Mt. Watkins

In May of 1999, as a member of the Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition, Anker discovered the body of George Mallory, who disappeared on Everest in 1924. The disappearance of Mallory and climbing partner Andrew Irvine on their summit bid in June of 1924 is one of climbing's great mysteries. Anker's discovery and analysis of the find has shed new light on the pioneering climbs of early alpine expeditions.

Highly respected in the big wall mecca of Yosemite Valley for his numerous speed records on El Capitan. Anker has established a difficult new line on Continental Drift (Grade VI 5.10 A4) - that has yet to see a second ascent. In Zion National Park, he made the first ascent of the intimidating Streaked Wall with Mugs Stump and in Moab, Utah, he climbed four Grade V walls in a single day.

In 1997, Anker teamed up with The North Face team members Alex Lowe and Jon Krakauer and traveled to Antarctica to climb Rakekniven, a 2,500-foot wall in Queen Maud Land. He also climbed Vinson Massif via two new routes and currently holds the speed record for the regular route (9 hours, 11 minutes).

In Patagonia, he has climbed all three towers of the Cerro Torre group, including new routes on Torre Egger and Cerro Stanhardt. In 1992 he traveled to Baffin Island to explore the remote Sam Ford Fjord by sea kayak. With light gear and provisions, he and Jon Turk climbed out of their boats and up two Grade V big walls which rise straight out of the ocean.

Anker also climbed the west face of Latok II in Pakistan's Karakoram range. This El Capitan-sized wall begins at the same height as the summit of Denali, and tops out at 23,342 feet. The route, Tsering Mosong (VII 5.10 A3+) climbs 26 pitches on a vertical cliff that may be the highest big wall completed to date.

Anker graduated from the University of Utah and is currently based in Big Oak Flat, just outside California's Yosemite National Park. In his spare time, He studies watercolor painting and stays in shape for his ascents with a rigorous training regime of running, skiing and, of course, climbing...a lot.