Inspiration is something we all seek, consciously or not. It helps us to see our goals more clearly, and to attain the things in life we really want. Being inspired by someone else’s success has been responsible for the world’s perpetual successes, since the early Age of Man. And for people like Ueli Steck, inspiration is the fuel that feeds his fire.
Before the age of legal adulthood here in the US, Swiss climber Ueli Steck was well on his way to becoming one of the world’s preeminent climbers. At just 18 he climbed the north face of the Eiger in the Swiss Alps, a sheer wall of rock and ice rising 6,000 feet into the sky. Sixty-four climbers have died trying to reach its summit since the first attempt in 1935, calling attention to the impressive nature of Steck’s accomplishment. Since then, he has broken and created several records on the peaks of Europe and Asia, a number of which are speed records and solo climbs — a testament to Steck’s tenacity and devotion to the sport of mountaineering.
Steck himself has said that his motivation to continue on the path he’s chosen is a desire to push his body to its fullest potential. Despite the awards he’s received for all his achievements, Steck is always pushing himself harder, to realize his personal best. But even with all the skill and grit in the world, he recognizes there is more at play than his desire to succeed, saying, “To climb something very difficult you need to be the right time in the right place, and remember the mountain is always stronger than you.” For an individual that has made nearly 30 ascents on some of the world’s most grueling mountain ranges, his somber acceptance of the challenges he faces on each and every climb is truly inspiring.
His unquenchable thirst to climb the world’s peaks has led to the creation of Project Himalaya, a chronicling of Steck’s adventures in the Himalaya Mountains of Tibet. He is currently en route to the summit of Everest, considered by some to be the most formidable of all the Himalayan peaks. You can check out blog posts and videos of his progress that will offer you an inside look at what it’s like to be in the shoes of the world’s foremost alpine speed climber.
Photos via Ludovic Péron, Swiv
