Kurt Thomas Hicks


Kurt guiding on Denali's West Buttress.

Basics:

I climbed my first alpine route when I was eleven. I started guiding in 2004, first on the sea cliff crags of the Maine coast, then in the mountains of Washington. I have a degree in Resource Recreation and Tourism, with a minor in Outdoor Leadership and have completed the advanced coursework for a Masters in Environmental Education. Yo hablo un poco español.

Personal Geography:

I grew up in southwestern Oregon in a small town in the Cascade foothills. These days I split my time between Seattle and the Bavarian metropolis of Leavenworth, Washington.

Proudest Climbing Achievement:

I'm more proud of the routes that I have backed off of than of the ones I've succeeded in climbing. Mark Twight said something like, surviving is succeeding; summiting is a bonus. I believe that. I'm proud of letting good judgment and intuition dictate my choices. You can always try again later.

Proudest Personal Achievement:

I'm proud of the bottomless pit that is my stomach. I don't know how it withstands all the abuse I subject it to.

Guiding Geography:

I guide in the Cascades, Alaska, the Sierra, Red Rocks, and Canada. My favorite trips are AAI's Alpine Leadership and Technical Mountaineering Series. Spending such a significant amount of time with guests allows me to really see their progress and to get the opportunity to climb fantastic routes, whether in the Bugaboos, Leavenworth, or the North Cascades.

Climbing Philosophy:

Climbing is a practice. It's more about overcoming personal challenges, both physical and mental, than about climbing the absolute hardest route I can. And basically, it should be fun. As Alex Lowe said, the best climber is the one having the most fun.

Favorite Climbing Destination:

I love alpine climbing in the North Cascades for the balance of snow, ice, and rock. Combined with the challenges of weather, tough approaches, and glaciers you're forced to have a really well rounded skill set. I feel that if you can be successful in the North Cascades, you can climb anywhere

Favorite Style of Climbing:

I love climbing multi-pitch traditional rock routes. Climbing light and fast--leaving the ground with a rope, rack, and the shirt on my back--and moving efficiently until we're at the top. Traditionally protected mixed climbs are my favorite way to scare myself in the winter months.

Hobbies/Interests:

I've been working on my first book. It's a guide to a cragging area in North Central Idaho. I climbed there a lot when I was in grad school, but the only guide to the area is 24 years old. In addition to being beneficial to the local climbing community, it's been a really cool little history project. I've been able to track down records of some of the first ascents in the area and read over a lot of notes - it's amazing to see the evolution of routes and climbing culture over time.

Inspirations:

My wife, for showing me that life doesn't have to be dictated by other people's expectations and that I can make my life whatever I want it to be.

Rewarding Moment as an AAI Guide:

It's always really rewarding to teach a course that has a visible impact on a client. A few years ago I had a guest who had just started climbing outdoors. We spent ten days working on lead climbing and skills for alpine routes. At the end of the course he was leading solidly and was hooked on trad climbing. In the couple years since he's gone on to climb many difficult routes throughout the western US...some of which were with my friends and colleagues, often with him leading!