2025 KEYNOTE SPEAKER - FRIDAY, NOV 28TH
Mark Twight – Climbing as Rebellion: Ethics vs. Acquisition (and Some Other Fun Stuff)
The Cookeout Ice Festival is fired up to welcome Mark Twight as our Friday night presenter, a climber, writer, and provocateur whose words and actions have challenged generations to rethink what climbing means.
Known for his uncompromising vision and intensity, Twight helped redefine modern alpinism through audacious first ascents in the Alps, Himalaya, and Alaska, climbs like The Reality Bath, Deprivation, and Beyond Good and Evil. But his influence extends far beyond the mountains. As the founder of Gym Jones, he reshaped the culture of training, mindset, and personal discipline, inspiring athletes, soldiers, and climbers worldwide.
In his talk, “Climbing as Rebellion – Ethics vs. Acquisition (and Some Other Fun Stuff),” Mark digs into the core of why we climb, questioning whether our pursuits are about expression or accumulation, self-discovery or ego. Expect a raw, honest, and deeply thought-provoking evening that pulls no punches and leaves you asking harder questions about motivation, meaning, and the mountains.
This isn’t your typical slideshow. This is Mark Twight.... unfiltered, unapologetic, and fiercely human.
Mark Twight
Jack Tackle
2025 KEYNOTE SPEAKER - SATURDAY, NOV 29TH
Few climbers have shaped the legacy of Alaskan alpinism like Jack Tackle. With over 35 expeditions and 17 major first ascents across Alaska’s wildest ranges, Jack has spent nearly five decades exploring, pioneering, and defining modern alpine style.
In “Alaska The Other Himalaya,” Jack takes us deep into the heart of North America’s great ranges, from the Ruth Gorge to Denali’s infamous faces, sharing stories of commitment, creativity, and survival in the planet’s most severe mountain environment. He draws parallels between Alaska and the Himalaya, revealing why Alaska remains one of the world’s true testing grounds for bold, technical climbing.
Expect a mix of jaw-dropping imagery, historical insight, and firsthand tales from a lifetime spent on the sharp end. From legendary climbs like the Isis Face of Denali to Cobra Pillar on Mt. Barille.
Jack’s storytelling offers more than a recounting of routes; it’s a reflection on mentorship, partnership, and the evolution of alpinism itself, lessons earned in cold bivies, storm-bound tents, and summit pushes that redefined what’s possible in the North.