Bio
Ben claims that as a kid, he never had the courage for the free solo required to access his older brother's tree fort. Failed attempts often stranded him paralyzed and sobbing in a full bear hug around some high branch. It's assumed the deep shame of it all makes him a better climber today.

Despite this early objective-denying scar, Ben's childhood was characterized by a powerful bloodlust for adventure, risk, and sharp weapons. He racked up for play with rope, camoflauge, large knives, slingshots, throwing stars, guns, and light-explosives. It's a wonder he survived getting shot in the ass during BB-gun wars and launching off as test-dummy on his older brother's extreme rope swings. Poor eyesight and depth perception resulted in plenty of stitches, but Ben loved his early days jumping bikes off the deck or running wild through the woods.

Ben's first exposure to real climbing was on the sea-cliffs of Maine while attending a small college in Bar Harbor. He was instantly and completely hooked after his first 5.8 top-rope. His first two lead-climbing attempts resulted in falls that ripped out the protection and nearly had him hitting the ground. In the intensity of climbing he was once again that wide-eyed, foaming-at-the-mouth kid living on the edge between stitches and blood and giddy adrenaline-fueled adventure.

It wasn't long before Ben was as much a student of climbing as anything else in college, and began dreaming of doing first ascents in far-out places. The formative job to get there: after graduation he spent the next eight years working for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) teaching climbing and mountaineering courses all over the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, Alaska, Arizona, and Wyoming - mastering the art of slow and heavy travel, and risk management of large groups (not to mention honing his stove repair and cave-digging skills). Luckily for Ben, "full-time" work in the outdoor instructor profession meant about six months of total work each year. So in the off-seasons, Ben lived in his beloved VW van in Yosemite, Joshua Tree and other climbing areas, training, enjoying the community of great friends, and gaining experience with the hope of eventually going on an expedition somewhere.

The backbone of Ben's development as a climber resides in his appreciation for the collaboration, inspiration and deep friendships with his climbing partners. One of the most formative has been his longstanding partnership with Kevin Mahoney, whom he worked with in the Waddington Range some 15 years ago. Somehow they managed to apply their expert camping skills to hard alpine and mixed climbs and succeed some of the time. Mahoney says, "Gilmore delivers. That is the best way to describe him. It is unique to find competence in every aspect of alpine climbing, but Ben Gilmore does it all. Give him a shovel and you will have a bivy cave, give him a rack and you will have a top rope. Ben is great to climb with but the best times are always on the approach, there is not a better person to do a 4 a.m. drive with or a 2 a.m. ski." Ben has also found satisfying and successful partnership on big objectives with several other key partners like the always-psyched and sometimes psychotic Freddie Wilkinson. Ben's accomplishments include a laundry list of notable ascents in Alaska, including 2nd ascents of the Czech Direct on Denali and Wall of Shadows on Mt. Hunter, first ascents of the SE Face and Arctic Rage on the Mooses Tooth, Common Knowledge on Denali's Washburn Face, Foraker's Fin Wall, and Bat's Ear Spire formation to name a few. First ascents on Fitz Roy in Patagonia, Kangtega in Nepal, and dicey New England mixed lines also helped to both hone and justify Ben's alpine climbing skills. He has also been the lucky recipient of two Lyman Spitzer and three Mugs Stump climbing grants.

These days, Ben lives mainly in Jackson, Wyoming with spells in North Conway, New Hampshire. He still works "full-time" as an AMGA certified rock and alpine guide and keeps his sights set on the next expedition just around the corner.