Erik Weihenmayer Presentation, Keene Valley, NY

The 14th annual Adirondack International Mountainfest kicked off tonight in Keene Valley, NY, and Jess and I had the pleasure of attending the opening presentation by Erik Weihenmayer.

It goes without saying that Erik’s story is an incredible one. In 2001 he became the first blind person to summit Mt. Everest, and in 2008 he completed the Seven Summits – a feat which involves climbing the tallest mountains on all 7 continents, something that only a few hundred other mountaineers have ever done. But it was some of his lesser known adventures that had me shaking my head and saying “Wow!” Stories and pictures from a 3,000 foot ice climb, for example, had me squirming in my seat.

Erik’s adventures have also included skydiving, skiing, ice climbing, marathons, para-gliding, rock climbing… and he talked about many of them tonight with an energy and sense of humor that was absolutely contagious.

Erik Weihenmayer presenting in the Keene Central School auditorium

Some of the more inspirational moments came as he described the people he considers “alchemists” – individuals he has met over the years who have had adversity piled on them like a lead weight, and yet are somehow able to transform it into something golden. Much like he has. A woman with a heart transplant who has climbed the Teton Traverse to raise awareness for organ donation, a paraplegic who climbed El Capitan, or a double amputee who developed prosthetics to allow him to continue to rock climb at an elite level.

Erik also spoke of a 2004 trip to a Tibet school for the blind where he had the opportunity to train a group of teenagers for a climb to the advanced basecamp on Mt. Everest. At 21,500 feet it was the highest a team of blind climbers had ever gone. These were children who were outcast by their families and communities. It was hard not to be moved at their story of accomplishment.

Here is a trailer for a movie about the climb.

Erik received a standing ovation at the end of his presentation, and hung around afterward to talk with people and sign copies of his book, Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man’s Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See: My Story.

We were thrilled to get the chance to meet him, and we even had a quick chat about our recent move to the Adirondacks. Having spent the last three days exploring the area, Erik commented, “You are lucky, there is some great climbing here!”

I suppose the best compliment I can pay Erik is that I left that auditorium tonight feeling inspired and motivated to continue to enjoy and experience adventure.

Dave and Jess, Reach! Erik W