I was delighted to be named as one of National Geographic magazine’s Adventurers of the Year for 2012.

But I was also pleased that the title of Peoples’ Choice went to Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa. Their Ultimate Descent expedition to climb Everest, paraglide down, and paddle to the sea truly embodies the spirit of adventure. With borrowed gear and a bare-bones budget, there were no corporate sponsors nor social media campaigns, just the essentials for adventure—vision, creativity, and friendship.

Congratulations, guys!