Partner Spotlight: The Rescued Podcast
I recently appeared on a fantastic podcast called Rescued, hosted by Caro Ryan, and I am stoked to share it with my listeners!
Caro describes the bonus episode: Australian Outdoor Advocate, Caro Ryan from LotsaFreshAir.com, was motivated to start the podcast, ‘Rescued - An Outdoor Podcast for Hikers and Adventurers’ through her volunteer work in search and rescue and just a little inspiration from Ashley’s work on The Sharp End Podcast. Wanting to finish the year for her audience on a high, giving them some great stories and inspired listening for their Aussie summer road trips, she hit up Ashley just days before Christmas 2023 for a guest appearance on Rescued, to introduce that audience to the immense body of work and powerful stories from The Sharp End.
Here is our interview; I hope you enjoy it! Watch our entire conversation by clicking the video below.
Caro: So tell my listeners, where are you from?
Ashley: I was born and raised in Alaska and live in Anchorage. It's been snowing like crazy for the last month, and it is super beautiful.
Caro: Tell me about The Sharp End Podcast. How did it start?
Ashley: I developed the idea for The Sharp End Podcast about nine years ago. I was in Salt Lake City, living in a van and then driving from crag to crag between my outdoor education work stints. I was religiously reading Accidents by the American Alpine Club and thought this book should be brought to life and turned into a podcast. There is so much shame, guilt, and embarrassment surrounding outdoor accidents, and often, they aren't discussed publically. Many do not want to come forward and share what happened to them because it's vulnerable. It takes courage to come forward and share a story where you say, "I made this mistake, and I want to share it so that you can learn from it, too!" The Sharp End provides a judgment and shame-free space to share stories within the outdoor community.
Caro: What about your outdoor background? Is climbing your favorite?
Ashley: Climbing used to be my favorite and largely defined my twenties. Then, I blew my knee out and moved back to Alaska. It is tough to be a climber in Alaska; rock is few and far between, and the seasons are short, making it hard to maintain a skillset. Plus, with my knee injury, I have learned to love different hobbies.
Caro: What are some of the things you've learned from your guests over the years?
Ashley: There have been several common themes; the biggest is complacency. For me, it's learning about the themes and threads that relate all accidents and incidents together. It has also taught me even greater compassion and empathy for everyone who has experienced an accident outdoors. Accidents happen to everyone, regardless of skill set, and if you have increased your outdoor activities, you've also increased the likelihood of accidents. It's just statistics! Anything can happen to anyone at any time. No one is bigger, stronger, or better than anyone else, so staying humble is very important. Nature has a way of leveling the playing field.
Caro: What types of stories are featured on The Sharp End?
Ashley: At first, it featured climbing and alpinism heavily. And then I realized that was too exclusive, and I wanted to make my podcast more accessible to everyone. So, I started featuring hiking, backpacking, and skiing.
Caro: Are there episodes that stand out to you as good episodes for new listeners?
Ashley: I was recording out of a bus with pirated wifi for the first twenty episodes, so the audio quality wasn't that great or consistent. Audio has been a common issue throughout the last nine years as I travel for work. In terms of starting with a particular episode, I love all three live episodes I have done: Episode 26 - Live with Quinn Brett, Episode 49 - Life and Death with Charlie Sassara and Jack Tackle (LIVE), and Episode 76 - LIVE with Arc'teryx Athlete Adam Campbell. But I genuinely love each episode and guest - if you like the format of my show, start at the beginning and listen to them all!
Caro: I think a lot of people brush off trauma and how it affects the person as well as the circle of people around them. It can have a long-lasting effect. Trauma isn't something you can heal quickly. Do you have any thoughts about that?
Ashley: I 100% agree. Injuries and accidents change you. When I experienced my knee injury, it changed how I identified as a climber, athlete, and woman. Compassion can go a long way, as can learning to give yourself grace. I also believe that it is important to check in on everyone involved in the accident. Many focus on the injured party, understandably, but their climbing partner could be equally affected mentally, suffering from PTSD, or perhaps not forgiving themselves for the accident.
Caro: Have guests reached out to say thank you or tell you that sharing their stories helped with healing?
Ashley: Yes! Many have connected with me afterward, probably around 50%, to say that the space they were given to process and share their incident with others has helped tremendously. I have also gotten a lot of fan mail saying, "Ashley, I think you saved my life," which is so rewarding! I have wanted to quit my show over a dozen times because the stories do weigh on me emotionally. However, continuing this podcast is essential to help guests and listeners grow, heal, and inspire.
