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Application period opens for inaugural Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award

Kyle Dempster soloed up to 6000 meters on Vigne peak to gain a better look around at the huge peaks surrounding him on the Baltoro Glacier in 2014. He'd traveled there to attempt Gasherbrum IV's Shining Wall with Urban Novak, but they called off their expedition after learning that some Slovenian friends of Novak's were missing, and Novak felt the need to return home to be with the surviving friends and family. Dempster commended Novak's decision, recalling the loss of his own cousin in a rappelling accident on Baffin Island in 2005. [Photo] Kyle Dempster

Kyle Dempster soloed up to 6000 meters on Vigne peak to “gain a better look around” at the huge peaks surrounding him on the Baltoro Glacier in 2014. He’d traveled there to attempt Gasherbrum IV’s Shining Wall with Urban Novak, but they called off their expedition after learning that some Slovenian friends of Novak’s were missing, and Novak felt the need to return home to be with the surviving friends and family. Dempster commended Novak’s decision, recalling the loss of his own cousin in a rappelling accident on Baffin Island in 2005. [Photo] Kyle Dempster

Today marks the official opening of the application period for the inaugural Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award.

Dempster’s family, friends and sponsors created the grant to honor his legacy after he disappeared on the north face of Ogre II (6980m) in Pakistan with Scott Adamson in August 2016.

The Dempster Award website reads:

Each year, the Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award will be given to an American solo adventurer embarking on a journey that embodies Kyle’s passionate spirit and love of exploration, with an emphasis on storytelling and leave-no-trace ethics. The recipients are by no means limited to climbers, and the trips awarded by no means must involve the big mountains Kyle loved–on the contrary, we encourage applications for human-powered solo adventures of all kinds–big or small, remote or urban, cold and icy or hot and sunny….

One of America’s great young alpinists best known for first ascents of big remote peaks around the globe, Kyle Dempster was a passionate climber, adventurer and friend who fully lived his 33 years….

Though Kyle loved climbing, traveling and going on adventures with friends, many of his most memorable and creative trips were done alone, traversing wild corners of the world by himself and under his own power. From kiteskiing hundreds of miles across Baffin Island, to his now legendary biking and climbing trip across Kygryzstan that was made famous in the short film “The Road from Karakol,” Kyle found a deep sense of meaning and joy in exploring the world on his own.

Applications for the 2018 Kyle Dempster Solo Adventure Award are due by March 15 for trips taking place between April 1, 2018-March 31, 2019. The winner(s) will be announced on March 27, Kyle’s birthday.

Visit the website here to find more information and download the application.

Additionally, the grant recipient(s) will be eligible to receive a one-year subscription to Alpinist magazine and have their trip report(s) appear on Alpinist.com.