Aron Ralston has been busy. Shown above, he stops
for a packet of goo at 22,000 feet on his ascent of Argentina’s
Aconcagua (23,080 ft, 6962 m). This monster peak marks not only
the highest point of South America and the southern hemisphere,
but also the highest in the western hemisphere. Look for more
details in an upcoming issue of Men’s Journal.
In addition to journeying to distant continents,
he has also accomplished monumental achievments at home. This
March he completed his 59th Colorado fourteener, solo, in the
winter. Ralston is the first man to achieve this. Nice work, buddy.
A week ago, Ralston was crossing the Michigan/Wisconsin
border on his way to his 45th state highpoint. Up in the upper
peninsula, he got lost several times in the back roads from poor
sineage and high rivers of runnof made it impossible to get his
car closer than 9 miles from the highpoint. With no choice but
to walk, he encountered knee-deep snow through which he post-holed
for the last mile.
Luckily he encountered some good ole U.P. hospitality
on the way home. The UPers (residents of the UP) came by on their
ATV’s fully stocked with beers. Four older gentlemen in
their 60s and 70s offered Aron a ride, saving him the monotonous
8 mile return to his rental car. Nothing like having a few beers
on the back of a forest buggy to celebrate his 45th state highpoint.
Once Aron Ralston was within striking distance
of his goal, he would not be deterred. Originally he planned to
circle from Wisconsin back to Chicago, Illinois to hang out with
friends. But then he opened the atlas to the big USA map, and
decided to make a go for his remaining three highpoints on the
mainland: Arkansas, Missouri and Alabama. With a flight out of
Chicago he had to drive for 40 of the next 60 hours to complete
his goal.
That leaves only Hawaii.
The magnitude of the mission is at par with the
average Ralstonian mission, logistics unusual. He’s nearing
the completion of the fourth “list” of his. About
five years ago he made some goals for himself:
