Team

Jason and I met through my best friend Mike about five years ago. He just happen's to be Mike's sister Niki's boyfriend. He just happens to love traveling, climbing, and adventure. He just happens have high altitude dreams. All of my climbing has been done with Jason, Niki, and Mike. We've messed around in the Sierra's and also attempted Rainier, however, were shut down due to weather. We both have an understanding of just how far we can suffer and push ourselves and each other. There wasn't any doubt that we'd give this trip everything we got.

We wanted to attempt the mountain by ourselves without a guide. We fully understand the benefits and experience a guide provides, however, we wanted our experience to include the preparation, the planning, and most importantly, the real-time decision-making.  Alpinistas all over the world are attempting the unknown for the first time and that is part of the draw. Although this trip is far from a first ascent, it’s our first major expedition.

Chris Pagoda

Age: 33
Hometown: Conshohocken, PA
Bio: Cyclist and adventure motorcyclist with high altitude aspirations.
Climbing Experience: Mount Muir and Mount Baldy along with some winter hiking and camping excursions

Jason Brooks

Age: 30
Hometown: Santa Monica, CA
Bio: Adventurer, ultramarathoner, pilot, scuba diver, mountaineer
Climbing Experience: Pyramid Blanca (Bolivian Andes), assorted Sierra Nevada/Cascade peaks (Whitney, Shasta, Muir, Langley, Tyndall, Sill), assorted desert, SoCal, and foreign peaks (Baldy x10, Gorgonio, Jacinto, Tikaboo in Nevada, Fuji in Japan, Tajumulco in Guatemala), rock/ice climbing around SoCal and Sierras