Rescue Radio by Portland Mountain Rescue

Eldorado Peak, with its knife edge summit, is one of the most iconic peaks in the Pacific Northwest. 

Our very own PMR member, Marc "Milo" Milobinski is joining Amy Graham and Ania Wiktorowicz to talk about his climb of Eldorado  Peak, the accident, rescue and emergency signaling. Sometimes accidents happen in the least expected places that are still far away from cell service. How do you call for help? What opti...

Chris Erickson was a veteran mountain ranger in Denali when he was faced with a crevasse rescue that was deemed impossible: extricate a fallen climber from a 60 foot depth of a crevasse what was only 12 inches wide on the bottom.  His story is a true example or heroism and perseverance that you may only find in rare rescue stories told by seasoned experts. 
This episode will make you believe in magical outcomes which in fact is...

Hosted by Ania Wiktorowicz, Created by Mari Feher

Andrew Holman is a Portland, Or transplant living and climbing around Anchorage, Alaska. In the process of climbing all the peaks of the Chugach  Mountain range near Anchorage, one night he found himself tumbling 500 ft on the South side of Avalanche Mountain  (5,050 feet) . What do you do with one microspike on a side of a 45 degree icey slope? As a BCEP grad from the Maza...

Hosted by Ania Wiktorowicz, Created by Mari Feher

Eric Gagnon has been in Search and Rescue for 25 years.  He has been in helicopter rescues for 10 years with King County Sheriff's office in the state of Washington after a start at the Coast Guard. Not only is he a rescue specialist, a hoist operator but currently he is training incoming new members on how to conduct rescues. Having numerous back country helicopter re...

Created by Mari Feher, Hosted by Ania Wiktorovicz

In July of 2022 Jaden Stewart of  Gallatin County Sheriff SAR in Montana, Karel Kaiser and their partner set out to summit Mt Rainier in the state of Washington via the Ptarmigan Ridge route. As they started out from their high camp in 30+ miles /hour wind, they noticed a lone headlamp from the party ahead of them giving off SOS signals. At this point, the team knew there w...

Hosted by Ania Wiktorowitz, Created by Mari Feher

We all have a connection to nature and the mountains. It is unavoidable to experience some stress, trauma or even loss and grief while you are on your favourite pitch or route. How do you cope when you are under stressors? Do you have the necessary tools to overcome this experience  or the need to reach out to your community for help? If you ever felt you are alone feeling ...

K9 Rook is a human remains detection K9, a  Belgian Malinois that works for the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office along with his handler, Terri Hines. 
What does Rook do exactly? What is the certification process for your dog to become a SAR dog? How many different kinds of search dogs are out there and how are they trained? If you ever pondered any of these questions or simply love and appreciate working dogs, come and li...

Hosted by Ania Wiktorowicz, Created by Mari Feher

In June of 2022 Sam Kang was leading a 5.6 trad route on Unicorn Peak in the Tatoosh Range in Washington, when a microwave-size rock came loose, sending them to a 25 foot fall, landing face up on the ground.  Freak accidents like this can happen to anyone and on routes that you have done a thousand times before.  Petra Lebaron-Botts who is a trainee with Portland Mountain R...

Hosted by Ania Wiktorowicz, Created by Mari Feher

In today's episode Ania is talking to Gabe Kitter. He was featured on Garmin.com when his inReach Mini and his trusty friend Steven Jensen saved his life after his 800+ pound snowmobile rolled over him a few times in Cantwell, Alaska. 
Alaska can be desolate just like many outdoor locations all through the Pacific Northwest. Are you prepared to act if an accident h...

Hosted by Ania Wiktorowicz, Created by Mari Feher

Did you know that after an avalanche  you, as a back country recreationist are the strongest link in the chain of survival? Heiko Stopsack is a paramedic with the King County Medic 1 and King County Sheriff's Department's Air Support, also a member of Hood River's Crag Rats rescue team.  He is here to give you advice on how you, as an observer can be the most...

Created by Mari Feher, Hosted by Ania Wiktorowicz

Dale Remsberg is an IFMGA and AMGA mountain guide based in Lafayette, CO. He currently serves as a technical director of the American Mountain Guides Association, which includes instructing and examining young guides. Dale prides himself in high-end skills in all the disciplines and can still be found out cruising on difficult terrains of the Canadian Rockies or Switzerland...

Should Airbags Be Standard Avalanche Safety Equipment? Avalanche Airbags , invented in the 1980s prevent mortality  better than avalanche transceivers, but have yet to be widely adopted. Is the price and weight difference worth it to save your life? Absolutely. Come and learn how to use them and where you can get one. PMR's presenter Christopher Van Tilburg, MD talks through the reasons why.

Christopher is an accompli...

Created by Mari Feher, Hosted by Ania Wictorowicz

So you like backcountry skiing and mountaineering? If you are a beginner you may stick to known routes but if you do like getting off the heavily traveled areas and find your way through new pow in the backcountry, are you sure you can find your way out? What can you do to ensure you make it out safe without spending a cold and wet night huddled under the shelter of so...

Hosted by: Ania Wiktorowicz Created by: Mari Feher

In 2020 Jake Palazzi had one of those classic rappel accidents.  Upon topping out on a five pitch route,  Wherever I may roam at Smith Rock in Oregon, he came to a crashing halt after falling a full pitch and rag dolling another 150 ft to the hiker's trail. How did he survive rappelling off the end of his rope? He is here to tell you his miracle  of a story and  to re...

Created by Mari Feher,  Hosted by Ania Wiktorowicz

On May 31, 2019 four climbers -- Yevgeniy Krasnitskiy, Ruslan Khasbulatov, Vasily Aushev and Kostya "Constantine" Toporov -- started climbing the hardest, most technical route on Mount Rainier in Washington . High winds that tore up their tent and blew away their gear forced them to stop on the Liberty Ridge route. After spending 5 days on the mountain, the group...

Created by: Mari Feher, Hosted by:  Ania Wiktorowicz

A fire erupted on  Sept. 8, 2012, and burned about 26,000 acres, or about 40 square miles at the Pole Creek trailhead.  The fire that was caused by lightning cost about $18 million to fight. The surging blaze destroyed four cars at the trailhead in the Three Sisters Wilderness, endangering 30 hikers and campers who had to be rescued out of the forest. 

One of th...

Created by: Mari Feher,  Hosted by: Ania Wiktorowicz

Are ice caves the same as glacier caves? Should you be taking your selfie with them or explore them on your own? Did you know that the PNW has one of the few remaining ice caves inside glaciers  on our back yard volcanos in the entire country? 

Eddy Cartaya, the Indiana Jones of Glacier Caving , TED Talk speaker and  will give you the scoop of the intimate detai...