Climber Conrad Anker’s Biggest Accomplishment Does Not Involve a Mountain
Conrad Anker is the Team Leader of The North Face Climbing Team. (Photo: The North Face)
“Take a hike” and “The third times the charm” are cliché phrases, unless you’re Conrad Anker, Team Leader of The North Face Climbing Team and three-time Mount Everest summiteer. The 52-year-old has literally worked his way to the top of the world climbing summits throughout the globe, and conducting educational expeditions for National Geographic and The Mayo Clinic. He’s journeyed to Alaska, Patagonia and Antarctica, where he and two friends mastered Rakekniven, a 2,500-foot wall. His essentials are a knife, a lighter and lip balm with SPF 25 by Jack Black. “It has a screw on cap. [If] those ones that are a little cylinder get too warm in your pocket, it’s a train wreck,” says Anker, who also uses Jack Black sunblock to protect his skin in high altitudes.
Anker, whose nickname is “Radster”, says his leadership is based on his personality, but it’s also a skill he’s developed over time. “When I was young, I wasn’t as outgoing,” recalls the Montana-based athlete. “The best is to lead by example and set the pace. Do the work that you expect [your team] to do, if you want everyone to work hard.”
In 1999, Anker found the body of 1920s explorer George Mallory, which led to a feature film, The Wildest Dream. Continuing to devote his time and energy into his passion for climbing, the mountaineer recently hosted a showing of his film THE OTHER WAY as part of The North Face Never Stop Exploring Speaker Series.
As he continues to explore Anker admits there have been times he’s given up, but they’ve always been for the best. “The weather can be bad. Sometimes it’s the right decision,” he says. “You have to head down. You may get injured.” Safety and family are priority for Anker who has experienced tragedy firsthand. “My friend Alex [Lowe] died in an avalanche. We were on a climb in Tibet,” says Anker, who believes his greatest achievement has been raising Lowe’s three boys for the past 15 years. His next big goal is to see them all graduate from college.
For Anker, climbing is all about following his passion for the experience, mountain, and for the challenge. He hopes to inspire that drive in other climbers. “Do it because you love it, because you want to do it, and not because there’s some ulterior motive,” he advises. “Find good people to go do it with. When you’re climbing with someone, you have a healthy interaction. It’s not combative. It’s not overly competitive.” Aker believes personal motivation is internal. “I just wake up, and hold on, and there I go,” says Anker.
‘The Other Way’ teaser featuring Conrad Anker. (Video: The North Face)
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