National Park After Dark – Episode 346: The Cost of Survival: The Cordillera Huayhuash Reserved Zone (Part 1)
Release Date: January 5, 2026

Episode Overview

This riveting episode opens the 2026 season with the harrowing true story of climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates. The hosts, Danielle and Cassie, delve into the 1985 Cordillera Huayhuash mountaineering saga—famously told in "Touching the Void." The episode explores themes of survival, trust, and that ethical “line” climbers face when a partner’s life hangs in the balance. Listeners are taken deep into the Andes for a story that raises questions about the cost of survival and the limits of human endurance.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Sacred Rope of Trust

• Host 1 sets the tone with reflections on mountaineering partnerships:

  "In mountaineering, more than almost any other pursuit, survival depends on absolute trust. ... The rope between them becomes a physical symbol of that trust, something sacred, something you protect at all costs." – [00:03]

• The opening raises the unthinkable: what if you have to sever that trust, literally and figuratively, to save yourself?

Story Context & Location

• The episode is the highly requested, much-anticipated first part of a two-part survival story—set not in a national park but in a reserved zone bordering Huascarán National Park, Peru ([03:09]).
• About the Cordillera Huayhuash Reserved Zone:
  • Protected since 2002, aiming for future national park status
  • Features seven peaks over 19,000 ft (Denali is the only higher peak in the U.S.)
  • Rich in biodiversity and ecological value but exceedingly remote
  • The central subject is Siula Grande, a formidable, mostly un-climbed mountain face in 1985 ([06:21])
  • Reaching/escaping the area requires days of travel and there’s no rescue infrastructure

Introduction to Joe Simpson and Simon Yates

• Joe Simpson:
  • Grew up adapting to change; discovered climbing as a refuge and passion
  • Early exclusion from an expedition fueled his determination ([09:24])
• Simon Yates:
  • Biochemistry student, described as easygoing and resilient
  • Witnessed tragedy in the Alps first-hand, understands the risks ([10:45])
• Their partnership is built on complementary personalities and ambitions; both seek challenges beyond the Alps ([13:04]).

The Ascent: Preparation and Progress

• In 1985, after months of prep, they embark on the Siula Grande climb, accompanied at base camp by traveler Richard Hawking (non-climber, essentially a camp-sitter and lifeline in case of emergency) ([13:04]).
• They acclimate for weeks, waiting for a perfect weather window to attempt the “unclimbed” west face.

Climb Details & Challenges

• Climb is alpine style: minimalist gear, snow caves instead of a tent, fully committing to the route.
• The west face climb begins promisingly but quickly proves severe:
  “The climbing required total focus...crevasses that dropped deep, unstable snow, and steep ice with little margin for error.” ([20:00])
• The second day brings frostbite-threatening cold, altitude sickness, and exhaustion. The climbers remark on how dangerous descent is compared to ascent ([25:16]).
• The summit offers only a fleeting sense of accomplishment. They’re acutely aware “the most dangerous part was ahead ... more climbers die on the descent” ([25:16]).

The Descent Turns Dire

• Weather sours rapidly—visibility disappears in a whiteout, and the environment becomes disorienting, "turning the mountain into a blank, disorienting void" ([25:16]).
• First signs of peril: Simon plunges through a cornice but survives thanks to the rope, illustrating their mutual dependence and razor-thin margin for error ([28:00]).
• Survival strategy begins fraying: frostbite creeps in, minor mistakes (like taking gloves off) threaten success and safety ([30:39]).
• Frustration and fatigue build:

  “They argued over root choices and pace, irritation sharpening as exhaustion set in, until conversation eventually faded into space silence.” ([33:00])

Catastrophe Strikes: Joe’s Devastating Fall

• On a steep ice wall, Joe falls. His right leg is shattered in a grotesque zigzag ([35:34]).
• Both instantly realize what this means in such terrain: “a broken leg was not something you recovered from. It was something you died from. Slowly.” ([38:39])

Deciding Whether to Abandon or Rescue

• An emotional, almost wordless survival calculation transpires between the two:

  “They were no longer two climbers moving together towards a shared goal. They were now in a survival scenario...” ([38:39])

• Simon, with immense effort, devises a risky “lowering” system to descend Joe:
  “They tied their two 150-foot ropes together... the knot joining them would not pass through the belay device... The most dangerous moments of the process, as any slip could send both...plunging.” ([38:39])
• Each “lowering” is agony for Joe but gives hope. Simon’s technical skill and calm under pressure shine.

Final Ordeal: The Rope Must Be Cut

• As darkness and another storm close in, Simon, nearly incapacitated by frostbite and exhaustion, must make the impossible decision.
• Joe, dangling over a void where the rope is jammed at a knot and unable to help himself, realizes the only path left:

  “If he could not get off the rope, Simon would eventually lose his grip or be pulled from the collapsing snow seat above, and they would both fall. The only question left was how long would it take for it to happen?” ([52:03])

• After agonizing minutes, Simon cuts the rope—probably saving his own life, believing he’s condemned Joe ([52:03]).

Memorable / Notable Quotes

• “The mountains are indifferent to ethics and intention. ... Everyone has a limit and a line they can't cross. And the mountains have a way of finding it.” – Host 1 [00:03]
• “Statistically, more climbers die on the way down than they do the way up.” – Host 1 [25:16]
• “It was something you died from. Slowly, through exposure, dehydration and exhaustion.” – Host 1 [38:39]
• “[Simon] had just killed his friend. ... He was alone now, with no rope below him and no clear way down.” – Host 1 [52:44]

Notable Moments & Host Commentary

• The Rope-Cutting Moment:
  Recounted with emotional clarity and empathy for both climbers, the hosts reflect on what it would feel like to make such a decision.

  “I think I’d just be, like, whispering, ‘I am so sorry.’ And maybe he did.” – Host 2 [56:14]

• On Extreme Survival:
  The hosts note Simon’s technical mastery, emotional restraint, and the intense focus that wilderness survival demands.
• Reflective Humor & Humanity:
  The hosts lighten the mood by joking about what photos they'd want used if they ever "go missing," and poke fun at their early confusion between "crevice" and "crevasse," showing humility and growth ([17:03], [57:23]).
• Personal Anecdotes:
  Relating their own hiking experiences to the episode’s themes, making the danger and cold more relatable ([21:16]).

Timeline & Timestamps

| Time | Segment | |--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:03–01:46 | Philosophical introduction—mountaineering and trust in the rope | | 03:09–06:21 | Discussion of reserved zone, Siula Grande, and story teaser | | 06:21–13:04 | Geography, ecology, why the area matters, intro to climbers | | 13:04–21:16 | Meeting at Chamonix, expedition build-up, arrival at base camp | | 21:16–25:16 | The ascent: technical challenges, climate, peak, and overview | | 25:16–29:51 | Dangerous descent, whiteout, the rope catches a fall | | 29:51–36:54 | Frostbite, decision fatigue, and the moment everything breaks | | 38:39–43:47 | Aftermath of the broken leg, plans to descend, lowering system | | 43:47–48:01 | Intense lowering ordeal, pain, Simon’s escalating exhaustion | | 48:01–54:41 | Joe suspended over a void, inability to communicate, the rope-cutting decision | | 55:14–59:27 | Hosts' reactions, reflection, and end-of-episode banter |

Conclusion & Next Episode Teaser

The episode ends on a dramatic cliffhanger:
Joe Simpson lies alone at the bottom of a crevasse, somehow surviving the fall, as Simon, certain his friend is dead, must find his own way down in deteriorating conditions. The hosts tease "Part 2" for next week.

“Little did Simon know as he left his position... that Joe had landed and survived the fall. But with Simon abandoning him and Joe left alone at the bottom of a crevasse is where I leave you all for this week.” – Host 1 [54:41]

Final Thoughts

Danielle and Cassie guide listeners through an emotionally and physically intense journey, expertly blending technical details, ethical dilemmas, and moments of humor and camaraderie. The episode not only recounts an extraordinary survival story but prompts deep reflection on what we risk for each other in the wild. Part 2 promises to deliver answers and further heart-stopping drama.

Recommended Listen For:
Anyone interested in wilderness survival, mountaineering, ethical dilemmas in adventure, and the limits of human endurance.

(Skip to [25:16] for ascent/descent drama, [35:34] for the catastrophic fall, [52:03] for the rope-cutting sequence, and [55:14] for host reflections on survival ethics.)