I've Climbed Every 14er in America Artwork

Let's Talk with Mark & Michelle

Hey! We're Michelle and Mark. I'm Michelle, a long-time realtor from Tulsa, Oklahoma. And I'm her husband Mark. I've spent more than 40 years as a TV news anchor and reporter from coast-to-coast. Together we’ve started a podcast called Let’s Talk, where we dive deeper into trending topics and talk to real people making a difference in their community. And we have fun doing it.

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Let's Talk with Mark & Michelle

I've Climbed Every 14er in America

April 16, 2025 • Mark Bradshaw • Season 4 • Episode 10

Many Tulsans know Phil as a long-time city councilor, civic leader and CEO of the Tulsa Community Foundation. But did you know he’s also an adventurer, thrill-seeker, climber, mountaineer? Ever heard of the Matterhorn? And not the one at Disney World. The one in the Swiss Alps. He’s climbed that. How about Cotopaxi? You may have one of its colorful backpacks. But this Cotopaxi is in Ecuador. It’s almost 20 thousand feet high, and he’s climbed that too. Do you know what a 14er is? There are more than 70 of them in the continental U.S. Phil’s been to the top of ALL of them … and many more than once?

In this podcast, Michelle and I talk with Phil about his crazy adventures, his dances with danger and his motivation to reach breathtaking (in more ways than one) summits when the pain is almost unbearable. No doubt about it, Phil Lakin suffers for what he does. But don’t feel sorry for him. Not when you see his view from the top!