Outside Profiles Alpinist Colin Haley

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By: Kraig Becker
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In the January issue of Outside Magazine there is a good profile of up an coming young alpinist Colin Haley. Outside Online, the web edition of the magazine has now posted that same article for everyone to read.

At the age of 24, Haley already has quite an impressive climbing resume. Back in 2006 he put up the first ascent on a 7500 foot wall on Mount Moffit in Alaska, which marked his arrival on the scene if you will. Last year he cemented his place amongst the mountaineering elite when he, along with Argentinean climber Rolando Garibotti, completed the Torre Traverse in Patagonia. That expedition consisted of climbing Cerro Torre, Torre Egger, Punta Herron, and Cerro Standhardt in one go. All told, it was more than 7200 feet of climbing in the legendarily inhospitable Patagonian weather.

In the article Haley says that he wants to climb on the edge, pushing the sport in new directions and doing things that no other climber has. He seems to do that in his daily life as well, as he talks about trying heroin, something he says he researched extensively first. His parents seem nonplussed by his admission. But he also lives a simple and focused life as well, as evidenced by the description of his living quarters at his parents home. A small loft in a wooden shed without heat or electricity, and adorned with photos of big mountains and other climbers.

All in all, a excellent and very interesting interview with a guy who may well be the future of mountaineering. Haley says that he isn’t the best rock climber or ice climber around, but is a great planner, coming up with good strategies to approach a mountain. If he continues to to use that skill, he’ll likely be doing some amazing things in the mountains for years to come.

Kraig Becker
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