Author, spoken-word artist and adventurer Craig Childs has written more than a dozen books on science, nature and personal experience. In his book Atlas of a Lost World: Travels in Ice Age America, Child follows ancient migration routes on foot, pursuing early Pueblo passages across the American Southwest, and he traces the paths of first peoples as they migrated into the Americas during the late Pleistocene. In 2019, Childs brought Atlas of a Lost World to Banff as part of our Book Festival. Sit back and enjoy the artistry of Craig Childs as he intertwines his own words, poetry and adventures with ancient history.
In 2019, we kicked off the Festival with a fabulous panel of folks working to bring diversity to climbing and bridge gaps to create a richer, more welcoming and inclusive outdoor community where everyone is celebrated. The discussion featured Kai Lightner, Mikhail Martin, Dr. Erynne Gilpin and Bethany Lebewitz. Kai Lightner is a professional rock climber who started the organization Climbing for Change in 2020. Mikail Martin was one of the founders of Brothers of Climbing. Dr. Erynne Gilpin is a Métis educator, filmmaker and community-based researcher who founded Indigenous Womxn Climb. Bethany Lebewitz founded the organization Brown Girls Climb. This episode is hosted by author and journalist James Edward Mills.
Beth Rodden is one of the best rock climbers of our time, and a globally recognized ambassador for the outdoor community. She has achieved a number of notable free climbs on El Capitan and also established the most difficult first ascent of a crack climb ever done by a woman. She has been climbing for thirty years, and she hopes to be climbing for thirty more. In 2024, Rodden’s memoir A Light through the Cracks: A Climber's Story was published, an inspiring book about overcoming devastating trauma, refusing to be held hostage by fear, and taking a leap toward healing. From the 2024 Festival, presenting Beth Rodden in conversation with journalist and author Eva Holland.
As a physician and pioneer climber, Dr. Tom Hornbein combined his love of mountains and medicine to shape an illustrious career. He spent his life examining the physiological effects of high altitude on the body. He made his first ascents in his native US and in the Himalayas, most notably the West Ridge of Mt. Everest in 1963. As an author, he wrote Medicine for Mountaineering and Everest: The West Ridge and remained actively involved with the University of Colorado's Altitude Research Center and Foundation well into his 80s. Hornbein joined us in Banff on many occasions over the years, and this is the 2013 Voices of Adventure interview with Geoff Powter.
For J.R. Harris, his real adventures and life began in 1966 when, as a young New Yorker, he impulsively drove his VW Beetle across the country to the very end of the northernmost road in Alaska. He was searching for an answer to a simple question: “What is it like to be way out there?” Harris is the author of Way Out There: Adventures of a Wilderness Trekker, an account of his extraordinary exploits while backpacking in some of the world’s most tantalizing places—largely alone and unsupported. After almost fifty years of wilderness travel, “J.R.,” as he’s known, has plenty of tales to tell. His stories are funny, tragic, and uplifting, and are all told in his down-to-earth, friendly style.
Catherine Destivelle is one of the most celebrated alpinists of all time. She was climbing some of the highest peaks in the Alps by the age of 17 and was unbeatable at world cup competitions in the late 1980s. After leaving the world cup circuit, she was ultimately drawn back toward her roots in alpine climbing. She has made solo winter ascents of the Eiger, the Grandes Jorasses, and the Matterhorn. In this episode, Destivelle presents her story of a life spent climbing and the feats she has achieved, including her unprecedented 11-day solo first ascent of the West Face of Les Drus in Chamonix, as well as cutting-edge ascents in Pakistan and the Himalaya. From our 2016 Festival, presenting Catherine Destivelle, in conversation with celebrated American climber Jack Tackle.
Jimmy Chin is no stranger to the Banff stage and screen, with a resume of films such as Meru, Free Solo, The Rescue, and Wild Life that have all been finalists and award winners at Banff. Chin started climbing in college, embracing the dirtbag life before picking up a camera and kicking off his photography and film career. His long list of accomplishments includes being part of the first American team to ski from the summit of Everest, the first ascent of the “Shark’s Fin” on Meru Central and winning the National Geographic Photographer’s Photographer Award in 2019. As a filmmaker he also received an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for Free Solo, which Chin co-directed with his wife, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. Chin joined us in Banff in 2015 and had a fascinating conversation with writer David Roberts about his career and passions.
In 2023 we had the joy of welcoming Mingma Gyalje Sherpa to Banff to join us for our Voices of Adventure series. Mingma G began climbing at the age of 20 and has become a prominent member of the international climbing community. His list of accomplishments is long and impressive—six summits of Everest, four summits of Manaslu, as well as summits on Kanchenjunga, Annapurna, Lhotse, Dhaulagiri, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I & II, Broad Peak, a solo ascent and new route on Mt. Chobuje. One of his biggest achievements was being one of the team leaders on the first-ever Winter ascent of K2. In conversation with local Bow Valley host Geoff Powter, Mingma G talks about his K2 ascent and cleaning up garbage left on Everest with his three sisters. Since this recording in 2023, Mingma G has become the first Nepali to climb all fourteen 8000’ers without supplemental oxygen.
In this episode, we explore the climbing world of Lynn Hill, a true icon of the sport. Lynn is known for smashing records in the '80s and '90s and was a key player in the Yosemite climbing scene. She was the first person to free climb “The Nose” on El Capitan in Yosemite as well as the first woman to redpoint 5.12d, 5.13a and 5.14a. Her career is nothing short of extraordinary! We welcomed Lynn Hill to the Banff stage in 2016, and we are excited that she will be returning for our 50th anniversary this year. This episode is in conversation with renowned writer and climber Greg Child.
Cory Richards returned to the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival in 2024 to talk about his book The Color of Everything: A Journey to Quiet the Chaos Within. Cory is joined by fellow alpinist Jack Tackle to dive into Cory’s career as a renowned climber and National Geographic Photographer. In both his book and this episode, Cory looks back at success and what the cost of fame means while trying to deal with addiction.
Content Warning: Cory and Jack talk about the darker side of trauma—some content deals with issues that are related to drugs, mountain trauma, and suicide.
In 2018, Kate Harris presented her award-winning book Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road. Harris’ deep dive into adventure travel won her the Travel Adventure Book Award at the Banff Mountain Book Competition, as well as the 2019 RBC Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction and the 2019 Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature. Her weaving of travel narratives and personal reflection as she travels across the borders of the ancient Silk Road on her bike with her pal Mel Yule, pulls you into a world of true adventure! Lands of Lost Borders: Out of Bounds on the Silk Road is available at your local bookstore.
Let’s dig into the hard alpine climbs of Steve Swenson as he sits down for an interview with Geoff Powter. Steve is known for his kind and warm personality and advocates for mentorship systems in the outdoors. His climbing achievements are top-notch, and he is one of only a handful of people to have won the coveted Piolets d'Or twice. In 2012, Swenson along with Mark Richey and Freddie Wilkinson, made the first ascent of Saser Kangri—at the time, the peak was the second-highest unclimbed mountain in the world. It was Swenson’s first win at the Piolets. In 2019, Swenson, along with Graham Zimmerman, Mark Richey, and Chris Wright, made the first ascent of Link Sar, which earned them the 2020 Piolet d'Or prize. Check out his book entitled Karakoram: Climbing Through the Kashmir Conflict at your local bookstore.
The Banff Centre Mountain film and Book Festival is world renowned for bringing the top adventurers from around the world to celebrate mountain culture and share their stories on stage in Banff, Canada.
Each episode we’ll dig through the festival archives to revive some of our favourite presentations. Over the years we've spoken to hundreds of incredible adventurers who've shared their spectacular and moving stories. We’ll go back in time and hear stories from some of the world’s top mountain athletes, adventurers and storytellers such as Lynn Hill, Jimmy Chin, Cory Richards and many more.