About Josh Journey

I’m Josh Journey, a photographer and adventurist from Seattle. I do a combination of mountaineering, hiking, scrambling, bushwhacking, snow climbing, glacier travel, and alpine climbing. Occasionally rock climb, ski, and ice climb. I’m the owner of TrailTopo and Mountain Wiki.

Mountaineering spawned from a life changing encounter up Mount Pilchuck during a winter ascent at the age of 12. Upon reaching the frozen lookout tower I was gazed with stunning alpenglow colours in a mesmerizing landscape. It was the first mountain I ever stepped foot on and was love at first sight. From then on the family decided this was our hobby of choice. At 14 years old, my eyes would light up when getting the opportunity to borrow mom’s camera to photograph icy landscapes. Over time landscape photography took on a life of it’s own inspiring various adventures and expeditions. From numb fingers to swarms of mosquitoes I made every effort to capture a precious moment in time. It wasn’t always cozy, but it always gave a sense of awe and appreciation for what we have.

At 15 was given an ice axe for my birthday. After graduating high school the flood gates of adventure opened up, thus starting the Bulgar quest. After learning how to lead on rock was enabled to do more technical climbs and multi pitch alpine. In 2013 had a number of ascents such as Johannesburg, Torment Forbidden Traverse, Burgundy Spire, and the Ptarmigan Traverse. In 2014 went to Peru and climbed Alpamayo (19,500 ft). September 18, 2018 (was) the youngest person to complete the Bulgar List.

“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” – Christopher Johnson McCandless

Favorite Quotes
In the Dark Shadows of Mount Logan
“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” -Rosalia de Castro
Crossing a Crevasse on Mount Rainier
“A sense of uncertainty that is potentially fatal is what makes climbing an adventure. Anything less is just working out” -Jim Bridwell
A Moment of Pure Joy
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” -Mark Twain
Sherman Peak's Summit
“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checked by failure…than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” -Theodore Roosevelt
Yours Truly with Little Tahoma
“The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone, is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been.” -Albert Einstein
A Beautiful Sunrise on Jack Mountain
“I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.” -John Muir