Renowned Mountaineers to Visit This Fall
Every year, eminent leaders and exceptional achievers visit Principia, enriching students’ learning and expanding their view of what’s possible. That tradition continues this fall with two renowned mountaineers sharing remarkable stories of courage and perseverance.
Ed Viesturs, widely regarded as the country's foremost high-altitude mountaineer, is this year’s George A. Andrews Distinguished Speaker. He will present “No Shortcuts to the Top,” on Thursday, October 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Cox Auditorium. Familiar to many from the IMAX documentary film Everest, Viesturs is one of very few climbers—and the only American—to successfully summit the world's 14 8,000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. He completed this 18-year project, which he called “Endeavor 8000,” in May 2005, when he ascended Annapurna, an especially treacherous peak in the Himalayas.
Viesturs is the recipient of numerous awards, including National Geographic's Adventurer of the Year in 2005, the historic Lowell Thomas Award from the Explorer's Club, and the American Alpine Club Sowles Award for his participation in rescues on K-2, the world’s second-highest mountain.
Along with his speaking engagements, Viesturs works as a design consultant for outdoor equipment manufacturer Eddie Bauer/First Ascent and represents Rolex as a brand ambassador. He has written several books, including No Shortcuts to The Top: Climbing the World’s 14 Highest Peaks; K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain; and The Mountain, My Time on Everest. Purchase tickets or listen to a live broadcast on Principia Internet Radio.
Erik Weihenmayer Returns to Principia
Just before Viesturs's visit, students will get to hear from adventurer Erik Weihenmayer, who in 2001 became the only blind climber to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. He will speak on Thursday, October 6, at 9 a.m. in Ridgway Auditorium on the School campus and at 7:30 p.m. in Cox Auditorium at the College.
A year after his first visit to the College in 2007, Weihenmayer climbed Carstensz Pyramid on the island of New Guinea. With this climb, he completed his ascent of the Seven Summits (the highest points on each continent)—a 13-year journey beginning on Mount Denali. More recently, in 2014, Weihenmayer took on a different type of challenge. Together with a blinded Navy veteran, he kayaked the 277 miles of the Colorado River flowing through the Grand Canyon.
In an effort to share what he has learned about overcoming limitations, Weihenmayer co-founded the organization No Barriers, whose motto is “What's within you is stronger than what's in your way.” He is the author of The Adversity Advantage: Turning Everyday Struggles into Everyday Greatness and Touch the Top of the World, which was made into a feature film.
Weihenmayer's talks are sponsored by Don (US’64, C’68) and Christina (C’66) Koch. Purchase tickets or listen to a live broadcast of his College talk on Principia Internet Radio.