Grayson Schaffer

When the world’s greatest freeskier ran out of feats to chase, he invented something new: climb and ski 50 storied routes. He couldn’t have known what it’d take.

After scaling the 14 meanest mountains on earth in record time, Nepali-born Nims Purja emerged as a powerful champion of the country’s Sherpa guides. He’s also become the first celebrity mountaineer of the social media age—and the most controversial figure in the global climbing community.