Graham’s Story
Born in New Zealand, raised in the Pacific Northwest. Graham Zimmerman cut his teeth in the Southern Alps before returning to the US and committing fully to alpinism — a pursuit that has taken him on more than 30 expeditions and assignments across Alaska, Pakistan, Patagonia, Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, Brazil, and beyond.
In 2020, Graham was awarded the Piolet d'Or — alpinism's highest honor — for the first ascent of Link Sar (7,041m) in Pakistan's Karakoram range via its 3,400-meter Southeast Face, alongside teammates Steve Swenson, Mark Richey, and Chris Wright. He has established dozens of significant new routes on rock, ice, and snow, and has received the American Alpine Club's Cutting Edge Award and the New Zealand Alpinist of the Year award.
Graham's creative work runs parallel to his climbing. His memoir A Fine Line: Searching for Balance Among Mountains (Mountaineers Books, 2023) was a finalist for the Banff Mountain Book Competition and the Boardman Tasker Award, among others. He has directed award-winning films, written feature articles for Alpinist Magazine and others, and produced the REI Presents: Wildfire podcast.
Off the mountain, Graham leads the alliance program at Protect Our Winters, organizing and supporting more than 150 elite athletes to be effective climate advocates. He is the founding board chair of Dirtroad Organizing, a 501(c)(4) dedicated to coaching candidates in rural districts across the United States. He served two terms on the board of the American Alpine Club — including a term as President — and now serves on the Board of Trustees for The Mountaineers.
He lives in Bend, Oregon with his wife Shannon, their daughter Sloane, and their dogs Pebble and Igneous.
Mission He empowers individuals, influencers, and corporations to envision and work towards a future in which they have a fair and just society that can appropriately balance its needs against a healthy planet.
Purpose To define a balance between nature, exertion, and community.
Vision An equitable relationships between humans and the planet.
A select list of significant ascents.
South east face.
Link Sar (7041m), Pakistani Karakoram.
(M6+, WI4, 90° 2300m)
From July 31st to August 8th, 2019, Graham along with Steve Swenson, Chris Wright and Mark Richey made the first ascent of Link Sar (7,041 meters) in the Central Pakistani Karakoram via its 3,400-meter Southeast Face. Having been the object of at least nine expeditions, the first ascent of this peak has been a highly sought-after prize for the climbing community. The team is calling their route the Southeast Face (M6+ WI 4 90°, 2300m), but the grade does a poor job of portraying the challenge of this route that Karakoram veteran Swenson calls “one of the most complex and difficult routes I have ever climbed.”
Southwest Ridge
K6 West (7040m), Pakistani Karakoram
(M6, 90 degrees, 1800m)
This new route, opened during the 2015 season by Graham and his partner Scott Bennett was the culmination of an excellent trip to the Pakistan Karakoram during which they also made the first ascent of Changi Tower via its North Ridge with Steve Swenson.
For this ascent of K6 West, Bennett and Zimmerman were awarded the American Alpine Club’s Cutting Edge Award for Excellence in Alpinism.
East Face
Mt Laurens, Alaska
(AI4 M7 A1, 1400m)
Allen and Zimmerman were recognized as top 4 Piolet d’Or finalists for their 2013 ascent of Mount Laurens (3,052m) in the Alaska Range. The two were likely the first to visit the southwest fork of the Lacuna Glacier, from which they made two attempts on the direct East Buttress and finally succeed and climbed the northeast buttress in a 67-hour round trip push.