The Happiness Quotient
Thom Dharma Pollard hosts inspirational, intimate and unfiltered Stories That Inspire with guests and drawing from his own adventures around the world. The Happiness Quotient: connected, engaged, passionate people who inspire us.
The Happiness Quotient
Latest Episodes
Nims Purja, the Broad Peak Avalanche & Tragedy, and the Questions No One Wants to Ask
There’s a scene in 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible that tells me almost everything I need to know about the Broad Peak disaster. Ten climbers died on July 30th—but the avalanche is only part of the story. This video asks the harder question: wh...
Murder Mystery on Makalu? Konstantin Smrinov Was Left For Dead, Now He's Fighting Back In Court
"So these uh fingers, they are dead and you know they they sound like stone, like a piece of bone." Listeners might want to check out the video version of this podcast episode, found here: https://youtu.be/xBW_6ZNYI8MTh...
The Cost of the Summit: Kristin Harila's Records and Reality from Everest to Everest
In 2023, the Norwegian climber rewrote the record books by summiting all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks in just 92 days, alongside her close friend and climbing partner, Tenjen Lama Sherpa. It was one of the most remarkable achievements in the hist...
Green Boots Finally Identified on Mount Everest. Why Bringing Him Home May Be Impossible and a Bad Idea.
For nearly 30 years, the climber long referred to as "Green Boots" has remained one of Mount Everest's most haunting and recognizable landmarks. Now, after DNA testing, the Government of India says the climber has finally been identified, and a...
Everest’s Dirty Secret: The Brutal Reality of Hillary Dawa Sherpa’s Abandonment and The Everest Industry No One Wants You to Know About
The investigation into the abandonment of Hillary Dawa Sherpa reveals systemic corruption within Everest’s commercial climbing industry. Evidence of oxygen fraud, staffing failures, and criminal negligence is examined in light of current invest...
Fan Mail
Dear Thom. I've been following your Everest Mystery YouTube channel for quite a while now, sharing many of the episodes with my Canadian partner of 52 years, Penny. In 1973, a few months after meeting on a bus stop in Darwin Australia, we trekked to Everest Base Camp without guides or porters - two 25 year olds with an adventurers spirit. We subsequently climbed Kili, Mt Kenya, and Allalinhorn (by moon light) - just enough to experience the challenges of high altitude and the spectacular views from high places. These days we are delighted to be able to adventure vicariously through the wonderful films by you, Jimmy, Conrad et al. While searching for contact info I stumbled onto your podcasts, a medium I've never used. I see that there's a whole new set of stuff to listen to with your calm voice that has become so familiar to us. We'd like to pay a subscription. Which is better for you, YouTube or your podcast? We sincere thank you for all the work you put into keeping our mountain adventuring spirits alive! The Sandy Irvine discovery has certainly renewed our thirst for answers!
Victoria, BC
