The Kyrgyzstan Kidnapping: A Climbing Dream Turned Nightmare | E 167
The CRUX: True Survival Stories2 Juni

The Kyrgyzstan Kidnapping: A Climbing Dream Turned Nightmare | E 167

This gripping episode explores one of climbing's most harrowing incidents—the 2000 kidnapping of four young American climbers in Kyrgyzstan's remote mountains. Tommy Caldwell, Beth Rodden, Jason Singer Smith, and John Dickey were world-class athletes with a North Face sponsorship to establish first ascents on untouched granite walls. Their dream expedition turned into a nightmare on August 12, 2000, when they were awakened by bullets striking the rock around their portaledges 1,000 feet up the Yellow Wall.

Armed militants from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan forced them to rappel down and took them hostage, executing their Kyrgyz guide to demonstrate their seriousness. For six days, the climbers endured starvation (sharing one PowerBar daily among six people), forced night marches through freezing terrain, and firefights between their captors and military forces.

The dramatic escape came when the militants left only one young guard named Su to watch all four hostages on treacherous rocky terrain. When Su became distracted trying to reach safer ground, Tommy Caldwell pushed him off the cliff, believing he had killed him. All four climbers fled through the night to a military outpost.

The trauma affected each climber differently. Tommy channeled the experience into obsessive climbing focus, which proved crucial when he accidentally severed his index finger in 2001—he chose amputation and learned to climb better with nine fingers. This mental fortitude led to his famous 2015 Dawn Wall ascent on El Capitan, considered the hardest big wall climb in history. Beth struggled with PTSD, nightmares, and initially lost her love for climbing, though she later became a mental health advocate and published a memoir. The incident became a watershed moment in climbing, highlighting both the sport's capacity to develop mental toughness and the importance of recognizing trauma in extreme sports communities.

Show Notes & Timestamps
[02:30] Setting the Scene - Introduction to the four sponsored climbers and their dream expedition to establish first ascents in Kyrgyzstan's Pamir Alay Mountains in August 2000.

[08:15] The Kidnapping - How the climbers were awakened by gunfire while sleeping in portaledges 1,000 feet up the wall, forced to rappel down to armed militants from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

[15:45] Six Days of Captivity - Details of their ordeal including starvation (sharing one PowerBar daily), forced marches through freezing mountains, and witnessing the execution of their Kyrgyz guide.

[22:10] The Escape - The dramatic moment when Tommy Caldwell pushed 20-year-old guard "Sue" off a cliff, allowing all four climbers to flee to safety at a Kyrgyz military outpost.

[28:40] Long-term Impact - How the trauma affected each climber differently, Tommy's later finger amputation and Dawn Wall achievement, Beth's PTSD struggles, and the bizarre conspiracy theories questioning their story's authenticity.

Email us! thecruxsurvival@gmail.com

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thecruxpodcast/

Get schooled by Julie in outdoor wilderness medicine! https://www.headwatersfieldmedicine.com/


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Avsnitt(191)

47) Tony Streather: Mountaineers Struggle to Survive Following an Avalanche on Mt. Haramosh in 1957.

47) Tony Streather: Mountaineers Struggle to Survive Following an Avalanche on Mt. Haramosh in 1957.

Tony Streather was 31 when he was invited by the Oxford Mountaineering Club to lead an expedition up Mount Haramosh (Hair-a-mosh) in Pakistan in 1957. The team would face unknown routes, harsh weather, and an unfortunate tragedy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

17 Jan 202218min

46) Nelson Simón: A Beginner Sailor Learns the Ropes and has an Unexpected Meeting with Hurricane Grace

46) Nelson Simón: A Beginner Sailor Learns the Ropes and has an Unexpected Meeting with Hurricane Grace

Nelson Simón was a last minute recruit to sail to Bermuda in 1991 aboard the oldest continuously sailing ship at the time, the Anne Kristine. Simón only had one week of sailing experience under his belt, and was hesitant to join but agreed to the trip anyway. During this short journey Simón and his crew mates would run into the perfect storm - Hurricane Grace. Visit Amazon to read or listen to Nelson's book titled Soul of the Hurricane, the Perfect Storm and an Accidental Sailor. https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Hurricane-Perfect-Accidental-Sailor/dp/1641604085/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=FKD1YOXVQE1T&keywords=the+soul+of+the+hurricane&qid=1641789727&sprefix=the+soul+of+the+hurricane%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-1 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

10 Jan 20221h 26min

45) Jan Baalsrud: Escape from the Gestapo during WW2

45) Jan Baalsrud: Escape from the Gestapo during WW2

Today we will be talking about Jan Ballsrud, a tough guy that was as hardy as they come. His story seems so outrageous that it would be suited for an adventure drama made for Hollywood. Jan was a Norwegian Commando during WW2 who swam through icy water during enemy attack, survived an avalanche, and amputated his toes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

3 Jan 202220min

44) The Robertson Family: Shipwrecked by Whales

44) The Robertson Family: Shipwrecked by Whales

In the 1970's, the Robertson family embarked on a sailing trip around the world. They shipwrecked in the Pacific ocean by a school of killer whales and floated in a dinghy for more than one month. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

20 Dec 202123min

43) David Cronenwett: Wisdom from a Survival Expert

43) David Cronenwett: Wisdom from a Survival Expert

This week Kaycee interviews David Cronenwett, survival expert and outdoor survival teacher. They discuss how to prepare for the unexpected, what items to bring in your pack, and things to avoid in stressful/life threatening situations in the outdoors. Please check out David's website to learn more details about his services and how you could become more prepared to enjoy the outdoors at wildernessartsmt.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

13 Dec 20211h 4min

42) Anders Broste: Attack by a Grizzly Bear While Hunting

42) Anders Broste: Attack by a Grizzly Bear While Hunting

Kaycee has a conversation with friend Anders Broste who was surprise attacked by a grizzly bear in Montana in the fall of 2018. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

6 Dec 202137min

41) Jean Muenchrath: Escape from Mt Whitney

41) Jean Muenchrath: Escape from Mt Whitney

Today we have a special guest, Jean Muenhcrath. She is going to tell her amazing survival story that starts when she and her boyfriend Ken set out to ski the John Muir trail in 1982 on skinny nordic skis. The John Muir trail is over 200 mile long trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, a world famous trail, connecting the Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, the highest point in the United States, with a total elevation gain of 47,000 feet. All was going well on this journey until the duo encountered a storm on Mount Whitney that would forever change Jean’s life. Check out Jean's book: If I Live Until Morning: A True Story of Adventure, Tragedy and Transformation, available on Amazon. Also take a look at Jean's website at www.jeanmuenchrath.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 Nov 202144min

40) Ann Rodgers: Lost in the Desert for 9 Days

40) Ann Rodgers: Lost in the Desert for 9 Days

In 2016, 72 yo Anne Rodgers was embarking on a trip in Arizona to visit her grandkids when she ran out of gas in the Gila wilderness. She would be stranded for 9 days. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

21 Nov 202114min

Populärt inom Samhälle & Kultur

mardromsgasten
podme-dokumentar
en-mork-historia
rattsfallen
aftonbladet-krim
p3-dokumentar
creepypodden-med-jack-werner
skaringer-nessvold
nemo-moter-en-van
killradet
badfluence
p1-dokumentar
flashback-forever
kod-katastrof
hor-har
rss-brottsutredarna
vad-blir-det-for-mord
svenska-fall
rysarpodden
historiska-brott