After 266 days of climbing and skiing, and climbing and skiing, and climbing and skiing, hit his goal. His watch registered 2 million vertical feet on Rogers Pass, near his hometown of Revelstoke, British Columbia, on December 30th.
“The incredible feeling of no longer having this immense goal looming over my days is amazing. So much has gone into this tiny number on my watch – so much dedication, perseverance and passion,” said the 35-year-old backcountry.com athlete. “We all have dreams. I’ve realized that the fact is you have to work hard to achieve them and if you work hard enough it is possible to accomplish them.”
How did Hill do climb and ski 2 million feet in less than a year? Here's a quick by the numbers on his quest.
4 Pairs of skis used during his quest
7,570 Average feet per day skied by Hill
238,000 Feet skied by Hill during his biggest month, December
77 Days that Hill logged more than 10,000 feet
71 Peaks climbed during the quest
69 Times climbing and skiing Everest, which is the equivalent of climbing and skiing 2 million vertical feet
40 Lbs. of gear strapped to his back on average during each session
163 Lbs. The weight of Hill at the start and end of his quest.
6,000 Calories Hill consumed in an average day to keep that weight.
1 Wedding ring lost. As much of the weight from Hill's body moved to his thighs, everywhere else, including his fingers, lost heft. “Midway through this quest I lost my wedding ring since my fingers were a little skinnier than usual,” says Hill. “But luckily I combed the beach for a few hours and found it.”
1:30 pm on December 30, the time at which Hill's watch registered 2 million vertical feet, leaving him with more than 1 full day to rest before his official deadline.
–Joe Spring