? This podcast reviews the wilderness medicine issues surrounding this case.

Do you have your emergency nutritional kit ready to go?  Listen as nutrition professor Kary Woodruff answers this and other important questions in the second installment of nutrition in the wilderness. 

Have you ever thought about what you should be eating and drinking when you go off into the wilderness?  Listen to nutrition professor, Kary Woodruff talk about the fundamentals of wilderness nutrition.  

Ultrasound is essential in hospital medicine, but can it be used in wilderness and austere settings?  What are the advantages and what are the challenges of bringing ultrasound into the backcountry? Listen as  Nicholas Weinberg, MD, Johndavid (Jd) Storn, MD and Jennifer Wray from the Emergency Medicine Department at Dartmouth-Hitchcock discuss this exciting topic. 

A cliff, a patient, unknown location and confusing symptoms.  This is an instructive story of a recuse high in the Wasatch Mountains, told by Dan Hadley of Salt Lake County Sherriff Search and Rescue.