Raging rivers, hungry bears, huge avalanches—no matter how prepared you are, a walk in the woods can go from innocent to disastrous in the blink of an eye. Out Alive is a podcast series about real people who survived the unsurvivable. Each survivor takes you through what happened, from the packing mistakes to the missed signals to the plain bad luck, while experts and witnesses weigh in on how things went wrong.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
Goodbye for Now
After five years of gripping and educational survival tales, Out Alive is going on indefinite hiatus. Thank you to for listening and for your continued support. For more
Jan 24 2024 1 min
A Rescue Gone Wrong
In 1982, Mountain Rescue volunteer Joe Lentini’s life took a profound turn during a daring rescue mission gone wrong. Decades later, the impact of that fateful day contin
Dec 14 2023 23 min
The Toll of SAR
While every SAR unit faces different circumstances based on terrain, weather, and how they work with their local law enforcement, it’s the unseen obstacles like time away
Dec 14 2023 27 min
Vertical Peril
In the world of backcountry search and rescue, some environments require proficiency beyond the standard tactics. Yosemite Valley, where rock climbers come to test their
Dec 14 2023 14 min
How to Save a Life
As one of the busiest and most elite Search and Rescue units in the country, Rocky Mountain Rescue operates amidst the rugged terrain of Colorado’s Front Range and the Ro
Dec 14 2023 25 min
In Death's Wake, He Decided to Survive
In this gripping story of survival and heartache, David Cicotello finds himself stranded on a ledge after a tragic accident claims his brother's life. Alone, with dwindli
Oct 25 2023 27 min
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant on Being Chased by an Elephant and Why She’ll Take Her Chances with Bears
Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, a large carnivore wildlife ecologist, recounts her heart-pounding survival story of being chased by a wild elephant. With unflinching honesty, Dr. Wyn
Oct 11 2023 15 min
Fallen Into An Ice Cave
Join us as we follow two friends, Dan and Jim, on their annual climbing trip in the stunning yet treacherous terrains of the Tetons. Their adventurous spirits are tested
Sep 27 2023 24 min
Are the Animals Sick of Us?
In this episode of Out Alive we dive into a summer riddled with unsettling animal encounters worldwide. From cougars and bears on American soil to Orcas causing chaos off
Sep 13 2023 13 min
Stabbed by a Trekking Pole
In the rugged terrain of the Wind River Mountains, what begins as a routine ultramarathon training session for Gabe Joyes quickly escalates into a life-threatening ordeal
Aug 30 2023 32 min
Why Extreme Heat is Nature's Stealthiest Killer
When we anticipate encountering bears, we come equipped with bear spray and knowledge of how to act. In avalanche terrain, we know to pack our beacon, shovel, and probe.
Aug 16 2023 10 min
Hit by Rockfall Deep in a Cave
The harrowing journey of two adult brothers whose passion for spelunking takes a terrifying turn. Exploring the labyrinthine depths of a remote cave, they find themselves
Aug 2 2023 29 min
Liquid Gold or Fool's Errand? Should You Drink Pee to Stay Alive?
We sit down with survival expert Jessie Krebs to explore some of the most common survival questions. Drawing upon Jessie's extensive knowledge and experience in the field
Jul 19 2023 11 min
A Deadly Rescue on Mount Rainier
In this episode of Out Alive, we share a harrowing tale of survival, resilience, and tragedy on Mount Rainier. Four climbers set out to conquer the mountain, only to face
Jul 5 2023 52 min
Pack Like Your Life Depends On It
Join renowned survivalist, SERE instructor, and former "Alone" contestant, Jessie Krebs as she shares her knowledge and expertise on the crucial framework you need to kno
Jun 21 2023 10 min
Eric Larsen on Surviving Cancer and Polar Travel
In this episode of the Out Alive podcast, we delve into the awe-inspiring story of polar explorer Eric Larsen, who has fearlessly navigated treacherous icy terrain, but f
Jun 7 2023 34 min
Skier Rescues Stranger From a Tree Well
Francis Zuber was enjoying the kind of powder skiing you’re lucky to get once a season. Just out of bounds at the Mt. Baker Ski Area, Zuber was enjoying deep turns when h
May 24 2023 13 min
Four Nights Lost in the Cold
Join us on Out Alive for the incredible story of Shannon Baruth and her aid dog, who survived for four nights in the Pecos Wilderness in New Mexico after getting lost. Wh
May 10 2023 37 min
Signal Fire Strategies: Dos and Don'ts for Survival
In this episode of Out Alive Survival Shorts, we discuss the crucial role of signal fires in emergency situations, using a real case story to highlight important dos and
Apr 26 2023 13 min
Battling the Brain: A Neurological Illness Backcountry Skiing
We've written about the Spearhead Traverse before as The Best Worst Ski Trip Ever. But in this story, we explore the challenges of neurological illness in the backcountry
Apr 12 2023 25 min
Chart trend
Position in the Places & Travel chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#61#120AugSepOctNov
#7
all-time peak
3
days in the top 10 since Nov 2024
Chart positions
Where Out Alive from Backpacker ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Nov 3, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
Please don’t make your indefinite hiatus a permanent one. I love your podcast. You pic great stories but you make them fascinating. I love the cadence of your talking and how much detail you put in to each episode. I highly recommend this podcast if you like outdoor survival stories!
SleepDeep1233467 · Jul 2025
This is got to been one of my favorite podcasts to listen to as I’m walking my dog every day. I do a lot of outdoor activities and always have been one of the first aid medical team volunteers for any event. These stories have really put things into perspective for me and I’m sad that I won’t be able to listen to them anymore now that I’ve made it through all of the episodes
Hey mkb · Jul 2024
I’m so incredibly sad this podcast ended. It was absolutely fantastic and I started listening to it after my dad past away. I’m not sure why or how but this pod has really helped me with my grief and helped me feel more hopeful. Even though it ended it’s absolutely worth listening to. Just a fantastic pod. It’s informative, sensitive to difficult stories and all around remarkable. I hope it comes back.
Rrrrrraaaaawwww · Jun 2024
This podcast was so great in giving information as well as holding my attention, while listening to the stories. I go on backpacking trips with friends, and on our all day drive we always listen to this podcast, and talked about what we would do.
I’m just so bummed that it ended- good job on it and I’ll just have to relist to everything again.
The Crabber · Apr 2024
I love the survival genre, and can’t get enough of true stories. This interview/first person format is just way too jarring for someone, like me, with audio processing issues.
First, not everyone has an articulate, radio-friendly voice.
Second, when recording from outside a studio setting, audio quality varies wildly. It’s like they recorded from a phone call over speaker. Then they shift the recording between different audio filters.
The stories themselves feel disjointed, and the audio quality with weird filter effects give me an inexplicable anxiety. I think they tried to do it in the style of ‘I Survived’ and it just doesn’t work.
The two best survival/animal attack podcasts are ‘Against the Odds’ and ‘Tooth and Claw’. I wish I could find more like them.
DoktorMeowMeow · Dec 2025
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Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of Out Alive from Backpacker, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
