Erik Weihenmayer sees himself as a problem solver and an innovator rather than as a risk taker. One critic told him that ice climbing would be impossible for a blind person. He approached the task from an untried, unique direction. He learned to “see” the face of a rocky surface by feeling through the tips of his tools. Weihenmayer is motivated by a sense of discovery and what is achievable. He charts his plan and moves forward methodically. He develops a system of strategies and tools that make his adventure safer, more efficient, and more productive. He punctuates his message with personal anecdotes.
Get ready to be motivated by this world-renowned author and adventurer. Hear how he finds creative ways to cross the blurry lines between what detractors view as impossible, and what we believe is possible in our hearts.
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Erik Weihenmayer
world-class adventurer
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On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the only blind man in history to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak. And on August 26, 2008, when he stood on top of Puncak Jaya, in Papua New Guinea, Weihenmayer completed his 12-year quest to climb the Seven Summits— the highest mountains on each of the seven continents.
He joins only 150 mountaineers who have accomplished this feat. Additionally, he has scaled El Capitan, a 3,300-foot overhanging rock wall in Yosemite; Losar, a 2,600-foot vertical ice waterfall in the Mt. Everest region of the Himalayas; and a difficult and rarely climbed rock face on 17,000-foot Mt. Kenya. He has also completed the most brutal adventure race in the world: Primal Quest, 460 miles in nine days, with no time outs.
Why Erik is a Game Changer:
• Erik is the only blind man in history to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak.
• Erik, along with his Everest teammates, led a group of soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan to the summit of Lobuche, a 20,000- foot peak in Nepal, to give back to America’s heroes and show what is possible despite adversity.
• Despite losing his vision at the age of 13, he has become an accomplished mountain climber, paraglider and skier who has never let his blindness interfere with his passion for an exhilarating and fulfilling life.