On May 25, 2014, 15-year-old Sasha Johnstone became the youngest person to climb and ski the Grand Teton, according to mountain guides. At 13,775 feet, the Grand is the highest peak in Grand Teton National Park with slopes as steep as 55 degrees, bordered by cliffs dropping away precipitously to create “no fall zones.” Sasha skied the peak with his parents.
His father Hans Johnstone competed in the 1988 Olympics in Nordic Combined and as an Exum Mountain Guide has skied many routes on the Grand. Sasha’s mother, Nancy, competed in the 1992 Olympic Biathlon along with Hans. They were joined by two family friends, mountain guide Greg Collins and photographer and writer David Gonzales. David talks with Sasha about his Grand accomplishment.