Monte agreed because the clients, who were inexperienced New Yorkers, liked the idea of having a full-bearded Alaskan guide to protect them from the wilderness.
The clients were from New York City, had never been camping or slept in a tent, and were decked out in brand-new, expensive Arc'teryx gear, which is a red flag for inexperience in the outdoors.
Monte described their reaction as a gut-wrenching realization that they had just paid someone to strand them in the middle of nowhere.
Monte fell through a patch of snow into a crevasse, landing 20 feet below the surface of the glacier, where he was trapped for over 20 minutes.
Monte used a makeshift rope made from the clients' brand-new Arc'teryx rain jackets, tied sleeve to sleeve, to climb out of the crevasse with the help of his friend Elizabeth.
Monte learned that the glacier does not care how full your beard is, emphasizing that everyone makes mistakes and the real shame is not being able to admit and share them for learning purposes.
Monte is a comedian and adventure guide, originally from Breckenridge, Colorado, and is part owner of the Kennecott Wilderness Guides in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.
The Moth shared over 250 stories in 2024.
Listeners can find the video compilation on The Moth's Instagram at Moth Stories or on TikTok.
We take a look back at some of the stories that most resonated with our audience. This episode was hosted by Sarah Austin Jenness.
If you'd like to check out the video countdown of 2024’s most shared Moth stories we mentioned in the episode, you can follow us on TikTok or Instagram @MothStories.
Storyteller:
Wilderness guide Monte Montepare takes inexperienced hikers on a glacier expedition.