Making this kind of art is a privilege, but it is rarely easy. All of the best images tell a story, and in the world of adventure photography there is no shortage of stories to tell.

We climb, we climb, we climb.

We watch as the swamp turns to trees, trees turn to meadows, meadows turn to rocks, rocks turn to snow, snow turns to ice.

The transition from forest to tundra is slow and painful, for earth as well as us. The ground becomes too hard for the roots, and we feel our legs weakening. The air becomes too cold for the leaves, and we feel our breaths turn to gasps. The beauty is no longer found in life, but in the lack of it. A stark contrast to the celebration of abundance and color that is often found in nature.

Blood stains the insides of our boots. Icy wind blisters our cheeks.

We press on regardless, because it is here that we find the life within ourselves. It is here that we challenge what it means to be artists. It is here that the beauty is found in perseverance.