Photo of Erik Weihenmayer

Turning adversity into strength: Weihenmayer will show you how

Photo of Erik Weihenmayer
Adventurer Erik Weihenmayer will visit CMC sites at Steamboat Springs, Breckenridge, Edwards and at the Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs this month as part of the college’s annual Common Reader program.

Next time you’re at a trailhead, the top of a ski run or a river put-in, imagine not being able to see. Now imagine stepping onto the trail, taking off downhill or wedging into a kayak and floating away. Welcome to Erik Weihenmayer’s world.

Author and blind adventurer Weihenmayer is an internationally renowned speaker and athlete. He’ll be delivering a lecture series that is free and open to the public at four Colorado Mountain College locations this month. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

The talks feature Weihenmayer’s bestseller “No Barriers: A Blind Man’s Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon,” co-written with author Buddy Levy. The book is Colorado Mountain College’s 2018 Common Reader selection, which is an annual community reading program.

“No Barriers” tells the story of the author’s achievements of solo kayaking the 277 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and becoming the first blind person to summit Mount Everest, among other feats of strength and determination. The book also details how he employs the same determination required to accomplish these and other monumental physical goals as he uses to confront daily challenges.

Weihenmayer will visit the following Colorado Mountain College locations: Steamboat Springs (March 20), Breckenridge (March 21), Vail Valley at Edwards (March 22) and Morgridge Commons in downtown Glenwood Springs (March 23). All author presentations are at 7 p.m.

“No Barriers” is available at local libraries and bookstores and online at https://marmot.overdrive.com/media/3091148 and https://marmot.overdrive.com/media/2854781. For more information, go to coloradomtn.edu/commonreader or call 800-621-8559.