Living a life of adventure is a common childhood dream. Our adventure series speaker Jon Waterman made a life out of it. He began climbing as a teen and made his first trip to Denali at 19. After several seasons as a National Park Service Ranger and Guide at Denali, Jon turned to writing. He distilled his experience and advice into his first book, written for the express purpose of saving lives.
Jon kept exploring and writing. He has written 14 books and his next book, a National Geographic project about the National Park Service, will be released in fall 2019. During his Vail Symposium presentation, Jon shared with the audience his attraction to Denali, how the history of early explorers motivated him, and the respect and awe he has for nature and wild spaces. Jon’s most recent ascent of Denali took place on his 60th birthday in 2016.
The Adventure Series programs are presented in partnership with the Vail Public Library. Our next program in this series takes place January 10, 2019 and features cave explorer Bill Steele.
Living a life of adventure is a common childhood dream. Our adventure series speaker Jon Waterman made a life out of it. He began climbing as a teen and made his first trip to Denali at 19. After several seasons as a National Park Service Ranger and Guide at Denali, Jon turned to writing. He distilled his experience and advice into his first book, written for the express purpose of saving lives. 
