Blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer to visit CMC campuses this week

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, including March 23 at CMC’s Morgridge Commons in Glenwood Springs. The public is welcome.

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 other CMC locations, including Steamboat Springs on March 20, Breckenridge March 21, and Vail Valley at Edwards March 22. 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, visit coloradomtn.edu/commonreader or call 800-621-8559.