Adrian BallingerPROFILE

Adrian Ballinger

Limey, Big Bird, Schmoofster
February 25, 1976
Aspen, CO
Marmot, Edelrid, Kaenon, CAMP, Himaya

Superhero jacket, Ama Dablam jacket, Dri-clime jacket

Alpenglow Expedition’s founder and head guide, Adrian has been guiding full-time for over a decade, and has led over 60 international climbing expeditions on 5 continents. Adrian is an AMGA-certified alpine and rock guide, and expects to complete his full IFMGA/AMGA certification (one of 40 in the USA) by the end of this winter. Adrian's personal ascents include successful solo climbs of Ama Dablam (22,525 ft) in Nepal, Artesonraju (20,005 ft) in Peru, and more recently, alpine-style climbs on the South Ridge of Pumo Ri (23,500 ft), the West Face of Cayesh, and the NE Ridge of Huascaran Norte. This year, in addition to six months guiding high altitude peaks worldwide (including Everest, Cho Oyu, and Ama Dablam), Adrian is also ski, ice, and rock guiding in his dual “hometowns” of Aspen, Colorado and La Grave, France.

Adrian is a sponsored athlete for Marmot clothing, C.A.M.P. climbing equipment, Edelrid ropes, Kaenon sunglasses, and Himaya sun-protection products.

My father-in-law—65 years old and still rips on the hill with all my friends.
POWDER! coffee, tennis, my blackberry, summiting peaks with great clients, kiteboarding, pizza… ohhh the list goes on and on.
PEEP!
Butter

Founding Alpenglow Expeditions, AMGA certifications, Persuading the love of my life to marry me.

Accepted into medical school, but couldn’t stop climbing and skiing long enough to attend.

Guiding–SW Ridge of Ama Dablam / Personal-My friends complain that I always say that whatever I just finished was the “best, sickest, etc.” So I am not sure I can answer this one reliably.
Kill Bill I and II – Watch them both together as a single epic.
Siddhartha – Herman Hesse
Whatever my wife Lissa put on my Nano this week.

Big, hairy spiders

Most recently, broke 2 bones in my right foot while kiteboarding off the coast of Morocco on the last day of my honeymoon.
Snacking before dinner

Continue building Alpenglow to be an industry leading guide service; explore and climb in the “-stans” (Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, etc.); ski more powder; spend more time at home with Lissa.

Adrian made me (Lissa, his wife) fill this out while he was packing to leave for Cho Oyu tomorrow (typical).