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.

Nick Russell has been exploring the world by snowboard for more than a decade now. What started as a career competing has transitioned to strictly human powered exploration to some of the worlds highest peaks. Nick's drive comes from being truly passionate about riding his snowboard, and loves travel and exploration just as much as a day in Truckee riding with friends.

Sam and Adrian sit down with Nick to talk about his path to riding professionally:
- The three talk about Nick's career trajectory, from growing up in a skiing family, through competing on his snowboard, and eventually following the footsteps of those before him into the world of human powered exploration.
- Mentors that have played a big role in many professional's lives, including the mentorship of Jeremy Jones, Jim Zellers, Hilaree Nelson, Jim Morrison and others that have shaped Nick's path.
- Nick's recent expedition to Papsura, where he completed the first snowboard descent of the iconic peak as a tribute line to the Hilaree Nelson.

You can learn more about Nick and his career on his Instagram, @nick_russelll and check out his new film 'Papsura: Peak of Evil' on Youtube here.

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.

Michelle Parker has been a professional skier since she was 15 years old. Now, more than 2 decades later, Michelle is so much more than your every day professional skier (or athlete for that matter). From mentoring younger athletes to excelling at other off-season sports, Michelle's impact on the sport and the people around her is admirable. 

You can check out more about Michelle and her career on her Instagram @myshellparker. From projects with her sponsors @arcteryx and @redbull, to her own Podcast 'Care Less, Do More.', there's a lot to see of Michelle through the years. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram @duffelshufflepodcast where you can learn more about us and our guests. 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 has been a professional mountain athlete for somewhere between 1 decade and 3 decades. While he certainly knows a thing or two about climbing mountains, he's also built a brand around himself, and has represented brands through working not only as a guide but also an athlete. 

Sam and Adrian discuss Adrian's trajectory as a sponsored athlete, from when he got his first support from La Sportiva in a free pair of shoes, to now where he's supported by multiple large brands such as Black Diamond, La Sportiva, and others. Adrian shares a bit about what his job duties entail, and how he's structured his support, with a clothing brand typically anchoring his support. 

You can check out more about Adrian and his career on his Instagram @adrianballinger, and his sponsors @blackdiamond, @tincupwhiskey, @lasportivana, @revelshine, @corosglobal and @vuarnetofficial.

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

Yosemite Valley legend Tommy Caldwell joins Sam and Adrian on Episode 18 of the Duffel Shuffle Podcast. Tommy talks about this season in Yosemite Valley, and why moving his family to South Lake Tahoe has changed how he's able to climb in the valley. He also talks about his recent film, The Devil's Climb, which covers his recent trip to climb the Devils Thumb in Alaska with Alex Honnold. Tommy admits that his true passion in climbing is the sufferfest expeditions, but really he just loves climbing regardless of what it entails. 

Follow Tommy on Instagram @tommycaldwell, and check out The Devil's Climb.