Q: What do you hope your record-breaking climbs will say to other people?
A: I hope that if people see what I’m doing, they will feel less fearful of achieving their own goals. I hope that they feel able to pursue their passion, whatever it is—climbing or not.
Q: Last year, when the earthquake hit Nepal, you were there, attempting to climb Everest without oxygen. How did being there affect you?
A: It was completely devastating. I lost friends, and the literal and emotional instability was heartbreaking--to see people you care about so much thrust into such uncertainly. But the region has recovered in such an incredible way—they are rebuilding in a way that I think is really positive.
Q: You have worked closely with Nepali workers and established the Juniper Fund. Why was it important to you to get involved?
A: In 2010, my partner was killed. He was a Nepali sherpa, but he was just climbing with me as a friend at the time. His wife and kids were left without him, and I wanted to give their family some stability, and I was able to do that. But I couldn’t help other families, so I wanted to create a fund that provided some sort of support system, regardless of who the climbing clients were—I wanted to provide a guarantee of support for the families of workers in the expedition industry who are injured or killed.
Q: Would you say the expedition industry is both helpful and harmful to Nepal?
A: The expedition industry in Nepal drives a huge amount of the economy. Even one climber affects a lot of people’s lives, which I see as a positive thing. At the same time, when the economic drivers are coming from other countries and local economy is relying on these other countries, it’s a complex way for an industry to exist.
Q: Do you think people who go on outdoor expeditions typically have much awareness of how their activities affect the local communities?
A: I don’t think people are necessarily very aware of the ripple effect in foreign travel in general. But in Nepal, you interact so deeply with the local people that it’s easier to notice the impact. I’m always trying to better understand how the industry functions, what’s working and is good, and what’s bad that we can improve.
Q: What has your experience taught you about connections among disparate areas of the world?
A: The more you travel, the more you realize how small the world is. That’s one of the most obvious things you see when working and traveling internationally—it’s very much a web.
"The more you travel, the more you realize how small the world is."
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