I just wrapped up a climbing trip with friends in Indian Creek, Utah. South of Moab, the area is a classic for climbers and features some of the most stellar sandstone crack climbing imaginable. The continuous cracks are perfect for a blind climber, so my buddies decided to give me the lead—meaning they let me go up the wall […]
Goldmine I’d heard the name “Bugaboos” long before I ever set foot in the range, and even longer before I stood atop the incredible South Howser Tower. The story goes that early miners came here looking for gold, silver, maybe some rich mineral veins to strike it big. They found nothing. Frustrated, they called the […]
The Wyoming Ice Festival was the BESTIVAL – thanks, Aaron Mulkey (aka @coldfear)! Friends, if you love ice climbing, Wyoming Ice Festival is a great grassroots community event. Cody and the South Fork of the Shoshone River is such a unique, tight-knit kind of place, where frozen waterfalls in the mountains seem as common as the cattle […]
Like others who are blind, much of how I understand the physical world is literally shaped by touch. I recently sat down with Ability Magazine to talk about losing my eyesight and finding ways to “alchemize” it into meaningful achievements in my life. It’s also Braille Literacy Month, and so I wanted to highlight a […]
My friend George Basch was an extraordinary man. I admired him deeply. Sadly, he passed away this year (aged 86), and I know the world will continue to miss his big heart and immense impact, especially as the founder of The Himalayan Stove Project, where I was fortunate to serve on his advisory board for […]
It’s a dream of every NPR nerd to have the voice of Peter Sagal from Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! on their voicemail, and even luckier to join the show live! So you could imagine my delight when I was asked to be the headliner for the “Not My Job” segment on June 20. The […]
I recently returned from an epic annual gathering with a 15-year legacy. It’s organized by Dirk and Nancy Tyler and their families, with friends Malcom and Karen Daly, Mark Kroese, Matt Compton, Greg Mills, Josh Friedman, Jeff Buhl and others — an assemblage of dirtbags converging on this backcountry paradise for an unforgettable week of […]
I’m thrilled to share that Soundscape keeps winning awards at national and international film festivals, including the Creative Excellence Award at Banff Mountain Film Festival, Best Climbing Film at Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, and Best Picture at Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Most recently, we even screened to a packed audience at the first Outside Festival in Denver, CO! This […]
Earlier this spring I was invited to speak at a beautiful business and community event in Santiago, Chile. The host was CMPC, a Chilean packaging and paper company, and the event was emceed by Rodrigo Jordan, the first Chilean to summit Everest and a friend of friends. It was a spectacular venue and a packed […]
Exploring a Maritime Land of Snow and Ice Alaska is the land of legends and I’ve always wanted to go ice climbing on the storied steeps of Valdez. I joined friends, Dr. Olga Dobranowski and Sarah Fritz, a practicing nurse, to explore this maritime land of snow and to our excitement, amazing ice climbing. Valdez […]
SBJC & No Barriers Honor My Father Ed Weihenmayer III I’m proud that the life, legacy, and lessons of my amazing father, Ed Weihenmayer III, are able to live on through the wonderful work done by No Barriers every day. And now I’m excited to share that his impact extends again – this time ever-etched […]
Building Heritage, Innovation, and Inclusion I recently visited Cognac, France, to connect with our partners at Hennessy and to be immersed in their culture as they push forward to be a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization. It’s a proud history . . . Since 1763, and they won’t let you miss that fact. Their […]
You Can’t Fake This Kind of Joy What’s Your Everest, our annual adaptive hike for the greater No Barriers community, was last month at Copper Mountain, presented by FNBO – and as always my favorite part was getting to spend time with so many beautiful people. The goal behind the climb is to inspire folks […]
Everest and Equity Twenty two years ago today, on May 25, 2001, I stood atop Mount Everest with my team. As I reflect back on that momentous day in our lives, it has helped me to better understand “No Barriers,” and what continuing to strive towards achieving equity in this world means to me. […]
dZi Foundation: Spread the Love Every time I visit the Himalayas, my love for the people and mountains seems to deepen. The warmth and generosity of the guides, porters, and mountain communities stay with me long after I’ve returned. Today, Valentine’s Day, I’m taking a moment to express my gratitude as a longtime ambassador for the […]
Building Your Rope Team At No Barriers, we talk a lot about Rope Teams. It is a metaphor that connects the way that climbers travel across glaciated terrain and up a mountain to the importance of the people that we surround ourselves with, not just on an adventure, but especially through the goals and challenges of […]
Developing a Deeper No Barriers Mindset After I spoke to iCIMS at a virtual event in January, they wanted a way to deepen their connection to the No Barriers Mindset, so I suggested inviting a team out to Colorado to climb some mountains — and we did just that! iCIMS donated $25,000 to […]
Episode 54: Erik Weihenmayer – Totally Blind Adventurer Open Show Page Episode Link Open Spotify Episode Link Open Apple Podcast Episode Link When do you feel most alive? Some people are surprised to learn I’m not an adrenaline junkie. I don’t have to push my limit to the edge to feel energized and enriched to […]
The Alltech ONE Conference celebrates innovation and resilience in agriculture and technology, and this year I had the privilege of sharing the first-ever double Alltech Humanitarian Award with my friend and founder of Not Impossible Labs, Mick Ebeling. Video Description: A 60-second recap from the Alltech ONE Conference. It shows Erik and Mick receiving […]
When I traveled to France for a talk two weeks ago, I also did three (3) amazing days of climbing in the Verdon Gorge, or Gorges du Verdon. The Verdon is a wildly deep river canyon located in Provence with more than a thousand beautiful limestone routes rising up from its belly. It’s a […]
Our 2022 No Barriers Summit and What’s Your Everest adaptive group hike happened on August 25-28 in Estes Park, CO, at the YMCA of the Rockies – and both were a huge success! Watch/Listen to the No Barriers Recap Video Folks of all ages and abilities enjoyed activities and clinics of all kinds, like adaptive […]
At the end of July, I attended the launch event for the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics at MIT in Boston, MA and it was an outstanding celebration. The center focuses on creating advanced technologies that restore the function of bodies and minds affected by injury, aging, and disease. My friend Hugh Herr is […]
A Weihenmayer Family Tradition When I was a kid, I was lucky to go to Camp Tecumseh, an overnight sports and adventure camp for boys located on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. My dad was a coach there, and I had such a wonderful experience as a camper that I returned to coach wrestling […]
Episode 99: Climbing Everest Blind Open Spotify Link Open Apple Podcast Link The Grit Podcast interviews persons of interest to explore ideas behind what it takes to create, scale, and lead companies to make a difference. Host Joubin Mirzadegan and I go off-script. We discuss more about my personal life and how I perceive the […]
Two months ago, my father, Ed Weihenmayer III, passed away. He’d been in terrible pain with an artificial hip that kept popping out and a back with degrading vertebrae. On top of it all, he slipped and broke his hip and was in the rehabilitation hospital awaiting revision hip surgery when his beautiful heart gave […]
After a two-year Covid delay, it was a joy to finally deliver the University of Vermont’s 2022 Commencement address in person to a sea of smiling graduates, students, family, and faculty. Video Description: A 2-min sizzle reel of my speech, featuring shots of Erik speaking on stage interlaced with shots of students entering the graduation ceremony […]
Returning to Red Rock Canyon Climbing in Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon with my friend Connor (aka: the flying squirrel) is becoming tradition. We were here in March 2021, and this time my Everest teammate Charley Mace joined us for a few days of romping on the soaring sandstone above Sin City. The Blind Approach Red […]
X Ambassadors’s Casey Harris Joins My No Barriers Podcast It was a pleasure having blind keyboardist Casey Harris of X Ambassadors join me and special guest co-host, Antoinette Lee Toscano, for an incredible No Barriers Podcast (EP 143 – links to the show are at the bottom of this post). I met Casey in […]
There’s something magical about the desert’s endless expanse of land, corridors, washes, and buttes – and something extra special about experiencing this space with other folks who also happen to be blind or visually impaired (BVI). I recently traveled to California’s infamous Death Valley to join the Blind Stokers Club for a few days of […]
The beautiful story I am sharing with you today — the Wednesday before Thanksgiving — was one of many shared with me shortly after two of our No Barriers Caregivers Retreats that took place earlier this fall at the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center in Carrabassett Valley, Maine. The retreats offered 25 family caregivers 4 days […]
Like most of us over the last two years, I took a pause on international travel–for obvious reasons. However, this September, with my son Arjun starting his freshman year of college, my team and I coming off another successful No Barriers Summit, my 53rd birthday just around the corner, and the UK opening its border […]
Now that my son Arjun is a freshman at the University of Vermont, I’m lucky to have an even better reason to go play in New England. So earlier this month I took full advantage. Adventure 1: Vermont Gravel Biking My buddy Bob Kauffman and I flew into Burlington, where we enjoyed a few dinners […]
I’m not saying I will, but IF I ever attempt to run 100 miles without stopping, I think it’s going to be at the Vermont 100. Recently, I had the pleasure of chatting with Race Director, running champion, award-winning coach, and guide for blind runners, Amy Rusiecki, about the complexity of her sport and the […]
The climb to timberline on the Guanella Pass (elevation 11,670′) can turn ya ‘round and take your breath away. My friend Bob and I peddled the tandem to the top the other day to take in the changing season. We were greeted by perfect temps and golden aspen with Mount Bierstadt (14,060′) looming to our […]
Aconcagua, my 3rd of the Seven Summits. Elevation: 22,841’ (6,962m) — the highest point in the Andes of Argentina and Chile; the highest point in the southern hemisphere; the highest point in the Americas; and the highest point outside of Asia. It took me and my team two tries to reach the peak — falling […]
Earlier this month, my friend Kyle Coon finished 5th in the Triathalon at his first Paralympic Games. Congratulations, Kyle! Your grit is a gift and I’m sure this will only be the first of many Olympics for you. For those of you who don’t know Kyle, he’s blind and he’s 100% a barrier-breaker. I’ve known […]
Had a fantastic time hitting the open roads/spaces last week with my friend and tandem teammate Bob Kauffman. On our first day, we biked in Red Mountain Open Space Park, breaking in our cool new Blind Stokers Club shirts (compliments of club founder Dave White), then we hauled north to enjoy an evening of music […]
I’m thrilled to share some barrier-breaking news from my friend and former podcast guest, Rebecca Rusch. Rebecca’s setting up for her 9th annual Rebecca’s Private Idaho — one of the largest and most celebrated gravel bike races in the world — and she just told me that this year’s participating cyclists will now be able […]
Way to go, Gretchen! Way to go, Veterans! This is another level of support and recognition you have all earned. Here’s the electronic billboard capture from Times Square New York, where the Nasdaq’s (virtual) Opening Bell Ceremony took place. The photos and video feature pictures of Veterans with words below like Honor, Appreciation, Country, and […]
Every *now* and *then* you gotta get the band back together! Last weekend (most of) my Everest team and I gathered at Michael Brown’s farm to celebrate the 20th anniversary of our 2001 summit. We set up ‘Base Camp’ with tents, had happy hour, baked up homemade ‘za, watched Farther Than The Eye Can See […]
Earlier this year, I planned a trip to Alaska to climb a bucket list peak but had to cancel when my teammate injured his knee. Besides this, Alaska was in the midst of a huge heatwave, and the ice-face collapsed; that made the decision easier. Perfect Positive Pessimism: “My partner busted his knee but at […]
No matter where you are, what you’re doing, or who you’re with — have a Happy Fourth of July, folks!
Adventurer and third-generation Colorado native George Smith was full-on #NoBarriers well before the phrase existed. Born in Denver in 1928, George experienced a traumatic childhood injury that left his right arm and right hand severely injured. Rather than let himself be sidelined, George worked to overcome his challenges. A profound character, “Not if, but how” […]
It has been a flash! I can hardly believe that 20 years ago (May 25th, 2001), we stood on top of Mt. Everest, an event that would change all of our lives forever. And, of course, you have to do something to celebrate. So, last month a couple dozen friends and I, including two other […]
In 1903 Helen Keller wrote “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” This could not have been more true for me and my team on our climb to the top of Mt. Everest 20 years ago today (May 25, 2001). No one gave up on our […]
Springtime is couloir season in the Rockies. Snowpacks are settling and climbers and skiers are tackling steep ribbons of snow too dangerous to attempt mid-winter. So, I joined up with my buddies Skyler Williams and Mike Schneiter to climb “Martha,” a prominent couloir on Mt. Lady Washington in Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a […]
I often joke you know how old you are as a blind person by how many guide dogs you’ve had. Well, I’m at number 5, and to celebrate International Guide Dog Day I want to share some memories of each of them. All 5 dogs of my guide dogs have been German Shepherds from the […]
My friend Bob Kauffman and I drove to Utah to hammer some seriously steep sandstone, dust, and dirt for a few days. We got a bit of wind and rain out on the usual desert trails, then lucked out with a dry, sunny afternoon at Slickrock. This was my first time riding the course and […]
Yikes! That hard snow and whipping wind are a little rough on the ears, but the sound is far worse than the actual conditions! This is a quick vid taken on my GoPro. I’m out with my teammate Skyler and we’re skinning several thousand feet up Eldora ski resort and skiing down. Believe it or […]
How do you like your coffee? Gerry Leary, my latest guest, is the owner of The Unseen Bean in Boulder, CO… and he takes “dark” roast to a whole new level. Gerry was born blind and worked as a car mechanic for 40 years before opening his gourmet roastery in 2003. We chat about his […]
Spring has sprung in Colorado, but it was a blast in early March to make my annual ice climbing pilgrimage to Keene NY, in the Adirondacks, to ice climb with my old friend, Ian Osteyee. I even got to lead the classic Chouinard Gulley. Check it out! Video description: A 2-minute highlight reel of our […]
One down, one to go! Thanks, Denver Target for setting up a pharmacy to help get folks vaccinated, and thank you to all the healthcare workers and volunteers who are stepping up to get the job done. #NoBarriers Photo Credit: Pauline Shaffer
Nevada’s Red Rock Canyon is not a place made for blind adventurers. The approaches are really involved to get to the rock formations, nevermind climbing them after! You certainly have to earn your right to be there — navigating a labyrinth of paths, squeezing through cactus fields, and scrambling along washes for an hour or […]
On February 3rd, my friend, Matt Nyman was tragically killed in an avalanche in Alaska along with two other hikers. I met Matt in 2011 when he took part in our first Soldiers to Summits (now No Barriers Warriors) program as part of the 10-year anniversary of our 2001 Summit of Mt. Everest. My Everest […]
We celebrated our 100th episode of the No Barriers Podcast by speaking with the award-winning journalist and photojournalist Ann Curry. We discuss the human condition and the spirit of “Ganbaru,” the Japanese term for persistence and relentless hard work. I hope you tune in to her story and share it with your family, friends, and coworkers. […]
My friend Michael, owner of Serac Adventure Films, is an award-winning filmmaker whose talents have been instrumental to my Rope Team since 2001. We first worked together when Michael captured our historic ascent of Everest in Farther Than the Eye Can See. After that, he returned twice to the Himalayas with me: Once in 2004 […]
International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate women’s achievements around the world — women like my friend Melissa Simpson who #ChooseToChallenge the status quo. Melissa was born with cerebral palsy and knows as well as anyone that living a No Barriers Life does not mean living a life without barriers. Rather, who you are and what you’re […]
Ice climbing is a fickle hobby. Conditions are rare both in terms of weather and topography to create perfect flows. Water needs to slowly seep out of steep cliffs that in most places of the world are ever-shaded, North-facing gullies. Too warm and the ice will not harden or will not form at all. The […]
Since going blind as a teenager, I’ve had five guide dogs; each one has been unique with distinct personalities. My first, Wizard, loved catching pop flies as I launched tennis balls sky-high; Seigo was a friendly lovable giant who once stole a bagel out of a little kid’s hand and inhaled it in one fell swoop; […]
If you squint, is it any better? Ha! Really though, thanks to my dad and #1 supporter, Ed Weihenmayer, for taking this picture in Denver International Airport while he was traveling through on business. It’s an incredible honor to be featured in the Foundation for A Better Life’s “Pass It On” Billboard Campaign. These billboards […]
I was sad to learn that Doug Scott died of brain cancer last month. Doug was a world-class alpinist (by far one of the boldest of his day!) and a selfless humanitarian. He is best known for being the first Briton to ascend the challenging South West Face of Mount Everest in 1975, and he […]
Finish strong! 2020 was a year of incredible Alchemy. These are some of my highlights. I interviewed 40+ guests on my podcast — scientists, policymakers, frontline workers, educators, veterans, activists, athletes, and musicians — all folks who have persevered to come out stronger on the other side. As always, my longtime adventure partner Jeff Evans […]
Dan Gable, considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, has just been presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor. From 1967 to 1970, Dan competed at Iowa State University where his career record was 117-1. He was a two-time NCAA national champion, a world gold medalist, and an Olympic gold medalist. For 21 […]
One of the most common questions I receive after someone hears me present is, “I really want to share this message with my kids — how can I do that?” I love hearing this and am so honored that folks want to share what it means to live a No Barriers life with their children. That’s why we’ve […]
Reaching the summit of Mt. Everest in 2001 was a momentous achievement for me and my teammates. Our efforts had shown the tremendous power of teams and the ability to reshape what is possible. As I descended through the Khumbu icefall for the last time and down into basecamp, our team leader, PV, pulled me […]
Last week, I joined my friends Charley Mace, Bob Kauffman, Craig Connor, and Daniel Bedell for a classic mountain bike journey on the Kokopelli Trail. Starting from Loma, CO, this 142-mile mountain bike route features difficult and spectacular riding, first along the Colorado River and then through the La Sal mountains, eventually landing in the […]
Earlier this fall, I took a trip to the East Coast to spend a few days touring colleges with my son, Arjun. He’s growing up fast and I’m so proud of him. We checked out Babson College, University of Vermont, and Skidmore College. Each school gave us a really nice (and safe) tour, which was […]
Galloping Towards a Better Life Meet Alanna Flax-Clark Alanna is a para-dressage athlete training to compete in the 2021 Summer Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. She didn’t grow up with horses, and she never expected her life would lead to the stables, nevermind an international stage. In her mid-20s, Alanna was thriving as a Special […]
In August, I went to Vedauwoo, a climber’s oasis of giant granite boulders amidst the vast Wyoming prairie. It was an honor to be invited out by Pamela Shanti Pack, one of the world’s best off-width climbers. More typically, Climbers are drawn to “finger cracks” or “hand jams” which are as the names suggest, the […]
Hey teachers! And parents too! I know that many of you are teaching from home these days. Undoubtedly, this school year is looking a lot different than anyone would have guessed and I just wanted to congratulate you all on a new year and share a bit of encouragement. This video is for you. As difficult […]
A couple of weeks ago I went to Wyoming to climb Devils Tower. It’s been on my list for a while and so I was excited to be able to join Charley Mace, Felipe Tapia Nordenflycht, and Karen Williams (some of the best climbers and guides I know) for some perfect late summer sending. The […]
For the last several years, my friend Greg has invited me to be a part of a retreat for CEOs that he puts on in Beaver Creek, CO. It’s a fabulous event, and I learn so much from being around Greg and this exceptional group of leaders. During the retreat, I am often invited to share some […]
In 2007, I wrote my second book, The Adversity Advantage, with the help of my friend and resiliency expert Dr. Paul Stoltz. This year, Paul joined us on the No Barriers Podcast, as our first Alchemy Series guest, where he pretty quickly asked us something along the lines of, “Hey, what will your COVID story […]
Charley Mace put it perfectly, “you don’t have to go far from home to have an adventure.” On Monday, he took me out to the Mission Wall in Clear Creek Canyon to climb Gneiss Roof (AKA: Nice Ride), where we lucked out with no crowds and had a blast. To access the climb we crossed […]
Zhang Hong is training to be the first blind person from China to summit Mount Everest in 2021. He reached out to me looking for encouragement after facing skepticism and critics in his home country. I faced similar doubts when I announced my intention to climb Everest back in 2001. I was not ignorant, nor […]
Cancer is awful, and it recently took my friend, Jim Kwok, way too soon. Jim was a devoted husband, caring father, hard-working business leader, and a courageous fighter. I will always admire how he chose to live his final days demonstrating the power of positivity and gratitude for the good and simple things. He used […]
When an injury, illness, or sudden life change derails us, our natural response is to curl up and retreat from the world. But it’s when we harness adversity and step into the storm that it becomes possible to recover, and even come out stronger. Meet Jill Wheatley – a true Alchemist. In 2014, Jill was […]
A couple of weeks ago, my son – Arjun, and I took a trip to Capitol Reef in Utah to celebrate his 18th birthday. The teenage species doesn’t seem to express themselves with words, so it was a treat to see Arjun in action on the trail. Joining us were my friends, Bob and Jordan […]
Happy Father’s Day to my dad who has always been there for me. When I was growing up, he worked a very busy schedule on Wall Street, leaving each morning at 5:30 AM. But he still managed to make it back for every wrestling match I ever had. And as a blind kid, his deep-Marine […]
This is an extra special father’s day. My daughter hit an important milestone – today, Emma turns 20 and leaves her teen years behind. Welcome to adulthood, kid! Emma, family, and I are going to celebrate up in the mountains, swimming in our favorite snow-melt lake. A few years ago, Emma and I were asked […]
Talk about Alchemy! I was so impressed with the creativity and resilience of the Glenwood Springs community to create a meaningful experience for the graduates of 2020. I joined to share a message about living a No Barriers Life – having the courage to Reach, the ingenuity to Pioneer, and the belief that we can […]
If you want to see the change, be the change. A white cop put his knee on another man’s neck — a black man’s neck — for nearly nine minutes until he died and it was horrific. It made my heart sick. There is righteous rage in the world right now and we as a […]
“I realized how little I needed to feel happy, human, and whole and immediately I felt the urgent gratitude of simply being alive.” In February, my friend Timmy O’Neill suffered a terrible stroke while on a climbing trip in Patagonia. He described it as a “thunderclap” in his head. An hour later he was in […]
19 years ago today my team and I reached the summit of Mount Everest. When we returned safely to base camp, our team leader Pasquale “PV” Scaturro pulled me aside and said, “Don’t make Everest the greatest thing you ever do.” After nearly 20 years, I understand more than ever what PV meant. That expedition […]
A few months ago, I was interviewed for the PBS show, To Dine For, which is now streaming online for free. The best part of the show is that they do the interview at your favorite restaurant. Maybe it’s an acquired taste after many trips to the Himalayas, but I love Nepali food, and the Sherpa […]
Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of Terry Fox’s “Marathon of Hope.” Terry was a young Canadian who lost a leg to cancer. Instead of shrinking under this tragedy, he set out to run across Canada, determined to give a voice to those suffering, especially the kids he saw beside him in the hospital after his […]
I recently enjoyed two special nights in the Bay Area, each focused on boosting awareness for the 2020 No Barriers Summit happening in San Francisco on September 18th. The SF community is committed to the innovative No Barriers mindset and this setting is a perfect fit for our annual Summit. First, Fenwick & West, and […]
November 12, 2019 — We stood huddling beside each other at 22,349 feet (6812m). I felt exhilarated and humbled, and equally tired and depleted. My rope team and I had just reached the top of a stunning peak in Nepal, and my mind was a swirl of emotion. Climbers say Ama Dablam is one of […]
Isaac McBurney, a 15-year-old legally blind disability advocate from Kansas City, MO, calls me his hero, but secretly he’s mine. Born a triplet with severe vision impairment caused by retinopathy of prematurity, Isaac arrived 14 weeks early, weighing only 1lb 15oz. He has since undergone a dozen surgeries, but he doesn’t let his circumstance control […]
I’m going back. Back to the Himalayas. Back to Ama Dablam. Back to try again. Ama Dablam’s a mountain in Nepal’s northeastern Himalayan range. It’s astoundingly steep and known for its soaring summit at 22,349 feet. Translated, Ama Dablam means “mother’s necklace” — defined by its symmetrical lower ridges that look like the arms of […]
Megan Kalalau was awarded a Reach Scholarship to attend the No Barriers Summit this past June after we received her application and listened to her sing on Youtube. Her voice is simply beautiful. At the risk of sounding a little cheesy, I believe every person can tap into a hidden reserve of strength, beauty, and […]
In preparation for Ama Dablam, my good friend, Timmy O’Neill, came out to Colorado so we could work on our fitness and train together. Timmy has an impressive climbing resume including having climbed three Grade VI routes in 24-hours: the Northwest Face of Half Dome, South Face of Mt. Watkins, and the Nose on El […]
This summer I got the opportunity to head to Alberta and British Columbia with friends and try to tick off a climbing bucket list item in the famed Bugaboos, a popular climbing destination. The Bugaboos got its namesake from the miners that arrived from Europe in the late 1800s and found mostly nothing worthy of […]
I got to know Quinn Brett through our mutual friend, Timmy O’Neill. The other week, we did a beautiful bike ride along Cabin Creek Road, south of Estes Park. From Cabin Creek, I hear you can see the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park like Longs Peak. And the wild flowers were popping. I loved […]
For this blog, I asked my good friend and climbing partner, Eric Alexander, to write his perspective on our recent climb of Mt. Baker. I’ve been putting my life in Eric’s hands for more than 20 years now, so in the following article, I think you’ll see why. – Erik Weihenmayer “That which does not […]
Labor Day brought Ellie and me to a climb of Boulder’s First Flatiron, or as they say in Boulder, the First Flatty. It was good to spend the day with Michael Brown, who lead the pitches so Ellie and I could climb together. Michael directed many of my films and has joined me on some […]
In 2017 I spoke at Colorado Mountain College’s Commencement where I met Melissa Simpson, a young woman from Leadville, Colorado, graduating with a 4.0. Born with cerebral palsy, she has spent her life in a wheelchair, had multiple back surgeries that included a spinal fusion, and endured being regularly bullied while growing up. In the […]
I recently met up with old friends, Jeff Hauser and Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser. I have such strong connections with both of these folks going back over 20 years. They live near Glenwood Springs and look up at this massive mountain, Mt. Sopris. I’ve been told Sopris appears way taller than its 12,966 feet; like […]
Our No Barriers Summit was held in June in one of the most beautiful places on Earth, Squaw Valley, California, near Lake Tahoe: tall snow-capped peaks, huge Ponderosa Pines, giant pine cones as big as pineapples, fast-moving mountain creeks, all spilling down granite slopes into clear cold Lake Tahoe. Everyone should put it on their […]
In June we held our 12th No Barriers Summit, this one in Squaw Valley. It’s no coincidence that the event is so close to the shores of crystal clear Lake Tahoe. At over 1,600 feet deep, it’s one of the world’s natural wonders. The water is so clear, you can see 70 feet down, and […]
Our July No Barriers Story features Leo Giaudrone, a Reach scholarship recipient, who recently joined us at our No Barriers Summit in Tahoe. At 13 years old, Leo is a powerful example of an alchemist, someone who has learned to harness his challenges and use them as a force for good. Leo has endured over […]
This month we are featuring Haider Ali. Haider is a young man from Islamabad, Pakistan who is being awarded a Reach Scholarship. His application demonstrated that he is relentless in his pursuit to Reach higher and to challenge people’s perceptions of his capabilities as well as his desire to Elevate the people in his community. […]
Meagan Houpt was born with only half a heart. Immediately after her parents brought her home from the hospital she began turning blue and they rushed right back. She was subjected to numerous heart catheters and tests that eventually revealed her diagnosis: hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and transposition of the great arteries, ASD and VSD. […]
Sin City conjures up images of high-stakes gambling, neon lights, and hedonistic partying. But on a recent visit, after speaking to a group of HR professionals at the glamorous Cosmopolitan Hotel, I was ready to get outside and climb in the gorgeous Red Rocks, just outside the city. “Crimson Chrysalis” goes 1,000 feet straight up […]
For most people, swimming the Au’Au Channel, a 9.5 mile gap between the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Lānaʻi, would be a lifetime bucket list challenge. But Skylar Webb has swam it twice in both directions – as well as the Pailolo Channel, a rougher and more challenging open passage from Maui to Molokai. Even […]
La Pomme d’Or – The Golden Apple. Situated in cold and mysterious Quebec, this 1,200-foot ice face is daunting, featuring hard, Grade 5 ice, and a mixed rock and ice pitch. It has turned into a bit of a “great white whale” for me – two attempts have yet to get me to the summit, […]
Jody Peterson and I share some similarities; we both take action, we love involving our families in our pursuit of adventures, and we both happen to be blind. Like Jody, I also battled with accepting my condition as a teen and pushed away help. It wasn’t until I accepted blindness as part of my life […]
I’ve got my eyes (so to speak) on some big, cold mountain objectives this year, so time on ice has been a focus. To put in some training on thin, desperate ice, I called up my buddy Ian Osteyee, who haunts the ephemeral smears of the Adirondacks outside Keene, NY. Ian is a Marine like […]
While I was in the Middle East to give a talk, I knew I had to visit Petra, Jordan – one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World” and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Petra is famous for its 2000 year-old history. Established in the 4th century BC, it was ruled and built by […]
When I was a kid I was fascinated by the movie Lawrence of Arabia with Peter O’Toole. In the film, set during the First World War, T.E. Lawrence teamed up with the Arabs to lead an army across the arid brick-red sand of the desert to launch a rebellion on the Turks. After watching the […]
I met Angie Shireman in 2015 at a No Barriers ‘What’s Your Everest’ event. She had been through a hard decade, having undergone a preventative double mastectomy and several reconstructive surgeries. In 2014, she was diagnosed with a rare brain disorder and underwent two deep brain surgeries to correct the condition. Throughout this tumultuous time, […]
I recently received an invitation to travel to Dubai and Jordan from Jim Lafferty, the CEO at Fine Hygienic Holdings, a paper company based out of Jordan. Jim has hired me several times before at his past companies. In 2005, we climbed Kilimanjaro and helped to form the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust which is involved with literacy among […]
Earlier this year we launched our “No Barriers Podcast.” We highlight people who have experienced barriers in their lives and used these roadblocks as catalysts for positive change. From visible barriers such as a physical disability to invisible trauma, PTS, cultural or political obstacles, we learn how some people have navigated around these experiences and […]
Our 2018 hallmark event was the No Barriers Summit in New York City. I have heard wonderful feedback, but one note in particular was especially touching to me as a parent. Rosalie Mastaler attended with her husband and their sons, ages five and eight. Afterwards, she wrote my team to express her gratitude and some […]
Shanna Adamic is the Senior Operations Manager at the First Hand Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Cerner Corporation. First Hand provides funds for children to receive health treatments such as necessary surgeries or travel. They also implement health-focused preventative programs for schools in low-income communities. When Shanna was suddenly derailed by a devastating diagnosis, her […]
Creating a film is certainly a reach. With adventure documentaries especially, there’s no Hollywood budget or army of editors. There’s uncertainty too – whether there’s even a story, or whether the film will ever be finished. When I decided to kayak the Grand Canyon in 2014, I knew the best person to document our journey […]
My dad has always been my biggest fan and, as I often say, the originator of the No Barriers mindset. He’s also a fanatical Princeton Tiger, having been the captain of the football team and a graduate in 1962. A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to visit his Alma Mater for the second […]
John Orth, a friend of mine from my local rock gym, decided that his original Guinness World-record of 7,600 pull-ups in 24 hours could be beaten. So, he made a pledge. It would not only be an ambitious physical reach, but also a chance to represent a No Barriers life. Each month we share a […]
Earlier this month we hosted our 10th No Barriers Summit in New York City. We’d always hosted our Summits in the mountains, but in an effort to bring the message to more people and build the movement, we decided to reach as an organization and debut it in the Big Apple, one of the biggest […]
The Reach Scholarship is an annual award given to individuals, through the Reach Foundation, as an all expense paid experience to attend our No Barriers Summit. The goal of the Reach Foundation is to highlight stories of people who have reached into darkness and difficulty only to emerge far stronger and are able to elevate […]
When you tell people, you’re kayaking around Manhattan, most people’s reaction is “aren’t you afraid you’ll catch something?” Turns out, over the last few decades, the water’s gotten a lot cleaner. Not that I’d drink a glass straight out of the river, although I dared my kayak partner to do so; he wouldn’t take me […]
Sometimes things happen to us that are out of our control and can send us spiraling into darkness. When that happens and when there is no clear path forward, it becomes imperative to “Reach,” not just with the end-game of coping, but thriving. When I went blind, and part of me wanted to retreat, I […]
Each year I go on numerous adventures, but the No Barriers Summit invariably trumps them all. Our annual event is a blast and a testament to the power of the human spirit. This year, for the first time, we’re taking a bite out of the Big Apple. No Barriers will be bringing our world-class Summit […]
Last Saturday, on a beautiful, crisp, clear, Colorado day, 130 people gathered in front of the Dao house in Estes Park, ready to hike together. Once a year, No Barriers hosts our annual What’s Your Everest event, where teams of people meet up to hike a mountain, regardless of ability or background. The aim: rally […]
Barriers can come into our lives at any moment and knock us down. How we react and grow from those experiences is what matters. Erin reached out to my team after reading No Barriers to share how the book came into her life when she needed it most. She recently experienced a devastating loss and […]
This past June I led a two week No Barriers Youth trip hiking through the Mustang region of Nepal. My kids, Emma and Arjun, were among the participants and afterwards, along with my wife, Ellie, our family stuck around and made an extra excursion. We returned to Yak and Yeti where we first met my son […]
Just got back from a great family reunion in New Hampshire. We were on Lake Winnipesaukee, where my son, AJ, also goes to camp. It’s a massive (about 71 square miles), northern lake with stunning clear blue water. It has been an annual summer tradition to meet up with my whole family on the lake […]
Susan Spann is an author, cancer survivor, and newly minted adventurer. Despite all that life has thrown at her, Susan continues to Reach. Her No Barriers pledge is to summit all 100 of the Nihon Hyakumeizan (100 famous mountains of Japan). If successful, she’ll be the first cancer survivor to do so within a year of […]
Heading Out Half the challenge of Nepal is just getting there. After 40 hours, four flights, several time zones, lying on grubby airport floors, heat, and humidity, we made it to Pokhara, the start of our 2-week No Barriers Youth Experience. We kicked off our adventure with the local staple meal of Dhal Bat (lentils […]
My speaking career has taken me around the world, but my most recent event was hosted in a unique place: Mauritius, an isolated island in the Indian Ocean, well known for its natural beauty, and for being the farewell setting of the last Dodo bird. Mark Twain said of the island, “Mauritius was made first, […]
I was recently invited to be a guest on The View as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. Before I forged a life for myself in the mountains I was actually a 5th grade teacher at Phoenix Country Day School in Arizona. I loved teaching and even met my wife, Ellie, who taught 7th grade, during […]
Earlier this spring I spent a morning at the Anchor Center for Blind Children teaching some toddlers the basics of rock climbing. I have been connected with the Anchor Center for many years now and it is an amazing resource in the Denver area for blind and visually impaired kids and their parents to get prepared for […]
I’m not sure if everything is really bigger in Texas, but the folks at St. Michael’s Catholic Academy sure put on a huge event! Continuing in the theme of excellent school visits, I hopped over to Austin, Texas, this past Spring, to speak to the students as part of their Edify Speaker Series and return […]
I started my career as a teacher, so I absolutely love working with schools across the country to share the No Barriers message. Every now and then, a school district goes above and beyond to help their students really embrace that message, like Spirit Lake in Iowa did. This school year, they have been using […]
I was really psyched when Colorado Mountain College called me up and I learned they had chosen No Barriers for their Common Read Program. It resulted in a really fun week and getting to know an amazing school. To cap off their read, they invited me to come speak at 4 of their campuses. My introduction to […]
It’s been 20 years since I last touched the crumbly sandstone of the classic desert route, “Ancient Art,” in the Fisher Towers near Moab, Utah. It is a favorite climbing area for many with a striking topography of thousand foot towers rising up from the barren martian red desert landscape. For me however, it is […]
Part 1 – White Rim – Setting the Stage “We climbed it not because it’s there, but because it won’t be there much longer” So said famous climbing pioneer, Layton Kor, of Standing Rock, an improbable, inimitable sandstone tower deep in Canyonlands National Park. This formation was one of the three towers we scaled on […]
Hemsedal, Days 1 and 2 For rock climbing, it’s Yosemite. Alpine climbing – the Himalayas. But for ice climbing, Norway is Mecca, and this winter I made my pilgrimage. I had heard tales of 1,000-meter waterfalls, immobilized in the harsh grip of Norwegian winter, some massive, wide, and blue, others steep, narrow, and yellow, flowing down nooks […]
What a wild week in New England! My friends Steve and Andrea Charest invited me to speak at their ice climbing festival, the Smuggs Ice Bash, so I decided to do a “Tour de New England,” climbing classic routes across the region before the grand finale at Smuggs. We started off in New Hampshire with […]
Baja California Sur is the home of Cabo San Lucas, the perennial party destination of college kids and families alike. However, a couple hours up the peninsula and off the beaten path is La Paz, the launching point to incredible beauty and adventure. Along the coastline of the Sea of Cortez are hundreds of unpopulated […]
I’m now home safely in Colorado after a big summer climb that turned out to be full of adventure and fun, but also some challenges, uncertainty, and tragedy. Having visited the Italian Dolomites and the Alps several times, I’ve always been blown away by the pioneers of the 1930s and 40’s like Cassin, Comici, and […]
2017 marked our 9th No Barriers Summit, and each one has been better than the last. The No Barriers Summit is such a deeply lived experience that it’s difficult to sum it up. The immersive workshops, innovative technologies, and myriad of amazing people truly exemplify what we call a “No Barriers Life.” The Summit is […]
My new book, No Barriers, is full of stories of people that exemplify what I call a No Barriers Life. It was fun to write about the adventures that we have shared, but frankly it was also very difficult. Living a No Barriers Life is wrought with struggle and tragedy. But it is also marked […]
Last Sunday evening I met up with some old friends to climb the 2nd Flatiron in Chautauqua Park in Boulder, to commemorate and celebrate Dan Sidles’ life. Dan took part in our first No Barriers Warriors expedition to 20,075-foot Lobuche in Nepal, back in 2010. Then, he signed on as a mentor on the next […]
2015 definitely marked some dramatic shifts in my life, from ascents of stunning peaks in the Alaska Range, the Italian Dolomites, the Wind River Range of Wyoming, and back home again to try to make sense of these journeys and discover the deeper meanings and motivations behind them. I spent much of the first half […]
Last weekend at our No Barriers What’s Your Everest event near Breckenridge, Colorado, my team and I joined a community who were all there for the same reason; What’s Your Everest asks every participant to tackle their barriers and to push past them to achieve something they might not have thought possible. Individuals from very […]
As I mentioned, my Pure Insurance talk fell at the same time as my kids’ spring break, so we decided to bring them for a Vegas adventure trip. Vegas isn’t known for being kid-friendly or for outdoor experiences. However, you can find mini-adventures everywhere. Although the Hoover Dam is controversial for damaging the Colorado River, one […]
