The Beginning of Many Adventures
Matt’s outdoor adventures were only just beginning, however. “I started big mountain climbing when I was nine,” he recalled in an interview when he was 20. This was purely by chance: “We went to Nepal because my dad was on a business trip, and I got to tag along. We were in the Himalayas. Just being there sparked my passion for climbing.” And a passion it was – it was to mark the beginning of a way of life that was in stark contrast to most children’s.
Photo by Daniel Prudek / Shutterstock
Matt’s father, Mike, had always planned to climb 18,000 feet to the Mount Everest Base Camp during this business trip – for him, it was an opportunity that he couldn’t pass up. He had planned to do this with a friend of his, but unfortunately, his friend had to drop out at the last minute. Matt was ready to jump on board straight away to take the friend’s place, and Mike thought that he’d be able to handle it.