Majka Burhardt is a writer, climber, and guide. A lifelong adventurer, she has traveled and guided throughout the world by bike, canoe, and, more often than not, by foot. Much of Majka’s recent work has been focused on Africa, where she first went to Ethiopia in search of a rare coffee. Unexplored sandstone towers kept her in Ethiopia and resulted in her book Vertical Ethiopia: Climbing Toward Possibility in the Horn of Africa, short?listed for the Banff Book Award. Her second book, Coffee Story: Ethiopia, will be released in early 2011. In 2009, Majka produced Waypoint Namibia. The film is currently touring film festivals around the world and Majka was nominated for an EPIC Emerging Artist Award for her work as the Executive Producer.
Burhardt’s non-fiction work has appeared in publications including Men’s Health, Patagonia, Alpinist, Women’s Adventure, The Explorers Journal, and Climbing, where she is the voice behind the column “Whipped.” Majka’s blog, The Liminal Line, can be found here, on her website. She writes often about what she’s termed Additive Adventure –when adventure goes beyond exploration and toward cultural and environmental connection.
As a speaker, Majka has made numerous presentations to diverse audiences in venues ranging from the TEDxSMU to the 92nd Street Y in New York City to the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival. Her work has been featured on news programs, radio shows, magazines and newspapers.
Majka Burhardt has an MFA in Creative Writing from the Warren Wilson Program for Writers and received her BA in Anthropology from Princeton University. She merges these backgrounds with her passion for the outdoors and adventure in her writing. Majka is sponsored by Patagonia, Osprey Packs, Petzl, Scarpa, Julbo, Outdoor Research and is an AMGA Certifed Rock Guide.
We welcome Majka to Ice Fest and can’t wait to see her amazing slide presentation! Majka’s books and film will be available to purchase throughout the weekend at Ice Fest headquarters! Big thanks to Petzl, and Osprey for sending Majka!