On their second attempt in two years, in April 2025, Anna Pfaff and Andres Marin completed a direct new route up the south face of Mt. Providence in the Alaska Range, this time with Tad McCrea as their climbing partner. The nearly 1,000-meter climb had difficulties on rock, ice and snow. For Pfaff, who lost six toes to frostbite on a nearby mountain in 2022, the summit was a form of redemption. And on Mt. Providence, all three climbers found large doses of good fortune and serendipity. Host Jim Aikman interviewed each of the climbers to capture this compelling story of the power of friendship, belief and kismet in the Alaska Range.
The Cutting Edge