Black Lives Matter

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 […]

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The Indefatigable Timmy O’Neill

“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 […]

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19th Anniversary of Mt. Everest Summit

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 […]

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A Nod to the Sherpa House

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 […]

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A Week in the Bay Area

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 […]

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Ama Dablam: Mission Accomplished

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 […]

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Isaac McBurney: A No Barriers Story

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 […]

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Ama Dablam Expedition: Unfinished Business

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 […]

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Megan Kalalau: A No Barriers Story

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 […]

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