We recently had the chance to connect with Alan Arnette and have shared our conversation below.
Alan, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What is a normal day like for you right now?
Five activities fill my day: writing about mountain climbing for my blog and media outlets, working with my Summit Coach clients to help them reach their mountaineering goals, taking Marley, our three-year-old Boxer mix, out for his one-hour walk that he demands daily, regardless of rain, snow, heat, or cold, writing my autobiography and spending time with my wife Diane.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a mountaineer, coach, speaker, writer and Alzheimer’s advocate. After a 30-year executive career at Hewlett-Packard, I took early retirement to care for my mother, whose struggle with Alzheimer’s changed my life’s purpose. My passion is mountaineering, having completed major expeditions including the 7 Summits, our Colorado 14ers (225 times with repeats), Everest, and K2, where I became the oldest American to summit K2 at age 58. My mission is to combine my climbing accomplishments with Alzheimer’s advocacy, raising over $450,000 and reaching millions through speaking engagements, social media, and writing. I live in Ft Collins with my wife, Daine, and our Boxer mix, Marley.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A moment that profoundly shaped how I see the world occurred during my 2014 K2 climb, specifically as I faced the most extreme physical and emotional challenges on summit night. Alone on the treacherous slopes above 8,000 meters, I describe feeling utterly depleted—my motivation and drive evaporated, my body failing beneath me, and a wave of overwhelming sadness and emptiness settling in. I reached a point where I felt content to remain stationary, ready to give up, surrendering to the mountain and the elements.
But then, something inexplicable happened. I describe it:
“Then something happened that I couldn’t explain. I felt the life force leave my body… My neck muscles slumped… My ice axe fell onto the snow… I knew it was over and, oddly, didn’t care. All sense of motivation and ambition leaked out of my body. … Lost in emptiness, my mind went blank… However, I knew it was over, with nothing left to do… I was a frozen statue, with nothing coming in and nothing going out. Time stopped. It was 12:30 a.m. on July 27, 2014, my fifty-eighth birthday.”
Yet despite my absolute low, I describe a shift:
“As I took another deep breath, something entered me, a surge of energy, not much, but enough to fill the emptiness. … I don’t know where the renewed determination came from, but my body responded. … I had felt alone until now; that loneliness faded away.”
This experience—reaching the utter brink and finding a well of energy and resolve that came from deep within (and perhaps from the support, love, and purpose I felt from others and my cause)—became a defining moment. I would later reflect:
“It required grit and determination. Was it hard or impossible? It was possible for me. Today, the overwhelming emotion is gratitude. … I had a visceral experience that forever changed my perspective on life.”
My moment on K2, balanced between surrender and survival, taught me about the deep reserves of the human spirit, the power of purpose, and the interconnectedness with others—insights that reshaped my worldview and fuel my advocacy and approach to life.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Reflecting on my extensive climbing experiences and life journey, I would likely tell my younger self: “Don’t give up too soon, and cultivate mental toughness, because iron will and persistence help overcome physical and mental limits. Also, pursue your passions with purpose, live with meaning, and embrace the importance of training, preparation, and teamwork.” Climbing and life teach lessons about balancing ambition, safety, and personal growth and that setbacks are opportunities to learn rather than failures.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am dedicated to raising funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease research, a cause deeply personal to me in memory of my mother, Ida, who died from Alzheimer’s. I am committed to honoring her and supporting research, focusing on advocacy for a cure, no matter how long it takes. This dedication has driven my high-altitude mountaineering adventures, including climbs of K2, Everest, and the Seven Summits, all to draw attention and gather support for Alzheimer’s research. My mission is my top priority.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
After my time here, I hope people remember me as someone from Memphis who lived simply and with purpose. I took up mountaineering later in life, facing many challenges and near-death experiences. More than the peaks, I climbed to support Alzheimer’s research for my mother, Ida. I hope my efforts showed courage and hope, and that my life encouraged others to persevere through hardships. Friendships, humility, and kindness mattered most to me. I tried to live fully, embracing fears and failures, and teaching others to keep going with gratitude and love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alanarnette.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arnette.alan/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanarnette/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alanarnettepage
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPg__zM9MzjNjDyyjTDr7ZQ
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2IDvr6cl1uz6e9jpm1nH86?si=J8jVtkLWTMSxhaA3gj352g
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-podcast-on-alanarnette-com/id1558730856
