Day 8: The Day After the Summit

I’m sitting here the morning after summiting Mont Blanc with the boys… still letting it all land.

It was one of those days that feels big in the moment… and somehow even bigger the next morning.

A few people asked how it all worked, so I want to walk you through it, because thehowmatters just as much as the outcome.

Why We Went Through Italy

We chose to access the mountain from the Italian side.

Not because it was easier… but because it was safer.

There are no helicopters allowed to land on the French side, so Italy gave us access. But more importantly, it allowed us to avoid a serac zone that had been a concern from the start.

And that decision mattered.

Between my summit on the 30th and this one on the 2nd… that serac shed.

That’s the mountain reminding you:

You don’t outsmart it.
You respect it.

The Climb Up

From where we landed, weboot-packed the entire route.

Skis on our packs.
Crampons on.
Ice axe in hand.

We stayed on a ridgeline for most of the climb.

Exposed. Windy. Visually intense.

The kind of terrain where every step matters.

And this is where I saw something I loved.

When distraction started to show up, maybe a few wobbly steps in a row, we didn’t push through it.

We paused.

As a rope team, we stopped, took a few deep breaths, reset… and then continued with intention.

Leadership Lesson: A Few Bad Steps Is a Signal

It doesn’t mean push harder.

It means come back to center.

Reset your focus.

Then move forward with clarity.

The Summit (And the Reality of It)

We made it.

Celebrated. Took it in.

And then we left.

You don’t stay long in environments like that.

10 to 15 minutes, and you’re transitioning.

Because the climb up is only half the job.

The Descent Is a Different Mountain

On the way down, everything changes.

It’s warmer.
The snow is evolving.
Each section is affected differently by sun, slope, and prior avalanche activity.

So you don’t just ski… you manage.

One at a time.
Stop. Assess.
Move again.

When Risk Becomes Real

In one of the no-fall zones, someone ahead of us fell.

We watched it happen.

A helicopter came in for the rescue.

And separately, on May 1st, an experienced guide fell into a crevasse on a different part of the mountain.

Not our guide but close enough to understand the reality.

There’s no margin for casual movement in terrain like this.

Leadership Lesson: Awareness Should Refine Your Decisions

We didn’t panic.

But we did adjust.

Slower.
More precise.
More intentional.

Because seeing risk clearly should sharpen you… not shake you.

The “Obstacle Course” Out

Then came the part no one talks about.

You don’t ski to the bottom anymore.

The snow ends high.

So getting out becomes a constant series of transitions:

Skis on.
Skis off.
Boot pack.
Skins on.
Traverse.
Back to skis.

All while navigating real crevasses.

Every step requires attention.

Leadership Lesson: The Physical Gets You Up. The Mental Gets You Out.

The climb challenges your body.

The exit tests your mind.

Staying focused, making decisions, managing fatigue… that’s what completes the day.

The Transition

Today looks different.

We’re packing.

The boys are heading home in the morning.

And if I’m honest… that part is hard.

There’s something about sharing something this big together, and then knowing they are leaving, that creates a quiet shift.

Pride. Gratitude. And a little sadness all at once.

But that’s part of it too.

What’s Next

I continue.

Next stop: Mount Elbrus.

New country. Higher altitude. Different demands.

Tom will hike the mountain.

James and Maya will ski together, as Maya steps into altitude she hasn’t experienced before.

And I’ll go with a guide, separately.

Not to be alone… but to move at the pace I know I need.

To manage my energy, my temperature, my fuel.

To give myself the best possible chance to finish this pursuit.

Leadership Lesson: Alignment Over Comfort

In a different setting, we would all stay together.

But this isn’t that.

This is about making the decision that gives the highest probability of success.

Not the most comfortable one.

Final Thought

The summit was incredible.

But what stays with me more is everything around it.

The decisions.
The pauses.
The resets.
The moments of clarity.

That’s where the real work happens.

We’re moving on.

New mountain. New chapter.

And I’m carrying all of this with me.