Drowning at Altitude: A Nepal Rescue Story

[American Alpine Club]

In this episode, we talk to AAC member, alpinist, and ski mountaineer, Maddie Miller, about a Nepal trip gone wrong–what she hoped was going to be a level-up in her climbing career, turned into a medical evacuation. At 16,200 feet, Maddie started experiencing signs of the extremely life-threatening medical condition HAPE, or High Altitude Pulmonary Edema. Thankfully, she had the ability to call for a helicopter, and get emergency care–all covered by her AAC rescue benefit and medical expense coverage. We dive into her experience with the freaky feeling of gurgling lungs, what other people don’t realize about this extremely deadly medical diagnosis, and what it means to feel as fit as possible but still affected by altitude.

Learn More about Maddie Miller

Learn More about AAC Rescue Benefit

Discover Melissa Arnot Reid’s Book

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https://americanalpineclub.org/news/2025/5/8/drowning-at-altitude-a-nepal-rescue-story