Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Harness the power of adversity

World-class blind mountaineer Erik Weihenmayer leads the way


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

Erik Weihenmayer climbing in Thailand. -Courtesy photo

The accomplishments of world-class athletes are inspiration to many. However, imagine the training and skills needed to be a blind world-class athlete. Erik Weihenmayer went blind at 13 from the degenerative disease Retinoschisis and has managed to live a life as one of the world's foremost mountaineers and inspirational voices.

The 39-year-old Weihenmayer will be in Sun Valley as the guest of The Community School and its headmaster, Andy Jones-Wilkins, to not only inspire the valley, but allow students to understand the world within which they live in an intimate and hands-on learning environment. He will give a presentation at The Community School on Thursday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. for free followed by a VIP reception.

Students from 8th grade through high school were asked to read Weihenmayer's book "Touch the Top of the World" in preparation for his visit. Weihenmayer will give a special presentation for The Community School students and faculty on Friday, Jan. 25.

"Erik and I went into business in 1997 when he started making plans for his first big climb, Mt. McKinley," said Weihenmayer's father, Ed Weihenmayer. "I was on Wall Street and it was time for a change. I left for six months and never went back."

Ed Weihenmayer said the two started out doing school talks at $500, not knowing if they were going to earn a living. Today, Weihenmayer has a long list of accomplishments, as the first blind man to summit Mt. Everest and all Seven Summits (the tallest mountains on each of the continents), compete in the Primal Quest, scale El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, trek the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu, paraglide and skydive. In addition, Weihenmayer has founded No Barriers, a cutting-edge techniques and technology festival held in Italy and Squaw Valley, Calif., for those with special needs such as injured war veterans, as well as Real Deal, an adventure race in Colorado for teams of disabled and able-bodied athletes.

Weihenmayer authored "Touch the Top of the World," which has been published in ten countries in six languages and made into a film. His second book, "The Adversity Advantage" was co-authored with business guru Dr. Paul Stoltz. In addition, Weihenmayer's film "Farther Than the Eye Can See" is ranked as one of the top 20 adventure films of all time by Men's Journal.

Besides the incredible amount of press Weihenmayer has received, his speaking career has taken him around the world, sharing with audiences, including those from international companies, his knowledge about harnessing the power of adversity.

"Everyone thinks that Erik has to be really trusting," Ed said. "Those guys on the rock face are putting their life in Erik's hands when he is leading and setting routes as they follow up the face."

Ed Weihenmayer said there is a huge amount of trust involved with his son's teams, and he feels a huge burden and obligation for his teammates. His feats have earned him an ESPY award, recognition by Time magazine for one of the greatest sporting achievements of 2001, induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, an ARETE Award for the superlative athletic performance of the year, the Helen Keller Lifetime Achievement award, Nike's Casey Martin Award and the Freedom Foundation's Free Spirit Award. He has also carried the Olympic torch for both the Summer and Winter Games.

"Erik has never been a crazy blind person," Ed Weihenmayer said. "It's always been very calculated and reasoned like a pioneer would be."

While he is in Sun Valley, Weihenmayer will work with an innovative technique to teach blind people to ski. He will teach a ski clinic on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the base of River Run with Sun Valley Adaptive Sports.




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