Last night, Eric and I had the amazing opportunity to hear the world renowned and inspirational mountaineer Conrad Anker speak about leadership. It really drove home for me the importance of leadership in the outdoor enthusiast community.

Anker is known for climbing many of the most technical and impressive peaks known on earth. Although his pursuit of the world’s highest places originated with a simple passion for climbing, Anker couldn’t help but be influenced by the amazing people he met in these remote and beautiful locations. In an effort to give back to the communities he has come to know and love, Anker started the Alex Lowe Charitable Foundation and the Khumbu Climbing School which help the Sherpa community near Everest learn mountaineering skills and environmental stewardship. They can then use these skills to benefit from the enormous eco-tourism trade in the surrounding Himalayan area.

I can’t help but draw connections with our own efforts with Peaks Over Poverty. We hope to support locally based initiatives that will increase stability in their community as well as their environment.

Although our goal of climbing Cotopaxi pales in comparison to Conrad Anker’s amazing expeditions, I hope that our efforts at leadership in environmental stewardship are the first steps on a path which he and many other great environmental visionaries has set before us.

- Karyn

We’ve been doing our best to get in shape for our climb of Cotopaxi. In the beginning, Eric tried swimming laps at the local pool and Karyn was doing yoga every day. We eventually realized that we needed a bigger challenge and have been climbing in the nearby Bridger Mountains almost daily with our dog Miller.

Here are some pictures of us doing a popular Bozeman, Montana hike called the “College M” because of a distinctive 250 ft “M” that the MSU students arrange in white rocks each spring when the snow melts. Right now it’s covered in snow, but this is what it looks like in the summer.

This is the beautiful Bridger Range as it looks now, covered in snow.

That’s our car way down there!

View from the top. Gallatin Valley, Montana

Unfortunately, Miller won’t be joining us in Ecuador. But he’s enjoying training with us all the same.

Hello to all of our supporters,

Today is a special day for us because we have just passed the $1,000 mark! We still have a far way to go, but we are so grateful to all of you for opening your minds and hearts for this important cause.

We’ll see you all at the top!

Love,

Eric & Karyn