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Kirstie Ennis
@kirstie_ennis

136,047 followers

The challenges in mountaineering are endless; nearly indescribable, the unimaginable, and not for the faint of heart. There’s always something new to learn, to perfect, or refresh. I’ve been fortunate to experience life on Everest twice during very different times. When I returned the first time, I was full of life and pride even though I came up short of a summit. When I came home this past May from the second attempt, I had some healing to do before sharing and I’m finally ready. Even though I accepted failure twice in damn near the same spot with 600 feet of gain left, the climbs changed me in very different ways. Now that I have firsthand experiences of the frustrating and ever growing lines of traffic, I can attest to the overcrowding not only jeopardizing the safety of climbers, but also endangering the mountain’s fragile ecosystem. We need to get back to deeply respecting majestic places and what it means to be a mountaineer. When I was finally ready to lean back into and relive some of the most uncomfortable moments of my life, I scoured my journals and reviewed dozens of hours of footage and interviews. Time and time again, in different ways and mediums during my ascent, I made the message I wanted to share with the world very clear. Times are changing. Mountains, gear, and guides are becoming more attainable as money continues to talk. The opportunity to climb should be admired and earned. More than anything I want to see communities in the outdoors grow — but (deadly) lessons shouldn’t be taught where there’s no room for error. Will I go back to Everest to finish off those last 600 feet? Absolutely. That said, I don’t know when, the route, or even what it will look like for me, but I assure you it’ll be after we step up, create change, and ease some of the madness. It’s not just about safety or a summit; it’s about ensuring the true spirit of the climb lives on. If you watched the short film of my first attempt, Standing Tall, then I can’t wait for you to watch its “sequel” once it’s finished. It’ll give you a whole new perspective and remind you just how important your “why” is. Here’s a sneak peek ❤️ Let me know what you think! #leftlegless