In 1995, mountaineer Alison Hargreaves made history on Everest as the first woman to summit completely solo and without supplemental oxygen. Months later, she lost her life on K2 leaving behind two young children. Twenty-four years later, her son Tom Ballard followed her path into the high peaks, only to meet the same unfortunate fate on Nanga Parbat.

This is the haunting true story of a mother and son bound by ambition, tragedy, and the mountains that claimed them both.

👉 Subscribe for more stories of survival, mystery, and the wild.

Stay curious, Explore the Wild

A quick one for you today!

And fr, go check out this area of Colorado and the Alpine Loop Rd. In the dead of a Colorado winter in 1874, six men entered the snow-choked San Juan Mountains. Only one returned.

This episode of Wild Curiosity unpacks the chilling true story of Alferd Packer, a self-proclaimed wilderness guide who emerged from the mountains alone—with a disturbing tale of starvation, death, and survival cannibalism. But the more he talked, the less things added up.

Sources:

https://www.coloradolifemagazine.com/printpage/post/index/id/194?srsltid=AfmBOopK9P4XS7neKo56Q2OlPZTV4hQgrQwuRwarr0VdPIFxupi04Ubg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Packer

Explore the mystery of the unopened tomb of Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor. From rivers of mercury and the Terracotta Army to ancient traps and buried treasure, this archaeological site has stayed sealed for over 2,000 years.

In 1483, two royal brothers vanished inside the Tower of London, Centuries later, their fate remains one of history’s greatest mysteries. Were they murdered by their uncle, Richard III? Or did they survive in secret, hidden by powerful hands? Join me as we unpack the mystery of the Princes in the Tower, the politics of the Wars of the Roses, and new research that could change everything we thought we knew.Stay Curious, Explore the Wild.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princes_in_the_Tower

https://www.richardiii.ca/titulus-regius-the-title-of-the-king/#:~:text=Titulus%20Regius%20was%20the%20first,read%20into%20the%20Parliamentary%20record.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/king-richard-iii-car-park

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/extraordinary-new-clue-about-the-princes-in-the-tower-found-at-the-national-archives/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/princes_in_tower.shtml

A deadly treasure, a missing map, and hundreds who never came back.

Deep in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains, a secret mine is said to be hidden—one so rich with gold it could make you a millionaire… if it doesn’t kill you first.

In this episode of Wild Curiosity, we follow the true story of Jacob Waltz, the mysterious gold he left behind, and the wave of real-life disappearances and deaths that have haunted the mountains for over a century.

From Apache legends and missing hikers to modern-day TV shows, park trails, and treasure maps passed through generations—this is more than just a legend.

It’s a place people are still dying to find.

🌵 Follow, rate, and share the show to help more curious minds find us.
🎧 And remember: Stay Curious, Explore the Wild.

Source:

https://www.kold.com/2022/04/11/finding-gold-lost-dutchman-mine/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Dutchman%27s_Gold_Mine#Other_deaths_and_disappearances

https://azstateparks.com/lost-dutchman/

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/tonto/recreation

https://www.cowboysindians.com/2018/01/the-legend-of-the-lost-dutchman-mine/

Sorry guys I told you this week would be about a shipwreck but instead we are heading back to shore for a mystery over 5 decades old. The Isdal Woman

In November 1970, the charred body of an unidentified woman was discovered deep in Norway’s Isdalen Valley—an eerie place known to locals as “Death Valley.” With strange objects nearby, a web of coded clues, and dozens of false identities linked to international espionage, the case of the Isdal Woman remains one of Europe’s most baffling unsolved mysteries.

Who was she? Why was her passport destroyed, her clothing stripped of tags, and her dental work unlike anything seen in Norway? And how did investigators trace her movements across multiple countries, despite never learning her name?

This episode of Wild Curiosity examines the chilling details, the forensic breakthroughs, and the enduring theories surrounding the woman who vanished behind a wall of fire and lies.

sources:

https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-48736937

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39369429

https://www.nrk.no/dokumentar/do-you-remember-this-woman_-1.13215629

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1DWWslfP8RKW5TpBfXg67q2/the-coded-notepad

https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/cases-int/503ufnor.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isdal_Woman

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-39369429

like, subscribe, and follow! And pleeeease spread the word! it helps ALOT! xo, M

Wildcuriositypodcast@gmail.com

insta: wildcuriositypodcast

Terror on the Trail: The Mount Toubkal Murders
In December 2018, two young women set out to hike Morocco’s tallest mountain. Louisa Jespersen and Maren Ueland were experienced travelers, close friends, and passionate about connecting with people and nature. Their journey to Mount Toubkal was meant to be joyful — but what happened in the Atlas Mountains shocked the world.

In this episode of Wild Curiosity, we explore the deeply disturbing events that unfolded near Imlil, how the murder of Louisa and Maren became a tool for extremists and what’s changed since. This story is about risk, resilience, and the power of compassion in the face of unspeakable violence.

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains graphic violence and extremist content.

• Washington Post investigative feature
  https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2019/06/21/murder-two-scandinavian-women-morocco-was-meant-impress-islamic-state-far-right-seized-it-attack-islam/

• 
  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-49029505

• The Guardian – Moroccan backpacker killings linked to Islamist extremists
  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/11/mother-of-danish-student-suspected-killed-by-jihadists-demands-death-penalty

• Lonely Planet – Mount Toubkal Trekking Guide
  https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/mount-toubkal-morocco-guide

• Encyclopedia Britannica – Mount Toubkal entry
  https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Toubkal

• • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Louisa_Vesterager_Jespersen_and_Maren_Ueland

  
  

*After the episode comment below and tell me what you believe happened to Gil*

On June 24, 2006, 47-year-old Gilbert Gilman parked his car at the Staircase Ranger Station in Olympic National Park, Washington. Planning a simple day hike to photograph the lush wilderness of Staircase Rapids, Gilman vanished into the dense forest without a trace. What followed was an exhaustive search spanning over 5,000 hours, involving helicopters, search dogs, specialized river teams, and infrared technology—but no clues have ever surfaced. Join me, Mandalynn as we explore the chilling mystery behind Gilbert Gilman's unsolved disappearance, examine theories, and reflect on the haunting question: How does someone disappear in broad daylight, leaving nothing behind but unanswered questions?

Stay curious, Explore the Wild and remember: nature sometimes keeps secrets we may never get the chance to uncover.

sources:

https://oriole-violin-bp7c.squarespace.com/episodes/tag/Gilbert+Gilmanhttps://npshistory.com/morningreport/incidents/olym.htm

https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/staircase

https://charleyproject.org/case-searches/geographical-cases?region=Washington

https://vanished.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olympic-National-Park.png

https://www.namus.gov/MissingPersons/Case#/22763?nav

https://charleyproject.org/case/gilbert-mark-gilman