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Maddy Kovaleski

@m.akov

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my existence is a momentary lapse in reason | Seattle

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I went back to the desert. I went alone again, looking for some kind of justification for my burnout maybe, or what it means to love climbing how all the climbers say they do.

I drove 14 hours one-way and tore the bottom off my car on the dirt roads. I got heat exhaustion in the baking sun and ran out of food. I taped my skin and my will back together for three days just to keep feeling the immense rage that compels me to push the crack walls apart and the tranquility of my breathing as I rest sideways on contorted legs. I relied heavily on the kindness of others in all its forms. Anything to get back on the wall, back in the crack.

Then I drove back to Washington and bushwhacked 2 miles and 1200ft of gain to my newest invert project.

My Dad always says "Kovaleskis are tenacious." Love and stoke are complicated and fickle things. Commitment isn't. I don't know what it means to love climbing, but I am here, tenacious, trying again. by @m.akov

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a month ago

I said yes in the most beautiful place on earth (Washington Pass). Aiden, I love you. I can't wait to marry you. taken in North Cascades National Park by @m.akov

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3 months ago

All over the western US lately :p by @m.akov

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6 months ago

A few things that happened in 2025:

I got into a PHD program
I saw the summit of Kulshan two more times
I saw the summit of Tahoma for the first time
I made a bunch of new friends
I saw some old friends
I ran 34 miles
I adopted two cats
I learned to ski
I met a climber I’ve looked up to for years
I re-injured my back
I fixed my attitude (mostly)
I spent it with Aiden, whom I love very much
I had a great time by @m.akov

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10 months ago

Feeling strong and getting stronger <3

Guys I love climbing and I love fall I’m not ready for it to be raining all the time by @m.akov

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a year ago

Crack Camp, Shuksan and my 23rd birthday to draw the summer to a close.

Ready to bring my newfound love of 4 and 5’s cracks home to the cascades 💕 by @m.akov

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a year ago

Yesterday Aiden and I reached the summit of Mt. Rainier via the Kautz Glacier route. This climb was truly the "final exam" of this year's mountaineering season - we had it all! Epic pitches of alpine ice climbing, rock and scree scrambling, crevasses from skinny cracks to house swallowing holes, an unplanned bivvy, and plenty of good-old-fashioned slogging.

Read about it on my blog (link in bio as well): https://above-the-bolt.com/kautz-glacier/

I can't think of anyone I'd rather take on Tahoma with than Aiden. Thanks as always for being your strong, levelheaded, positive self. taken in Mt. Rainier National Park by @m.akov

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a year ago

Maddy and I climbed the Kautz glacier route on Mt Rainier from July 26th-28th! Probably the culmination of this summer's mountaineering season. This route is long and strenuous, and no part of it involves moving over easy terrain.

Day 1 was spent moving up to camp at 9,000 feet, starting in the clouds traversing a moraine and eventually popping up onto a ridge with a beautiful view to the south.

Day 2 we moved up to the aptly named 'Camp Hazard' which is situated in a relative zone of safety next to ice and rock cliffs that are constantly crumbling. We rested here for a few hours and I couldn't ever properly rest from the sounds of falling rock in the distance.

We moved into the ice chute at 6 PM that day, and started what was easily the best part of the route. In a well protected chute, the ice cliff gives way to a path of relative ease to the upper Kautz glacier, with 2 ice steps of amazing alpine ice, giving us 6 total pitches of bomber ice climbing.

We topped out the ice climbing at midnight and continued up the mountain, bivvying on the Wapowety cleaver at 13,000 feet for a few cold hours, and then reaching the summit at 11:30 in the morning.

We descended the disappointment cleaver route which I did a month prior with Eli, and made it back to the car at 9:30 PM.

This was the longest and most difficult route I've done to date! The north ridge of Mt Baker prepped us well for this climb, and although that route had a harder technical crux, there were fewer overall challenges. I think we nailed much of our decisions, and the only error in hindsight was that I miscalculated how much food to bring, running out of food just before reaching the summit.

Thanks Maddy for being an incredible partner, both on rock and ice, and in my daily life ❤️ taken in Mt. Rainier National Park by @m.akov

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a year ago

A Kulshan and my friends appreciation post 🫶

6/28 Coleman-Deming with Emily and Lauren
7/7 North Ridge with Aiden and Eli

Both wonderful climbs with wonderful people! taken in Mt Baker, Washington by @m.akov

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a year ago

Serac’n w the boys

Scroll for the sounds of ice breaking off into the abyss somewhere below us 😅 by @m.akov

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a year ago

The restlessness has me again // if another prof tells me I should read papers “voraciously” I’m gonna freakin lose it by @m.akov

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a year ago

Yesterday I finished my first ultramarathon, the Ancient Lakes 50k! I’m so grateful to the world’s best crew (Aiden, AJ, and @lauren.bieg) for all the support, snacks and photos.

I ran exactly like I trained - sustainably with unyielding intention to finish, and it was so difficult. The course was beautiful, but I don’t have any pictures. You just had to be there. Despite the black toenails, blisters, breathing soreness, everything soreness, and tears I already can’t wait to do this again. What a wonderful day to go for a run! by @m.akov

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2 years ago