87 | Unforgotten Lives & Unseen Lines w/ Maximilian Barlerin

<p>Today I sit down with Maximilian Barlerin. You might have first heard his name back in October when Corey Buhay wrote what Max humbly calls “a fluff piece” about his staggering 14-pitch, 5.13 big wall first ascent in the Wind River Range—Children of the Sun. The article described an &quot;everyman&quot; 5.14 climber balancing family, two jobs, a fledgling business, and an impressive list of first ascents. This is the first time Maximilian has spoken publicly about his life.</p><p>Max isn’t just a climber…He works as a climbing ranger and search-and-rescue responder in Rocky Mountain National Park. His career put him face-to-face with some of the harshest realities of the mountains, forcing him to reconcile the risks we take as climbers with the consequences he’s witnessed firsthand. Through years of SAR work, close calls, and deep self-reflection, he’s developed a rare perspective on climbing, risk, and the ever-evolving relationship we have with danger.</p><p>Just days before this ...