Brian Block – 1st Iowan to Climb the Seven Summits

This month DiscoverAdel.com is pleased to present an interview with Adel citizen and business owner Brian Block – the first Iowan to climb the Seven Summits!

Mountaineer Brian Block has called Adel, Iowa home for 6 years, though much of his time is spent traveling around the world as an Independent Representative for outdoor brands such as Marmot, Osprey, Scarpa and more. Brian and his wife Vanessa are owners of Ames Adventure Outfitters, AAO, now located in Adel.

The true family business includes Brian’s mom as Office Manager/ Accountant and Brian’s dad as IT/Business Development Manager, with 2 remotely located sales representatives.

Brian has been a natural athlete all his life, participating in two or more sports within a season during his high school years, including alternative sports such as mountain biking, Triathlons, and more. It was in college that Brian was first introduced to a weekend top-rope instructor’s course, and buying the Mount McKinley Climbers handbook that same weekend, never looked back.

“There are so many aspects to climbing I can be involved in some capacity year round. I still enjoy so many other activities, and hope that my sons Yxzander and Kai get to participate in organized competitive sports as well as pursue the other new passions that I’ve developed over the years; but climbing has been a point of focus for the last 20 years and likely will continue to be long into the future.”

Mt. Elbrus 2012    Kilimanjaro 2013

The Seven Summits is a mountain climbing challenge consisting of the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. Though there is some debate amongst the climbing community, the “original” Seven Summits (in order of Brian’s completion) are Denali/ Mount McKinley in Alaska for North America, Aconcagua in Argentina representing South America, Kosciuszko located on Australia, Mount Everest across China and Nepal in Asia, Elbrus in Russia representing Europe, Vinson Massif on Antarctica, and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa.

Mont Blanc, located on the Italian/French border, and the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, are both unofficially identified with the Seven Summit Challenge as well. Brian will complete his climb of the Carstensz Pyramid in the coming year to complete all “9” of the Seven Summits!

For Brian, being the first Iowan to complete the Seven Summits is similar to being “the first Iowan to jump a pogo stick across the country. Both have their challenges and both would probably leave many Iowans wondering why someone would waste their time pursuing such an endeavor. In the end, it was more about a personal passion that evolved into an end goal of sorts… It’s great to complete things that other goal oriented climbers might aspire to.”

To train for his next climb, Brian participates in a multitude of sports including Cross Fit, Ultra-Running, Stand Up Paddle Boarding, biking and swimming. When training in Iowa, he works through oxygen deprivation by utilizing a variety of outside tools and products that simulate the lack of available oxygen at high elevations.

“Big training days often consist of 8-20 hours of activity and can include any of the aforementioned activities and more. A common training day might consist of running 8-20 miles, biking 20-50 miles, Stand Up Paddle Boarding for 2-5 miles, and a cross fit/weight training workout.”

While Brian claims that “climbing isn’t as easy as it looks, but is rarely as hard as you think”, injuries are common. Frostbite, sunburns, broken bones, and altitude-related illnesses such as Acute Mountain Sickness affect climbers of all skill levels.

In fact, of the thousands of climbers who take to the rocks each year across the globe, only a few hundred are able to reach prospective summits.

Everest 2011

Mt. Vinson Massif 2012

Mt. Kosciuszko 2010

“K2 [the second highest peak in the world located in Pakistan] is the mountaineers’ mountain. One of the most dangerous, most sought, and most run from mountains in the world. There have only been a little over 300 summits in the history of the mountain. I’ve spent about 8-10 weeks on the flanks and at the base trying to get to the top over two expeditions. There is no easy way up this mountain! Many a skilled climber has rounded the corner of the glacial confluence at Concordia camp after an 8-day approach and abandoned their expedition plans. There are many other challenging mountains and routes, but in my opinion, nothing as challenging or of the same caliber of K2.

I broke my ankle in 2 places on the approach to K2 in 2007. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I was too stubborn to quit, as it was the second day of a 9-week trip to Pakistan. Climbing uphill with a solid boot wasn’t so bad, but going downhill, being able to hear and feel the bones grind, not so good! I still deal with that injury to some degree. K2 is known for its lethal ways and I can’t say that my wife is a big fan-but I’ll go back and finish it in the coming years if at all physically possible.”

After traveling the world Brian is excited to return home to his wife and family, plus Casey’s Pizza, Iowa grown steaks, Peaches & Cream Sweet Corn and running water.

“I love the feeling of being above the clouds, seeing the shadows of the mountains extend beyond the horizon and the way it strips everything down from everyday life to the things that are most important.

Three weeks into an expedition you really get your priorities back in line.

The thing that I like least would have to be that in many cases the suffering can be extreme, such as missing family and having to “make” water from snow and ice.

It’s sometimes hard to believe just how amazing it can be to grab a glass of water from the tap!”

When Brian is at home he connects with Above+Beyond Cancer, a Des Moines based charity, creates blogs and videos documenting his expeditions, and enjoys spending time in Adel with his family. Brian’s next challenge is always around the corner. He is currently proceeding with his aspiration to climb all 14 8000M peaks in the world without oxygen, complete the Continental Divide Trail race on bike, and will complete a new website in August, www.TheBrianBlock.com.

Congratulations to Brian for completing the Seven Summits challenge, and for representing Adel throughout the world. To learn more about Brian Block’s first hand accounts of his travels, please visit the website www.therestofeverest.com/category/show-seasons-expeditions/season-6.

Brian Block
Ames Adventure Outfitters (AAO)
23790 Glenwood Circle
Adel, Iowa 50003
Phone: (515) 451-8015
Facebook: Ames-Adventure-Outfitters
Website: www.goaao.com