252: Kristin Harila Podcast

In today’s episode of the ‘Finding your Summit’ podcast, host Mark Pattison, former NFL Player, Mountaineer who has climbed the Seven Summits, has over 250 podcasts, and a proud Emmy Best Picture Award Winner talks with guest Kristin Harila, a Norwegian Mountaineer, Climber, Skier, and Runner. She holds the distinction of climbing both Mount Everest and the Lhotse summit, at the same time. In the podcast, Kristin shares her experience of climbing many summits. She also talks about her next expedition of climbing K2.

Listen to “EP 252 Kristin Harila: En route to becoming the 1st woman to climb all 14– 8,000 Meter Peaks” on Spreaker.

Episode Highlights

• 02:45 – Mark recalls and congratulates Kristin, stating how last year, he and Kristin were the only two who were going to climb Mount Everest and go up to the other side and climb Lhotse. Mark was not able to do that, but Kristin kept on and made that happen.
• 05:20 – Kristin says women are as capable as men to summit, but if you see back in the history of climbing, there are men in the movies, books, or news—it’s more men than women, but it’s about change, and so now we see more and more women climbing.
• 07:10 – It is easy for people who could not climb Mount Everest due to various reasons to miss the people they love, and it’s a difficult thing to do when you’re sleeping in a tent at minus temperatures, as it takes a certain kind of mental toughness to get through.
• 09:20 – It makes Mark so proud to be a friend of Kristin. They had been up at Basecamp at 17/5 together and were doing some other climbs and acclimating to build up red blood cells so that they could ultimately find themselves in the best position to summit Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world.
• 11:00 – Kristin says that she always feels the altitude very early, and she always gets acclimatized very well.
• 13:15 – Kristin climbed six mountain peaks in Nepal within 29 days, and this was starting with Annapurna peak which is probably the most dangerous and the most challenging and technical mountain.
• 15:45 – Kristin will do the K-2 summit with ‘8K Company’ from Nepal, which is a new company that started last year but they have a very good and experienced Sherpa.
• 16:55 – They will have a break from the start of August to late August, after which they will climb ‘Shishapangma’ and ‘Cho Oyu’ peaks in Tibet, and then they will have ‘Manaslu’ in Nepal, which hopefully will be the last mountain in mid-October.
• 19:05 – Kristin’s goal is to ensure that the ropes are ready on time in order to climb K2 so they can go for an early summit there.
• 20:35 – Since it is a very expensive expedition, Kristin is getting sponsorship for accomplishing this massive goal from Bremont, which is a watch company from the UK. She seeks more such sponsorships and hopes to get some before they go to Pakistan.
• 22:30 – Mark talks about his documentary film and the Emmy Best Picture Award. He says he doesn’t do it for money but for the love of the game.
• 25:00 – Mark appreciates Kristin for bringing in the change by doing what she is doing or what she has done by climbing several peaks including Mount Everest.
• 26:40 – To summit Mount Everest is not a joke as it’s the highest mountain in the world.
• 29:15 – Kristin says that during her next K2 summit, she will have less internet in Pakistan but she will write to her team in Norway on her GPS, so they can update on what is happening.

Three Key Points

1. Kristin points out that in Norway, the sports/climbing industry is focusing more on men, as well as the big brands there are supporting 90% of men. Hence, to change this perception, they as women needed to do something, and the best way to do something was to show that they can do it too. Kristin thinks that she is capable of doing that, thus climbing K2 is her next project.
2. The summit push on Everest was so much easier than the other mountains and so much shorter in time. But it’s the highest mountain in the world and you never know how you’re up there or what can happen. Last year, Kristin and the team had the 20-hour summit window but this year, Everest has been very good. It was a many days’ summit but because of all the logistics, they arrived at the Everest base camp in a shorter period of time than last year. They were down to base camp all in one push, 28 hours in total.
3. Pakistan will be challenging in terms of climbing the mountains including ‘Nanga Parbat’ first, which is a hard mountain to climb, it’s technical and dangerous. Then they will probably move right over to the K2 base camp, trying to summit it around the 20th of July, and then they will have three left, ‘G I, G II, and ‘Masherbrum’ peak. They can do the last three peaks in a short time but the big issue will be K2 as it is a dangerous, technical, and a big mountain. It will be a lot of standing on the ropes.

Tweetable Quotes

“You are my one and only friend from Norway and you are currently residing back in Oslo.” – Mark Pattison

“In Norway, we believe that we are living in an equal country, but when it comes to sport and when it comes to this industry, we see that we are far from equal.” – Kristin Harila

“I think a team in climbing and this big expedition is very important.” – Kristin Harila

“I was so concerned for you because, I was like, this girl is going to die.” – Mark Pattison

“I’m always trying to be slow as possible on the team rotation part, so that was my plan.” – Kristin Harila

“In Pakistan, we only have July to the summit so we need to summit. We cannot miss the summit there.” – Kristin Harila

“There are so many factors, not that you can do it but you know, you got weather, there are permits, and there are little stakes and ropes.” – Mark Pattison

“You got to watch yourself on that mountain. It’s steep and it’s falling rocks and all kinds of stuff.” – Mark Pattison

“I think to change it, it’s important to say something and to do something.” – Kristin Harila

“You are the Norwegian Wonder Woman. I’m so proud to be your friend and now I have climbed with you.” – Mark Pattison

“You have to enjoy the good days and the bad days. You have to try to take care of yourself or, or get help from teammates.” – Kristin Harila

“I’m so grateful that number one, you are alive, number two, you’re a great teammate and number three, you’re going after this amazing quest to climb all 14 peaks.” – Mark Pattison

 

Resources Mentioned

Kristin Harila: Instagram | Facebook

Mark Pattison YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/c/FindingYourSummitWithMarkPattison/featured