Steve House
I met Steve for the first time in the SeaTac airport on the way to the Alaska Range in February 1998. We had corresponded before that, of course, enough to trust tying into the rope together and to choose a destination. We had a rough idea of what to expect from the Alaska Range in winter, and how hard we were willing to try.
After that trip, in an article titled "The Gift That Keeps on Giving" I wrote that, "I'd been hearing about Steve House for a couple of years, knew he'd done the 'Fathers and Sons Wall' and soloed a new route on the 6000' high West Face of the West Buttress, both on Denali. Barry Blanchard confirmed his talent. Bill Belcourt assured me that he 'climbed like an old guy,' meaning he put in gear like someone who had been, and wanted to be, around for awhile. The ultimate recommendation came from Scott who christened him 'the great hope' of American alpinism. This I had to see."
In the company of Jonny Blitz we climbed a new route on the south face of Mount Bradley that winter and got along well enough to plan something bigger in the future. We met up below Denali later that year but never got on the Slovak Direct as intended, only simul-soloed the upper West Rib. But finally, in 2000, circumstances and weather came good to make the third ascent of the Slovak route in 60-hour signal push (with Scott Backes). After that, with both Scott and I retired from hard alpinism Steve took the torch and burned ever so brightly, in the Alaska Range, in the Andes, on Nanga Parbat and K7 in Pakistan, and the Canadian Rockies. His trajectory looked high indeed until he and it crashed onto a ledge on Mount Temple in 2010.
Steve fell 80 feet, stopped by a ledge before the rope came tight, and suffered five broken ribs, a collapsed lung, fractured pelvis, and numerous small breaks in his spine. Following a helicopter evacuation and eventual life flight to Calgary, Steve commented, "Sounds worse than it is. 100% stable."
Once recovered, Steve faced an uncertain future, and while motivation didn't wane (as evidenced by his expedition to Makalu in 2011), other priorities surfaced. As Andrew Bisharat wrote for his Evening Sends site, "after his near-death experience on Mount Temple, House has actively distanced himself from the egocentrism of cutting-edge alpinism, pushing himself to find more altruistic ways to give back to the community through education and mentorship." In 2012 he founded Alpine Mentors, a private, non-profit version of the government-funded young alpinist programs in Europe that match aspirants with mature, accomplished climbers who mentor them through an educational and experiential process, culminating in a significant overseas expedition.
During this period Steve worked on a training manual with his long-time coach, Scott Johnston. The book, titled "Training for the New Alpinism" was published by Patagonia in 2014, and followed by a higher level book in 2019, "Training for the Uphill Athlete: A Manual for Mountain Runners and Ski Mountaineers" with Johnston and Kilian Jornet. Simultaneous to the latter House launched a training and coaching website by the same name, where he and coaches working with him offer plans and guidance to athletes involved in any uphill endeavor.
House splits time between the US and Austria with his wife and children.
Steve high on The Gift, Mount Bradley 1998
On the lower slopes of the Slovak Direct, Denali 2000
Summit of Denali 2000
Ten years after the Slovak Direct, Twight, Backes and House in 2010.
A few highlights from Steve’s career:
2008: Mount Alberta (3619m), North Face, Canadian Rockies, House-Anderson (WI5+ M8 R/X, 1000m), first ascent with Vince Anderson, March 26–28, 2008
2007: Mount Robson (3956m), Emperor Face, Canadian Rockies, House-Haley (WI5 M7 1750m), first ascent with Colin Haley, May 25–27, 2007
2007: K7 West (6858m), Pakistan, first ascent with Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj.
2005: Nanga Parbat, (8125m), Pakistan, Central Pillar of the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat, 4100m, M5 X, 5.9, WI4, 1st ascent with Vince Anderson.
2005: Cayesh (5719m), Peru, West face, new route, 16 pitches, 5.10, M7+, with Marko Prezelj.
2005: Taulliraju (5830m), Peru, Italian Route, free ascent, alpine style, with Marko Prezelj.
2004: K7 (6942m), Charakusa Valley, Pakistan, southwest face 1st ascent, 2500m, 5.10, A2, 80-degree ice, M6+, second ascent of the peak, solo, in 41 hours roundtrip.
2004: Kapura Peak (6544m), Charakusa Valley, Pakistan. 1100m, 5.8, M5, 90-degree ice, 1st ascent, with Doug Chabot, Marko Prezelj, Bruce Miller and Steve Swenson.
2004: North Twin, Canadian Rockies, North Face, 2nd ascent of the Lowe-Jones route with variations, (5.9, A3, M?), with Marko Prezelj.
2003: Mount Dickey, Ruth Gorge, Alaska, East Face, Rowell-Ward-Roberts route, 5000’, 5.9, A1, 2nd ascent, with Jeff Hollenbaugh.
2003: Eye Tooth, Ruth Glacier, Alaska, "The Talkeetna Standard", AI5, 5.9, 3300’, 1st ascent, with Jeff Hollenbaugh.
2003: Hajji Brakk (5985m), Charakusa Valley, Pakistan, 1200m, 5.9, 65 degrees, new route, 1st ascent of the peak, solo in 19 hours roundtrip.
2002: Cho Oyu, (8201m). Nepal, Northeast ridge, in 27 hours roundtrip, solo (or as alone as one could be on the normal route).
2001: Mount Foraker, Alaska, "The Infinite Spur", 2500m, 5.9, WI4, Alaskan Grade VI, 5th ascent, in 25 hours up, 20 hours down (the Sultana Ridge), with Rolando Garibotti.
2001: Mount Fay, Canadian Rockies, "Sans Blitz" East Face, 5.5, WI7, 1st ascent, in 34 hours roundtrip, with Rolando Garibotti and Barry Blanchard.
2000: Denali (6194m), Alaska, “Slovak Direct", South Face, 2500m, 5.9, WI6, M5, Alaskan Grade VI, 3rd ascent, in 60 hours non-stop, with Mark Twight and Scott Backes.
1999: Howse Peak, "M16", east face (WI 7+, A2), 1st ascent, in winter, with Scott Backes and Barry Blanchard.
1998: Mount Bradley, Alaska, "The Gift That Keeps on Giving", south face 1000m, 5.9, A3, WI6x, Alaska Grade VI, 1st ascent, in winter, with Jonny Blitz and Mark Twight.
1998: King Peak, (5173m), St Elias Range, "Call of the Wild" 2300m, WI6, Alaska Grade V+, new route, 4th ascent of North America's ninth-highest peak.
1997: Radio Tower (on the South Buttress of Denali), Alaska, "Mascioli's Pillar", 1200m, 5.10, AO, WI6, Alaskan Grade VI, 1st ascent in 34 hours with Steve Swenson.
1996: Denali, Alaska, "Beauty is a Rare Thing", (Direct West Face of West Buttress), 5.8, AI4+, Alaskan Grade V, 1st ascent, solo.
1995: Denali, Alaska, "First Born", (Fathers and Sons Wall), 2200m, 5.7, AI5, Alaskan Grade V, 1st ascent, with Eli Helmuth.
