John Harlin III grew up in Leysin, in the Swiss Alps, where his father, John Harlin II, founded the International School of Mountaineering. After his father’s death on the Eiger in 1966, John returned with his mother and sister to the U.S., where he became an active mountaineer, skier, adventurer, editor and writer. He wrote a major series of guidebooks, "The Climber’s Guide to North America," before joining "Backpacker" magazine as an editor. He was the editor-in-chief of "Summit" magazine for six years before returning to "Backpacker" as its northwest editor and co-host of its PBS television series “Anyplace Wild.” He is now editor of the prestigious "American Alpine Journal," and is a star of the latest IMAX® film, "The Alps: Giants of Nature." John’s book, "The Eiger Obsession"—about his family’s history and the Eiger’s North Face—was just published in March 2007. John lives between Oaxaca, Mexico, and Oregon with his wife, Adele Hammond, and daughter, Siena.