The CRUX: True Survival Stories

15 Hours in a Crevasse: The Denali Rescue That Shouldn't Have Worked

Trauma surgeon Martin Takac came to Alaska to climb Denali, the highest mountain in North America. He reached the summit. The hardest part, it seemed, was behind him. Then, on the descent, the ground disappeared. A hidden snow bridge collapsed beneath Martin, dropping him deep into a crevasse on the Kahiltna Glacier. He survived the fall—but his body became wedged so tightly inside the narrowing walls of blue ice that rescuers couldn't simply pull him back out. What followed was an extraordinary 15-hour crevasse rescue involving Denali guides, National Park Service mountaineering rangers, volunteers, a helicopter pilot, and eventually a piece of equipment no one would normally expect to see on a glacier. Meanwhile, Martin was trapped almost completely motionless as the cold slowly pushed his body into profound hypothermia. In this episode of The Crux: True Survival Stories, we follow the rescue hour by hour and explore hidden crevasses, snow bridges, glacier travel, severe hypothermia, and the decisions that can separate an ordinary descent from a fight for survival. 00:00 — Podcast Cold Open00:28 — Trapped in Blue Ice01:43 — Meet Martin Takac02:46 — Finding the Edge04:32 — How Far Can You Go?06:24 — The Seven Summits07:47 — Why Denali Is Different09:44 — The Descent10:22 — A Calculated Risk11:48 — One Last Decision12:51 — What Lies Beneath the Glacier14:12 — One Careful Step16:51 — A Man Disappears18:23 — The Rope Won’t Move19:33 — The Trap Inside the Crevasse19:57 — Sixty Feet Down21:35 — The Rescue Begins22:34 — The Cold Takes Over24:58 — Into the Blue26:39 — Running Out of Options29:31 — The Perfect Disguise31:47 — Time Becomes the Enemy33:17 — One Last Idea34:57 — Back Into the Light35:55 — How Is He Still Alive?39:06 — What the Glacier Left Behind References National Park Service. “Two Climbers Rescued from the Kahiltna Glacier.” June 5, 2017.https://www.nps.gov/dena/two-climbers-rescued-from-the-kahiltna-glacier.htm Anchorage Daily News. “Inside the Dramatic, 14-Hour Rescue That Freed a Climber From a Deep Crevasse on Denali.” June 6, 2017.https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/2017/06/06/the-story-behind-the-dramatic-14-hour-rescue-that-freed-a-slovakian-climber-from-a-deep-crevasse-on-denali/ Anchorage Daily News. “Denali Climber Who Survived 15 Hours in Crevasse Says He Is Grateful for a New Life.” June 20, 2017.https://www.adn.com/opinions/2017/06/20/denali-climber-who-survived-15-hours-in-crevasse-says-he-is-grateful-for-a-new-life/ CBS News / Associated Press. “High Drama: 15-Hour Rescue From North America’s Tallest Mountain, Alaska’s Denali.” June 7, 2017.https://www.cbsnews.com/news/15-hour-rescue-north-americas-tallest-mountain-alaskas-denali/ CBC News. “‘Not for the Claustrophobic’: Climber Falls Down Narrow Crevasse on Alaskan Glacier, Rescuers Chip Him Out.” June 8, 2017.https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/denali-crevasse-climber-rescue-alaska-1.4149936 Mountain Trip. “June 2 West Buttress Team — Guides Perform Crevasse Rescue on Unroped, Private Climber.” June 6, 2017.https://mountaintrip.com/trip-reports/new-audio-recording-396/ Unofficial Networks. “Colorado Guides Receive National Bravery Award for Saving Climber’s Life on Denali.” September 16, 2022.https://unofficialnetworks.com/2022/09/16/mountain-trip-bravery-award-denali/ WesternSlopeNow (KREX). “Colorado Guides Recognized for Saving Climber’s Life.” September 2022.https://www.westernslopenow.com/news/colorado-guides-recognized-for-saving-climbers-life/ Noviny.sk (TV JOJ). “Aljaska: Slovenský Horolezec Spadol do Úzkej Trhliny v Ľade.” June 7, 2017.https://www.noviny.sk/zahranicie/229582-aljaska-slovensky-horolezec-spadol-do-uzkej-trhliny-v-lade U.S. Geological Survey. “Geology of Denali National Park and Preserve.”https://www.usgs.gov/geology-and-ecology-of-national-parks/geology-denali-national-park-and-preserve Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Managing Fear: Survival Lessons from Megan Hine

This week, hosts Kaycee McIntosh and Julie Henningsen sit down with Megan Hine—expedition leader, wilderness survival expert, television survival consultant, and the survival consultant for Netflix's The Last House. Drawing on decades of experience leading expeditions in some of the world's harshest environments, Megan explains why survival is often more about psychology than gear, how fear can become a powerful ally, and the habits that consistently separate survivors from those who don't make it. The conversation explores Megan's fascinating career, the science behind resilience, practical techniques for staying calm under pressure, and memorable stories from the field—including a tense nighttime encounter with lions in the Namib Desert. She also shares practical preparedness advice, debunks common survival myths, and explains how everyday people can build resilience long before an emergency ever occurs. Learn more about Megan Hine at meganhine.com. Check out The Last House on Netflix, the release date is 8/9/26! Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:30 Meet Megan Hine 03:15 From outdoor guide to survival consultant 10:00 Working on Netflix's The Last House 18:30 Why psychology matters more than survival skills 27:00 What separates survivors from everyone else 35:30 Fear, resilience, and building mental toughness 46:00 Managing stress with the STOP method 55:00 Real-world survival lessons from the field 1:04:00 The lion encounter in Namibia 1:15:00 Common survival myths and medical mistakes 1:27:00 Practical advice everyone can use 1:33:00 Where to watch The Last House Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

40 MPH Winds, One Meter of Visibility: The Stranger on Ben Nevis

January 2026. A blizzard is raging on Ben Nevis, the tallest peak in the Scottish Highlands — gale-force winds, sub-zero temperatures, and visibility of about one meter—when a climber becomes separated from his two friends near the summit, without crampons, a map, or a compass. What happens to him next comes down to solid blocks of ice, a bent walking pole, and a group of British and Dutch marines who chose that exact day, in that exact weather, to climb the highest mountain in Britain. Julie and Kaycee unravel how a body shuts down in extreme cold, why the rescue nearly stalled on the iced upper slopes, and what the marines built from the equipment on their backs when walking him down stopped being an option. And at the center of it all: a man whose name has never been made public—and a margin of survival measured in a single meter of white air. 00:44 Show Intro And Setup 01:09 Whiteout Near The Summit 03:35 Ben Nevis The Mountain Trap 07:06 Three Friends Enter The Storm 11:10 Marines Training In Blizzard 13:51 One Meter Discovery 18:35 Improvised Litter Rescue 26:09 Rewarming Below Snow Line 29:10 The Crux And Takeaways 29:54 Closing And Sign Off Listen AD FREE: Support our podcast at patreon: http://patreon.com/TheCruxTrueSurvivalPodcast Email us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/ Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/ References: Royal Navy (official news release), “Marines save life of stranded climber on Ben Nevis,” January 30, 2026. royalnavy.mod.uk STV News, “Marines on training exercise save climber stranded in blizzard on Ben Nevis,” January 30, 2026. DutchNews.nl (citing the Dutch Defence Ministry), “Dutch reservists save man stuck on Scottish mountain,” January 28, 2026. The Scotsman, “Marines save life of stranded climber on Ben Nevis,” January 30, 2026. Forces News, “Ben Nevis climber 'would not have survived' had it not been for Royal and Dutch marines,” January 30, 2026. GB News, “Marines save life of stranded climber on Ben Nevis in arctic-like conditions,” January 31, 2026. Yahoo News / AOL (reporting Royal Navy footage), “Climber found curled up on Ben Nevis in -20C blizzard rescued by Royal Marines during training exercise,” January 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Swallowed by the Nile; The Life and Death of Hendrik Coetzee | Disaster Strikes

Hendrik "Hendri" Coetzee was one of the most decorated whitewater explorers in the history of African river kayaking — a South African who had paddled the length of the Nile, soloed some of the continent's most dangerous water, and built a life in places most people only read about. In late 2010, he led two world-class American kayakers on an ambitious first descent of the Lukuga River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a remote stretch of water known among local communities for something far more dangerous than its rapids. On the morning of December 7th, on a quiet, flat section of river, everything ended in seconds. This episode tells Hendri's full story — who he was, what drove him, and what his teammates witnessed that morning — drawing entirely on verified accounts, his own writing, and the documentary record left behind by the people who were there. 00:00 Disaster Strikes Intro 00:45 Congo River Cold Open 02:40 Meet Hend Kotze 03:48 Early Life And Fear 05:12 Finding The Rivers 06:00 Nile Source To Sea 09:02 Solo Murchison Run 11:18 Risk And Depression 13:33 Final Congo Expedition 17:02 Into The Laga River 18:35 Crocodile Attack 21:43 Aftermath And Rescue 23:43 Memorial And Legacy 26:25 Lessons And Closing Listen AD FREE: Support our podcast at patreaon: http://patreon.com/TheCruxTrueSurvivalPodcast Email us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/ Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/ REFERENCES Coetzee, H. Living the Best Day Ever. Hendri Coetzee Trust (posthumous). Stookesberry, B. & Korbulic, C. Kadoma. Documentary film, 2011. National Geographic. Man-Eater of the Congo. Documentary, 2013. Korbulic, C. Eyewitness account. Associated Press, December 2010. Stookesberry, B. Expedition dispatches. Outside Magazine, November–December 2010. "On the Death of Hendri Coetzee." Outside Online, December 2010. "Famed Outdoorsman Hendrik Coetzee in Croc Attack." CBS News, December 9, 2010. "Kayakers Recount Deadly Congo Crocodile Attack." CBS News, December 2010. "Devastated American Kayakers Survive Congo Croc Attack." ABC News, December 10, 2010. "Death on the Congo: Stookesberry Team Member Hendri Coetzee Killed by Croc." Paddling Life, December 2010. "Hendri Coetzee." Wikipedia (citing primary sources). Donnelly, C. (International Rescue Committee). Quoted in ABC News, December 2010. Coetzee, H. Blog: The Great White Explorer. Eddie Bauer First Ascent, 2010. "Hendri Coetzee — Pushing the Limits on the Waterways of Africa." Off the Beaten Track / London to Cape, January 2016. Stookesberry, B. & Korbulic, C. NBC Today show interview, January 2011. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stranded in Death Valley: Six Days of Impossible Decisions

In April 2021, experienced hikers Emily Henkel and Alexander Lofgren set out to explore Death Valley National Park. They had maps, emergency gear, a backcountry plan, and years of outdoor experience. Then an unexpected problem left them stranded in one of the harshest environments in North America. As their situation deteriorates, every decision carries life-or-death consequences. Should they stay with their vehicle? Should they risk hiking for help? How do you survive when rescue may never come? In this episode, we discuss: The real survival decisions faced in Death Valley Why leaving a vehicle isn't always the wrong choice Desert survival techniques that kept hope alive The search and rescue operation that depended on one overlooked clue Alexander Lofgren's lasting legacy in America's national parks If you enjoy true survival stories, wilderness survival, search and rescue, outdoor adventure, hiking, mountaineering, and real-life survival psychology, you'll enjoy this episode of The Crux: True Survival Stories. Sources  Primary Sources Centers, Josh. "He Died in Death Valley. She Didn't. This Is Her Story." Unprepared (Interview with Emily Henkel)https://www.unprepared.life/p/he-died-in-death-valley-she-didnt Henkel, Emily. Interview with Sydney Williams. Wellness in the Wilderness. VoiceAmerica (2023)https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wellness-in-the-wilderness/id1657049026?i=1000595078232 Henkel, Emily. Power Moves: Finding Purpose With Emily Henkel. Goal Zero (October 2022)https://goalzero.com/blogs/news/power-moves-finding-purpose Hiking My Feelings. Transcript of Emily Henkel interviewhttps://hikingmyfeelings.org/blog/e8-transcending-tragedy-in-the-wilderness-with-emily-henkel Official Records Inyo County Sheriff's Office. Death Valley Search and Rescue Press Release. April 8, 2021https://www.inyocounty.us/sites/default/files/2021-04/DVNP_SAR_4.8.21.pdf Sierra Wave Media. Missing Individuals in Death Valley National Park Found — Multi-Agency SAR Update. April 2021https://sierrawave.net/missing-individuals-in-death-valley-national-park-found-multiagency-sar-update/ Sierra Wave Media. Sad Ending for One of Missing Individuals in Death Valley National Park Rescue. April 10, 2021https://sierrawave.net/sad-ending-for-one-of-missing-individuals-in-death-valley-national-park-rescue/ News Coverage Associated Press. "Note Helped Rescuers Find Two Missing Campers in Death Valley."https://news.yahoo.com/note-helped-rescuers-two-missing-110029838.html Fox News. "Arizona Congressional Aide Found Dead Days After Going Missing with Girlfriend on Death Valley Camping Trip." April 11, 2021https://www.foxnews.com/us/arizona-congressional-aide-missing-girlfriend-death-valley-camping-trip The Daily Beast. "Congressional Aide Alexander Lofgren Died, Girlfriend Emily Henkel Rescued After Death Valley Camping Trip." April 10, 2021https://www.thedailybeast.com/congressional-aide-alexander-lofgren-died-girlfriend-emily-henkel-rescued-after-death-valley-camping-trip Government & Legislative Sources Congress.gov. Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act (H.R. 4300)https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/4300/text Congressional Record. July 26, 2021. Debate on the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks Acthttps://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CREC-2021-07-26/html/CREC-2021-07-26-pt1-PgH3864.htm House Report 117-105. Committee on Natural Resources. July 26, 2021https://www.congress.gov/committee-report/117th-congress/house-report/105/1 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.