This summer, Avi Ruben was climbing a steep couloir when he slipped, started sliding—and realized he had no idea how to self-arrest. Just as panic set in, he heard his radio come to life: It was his partner, giving him step-by-step instructions.

On July 2, 2020, Zach Eiten survived a sudden torrent of rockfall while climbing Montana's Granite Peak. He was left stranded with a broken foot, over ten miles from the trailhead and with storms on their way.