Sid Marty — A Retrospective

When the Banff Mountain Book Festival debuted in 1994, Sid Marty was the first guest to step on stage, opening an event that would soon become internationally renowned. This fall, Marty returns to the spotlight to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Book Festival with a look back on 15 (and more!) years of inspiring mountain stories and songs, selected from eight published books, and two CDs.

Presentation: Wednesday, November 5, 7:30 p.m.

Dawa Steven Sherpa — Eco Everest Expedition

At age 23, Dawa Steven Sherpa brings fresh new ideas to the mountaineering forum. The owner and operator of the world’s highest bakery — located at Everest base camp — Dawa Steven has summitted three 8000-metre peaks, including Mount Everest (twice). His first ascent to the top of Everest in May 2007 set him on a quest to discover the effects of climate change on the Himalayas, and led him to develop the Eco Everest Expedition.

Presentation: Thursday, November 6, 9:00 – 10:10 a.m.

Dr. Geoff Tabin — Himalayan Cataract Project

Dr. Geoff Tabin knows first-hand that a life of adventure can be combined with human service. After spending much of the 1970s pursuing difficult rock and ice routes, Tabin graduated from Harvard medical school, and went on to practice medicine in Zaire and ultimately Nepal, where he witnessed cataract surgery for the first time. The experience led him to establish the Himalayan Cataract Project, which restore sight to tens of thousands of people every year

Presentation: Thursday, November 6, 7:30 p.m.

Majka Burhardt — Vertical Ethiopia

When writer, climber, and guide Majka Burhardt first went to Ethiopia, she discovered an endless landscape of rock in a country best known for drought, famine, and war. In Vertical Ethiopia, Burhardt shares tales of international kidnappings, splitter cracks, the biggest untapped adventure playground in Africa, and an examination of what it takes to juggle fear, success, and global consciousness in the high desert of Ethiopia.

Presentation: Friday, November 7, 9:00 – 10:10 a.m.