About us
 
Sight Unseen is a climbing team comprised of blind/visually impaired and sighted mountaineers.  Officially established and labeled in October of 2007, Sight Unseen was actually started in late 2005 by Global Explorers, a non-profit organization based in Colorado.  Global Explorers worked with World Class Blind Athlete, Erik Weihenmayer (the first blind man to successfully climb and summit the Seven Summits, the tallest peak on each of the seven continents, including Mt.  Everest) to bring together a team of integrated blind and sighted students from across the United States.  Erik and Global Explorers wanted to give blind and sighted students the opportunity to work together and to learn about teamwork, community service, and leadership while enjoying the outdoors.  Erik proposed a trip to Peru, South America to hike the Ankascocha Trail (a harder variation of the more heavily traveled Inca Trail which travels from Cuzco Peru to the Ancient Religious City of the Incan Empire, Machu Picchu).
 
    
 
The founders of Team Sight Unseen; Brad (white), Kyle (orange), and Justin (black shirt); at the beginning of Kilimanjaro.
 Students from across the United States applied for this "trip of a lifetime."  A total of eighteen students were selected, four visually impaired, five blind, and nine sighted.  These students were christened "The Super-Incas" based on the idea that each individual was "super" in his or her own way and in honor of hiking a variation of the "Inca Trail."  These "Supers" met via conference calls which took place roughly once a month up until the time of their departure for Peru in June of 2006.  During these calls they discussed aspects of culture, including American, Peruvian, and Incan, blindness in America, Peru and the World, and environmental issues.
 
The Supers met in person on a weekend retreat in Estes Park, Colorado during which the Supers met Erik Weihenmayer and several members of his climbing team.  Erik and his team taught the Supers techniques they could use while in the mountains.  The sighted Supers were given pointers on guiding techniques.  Blind Supers were given pointers on how to use trekking poles as extensions of their hands.
 
In June 2006, the Supers traveled to Peru for the adventure they'd been preparing for.
 
When the Supers returned many of them were inspired by what they had done.  Their story had been shown on ABC World News, and ABC Nightline as well as being the feature of a documentary produced by Pilgrim Pictures.  The Supers joined up with Global Explorers once again and planned a trip to Tanzania, Africa to climb Mt.  Kilimanjaro (tallest mountain in Africa and tallest free standing mountain in the World).
 
Ten of the original eighteen Supers participated in the Tanzania trip (one visually impaired, three blind, and six sighted).  Together this team worked hard to get nine out of their twelve team members to the summit of Kilimanjaro, including all three blind and the groups only visually impaired climber.
 
Three of the original eighteen Supers remained and officially put together Sight Unseen.  (Kyle Coon, Justin Grant, and Brad Jaffke.)  (See their separate individual bios.)
 
Later after an article written by Kyle Coon was published in Backpacker Magazine, the team was put in contact with Peter Green, who offered up his services and taught the team essential mountaineering skills that they would need in the future.  Team members Joseph Mayfield (a friend of Justin’s) and Ben Meyer (friend of Peter’s) were also added to the team to bring the team member count up to 6.
 
Currently the team is training, and raising money to climb Mt. Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America, and highest mountain outside of the Himilayas.
 
Sight Unseen is driven to make a difference in the lives of all people across the world.  Their time honored motto is that "It's the journey not the destination, that makes the trip worthwhile."  They encourage people to slow down and to "Smell the roses" and not simply race to the summit.  Appreciate what you have done and be proud of yourself.