An Everest Dispatch from The Rainier Club.

Last week, Gary Kopff, Everest Motivational Speaker, made a multi-media presentation in Seattle – an area with not only 14 billionaires but also over 100 persons who have reached the summit of Everest.  The “sold out” crowd at The Rainer Club received the following invitation:

Gary Kopff: Lessons Learned on Mt. Everest

 “In 1991, he stood on the summit of the highest peak in the Antarctic with his Kiwi mates, Rob Hall & Gary Ball -- then the world's top mountain guides. They met less than a year earlier on the top of Elbrus, highest mountain in Europe.  Now they were inviting him to climb with them on Everest. At age 42, when he started climbing some of the world's highest mountains, all Kopff had climbed the prior 20 years was the corporate ladder.  At 25,000’ on Everest, an injury seven weeks into the expedition denied his summit bid.   What did this highly competitive, "success-oriented" individual learn about life and about himself as a result?  Join us for a multi-media trip up the highest mountain in the Antarctic and on Everest as Kopff shares "lessons learned."

The centerpieces for the tables were ice axes and crampons.  Guests entered the dining room via a 200’ hallway lined with two fixed ropes.  Gary greeted each guest by attaching prussick ropes around each person’s waist with a ‘biner at the other end and showed them how to “clip on” for safety when traveling through a simulated Khumbu Ice Fall en route to viewing his photos of the ascents on the Vinson Massif in the Antarctic and Everest via the South Col route. While clipped onto the fixed lines, the guests passed a posterboard with the following saying by a famous climber from that region who was on the 1st American ascent team on Everest in 1963: 

"Risk, there is no real living without it. Die we all must, but try to knock all risk out of our lives and we lock ourselves tighter and tighter into a safe, comfortable, deadly box, and we die too, without ever having lived."   - Willi Unsoeld

Feedback from one climber in the audience for Gary Kopff’s presentation: 

“As you nicely made the rounds to the various tables following your presentation, I was the chap who talked about my Denali and Kilimanjaro climbs.  I just wanted to again thank you for a job well done and for your level of humbleness when it comes to your various climbing achievements.  Over the past decade plus I have met and or read about  numerous "check book" climbers, primarily from the east coast, who buy their way to the top.  When I read your vitae I was anticipating that you would be one of  "those” but was pleasantly surprised to find that not to be the case.  P.S. I talked with Brian Nelson [a climber whose two buddies were killed on Kilimanjaro in an accident in 1995 that left Brian severely injured] for several minutes on our way out and he too thoroughly enjoyed the experience and enjoyed your acknowledgement and company.” 

Gary Kopff is available through EverestSpeakersBureau.com as a motivational speaker to create the same magic with your group. 

Millet One Sport Everest Boot has made some minor changes by adding more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to -75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads. Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated collar. Expedition footwear for mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold.  NOTE US SIZES LISTED. See more here.

A cold weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura® upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand See more here.

   Ascenders

   Atlas snowshoes

   Atomic

   Big Agnes

   Black Diamond

   Brunton

   Carabiners

   Chaco

   Cloudveil

   Columbia
   CMI

   Crampons

   Edelweiss ropes
   Eureka Tents

   Exofficio

   FiveTen

   Featured

   FoxRiver

   Gregory

   Granite Gear

   Harnesses
   Headlamps

   Hestra
   Helmets

   Helly Hansen

   HighGear

   HornyToad
   Ice Axes

   Julbo

   Kavu Eyewear

   Katadyn

   Kelty

   Kong

   Lekisport

   Life is Good

   Lowa

   Lowe Alpine

   Lowepro

   Millet

   Motorola

   Mountain Hardwear

   Mountainsmith

   MSR

   Nalgene

   New England Ropes

   Nikwax

   Omega

   Osprey

   Outdoor Research
   Patagonia

   Pelican

   Petzl

   Prana

   Princeton Tec

   Primus

   Rope Bags

   Royal Robbins

   Salomon

   Scarpa

   Scott

   Seattle Sports

   Serius
   Sleeping Bags

   Sterling Rope

   Stubai

   Suunto

   Tents

   Teva

   Thermarest

   Trango

   Tool Logic

   Trekking Poles
   Yaktrax
   and more here