RICK RIDGEWAY is recognized as one of the world’s foremost mountaineers. He was part of the 1978 team that were the first Americans to summit K2, the world’s second- highest mountain, and he has climbed new routes and explored little-known regions on six continents. Ridgeway is also an environmentalist, writer, photographer, filmmaker, and businessman. For fifteen years, beginning in 2005, he oversaw environmental affairs at the outdoor clothing company Patagonia. Before joining Patagonia, he was owner/president of Adventure Photo & Film, a leading stock photo and film agency. He has authored seven books—including his recent memoir Life Lived Wild, and dozens of magazine articles, and produced or directed many documentary films. Ridgeway was honored by National Geographic with their Lifetime Achievement in Adventure Award and by the Explorers Club with their Explorers Medal. In addition to the WWF National Council, Rick serves on the boards of Tompkins Conservation, the Turtle Conservancy, and One Earth. He has three children and four grandchildren, and lives in Ojai, California.
