It’s April, which means for climbers (and the world’s ultra-wealthy), it’s Everest season!

Throughout April and May, while the hordes descend (or rather ascend) on Everest, there are bound to be an endless number of news stories about successful summits, tragedies, and plenty of puff pieces about the logistics of the whole thing.

Want to learn a bit more authentically about what goes on up there?

You should watch this Joe Rogan podcast with Jeff Evans and Bud Brutsman, two guys who discuss their experiences climbing Mount Everest and managing rescue operations on the mountain in super-fascinating levels of detail. It’s two hours long, but compelling all the way through.

Check it out beyond the jump.

Even if you’re not a climber, I think you’ll find the interview worthwhile.

If you skip to about 1:04:00, Jeff briefly talks about his experiences volunteering his skills as a Physician’s Assistant in rural Nepal (not climber communities) after the 2015 earthquake. As I found when I traveled through the country in 2016, that earthquake left long-lasting scars. He then moves into talking about volunteering as a combat medic in Mosul, Iraq (107:30).

Point of interest: The blind guy whom Jeff helped to summit Everest (as discussed early on in the podcast) was Erik Weihenmayer, whose book, “To Touch the Top of the World,” I have reviewed on this site. Discussion of Eric continues around 1:35:00.

Another Everest storyline to watch this season: American climber Cory Richards and Ecuadorian climber Esteban “Topo” Mena will be attempting to put up a new route on Mount Everest, without using supplemental oxygen. They’re a pair with a good chance of pulling it off.