From Ash to Altitude: Inside the World of Big Mountain Expeditions With Nicole Otake

Join Gravity Haus Vail for an evening exploring the world of high-altitude mountaineering — from volcanic summits to the tallest peaks on each continent. In this talk, you will dive into the Seven Summits and Seven Volcanic Summits, sharing stories and lessons from expeditions around the world, and what draws people to climb big mountains in the first place.

Take a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to plan and prepare for major expeditions, including an upcoming back-to-back climb of Denali and Alpamayo. From training and technical skills to logistics, risk management and decision-making in the mountains, this talk will demystify the process and show how these ambitious objectives are built step by step.

Whether you’re new to the idea of mountaineering or already spend time in the mountains, this event is about showing how accessible, challenging and genuinely fun mountaineering can be — and how anyone with curiosity and commitment can begin their own journey into bigger alpine adventures.