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Backcountry Fever
← Silver Lake Scramble
Strike 1 at Leatherman Peak →

Are You An Athlete with Type-1 Diabetes?

Posted on July 11, 2024December 2, 2024 by Backcountry Fever

If you are an endurance athlete with Type 1 Diabetes, you might be interested in hearing this podcast.

About the Host

Joe Marcello is from Boston who was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic at 21.  Despite this challenge, he is determined to stay active in the sports he loves.  He is also dedicated in learning how to manage this condition in a way that can help others pursue their athletic interests with minimal restriction.  Hence, the creation of T1Determined.

About the Guest

In this episode, Joe interviews Taylor Adams, a Pediatric Critical Care Flight Nurse from Salt Lake City.  Taylor is an accomplished hiker, climber and mountaineer with diabetes since age 11.  Not only has he summitted the tallest peak on each of the seven continents, Taylor is the first Type 1 diabetic to accomplish all Seven Summits with an insulin pump.  He is a wealth of information on this subject.

A Crazy Connection

I first met Joe during the Denali Prep Course I attended in Alaska last month.  Over dinner one night, he was talking about an interview he just did with another diabetic who summited Everest.  It took me a minute to register this info.  I then said, “hey, I hike with someone who summited Everest…and he did it for this cause”.  Joe asked what his name was.  When I said “Taylor Adams”, we both almost fell over.

What were the odds?? I definitely thought it was a crazy connection to have!  The climb Taylor mentions in this podcast is the Everest Ridge route up to Mt. Timpanogos.  We’ve done that climb together in 2022 and 2023.  He did it again in 2024, but unfortunately, I couldn’t make it this year.

Taylor is definitely a strong climber with tons of knowledge and experience.  He is also very patient and willing to help you along your journey.  I have been on the mountain with him several times, all day, and you’d never know he’s a diabetic.  It has definitely not held him back from doing what he wants to do!

Give Joe’s T1Determined podcast a listen and consider donating to Taylor’s GoFundMe page.

UPDATE: November 2024 – Joe just released a video podcast of his experience on our Denali Prep Course as a Type 1 diabetic.  He shares the details of this week-long training on the Kahiltna Glacier, which obviously includes how he managed his health and wellness in the remote wilderness of Alaska.


Joe also announced an upcoming feature film titled Low Blood Sugar at High Altitude, where he will showcase how you can still live an active lifestyle with Type 1 diabetes.  This movie will follow Joe as he attempts to summit Denali, the tallest peak in North America.  Watch for his new documentary in 2025!

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I really wanted to do the loop, so I took another shot at Kessler, this time from the Relsek Trail. Let me tell ya, 2,000 feet of elevation in that 1-mile stretch from road to ridge is a real thigh-burner! 🥵

I also much rather liked climbing UP the gully to the summit, rather than the thought of going DOWN it (the part I didn`t want to tackle by myself last week).

As always, it felt rewarding to get it done and now I can say I`ve closed the loop on this one! 🥾⛰️

#kesslerpeak #relsektrail #loophike #wasatchmountains #legday

16 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18093421613420388
I really wanted to do the loop, so I took another shot at Kessler, this time from the Relsek Trail.  Let me tell ya, 2,000 feet of elevation in that 1-mile stretch from road to ridge is a real thigh-burner! 🥵

I also much rather liked climbing UP the gully to the summit, rather than the thought of going DOWN it (the part I didn't want to tackle by myself last week).

As always, it felt rewarding to get it done and now I can say I've closed the loop on this one! 🥾⛰️

#kesslerpeak #relsektrail #loophike #wasatchmountains #legday

Today`s sufferfest on Kessler Peak!

I wanted to do the loop, but when I considered the options down off the south ridge, I decided not to try that alone. Same with the mine I saw up there... not sure if that`s the same one I`ve seen others inside a tunnel?

Still a good time after not being out in a while.

#kesslerpeak #kesslerpealtrail #wasatchfront #sufferfest #legday

20 1
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17960032346983601
Today's sufferfest on Kessler Peak!

I wanted to do the loop, but when I considered the options down off the south ridge, I decided not to try that alone.  Same with the mine I saw up there... not sure if that's the same one I've seen others inside a tunnel? 

Still a good time after not being out in a while.

#kesslerpeak #kesslerpealtrail #wasatchfront #sufferfest #legday

I struck out on Leatherman in 2024, and added that to my list of unfinished business. With the help of some adventurous friends, we dropped it in the bag. The last 2,000 feet was grueling, but so worth it now that we`re done. Thanks Andee, Greg and Dave 👊 I wouldn`t have made it without you!

#leathermanpeak #hikeidaho #lostriverrange #peakbagging #peakbagger

23 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18446485450137775
I struck out on Leatherman in 2024, and added that to my list of unfinished business.  With the help of some adventurous friends, we dropped it in the bag.  The last 2,000 feet was grueling, but so worth it now that we're done. Thanks Andee, Greg and Dave 👊 I wouldn't have made it without you!

#leathermanpeak #hikeidaho #lostriverrange #peakbagging #peakbagger

Couldn`t have asked for a better day to climb Mount Adams. The conditions today (6/4) were absolutely perfect!

These 6 miles were waaaay different from the last six I did in LA. This 6-mile climb to the summit packed in 6,700 feet of elevation and took 6 hours 45 minutes (one-way).

#mtadams #mountadams #pnw #mountaineering #legday

45 4
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17988770517003932
Couldn't have asked for a better day to climb Mount Adams. The conditions today (6/4) were absolutely perfect!

These 6 miles were waaaay different from the last six I did in LA. This 6-mile climb to the summit packed in 6,700 feet of elevation and took 6 hours 45 minutes (one-way).

#mtadams #mountadams #pnw #mountaineering #legday

Spent the weekend in California for a wedding and managed to squeeze in a quick hike, L.A.-style.

After reaching Mount Lee behind the Hollywood Sign, I couldn`t resist tagging two other peaks along the Aileen Getty Ridge Trail: Cahuenga Peak, the highest point in Griffith Park, and Burbank Peak, home to the famous Wisdom Tree.

The hike came in at 6 miles with just 1,000 feet of elevation gain and took only 2 hours.

#hollywoodsign #cahuengapeak #burbankpeak #aileengettyridgetrail #hikela

19 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17874758856610450
Spent the weekend in California for a wedding and managed to squeeze in a quick hike, L.A.-style.

After reaching Mount Lee behind the Hollywood Sign, I couldn't resist tagging two other peaks along the Aileen Getty Ridge Trail: Cahuenga Peak, the highest point in Griffith Park, and Burbank Peak, home to the famous Wisdom Tree.

The hike came in at 6 miles with just 1,000 feet of elevation gain and took only 2 hours.

#hollywoodsign #cahuengapeak #burbankpeak #aileengettyridgetrail #hikela

Still chasing snow! Took my brother-in-law on his first-ever mountaineering experience. We went up Temple Couloir, over to Deseret Peak, and then slid down West Twin Couloir. Hard to beat spring days like this.

This was my 6th summit of Deseret Peak.

#deseretpeak #templecouloir #twincouloirs #mountaineering #chasingsnow

46 4
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17898155133454122
Still chasing snow! Took my brother-in-law on his first-ever mountaineering experience. We went up Temple Couloir, over to Deseret Peak, and then slid down West Twin Couloir.  Hard to beat spring days like this.

This was my 6th summit of Deseret Peak.

#deseretpeak #templecouloir #twincouloirs #mountaineering #chasingsnow

One of my favorite things to do between ski season and hiking season: kicking steps up a steep slope toward some snow-capped summit!

#mountaineering #kickingsteps #steepslope #snowcapped #summitday

33 4
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 17939009859229790
One of my favorite things to do between ski season and hiking season: kicking steps up a steep slope toward some snow-capped summit!

#mountaineering #kickingsteps #steepslope #snowcapped #summitday

Another moderate day of mountaineering up the north slope of Mt. Superior, known as Cardiac Bowl. I`ve only been to this peak once before, from the typical summer trail, so it was way fun to get there from this direction.

#mountsuperior #northslope #cardiacbowl #mountaineering #wasatch11ers

32 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18131016616566455
Another moderate day of mountaineering up the north slope of Mt. Superior, known as Cardiac Bowl.  I've only been to this peak once before, from the typical summer trail, so it was way fun to get there from this direction.

#mountsuperior #northslope #cardiacbowl #mountaineering #wasatch11ers

With such good coverage and a big storm rolling in, I think Alta should stay open for at least another week!

#stillskiing #springskiing #skiutah #skiing #alta

15 0
Open post by backcountryfever with ID 18013199525845115
With such good coverage and a big storm rolling in, I think Alta should stay open for at least another week! 

#stillskiing #springskiing #skiutah #skiing #alta
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