Cory Richards has had a big few weeks. His film documentary “Cold” received high honors at the 2011 Banff Film Festival, including Grand Prize, Best Film – Climbing, and the Audio Post-Production Scholarship.
Then, on 11 November, it was formally announces that Cory is the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year People’s Choice. High honors indeed.
Cory marked his place in history this past winter when he became the first American to summit an 8,000-meter peak in winter. He and his team, consisting of Simone Moro and Denis Urubko, made the first-ever winter summit of Pakistan’s 8035-meter Gasherbrum II. The team survived extreme cold, blizzards, and a Class 4 avalanche during their three-day ascent of the world’s 13th tallest mountain.
I had the honor to meet and bouldering with Cory last month when he was in town for The North Face Speaker Series tour. Rarely have I met a more down to earth, humble guy. We plopped down on rocks at the bouldering ground and talked photography, Bozeman, and film making. It gives an entirely new perspective to the film having spent just a few afternoons with the man.
I can honestly say, “I want to be like that when I grow up.”
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That is very cool, congrats to Cory. It is always very cool when you get to chat with people like him, and you find out they are just like the rest of us.
It is refreshing, Keig. Seems like generally the higher up the “totem pole” one goes, the people get better and better. Most of TNF athletes I’ve met have been very down to earth – they do a good job of vetting their people.