Benny Lieber

Benny, Alex, and Austin explored the Alaskan Hayes Range in autumn to see what they would find. Turns out, they found some seriously good climbing.

When I arrived in Alaska for the first time four years ago, my mother and I flew through the mountains. I remember how good they looked, but I wasn’t ready for an Alaskan-level mountain. They all looked so big, steep, and gnarly, even the small ones. I was an amateur at the time, but was so enthralled by what I saw that yet again, as I have done before, I pushed everything in my life away and decided to move to Alaska the next spring. I wanted an authentic relationship with the land and for the last four summers I’ve grown just that.

When I topped off the gas tank and sped out of New Hampshire on April 2nd, I tightly gripped the wheel, smiling ear to ear and with a 5,500 mile gaze - at the end of my longing stare was the vision of returning to the Last Frontier.

“This isn't the forest or even the snow, there are no rocks, no trails or footprints, no plants or flowers- this is ice. And guess what: it changes every single day.”