EP09: Michael Lehmann | The Avalanche Story That Shaped Life in the Mountains
The Hangout Australian Climbing PodcastShow Notes
In this episode of The Hangout, Tom sits down with climber and guide Michael Lehmann to explore the reality of building a life in the mountains.
Michael shares the story of a serious avalanche accident where he and his partner were swept 300 metres down a mountain and over two cliffs. Both survived, and the experience became a powerful moment of reflection on the decisions and risks that led to it. Beyond the incident, the conversation explores the wider philosophy of life in the mountains - from guiding and expedition logistics to climbing remote objectives - and how high-level climbing often becomes less about strength and more about judgement, problem solving, and managing uncertainty.
Links Instagram: @stokedmike Website: Mike Lehmann Photography
Chapters 00:00 – Intro & podcast setup 02:00 – Michael’s climbing background and mountain life 08:30 – Getting into guiding and working in the outdoors 18:00 – The psychological side of guiding and supporting clients 25:00 – Career paths in guiding and managing risk in mountain environments 32:00 – Climbing as complex problem solving 40:00 – Fear, exposure and building confidence in climbing 50:00 – Sea stack climbing and the logistics behind remote objectives 1:05:00 – Adventures in Tasmania and climbing with friends 1:20:00 – Sailing, sea cliffs and expedition access 1:35:00 – The avalanche story begins 1:45:00 – Triggering the avalanche and the fall down the mountain 1:55:00 – Being buried, surviving and the aftermath 2:05:00 – Lessons learned and changes to decision making 2:15:00 – Mountain culture, mistakes and supporting others after accidents 2:20:00 – Closing thoughts on risk, adventure and partnership
Keywords climbing podcast, mountaineering, avalanche survival, mountain risk management, climbing philosophy, alpine climbing, sea stack climbing, Tasmania climbing, expedition climbing, adventure storytelling, outdoor leadership, decision making in the mountains, climbing partnerships, mountain guiding, climbing logistics
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