Deep Roots

“Let’s see if I can get to the top of this hill without being tired” is the game I play with myself to keep my exertion levels under control. I’m so wired to push that this default setting needs constant management and close concentration. It’s one of the paradoxes of this pursuit that effort can and will be detrimental to your desired outcome. To help with this, my internal narrative can often be...

14 and half hours of deep blissful sleep! I would never have guessed I could spend so long in a sleeping bag. That should help efforts to reboot the body post yesterday’s icefall climb. Shortly after Pingju arrived at my tent with some hot water for breakfast, I recognize some familiar voices from the comfort of my sleeping bag. My weary body is reluctant to rise until  @climber_tenji  sticks his...

Taking steps on Everests famous ice-falls... Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock & @Deeprootspod You can become a patron by singing up here > https://www.patreon.com/DamianBrowne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 27 and 28 see's Damian hike to Pumori base camp for the third time in his journey. This followed by a trek into the icefall and on to camp 1. The start of ' Hard shit' in terms of climbing begins, but bright days are looking ahead. Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock & @Deeprootspod You can become a patron...

The last days of quarantine with eyes set back on the mountain. Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock & @Deeprootspod You can become a patron by singing up here > https://www.patreon.com/DamianBrowne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"These Covid symptoms can best be described as tidal. Waves of feeling a little bit better than a little bit worse..." Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock & @Deeprootspod You can become a patron by singing up here > https://www.patreon.com/DamianBrowne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informat...

Quite the change of view in 24hrs. Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock & @Deeprootspod You can become a patron by singing up here > https://www.patreon.com/DamianBrowne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Covid-19 had struck the mountain. Listen and follow Damian's story as he attempts to summit Mt Everest. Stepping over unexpected obstacles. Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock & @Deeprootspod You can become a patron by singing up here > https://www.patreon.com/DamianBrowne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

Day 14: EBC to 5600m in the Khumbu Icefall - Day 15: EBC to Pumori BC (5740m) A storm has arrived at base camp. I don’t understand what is wrong with me. It’s never been this challenging before for me to acclimatise, not even close. I feel weak, drained, fatigued just moving around camp. It makes no sense. My appetite is good, in fact, after yesterday’s efforts, I made it my mission to consume loa...

This morning is the first morning I’d venture to say I feel nearly “normal”. Definitely, I’m in a much better place than the last 3/4 mornings. Gone are all the momentary physical warning signs brought on by hastiness or overeagerness. Another good sign I’m moving in the right direction. Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @A...

I laugh at how many times I’ve had this realisation and how it’s yet to take its place as a permanent reality in my mind, despite the many hours and days spent experiencing it over the last 3 years; mountain living is hard. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It started with one of the worst nights of sleep I have ever experienced. The sweats, nausea, headaches, constant vivid nightmares (mad shit about guides, sherpas, mountain life, permits and not getting kicked off the mountain), diarrhea, and lastly, Cheyne - Stokes breathing. This is basically where you stop breathing momentarily mid-sleep. A disconcerting way to wake yourself up. A tough night o...

Today is Puja. Puja is a ‘right of passage’, one in which all climbers & Sherpas take part before our long & difficult journeys to the summit. The Puja Ceremony is performed to make contact with the divine Sagamartha or Mount Everest and to pray for a safe expedition. Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock &am...

Yesterday Anup and I arrived at Lobuche basecamp to finally unite me with my team. They themselves had just arrived back from Lobuche high-camp where their summit attempt was foiled by the overnight snow dump. And so it begins... Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock & @Deeprootspod You can become a patron by sin...

One of the benefits of trekking alone as I catch up with my team is no roommate. No roommate equals one free bed, which in turn means two duvets, and believe me both are needed. Even with two duvets draped over me I’m still sleeping fully clothed. Welcome to day 7. The Story Continues... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 5: Debouche (3800m) - Pheriche (4200m) & Day 6: Pheriche (4200m) - Acclimatisation Hike (5100m) - Pheriche (4200m) Make sure to subscribe, so as not to miss an episode. Watch and follow Damian as it happens on his Instagram @Auldstock & @Deeprootspod You can become a patron by singing up here > https://www.patreon.com/DamianBrowne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

A day that can be divided straight down the middle into two contrasting halves. A rushed and bouncing concentration on non-negotiables that need to be done each morning before we start our hike leads to a disturbing and unfocused mental state for the first few hours of today’s journey from Namche to Debouche. To add to this unhelpful state, there were two elements of today’s route that frustrated...

-As we reach the viewpoint I’m instantly blown away by what I see. Surrounded (literally) by 6, 7, and 8 thousand meter peaks, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. One of the first thoughts to come up for me was, “everyone needs to witness this once in their lives”. Day 3, a good day in the scheme of life. Happy to be here. Onwards Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

“Nah, there’s no way! How? A headache?!?! These were my first thoughts as I rose from a 2.5 hour sleep after arriving in Namche. I couldn’t believe it. I had felt so smooth and strong throughout the day, drank plenty of fluids and now after a deep and restorative sleep, I awake to this." Listen along as Damian recaps his second day towards Everest. Make sure to subscribe, so not miss an episode. W...

After landing in Lukla and meeting my guide Anup, we realised one of my bags hadn’t made the flight and would be coming on the next one in an hour or so. Nobody seemed to stressed about this so we found a tea house with a great view of the infamous runway and had some breakfast. Sure enough the duffle arrived as promised along with our porter who committed to carrying both my bags! If that wasn’t...

"The day dream just became a reality" Season 2 has arrived in true Damian Browne Fashion, with a story. After three years of preparation, training and a lifetime goal. On April 9th Damian landed in Nepal to begin his latest adventure. To climb Mt Everest. Listen in and follow Damian's footsteps live, as he takes you the listeners to the top of world's largest mountain. Make sure to subscribe, so n...

The final chapter in an epic tale and to reflect the journey as a whole, it doesn't end without a challenge; How 2 fried satellite phones and a misplaced finishing procedure hand out nearly meant I 'missed' the island of Antigua   Day 63 :  50 miles from Antigua; No personal diary made in 48 hours; Risking losing all my video diaries; 14% battery life and a dead charging cable finally; Loving the...

In the last listener's questions episode, Damian answers questions on readjusting to life off the ocean and how quickly he put on weight again, when reality kicked in that he wasn't going to win and the importance of having a better understanding of the challenge before setting such goals versus having big aspirational goals; did he ever just shit himself in the dead of night; the issues around qu...

A toilet analogy to explain the subconscious signalling of why everything starts to hurt at the end of a challenge/expedition   Day 59:   Arse sores back with vengeance due to wet days; Rowing without a perch for a bit; Everything starting to hurt; Signalling to "give up"; A wild night - Squalls and bombs hitting the cabin; Crazy painkiller induced dreams?   Intra days : A waterproof notebook and...

It's a long one! In this opening Damian explains why he finishes his episodes with the sentence, "Keep striving for more from yourself" and why he holds a philosophy/belief that "Life is a fight".    Day 58 'Fight' :  An attempt to describe the journey; The monster that is the Atlantic; Howling, bubbling and grumbling away; An incredible challenge, the one I wanted; The harder it gets the more I r...