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Jim Aikman

@jimaikman

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Don’t need a helmet, got a hard hard head
Don’t need a raincoat, I’m already wet

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Last weekend, “Big Jim: An American on Everest” had its world premiere at @BendFilmFestival! 🎥

Part of the American Alpine Club’s Legacy Series, “Big Jim” celebrates the late Jim Whittaker’s life and the 63rd anniversary of his historic ascent of Everest. With exclusive interviews, archival materials from both the AAC Library and invaluable contributors like Dianne Roberts (@tufasnails) and Leif Whittaker (@leifwhittaker), plus two minutes of added content for an even fuller story, this revamped re-release is already making a splash on the film circuit.

Stay tuned for a screening near you—our next stop is @FreshCoastFilm in Marquette, Michigan followed by @TheVIMFF in Vancouver!

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🎥 2026 BEND FILM FESTIVAL PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Pre-Feature Shorts

Covering an array of themes and styles, these pre-feature short films are scheduled to screen ahead of complementing feature films. Congratulations to all these talented filmmakers!

Grab your festival passes at the link in our bio and join us to watch these and many more shorts at this year’s festival Oct 7-11. #BFF26 #BendFilmFestival2026 #BendFilmFestival #filmmaker #shortfilm

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From the top of the mountain to the end of the line, Jeff Lowe met every challenge with courage.

METANOIA follows the legendary American alpinist through his groundbreaking climbs, a profound spiritual transformation on the Eiger’s North Face and his final, graceful battle with a terminal neurodegenerative illness.

A story of adventure, resilience and what it means to face the impossible, on the mountain and beyond.

Streaming now on @documentaryplus

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Jim Aikman: "Why in a day? Pushing through the night without sleeping... what's appealing about that kind of challenge?"

Siebe Vanhee: "Yeah. Very good question."

The latest episode of the Cutting Edge podcast came with bonus footage of Siebe Vanhee and Tommy Caldwell's all-free ascent on the east face of the Central Tower in Chile's Torres del Paine, offering a near complete visual of the terrain this team was up against. Hear the full account of their ascent of the South African Route at the link in our bio.

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The offwidth was worth it.

On this month's edition of the Cutting Edge podcast, host Jim Aikman interviews Tommy Caldwell @tommycaldwell and Siebe Vanhee @siebevanhee on their single day all free ascent of Torre Central with some extra intel and context from Ben Ditto @benjaminbditto, who was on the first free ascent of the South African Route in 2009.

Click the link in bio to hear about their journey, including all the risks, ups and downs of taking on this climb, and of course the perfectly balanced partnership that made this day a success.

📷: Siebe Vanhee and Tommy Caldwell

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If It Makes You Happy, That’s All That Matters

A new story is available: one inch from flying

Produced by:
@jimaikman and directed by Taylor Humphrey

Elevi is the short film platform launched in may of 2026.
Discover the best short films and stories on our app or visit the web link.

Check our bio 🔗

#elevi #shortfilmfestival #slacklife

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New Cutting Edge podcast!

The east face of the Central Tower in Chile's Torres del Paine is one of the great walls of the world. In February, Siebe Vanhee and Tommy Caldwell completed a remarkable all-free ascent of the South African Route (the first route up the face) on their third attempt. The two climbers raced up the 1,200-meter 5.12 route in exactly 24 hours—in an area where most big-wall ascents take weeks. Cutting Edge host Jim Aikman interviewed both climbers, as well as American Ben Ditto, who was on the first free ascent of the South African Route back in 2009. It's an episode about risk, the ups and downs of multiple efforts on a serious objective, and a partnership that perfectly balances the strengths of two amazing climbers. Hear the story wherever you get podcasts.

In the photos: 1) Siebe Vanhee follows the punishing offwidth on the South African Route during the second attempt at a 24-hour free ascent (Tommy Caldwell photo). 2) The east face of Torre Central (center, photo by Steve Bennett/Wikimedia Commons).

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Katie Lamb on becoming the first woman to climb V16 twice.

In this episode of the Cutting Edge podcast, we sat down with Katie Lamb to chat about The Dark Side, an unrelenting V16 on small crimps and dire slopers on the Thriller Boulder in Camp 4.

In March 2025, the Bay Area–based climber Katie Lamb snagged the fourth ascent of Yosemite's most difficult boulder problem, in so doing, she became the first woman to climb the grade, but there's a catch: Back in summer 2023, Lamb had already done a V16, a problem called Box Therapy in Colorado—it's just that it was later downgraded to V15.

In a complex and nuanced discussion on the state of the art in bouldering—and the evolution of the grading scales we use to classify these ascents—host Jim Aikman talks with Lamb about the passion, hard work, and tactics that went into her ticks. And he interviews The Dark Side's first ascensionist Carlo Traversi, a driving force behind modern Yosemite bouldering, as well as American Climbing Journal Editor Matt Samet, who worked with Lamb on her feature in the upcoming journal, "A Walk on the Dark Side."

Click the link in bio to take a walk on the Dark Side with @ktlambies.

📷: Katie Lamb on the sloper rail on The Dark Side (V16), Thriller Boulder, Camp 4, Yosemite Valley. Photo by Eric Bissell @ericbissell

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“Big Jim” Whittaker is a legendary mountaineer best known for becoming the first American to summit Everest on May 1, 1963.

Yet, Whittaker’s life was so much more than Everest. Whittaker’s climbing career started with the Boy Scouts and evolved into guiding on Mt. Rainer and summiting Denali. In 1966, Whittaker made the first ascent of Canada’s Mt. Kennedy with his friend Bobby Kennedy (the expedition and ascent were made in honor of the recently assassinated President John F. Kennedy). Whittaker’s leadership on several tumultuous expeditions to K2, which ultimately resulted in the first successful American ascent, and third ever ascent, of K2, in 1978; and the Everest International Peace Climb, which he initiated and led in 1991.

Celebrate the late Jim Whittaker’s life and the 63rd anniversary of his historic ascent of Everest. To learn more about Jim Whittaker, click the link in bio!

An extra special thank you to Dianne Roberts, Leif Whittaker, and the Whittaker Family for sharing the assets with the American Alpine Club and helping to tell Jim’s story.

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What was racing through Benjamin Védrines' head as he reached the first summit of Jannu East(7,468 m)?

Click the link in bio to listen to a very special extended episode of the Cutting Edge podcast that explores French climbers @nicolasjean_alpi and @benjaminvedrines first ascent of Jannu East.

Footage Courtesy of Benjamin Vedrines.

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Another lap around the sun; here’s some moments from the past 365 April 19- April 19🙏
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Reflecting back I have to say that the first year of my fourth decade ranks pretty high in the all time annual ratings even if I am now beholden to old people things like taking vitamins, debilitating hangovers and the harsh reality of educating younger generations about classic films they’ve never seen or heard of such as Die Hard and Jurassic Park.
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While there were ups and downs beyond the highlight reel smiles, I’m truly grateful for a multitude of adventures, lessons, and connections with friends and loved ones old and new. Over time I’ve come to realize that for all we do in life to plan, safeguard and strategize, it’s impossible to truly control or guarantee anything, making all the moments along the way that much more poignant.
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Looking ahead to the year(s) to come I’m hoping to continue cultivating growth and direction alongside a healthy dose of flexibility, creativity and play 🤟
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(Thanks for the shot @jnolanmatthews )

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One of the highlights of last fall's Nepal season was the first ascent of 7,468-meter Jannu East by French climbers Nicolas Jean @nicolasjean_alpi and Benjamin Védrines @benjaminvedrines, on their second attempt in two years.

In this special episode of the Cutting Edge, Ben Védrines shares the full story of his two expeditions to Jannu, the physical and mental preparation, a "warm-up" first ascent on 6,800-meter Anidesh Chuli, and the rapid ascent of Jannu East itself.

American alpinist Steve House @stevehouse10, a leading protagonist of single-push alpine ascents in the early 2000s and a top coach today, gives his perspective on the training and psychological aspects behind the French climbs. American Alpine Journal editor Dougald MacDonald @dougald unpacks the history of climbing on Jannu.

There's a lot to share, so we're offering a special extended episode at the link in bio!

📷 1: Drone photo of Benjamin Védrines leading a crux pitch of thin snow over rock on day one of the Jannu East climb. PC: Thibaut Marot
📷 2: The north face of Jannu East (7,468 meters). The route gained about 2,300 meters from the bergschrund to the top. PC: Thibaut Marot

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