Graham’s Story
Born in New Zealand raised in the Northwest. After being exposed to alpine terrain in the Cascades he moved back to NZ where he cut his teeth in the Southern Alps and became a strong part of the Kiwi climbing community. Then, after graduating from university in 2007 he moved back to the states and has been focused on climbing as it applies to alpinism ever since. This has taken him on expeditions from Alaska to Patagonia to Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan and all over the lower 48 and Canada where he has established dozens of significant new routes on rock, ice, and snow.
He specializes in complex logistics, having run over 30 expeditions and assignments to many parts of the world, including Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Alaska, Argentina, Eritrea, and Kenya. For his climbing exploits, Graham has been awarded the 2010 New Zealand Alpinist of the Year and the 2020 Piolet d’Or (alpine climbing’s equivalent to an Olympic gold medal), and the 2017 Cutting Edge Award from the American Alpine Club
A select list of significant ascents.
South east face.
Link Sar (7041m), Pakistani Karakoram.
(M6+, WI4, 90° 2300m)
From July 31st to August 8th, 2019, Graham along with Steve Swenson, Chris Wright and Mark Richey made the first ascent of Link Sar (7,041 meters) in the Central Pakistani Karakoram via its 3,400-meter Southeast Face. Having been the object of at least nine expeditions, the first ascent of this peak has been a highly sought-after prize for the climbing community. The team is calling their route the Southeast Face (M6+ WI 4 90°, 2300m), but the grade does a poor job of portraying the challenge of this route that Karakoram veteran Swenson calls “one of the most complex and difficult routes I have ever climbed.”
Southwest Ridge
K6 West (7040m), Pakistani Karakoram
(M6, 90 degrees, 1800m)
This new route, opened during the 2015 season by Graham and his partner Scott Bennett was the culmination of an excellent trip to the Pakistan Karakoram during which they also made the first ascent of Changi Tower via its North Ridge with Steve Swenson.
For this ascent of K6 West, Bennett and Zimmerman were awarded the American Alpine Club’s Cutting Edge Award for Excellence in Alpinism.
East Face
Mt Laurens, Alaska
(AI4 M7 A1, 1400m)
Allen and Zimmerman were recognized as top 4 Piolet d’Or finalists for their 2013 ascent of Mount Laurens (3,052m) in the Alaska Range. The two were likely the first to visit the southwest fork of the Lacuna Glacier, from which they made two attempts on the direct East Buttress and finally succeed and climbed the northeast buttress in a 67-hour round trip push.