Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)®

25:41

The Fitness Reserve: Why Wilderness Activities Matter

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/10/26

What if spending more time in the wilderness could help you stay healthier, stronger, and more independent with time. In this episode, we explore VO₂ max, one of the most important measures of cardiovascular fitness and a powerful predictor of long-term health. We’ll examine how hiking, backpacking, mountain running, and other outdoor activities can improve aerobic capacity, build physiological reserve, and help us maintain the strength and endurance we need throughout life. Because fitness i...

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24:40

Lightning: The Decisions That Save Lives

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/10/19

Lightning kills hikers and climbers every year, often because they underestimate the danger or wait too long to act. This podcast focuses on the critical decisions that can save lives in the mountains: recognizing the warning signs, understanding when to turn back, and knowing what to do when a thunderstorm approaches. Because when it comes to lightning, the right decision made early can mean the difference between life and death.

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20:23

Water, Salt, and Sugar: The Science of Hydration in...

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/09/27

When we’re hiking or exercising for hours, especially in hot conditions, staying hydrated seems simple: drink water. But the physiology of hydration is much more interesting than that. In this episode, we’ll look at what actually happens after you take a drink—how your intestines absorb water, why sodium is important, and why a small amount of carbohydrate can dramatically influence the absorption of both sodium and water. We’ll also discuss practical hydration strategies for hikers, runners,...

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21:09

24 Hours Too Far: A Hike Gone Wrong

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/09/16

In this episode, Cal Olmer shares the story of his ill-fated attempt to walk for 24 hours straight without stopping to rest. What began as a personal challenge turned into a hard lesson in endurance when fatigue set in, painful blisters developed, and then rain moved into the area. Cal and his companion eventually made it back to the car—but barely. The story is both encouraging and cautionary, offering practical advice about pacing, rest, footwear, hydration, weather, and knowing when a chal...

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29:32

What 4,000 Miles Does to the Body - The Journeys of...

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/09/09

What happens to the human body when you spend thousands of miles walking through mountains, deserts, and remote wilderness? In this podcast, Titus Humphreys shares what he has learned from his remarkable long-distance hiking experiences. We explore the physical and medical challenges of extreme endurance hiking—including fatigue, dehydration, injuries, nutrition, sleep, altitude, and the remarkable ability of the human body to adapt and keep going.

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28:39

4000 Miles and Still Walking - The Journeys of Titus...

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/09/02

What happens when you spend days, weeks, or even months walking through some of the most demanding landscapes on earth? In this first conversation with Titus Humphreys, we explore the remarkable treks that have taken him far beyond the ordinary trail experience. Titus shares what draws him to long-distance journeys, what he has learned about endurance and the human body, and what it is really like to spend extended periods of time far from the comforts—and medical resources—of civilization. W...

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21:07

The All Important Cardiovascular Drift

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/08/30

Why does your heart rate keep climbing during a long hike even though you’re walking at the same pace—or even slowing down? This phenomenon is called cardiovascular drift, and it is an important physiologic response to prolonged exercise. In this podcast, we explore what happens to the heart during a long hike as dehydration, heat, altitude, and fatigue begin to affect the cardiovascular system. The heart is a pump—but the pump has to fill before it can pump. Understanding venous return will ...

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18:35

Bourbon Virus: A New Uncommon Tick-Borne Threat

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/08/16

Most of us think of tick bites as a risk for Lyme disease. But ticks can transmit a surprising number of other infections—including a rare and potentially deadly virus known as Bourbon virus. First identified in Bourbon County, Kansas, in the United States in 2014, Bourbon virus is believed to be transmitted by ticks, particularly the lone star tick. It can cause fever, severe fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain, rash, and abnormalities in the blood—including low white blood cells and lo...

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22:16

One Breath from Death: A Teenager’s High-Altitude...

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/08/10

At just 16 years old, Brock Holloway set out into the mountains expecting an adventure. Instead, he found himself in a life-threatening battle with two of the most dangerous forms of altitude illness: high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) and high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). In this gripping episode, Brock shares his experience of becoming seriously ill at altitude and the frightening progression of symptoms that nearly cost him his life. His story provides a firsthand look at how quickly ...

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10:29

New Innovations in Sun Protection

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/07/22

Sunscreen technology is evolving rapidly, offering better protection, improved cosmetic feel, and a growing focus on environmental sustainability. In this episode, we explore the latest advances in sun protection, including next-generation UV filters such as Bemotrizinol (Tinosorb S), innovations in engineered zinc oxide, antioxidant-rich plant extracts, and ingredients that enhance water resistance and photostability. We’ll separate fact from marketing, discuss what “reef-safe” really means,...

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21:15

Inspiring Young Women Through the Outdoors

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/07/09

In this episode, our hosts Sophie Emery, Kaylee Stark, Noelle Lordahl, and Kate Persak explore how a nonprofit organization is transforming the lives of girls ages 11–17 through backpacking and other outdoor adventures. More than just learning outdoor skills, these experiences build confidence, leadership, responsibility, resilience, and lifelong friendships. We’ll discuss how spending time in nature supports mental health, encourages personal growth, and helps break down financial and ...

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11:06

Rabies: The Most Preventable Fatal Infection

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/07/05

Rabies remains one of the deadliest infections known to medicine, yet it is almost entirely preventable with prompt treatment. In this episode, Alastair Milne from the medical school in the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, explores how the virus is transmitted, and describes a practical scenario to understand how fatalities from this disease can be avoided.

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10:53

Dirty Wounds, Smart Decisions: Preventing Infection...

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/06/28

Cuts and lacerations are among the most common injuries encountered in the backcountry, but in wilderness medicine the greatest threat often isn’t the wound itself—it’s infection. In this episode of the AWLS Wilderness Medicine Podcast, we explore why nearly every wilderness wound should be considered contaminated and why thorough irrigation and cleaning are often far more important than closing the skin. Through real-world wilderness cases, listeners will learn when wounds should be left ope...

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14:59

Altitude Illness and Rescue on Aconcagua

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/06/20

Join mountain medicine expert Dr. Sebastián Donato for a fascinating discussion on the realities of altitude illness on Aconcagua, the highest mountain in Western and Southern Hemispheres. Drawing from recent rescue operations and real patient cases, Dr. Donato explores the recognition, prevention, and treatment of acute mountain sickness (AMS), high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), and high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Through dramatic stories of climbers who required emergency evac...

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54:17

Hantavirus Explained: Origins and Characteristics -...

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/06/15

In Part 2 of this fascinating podcast series, Dr. Matt Gunderson explores more about Hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly infectious disease carried primarily by rodents. Dr. Gunderson also breaks down the biology of Hantavirus, This episode provides more details and cases of one of the world’s most intriguing zoonotic diseases.

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18:51

Canyoning Considerations: Beauty, Adventure, and...

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/06/04

Canyoning combines hiking, climbing, rappelling, swimming, and navigating through narrow canyons carved by water, creating one of the most exciting adventure sports in the outdoors. However, the same features that make canyoning thrilling also create significant risks. Participants may face foot entrapment in fast-moving water, where a trapped foot can lead to drowning. Rope-related incidents, including improper rigging, equipment failure, and rappelling errors, can result in serious injury o...

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54:42

Hantavirus Explained: Origins and Characteristics —...

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/05/27

In Part 1 of this fascinating podcast series, Dr. Matt Gunderson explores the origins and characteristics of Hantavirus, a rare but potentially deadly infectious disease carried primarily by rodents. Listeners will learn how the virus was first identified, where it is commonly found, and how it spreads to humans. Dr. Gunderson also breaks down the biology of Hantavirus, its symptoms, and the environmental conditions that contribute to outbreaks. This episode provides an engaging introduction ...

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14:26

Back to Basics on the Trail: Using Core AWLS Protocols

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/05/14

In this episode, Dr. Kathy Vidlock shares a compelling real-world wilderness medicine experience involving two runners found on a remote trail, each suffering from different medical emergencies. Through the lens of AWLS (Advanced Wilderness Life Support) protocols, Dr. Vidlock explains how returning to the fundamentals of patient assessment, observation, history-taking, and clinical reasoning allowed her to quickly recognize the underlying problems and begin effective treatment in the field. ...

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20:10

Hanging in the Balance: Understanding Suspension Trauma

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/05/01

In this episode, Matthew McKinnon takes a deep dive into the often-overlooked but potentially fatal condition known as suspension trauma. Commonly associated with climbing, rope access work, and wilderness rescue, suspension trauma can develop rapidly when a person is left hanging motionless in a harness. Matthew breaks down the physiology behind the condition, explaining how restricted blood flow can lead to loss of consciousness and even death if not addressed quickly. He also covers the ke...

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17:34

Peptide Use in the Wilderness

Advanced Wilderness Life Support® (AWLS)® ·

2026/04/25

In this episode, Dr.Kathy Vdilock explores the emerging role of peptides in wilderness and remote medicine, where limited resources demand creative and effective solutions. From secretagogues that stimulate natural hormone release to angiogenic and tissue-healing peptides that may accelerate recovery from injury, we unpack how these compounds are being discussed and used at the edge of traditional care. We also examine practical considerations—storage, stability, dosing challenges, and safety...

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