Rick Ridgeway
Mountaineer and Wildlands Conservationist, Formerly Patagonia, Inc.
Rick Ridgeway is an American adventurer and mountaineer. He has had an accomplished career climbing mountains and exploring remote regions around the world. In 1978, he was part of the first American team to successfully reach the summit of K2, the second highest mountain in the world. He has pioneered many difficult new routes on peaks across six continents. Beyond his mountaineering achievements, Ridgeway has worked as an environmentalist, author, filmmaker, and business executive. From 2005 to 2020, he oversaw environmental initiatives and public engagement at the outdoor gear company Patagonia. Over his prolific career, he has written seven books, produced numerous documentary films, and published dozens of magazine articles about his adventures and environmental advocacy.