From day-hiker to the death zone

In 2016, I watched Adrian Ballinger and Cory Richards climb Everest on Snapchat. I followed along religiously; Everest was calling.

But I live at sea level, so it was one of those things that I would think about often but tell myself, “Nah… I could never do that.”

Nine years later, I stood on top of Kilimanjaro, and something… clicked. This really was my happy place. It was time to finally answer Everest’s call—or at least try.

On Kili, our guides would say “Pole pole”—Swahili for “slowly, slowly.” It became my mantra and the perfect, self-deprecating summary of this entire project.

“TakingForEver..est” is my mission statement: one mountain, one specific skill, one grueling training session, and one hard-earned paycheck at a time.

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Balancing Everest prep with a 9-5 grind

I’m sharing this journey with all sides of the story: The fear, the failures, the true financial cost (which might be the most horrifying part!), and the gear that actually works. Why?

  1. Accountability (For Me): Speaking my dreams out loud keeps me accountable.

  2. Permission (For You): Maybe it gives someone else permission to believe in their big, scary, long-haul dream.

  3. Transparency (For Partners): This multi-year arc is a transparent, real-world testing ground. If you’re a brand that makes the best jacket, pack, or trekking pole, I’m the person who is going to rely on it, try to break it and tell a highly engaged audience exactly how it performed.

Multi-year Everest plan

This is the meticulously slow plan that will ruin my weekends for the foreseeable future:

  • Learn the Basics (2025-27): Technical training, crevasse rescue, and spending obscene amounts of time in the gym (and on smaller peaks).

  • Level Up (2028-29): Push the limits even higher and gain more expedition experience and independence on 7,000m peaks.

  • Test High-Altitude Expeditions (2030?): Serious climbs to see how my brain handles severe hypoxia and how my gear holds up.

  • The Big One. Everest: Slow, steady, and hopefully well-sponsored.

Snow-covered plains leading to rugged, snow-capped mountains under a clear blue sky.
Snow-covered mountain range with a prominent peak, rocky foreground, and partly cloudy sky.
Sponsors & Partnerships

FAQ

  • There are three main ways to help me stay on track:

    1. Engage: Read, comment and share my posts! It sounds cheesy, but every share helps me expand my community and reach potential partners… and keeps me motivated to keep working!

    2. Subscribe: Join the newsletter to receive training updates and early access to trip summaries and gear reviews.

    3. Partner: If you represent a brand interested in long-term, candid gear testing and exposure, please visit my dedicated Sponsor & Partnership Page for opportunities.

  • The next confirmed major expedition is to North America’s highest volcano: Pico de Orizaba.

    Here I’ll practice technical and expedition skills. After that, I hope to book Aconcagua for the ‘28-29 season.

  • The total estimated cost of a safe, guided expedition to Mount Everest is currently between $60,000 and $100,000+. I am funding this through my 9-5 side hustle, social media content creation, intensive long-term savings and curating partnerships with ethical brands who share a vision.

  • Training is primarily split between sea-level endurance work (running, weighted pack hikes) and high-altitude conditioning. Current training grounds include my wonderfully flat home in Ohio and upcoming major expeditions to Pico de Orizba.

    Additional specific peak/expeditions announcements will be posted when booked.

  • For someone like me starting from a day-hiker level, the process is a marathon, not a sprint.

    My current plan is a multi-year journey (5+ years) dedicated to skill acquisition (technical climbing, crevasse rescue), financial savings, and building the necessary high-altitude experience required for a safe summit attempt on Mount Everest.