Earlier this week I had the pleasure of sitting down with My friend; Alpinist and intellect  Justin Guarino. Justin has climbed some of the most aesthetic, less frequented climbing routes as well as pushing not only his physical limits but his mental limits in the mountains. 

Justin’s greatest accomplishment is not a climbing pursuit; it is having read “Thus Spoke Zarathusa” By Friedrich Nietzsche. A short list of his climbing accomplishments are: Second ascent of a link up of Season of the Sun and The East Buttress of Mount Bradly in Alaska; you can read the write up by the first ascensionist HERE, Establishing a new route on Baihali Jot (20,653ft) In India; you can read the write up and see pictures from Justin and Nick’s account HERE, and the third winter ascent of The Mordor Wall at Cathedral Ledge right here in North Conway, NH; you can read about that climb in Nick’s words HERE.

Our conversation covers the topics of overcoming the mental aspects involved in climbing; from failing to reach the summit on Baihali Jot, Justin’s near death experience on Mt. Bradly, and why we pursue these games. 

We address the benefits of putting yourself into physically and mentally stressful situations, the effects social media has on the local ethics of certain aspects of climbing on public land, philosophy, and more.