Stephen Koch

I did not snowboard the north face of the Aiguille du Midi while I lived in Chamonix in 1990, although I wanted to.
I did make some turns along the north side of the ridge traversing to the glacier on my way to ride the Gervasutti Couloir on Mont Blanc du Tacul. The “Gervasutti,” as it [...]

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ABOVE: Stephen in the gym.
VIGILANCE
by Stephen Koch
Vigilance is alert watchfulness. And as a climber it is paramount to be vigilant, not only for my own safety, but for the safety of my partner. Through the act of belaying, or protecting a partner with the rope, is when I am most watchful. My partner calls [...]

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This story was first published in the 2002 edition of The American Alpine Journal.
Five. That is the number of times that I have stopped. Stopped during the coldest, darkest and most painful time on this journey. Stopped to kick the life back into my dying toes. It feels like I am lifetimes away from safety [...]

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