Beyond the Spotlight: Mountain Culture Through the Lens of Gordon Wiltsie

Well known adventure photographer has captured the world through his lens.

Gordon Wiltsie / Gordon Wiltsie

While Gordon Wiltsie may not be as well-known as Jimmy Chin or Jon Krakauer, he is also a giant in mountain culture, who has been sharing his powerful stories and images in outdoor publications for almost 50 years. Beginning with some of the earliest issues of Outside, Powder and later National Geographic, he has led and/or photographed over a hundred expeditions around the world, some in the company of the leading explorers of his generation. You can read more about them in his coffee-table book, “To the Ends of the Earth.”

Ever since Gordon shot one of the first-ever ads for a Patagonia sweater his pictures have also been a staple in catalogues and advertising for a who’s who of outdoor companies like The North Face, Marmot, Kelty and Nike. With his work in front of so many eyes around the world, it is safe to say that it helped to inspire the modern boom in outdoor sports and adventure travel. Despite it all, though, Gordon has always hated self-promotion and he is one of the most approachable, and non-ego giants in mountain sport today.

Adventure on SI: You started skiing and climbing early in life- what do you reflect on from those early days that make this sport special?

Gordon: “Growing up in Bishop, California, I was surrounded by awe-inspiring natural beauty and skiing at nearby Mammoth Mountain gave me freedom to explore it in a fun and exhilarating way. Surrounded by the Sierra Nevada, which John Muir called “The Range of Light,” it was only natural that I would want to capture some of its majesty and want to share it with others.”

Adventure on SI: What is your 'why' for adventure and writing, photography?

Gordon: “I grew up in an adventurous family, and quickly learned the magic of experiencing spectacular places that few have ever seen. But I also learned that to go very far off the beaten path I had to be tough and keep learning new skills, sometimes at the cost of hard knocks.” “Often, I had no choice but to keep going even when I was miserable and later, as I began the difficult and sometimes humiliating career of promoting and selling my creativity – which can take the skin of a rhino - that perseverance was the only thing that kept me going.”

Adventure on SI: What are you doing today that matters and any suggestions for giving back to community?

Gordon: “After being blessed to witness the awesome beauty of our planet, its lifeforms and cultures, I feel obliged to give back and to help protect the things I treasure.” “Whether it is through my thoughts and images in the worldwide media or by volunteering for both local and national causes, it is one of the most meaningful parts of my life.”

Adventure on SI: Any other thoughts you would like to add?

Gordon: “Ever since I published my first picture in a national magazine in 1974, my images and stories have been dedicated to protecting the earth by inspiring people to get outdoors, go on adventures and experience the majesty of its wonders first-hand.” “It’s the best way I know to make people care.”