Adrian Ballinger and Emily Harrington are one of the pre-eminent power couples in outdoor sports. He’s a mountain guide who has summited Mount Everest eight times, once without the aid of oxygen tanks; she’s a professional rock climber with five national sport climbing titles under her belt. Together, they live with their dog, named Cat, in Squaw Valley, where they spend their days backcountry skiing, climbing, trail-running, and planning their next international expeditions. In a wide-ranging discussion, they cover the cutting edge of mountain climbing, the environmental costs of global travel, rock climbing’s inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and their favorite places to play in California.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices