Silky Saws February Newsletter Feature

Ashley StoryPartner BrandSilky SawsIn the News

Feb 27

Last year I partnered with Silky Saws for a special giveaway, and this past month, I was featured in their February 2023 Newsletter! I am so grateful to Silky Saws for their continued partnership with me and my show, and I am super stoked to see my story published. Read the full article below!

Ashley Saupe and her Silky BigBoy Keep Cast and Crew Safe on Your Favorite Survival and Adventure Shows

Ashley Saupe always has her Silky saw in her pack. That’s because as safety personnel for survival shoes like Mud, Sweat, and Beards, and Life Below Zero, this Alaska native knows she can depend on her Silky BigBoy whether she needs to cut a stuck snowmobile ski out of a tangle of alders or remove a water moccasin from the trail deep in the Louisiana Bayou. When it’s her job to keep the crew and cast safe on an adventure or survival show, she has her Silky in hand.

Saupe, who is also behind The Sharp End Podcast, says she uses her Silky for everything from cutting down her Christmas tree to cutting up firewood when she and her partner go plane skiing deep in the Alaskan wilderness.

“It’s such a practical tool for me,” says Saupe. “I use my BigBoy almost every day I am working on a show. When a boat gets stuck in the bayou, I have to saw down trees to get the camera crew out. When we’re on a moose hunt and someone gets their snowmachine stuck, the BigBoy usually solves the problem.

As safety personnel on adventure shows, in addition to a Silky Big Boy, Ashley’s other essential gear includes: a headlamp, her Garmin InReach, an extensive first aid kit, hot hands hand warmers, radios, backup radios and batteries, a chest harness with a notepad and knife, and nitrile gloves plus a pocket mask.

Saupe’s life growing up in the outdoors in Alaska perfectly positioned her for her job. She was a heli dispatcher, she’s lived all over the state, she worked for Outward Bound for nine years, and she worked for NOLS as well. She’s an EMT and WOOFER instructor. “My brain for logistics is really sharp,” said Saupe. “And I’ve been racking up experience in the outdoors my whole life. It’s led to this odd resume that allows me to be a risk manager for Outdoor Adventure TV Shows."

It’s a good thing Saupe loves to travel because her work takes her to far-flung destinations like Iceland and St. Lawrence Island between Alaska and Russia, as well as deep into the Louisiana Bayou. “The ruggedness of a lot of these shows is no joke,” says Saupe. “At times we’re working in below zero temps in nuking winds. Ice coats your clothing. It’s intense.”

To prep, Saupe writes risk management plans, researches what poisonous bugs and snakes populate the area, and surveys hospitals to find out what antivenom they keep on hand.

It’s a balancing act. Shows hire Saupe to keep everyone safe, but drama and danger deliver good ratings. “I have to prepare for the absolute worst scenario and have a plan, a plan b, and a plan c for it. It’s my job to do the worrying for the cast and crew. If I can’t mitigate risk and deliver high-level care when something happens, I am at fault. I am collecting data all the time.”

Some of the data Saupe collects is on adventures that went wrong. As host of The Sharp End podcast, she talks to climbers about some pretty intense accidents they’ve been a part of.

“I started the podcast to try and change the culture around accidents,” said Saupe. “When I worked at Outward Bound and NOLS, the schools would try and normalize accidents so that everyone could have a solid debrief and move forward with perspective and knowledge. But it’s hard to be transparent after an accident. You don’t want to get fired, feel stupid, look inadequate, or be shamed. With The Sharp End, I want to break down the judgment and the shame in accidents. Accidents can happen to anybody; I’ve gotten myself into some shit. The podcast tries to break accidents down, debrief them, and hopefully share information that people can learn from.”