88 | The Para-Alpinist w/ Nathan Longhurst

The Climbing Majority

Today I have a truly groundbreaking story from one of my previous show guests Nathan Longhurst.

Last time I spoke with Nathan, he was fresh off his solo ascent of the Cassin Ridge on Denali and making waves in the climbing community. At the time, he had also just discovered his next passion—paragliding. I remember joking back then, hoping he wouldn’t get hurt as he dove headfirst into this new pursuit. But just a few weeks later, he crashed—breaking his pelvis.

Since then, Nathan has pushed even further in fulfilling his vision of merging the sports of solo alpinism and flight. Becoming a leading pioneer in a budding new style of alpinism. His latest project in New Zealand involves linking together 100 technical alpine peaks not just by climbing them, but also flying between them. His goal? To Successfully summit all of “New Zealand’s 100 Greatest Peaks”. A curated list of New Zealand's 100 most iconic mountains that had only ever been climbed by one man Don French —a journey that took him nearly 34 years to accomplish. However, on February 27th 2025 Nathan managed to complete the entire objective in a staggering 103 days. revolutionizing what’s possible in mountain travel by blending the skills of an alpinist and a foil pilot.

But this wasn’t just a smooth, picturesque journey through the mountains. Along the way, Nathan battled snow blindness after losing his sunglasses, survived loose rock fall that nearly ended his entire mission, and had to manage the terrifying reality of flying on a damaged wing after a failed launch high up on a rocky ridge. Every decision mattered, and with each new challenge, he was forced to recalibrate his limits, balancing the thrill of the unknown with the ever-present dangers of both the air and the mountains.

This conversation goes deep. We talk about the mental and physical challenges of combining two of the most committing mountain disciplines, how his perception of risk evolved after cheating death during a crash landing due to catastrophic canopy failure…, and the logistical puzzles of executing a cutting edge project that has just simply never been done before.

At the point of releasing this conversation Nathan has yet to speak with anyone about the intimate details of his experience ... .and I am honored to share his story…So nowI bring you 3 hrs of Nathan Longhurst.

----

HELP KEEP THIS PODCAST AD FREE! | For a little as $3/mo!

----

Don’t forget to check out our full video episodes on Youtube!

The TCM movement is growing but we need your help to spread the word! Please share this podcast with your friends and family. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to support the show. If you enjoyed the show we’d appreciate it if you could rate and review us on your favorite podcatcher.

We are always looking for new guests. If you or someone you know would be a great fit for the show please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can reach us on IG or email us directly @ [email protected]

---
Resources

Nathan's IG

New Zealand's 100 Greatest Peaks List

Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. The Flying Accident (00:03:02)

3. New Zealand Alpine Club's 100 Greatest Peaks Challenge (00:26:40)

4. Preparation & Planning (00:43:47)

5. The Reality of Flight (01:16:38)

6. Capturing the Experience vs. Experiencing the Experience (01:21:34)

7. An Unconventional Landing (01:30:05)

8. Rock Fall, Snow Blindness, & A Sprained Ankle (01:33:41)

9. The Damaged Wing & An Uncontrolled Crash (02:06:29)

10. Closing Questions (02:33:43)