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The CRUX: True Survival Stories

Adirondack Tragedy: The 9-Day Search for Leo Dufour on Allen Mountain | Disaster Strikes | E215

The CRUX: True Survival Stories

Bleav + Kaycee McIntosh + Julie Henningsen

Society & Culture, Halloween, Wilderness, True Crime, Nature, National, Crime, Documentary

4.0606 Ratings

🗓️ 12 February 2026

⏱️ 25 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this episode of 'Disaster Strikes' on the Crux podcast, host Julie Henningsen recounts the haunting story of Leo Dufour, a 22-year-old university student and seasoned hiker from Quebec. Driven by his quest to climb all 46 peaks over 4,000 feet in New York's Adirondack Park, Leo embarked on a solo ascent of Allen Mountain in November 2024 but never returned. An extensive search ensued, conducted by 59 forest rangers battling brutal winter conditions. The episode explores the risks of mountaineering, the resilience of the search teams, and the lessons learned from this tragic incident, emphasizing the indifference of nature and the importance of careful planning and respect for the wilderness.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to the segment of the Crux podcast called Disaster Strikes. While our regular episodes

0:06.4

focus on survival stories where people overcome incredible odds, this bi-weekly segment examines

0:12.8

outdoor adventures that ended in tragedy. These stories are meant to paint a clear picture of how

0:19.2

quickly things can go wrong in the wilderness,

0:22.2

and the cascade of decisions often small and seemingly reasonable in the moment that can lead

0:27.8

to devastating outcomes. By studying these incidents respectfully and thoroughly, we can all learn

0:34.7

valuable lessons that might save lives.

0:41.5

The stories are difficult, but the education they provide is invaluable.

0:43.8

I'm your host, Julie Henningson.

0:48.3

And today we're heading to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State.

0:53.8

So here's something I bet you didn't know.

1:01.5

There are exactly 46 mountains in New York's Adirondack Park that rise above 4,000 feet.

1:04.3

And there's this whole community of hikers.

1:10.1

They call themselves the 46ers who make it their mission to climb every single one of them.

1:10.8

It's like a really challenging, really beautiful,

1:14.2

really exhausting scavenger hunt that can take years to complete.

1:19.4

Leo Dufour was 22 years old,

1:21.8

and he was 32 peaks into this quest,

1:26.4

32 down 14 to go. Not bad for a university student from Quebec,

1:31.4

who was studying to become a teacher. His Instagram was exactly what you'd expect from someone

1:37.3

obsessed with mountains. Summit selfies, sunrise shots, those wind-swept photos where your

1:43.8

hair is going in 17 different directions,

...

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