Climbing Mount Everest K2 with David Roeske: Life in the Death Zones | Optimal 

The guide he’s talking about regarding the 1996 Everest disaster was Rob Hall who was from New Zealand and spoke to his pregnant wife shortly before he died. Scott Fisher was the other guide who died.

David Roeske is a legend. His story is seriously incredible and I really love what he had to say about how mountain climbing highlights your character, do you help your fellow climbers in times of need or do you step over them. Valuable message to anyone listening wether they're a crazy climber or not!

I appreciate the sober discussion of the risk. A climber myself in my youth, I understand the call of the mountains but I also lost my brother in a climbing accident. His loss was the major trauma of my life.40 years later, it still haunts me.

I’m subscriber 464. Looking forward to more good interviews. Life -enhancing topics, no glitz, no ugly thumbnails, no AI.

What I can't wrap my head around is those who are parents doing it, as is said time and time again. If this is your thrill, and the only method getting that thrill, how do you still come to place it above not coming home to infants of kids or any age? You brought these guys onto your world but you've considered the high risk of death, and made peace with it? Despite people knowing what they're up against - acceptance, in those moments, the human's instinct to preserve their life surely kicks in and they think FUCK. In the case of parents, at the point they come to realise it's game over, how many do you think come to think of themselves as feckin eejits and wish they hadn't been so dogged in their pursuits?

That was a joy to listen to. David Roeske's honest and sometimes moving narrative of the dangers and hazards of high-altitude mountaineering is easily the best interview I have seen on the subject. David talks about the less appealing and worrying aspects involved in what is rapidly becoming a tourist destination. Mount Everest!

Reinhold Messner is actually Italian

It makes no difference who you are or where you came from; if you died, nothing justifies it. K2 is one of those places on Earth where people simply don't belong.

Great interview, had an absolute pleasure listening to David. One feedback would be for an interviewer - wouldn't hurt to be better prepared for another interview next time. Also, Reinhold Messner is Italian, not German or Swiss although he does speak German :) cheers

337 Subscribers?! what?! This is the only interview I've sat through the full thing, hope this channel blows up. Will be following David :)

Legendary, my favourite pod so far! 🙌🏼

What an amazing interview! Incredible to hear his story

What a coincidence had a bike called Everest when I was a kid. My uncle is still using... David really soft talker and his point of view is absolutely right. Great humble guy.

Excellent interview 🎉

Great interview, thank you! 👏🏻

i summited k2 on my unicorn and giggled the whole way

"Reinhold Messner is from Germany, maybe Austria" he just killed my South Tyrolean heart

great interview on one of my favorite themes , pleasure to watch this

That's incredible ❤

Hats off to the alpine purist and all like him...

Guides names wasnt Scott Fischer it was Rob Hall,

I think you were talking about the movie touching the void with joe simpson, the crevasse thing

Excellent conversation. Good questions Ben. Understated. Like the way you are not the story and allow your guest to keep and elaborate on their answers in this forum. Have some feedback for you if there is a place I can leave it. Nicely done.

Great job 👏 and congrats

Green boots is paljor, an Indian soldier. I am sure he is climbing mountains in that valhalla where all warriors go...

But that’s an old statistic correct? The numbers have vastly shifted as more interest and enthusiasm spikes, as such more developed methods and logistics which have brought that number substantially down. It’s not to nit pick: but we might as well call out the accurate number especially when dramatically different. Otherwise what’s the point of using an outdated statistic that’s makes the climb more statistically deadly when it’s no longer correct?

Did he fix his own ropes ? Cook his own food ? Make his own tea ? Because if it was Sherpa aided than whats the difference ?

This 4:1 death ratio is outdated. Just in 2023, 112 summits were recorded and just one dead person.

Pretty sure Ben is talking about "Touching the Void" incident at 17:45

Great

ROB HALL! Are you kidding me?

Why would anyone take these kinds of risks of death or long term health issues, is it just to satisfy the ego or what?

Most expeditions to K2 intend to climb the Abruzzi spur route. Wonder if anyone will ever repeat the NE, and SE ridge routes..the magic line... God bless whoever tries.. the Polish route. Or maybe from the Chinese side, the North ridge route. That is going to require a solo climber, or maybe a pair... but no larger team.

Very interesting to hear about his experiences. How do they prepare for the extreme cold? Just inhaling on a frosty morning in the UK can feel like your lungs are burnt! And please tell me what is the significance of the black rings and bracelets? Is it related to being a climber? Just one more thing. How old does he plan to be before he stops putting his life in danger. Does he foresee being a married man with responsibility for a family of is he going to set his sights on the next peak or next challenge until he can no longer climb?

he sounds like he would have gotten use of some oxygen

2023. Some 120 climbs, one dead. Statistics have changed

This [ascending K2] is no short of playing Russian roulette; practically you don't have any control at anytime over any environmental element and, more so, you expose voluntarily to that. This is not climbing, it's a suicide mission with a lucky out attached to it; pretty much something along the lines "If I don't die on that peak, I got to live again.." Madness. Nonetheless. Thank you for sharing.

rob hall

If the risk did not exist then no one would participate. Wow, genius. Am I right?

What an amazing and humble guy ❤

If he wants to operate on fat-burning for energy he should try the ketogenic diet.

So I’m 23 minutes in and it’s shameful that he has blown off every question about the “sherpas” and “climbing partners” he had during his climbs. His stories are also very disjointed. He says he was on k2 and turned around from the summit to rescue someone on broad peak and then says the one time he did summit k2, he tried to climb but wasn’t ready and turned around at 8000m and then a couple weeks later he was successful. I’m very confused. Additionally, if you’re going to belittle the climbers who use oxygen because it’s not pure, I sure hope that you’re carrying your own packs, making your own meals, setting your own ropes, and hauling every piece of gear without assistance or Sherpa support because surely it isn’t the pure alpine experience with all of the assistance of modern expeditions. Particularly when you fail to acknowledge any assistants #saytheirname

I don’t understand why people look up to somebody who takes advantage of a Third World country and its population pay them a opinions to put their lives at risk and do 90% of the work for somebody like this to get all the credit? Why are you looking up to somebody who tries to kill himself and then says he’s living life his best or most optimal way? No you’re not. That’s trying to kill yourself. Is not living your most optimal way, why don’t you just appreciate life? I mean, I don’t care you do you but acting like this is like the way to live is so fucking ridiculous and just such a joke to me. People climb and Everest do very little of their own to get to the top. They do so much dangerous work going up and down the mountain upwards of 30 times to fix the ropes and attachments and then those are the people who are supposed to drag your ass down when and instead of you start dying on the mountain. They leave their trash all over these mountains because they’re too lazy to take their stuff with them once they reach their optimal time at the top of the mountain, and they pay the people who actually put their lives at risk almost to do so. They come on these podcasts and act like some big shit. It’s pathetic.

Why not try K2 drunk with Oxygen? Is that the same as climbing with no Oxygen?

Interviews are you ready for i think not. Really misinformed.😮😮😮

Awesome interview with the Brooklyn based legend 🏃🏁⛏️🏔️🙌