Question

Erik Weihenmeyer became blind when he was 13 and lost his mother in a car crash at 16. He took up rock climbing and other extreme sports, never allowing his blindness to get in the way of his passion for life. He always wanted to achieve the impossible — climb the summit of Mt. Everest. Any climber faces a life and death struggle on that mountain, and Erik had several unique challenges in his way. He couldn't find a trail through the ice or tell if it was solid enough to step on and he couldn't see a gorge just ahead of him. He climbed by listening to someone in front of him, but he always wanted to pull his own weight. In 2001, Erik won the battle with Everest, making him the first blind climber to reach the summit of the world's highest peak.
What did Erik desire in the future?
What barriers did Erik encounter?
How did Erik overcome the barriers in reaching his goal?

Answer 1

1) What did Erik desire in the future?
- He wanted to achieve the seemingly impossible: climb to the summit of Mt. Everest.

2) What barriers did Erik encounter?
- He was blind (lost his sight at 13), and had the emotional trauma of losing his mother at 16.
- On the mountain he faced the usual life‑and‑death hazards of Everest plus blindness‑specific problems: inability to see trails or judge ice stability, not being able to spot gorges or crevasses ahead, and dependence on others for navigation.

3) How did Erik overcome the barriers in reaching his goal?
- He refused to let blindness stop him, trained and pursued rock climbing and extreme sports, and relied on adaptive techniques—most importantly following and listening to a climber in front of him for route information—while still striving to “pull his own weight.” Through persistence, skill, teamwork and determination he reached the summit in 2001.