Exploring the Edge

Jim Whittaker made the first American ascent of Everest and led the first successful American ascent of K2. Today, he spoke at the Art of the Start conference.

Everest, 1963: 185 mile hike. 14 tons of gear. 907 porters.

K2, photo above: “You can squat on that edge and pee in China and defecate in Pakistan at the same time. So we did.”

“On that climb, we also had the first woman to climb K2. Sex does play a factor. A certain couple decided to set an altitude record of a different nature.”