Why I Climb.
ASH TO ALTITUDE
I climb to redefine what’s possible — for myself, for women, and for the next generation.
I climb to prove that exploration is for all of us — women, people of color, and every dreamer who’s ever been told they weren’t enough. I’m Nicole Otake, the mountaineer behind Ash to Altitude — a global expedition project pursuing the Seven Summits, the Seven Volcanic Summits, and the Seven Lowest Points.
My Story
I was born in a small Connecticut town, the first in my family born on the mainland. Marked “different” for my eyes and skin, I learned early what it meant to disappear — and then to fight back.
One moment in Montana changed everything. In Glacier National Park, I watched a man fall to his death. Nature demanded respect — and I chose to answer. I bought my first backpack. I never looked back.
I came to mountaineering late, climbing Kilimanjaro in 2023. Altitude sickness nearly ended me, but instead of quitting, I doubled down — training harder, running for the first time in my life, and building endurance. In January 2025, that work paid off when I summited Aconcagua and Ojos del Salado back-to-back, unguided.
Today, I live full-time off-grid in a solar-powered van with my husband, Rocco. We conserve water, minimize waste, and climb not for trophies, but to belong to the mountains. Every summit is self-funded, every milestone earned with grit and resilience, as we chase historic firsts together.
My Mission
I climb not to conquer, but to represent, empower, and protect.
Representation: As a biracial woman of Japanese heritage, I climb to make our presence visible on the world’s highest peaks.
Empowerment: Through speaking, mentorship, and storytelling, I help others take on challenges they once thought impossible
Sustainability: My life and climbs are rooted in climate responsibility — traveling solar-powered, conserving water, and minimizing waste.
I am on track to complete the Volcanic Seven Summits, a challenge achieved by only 13 women in history. Beyond this, I am also pursuing the even rarer feat of finishing both the Volcanic Seven Summits and the Seven Summits — a milestone reached by only two women ever. Finally, I am attempting the Seven Lowest Points, a challenge no person in history has yet completed. Together with my husband, Rocco, we are attempting to become the first married couple to complete all three world-challenge lists.
Next is Antartica — brutal, isolating and dauntingly expensive. But each step is one closer to reimagining what exploration looks like.
“This is who I am when the noise is gone. And I like her out here.”
Exploration isn’t dead. It lives in me. And it’s just getting started.
