Luis Benitez on Guiding the First Blind Climber up Everest and What It Taught Him About Leadership

Step Wise · Jul 8, 2026 · 44m · transcript

A kid with asthma and allergies growing up in Saint Louis is not the profile you'd guess for someone who ends up standing on the summit of Everest six times. Luis Benitez did exactly that, and along the way became the guide who led Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind climber, to the top of the world.

Luis has spent his career at the intersection of extreme adventure and public policy. He went on to serve as Colorado's first director of outdoor recreation (the first such position in the nation), and now works nationally to advance the outdoor recreation industry. His book, Higher Ground: How the…