SANTA BARBARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hidden Compass recently announced the winners of its 2024 Pathfinder Prize, Beyond the False Summit: A Matterhorn Expedition to Unearth the Queer Pioneers of Alpinism. The announcement followed the world premiere of “In Tété’s Footsteps,” a short documentary film created by its first-ever Pathfinder Prize winners.
Winners of the 2024 Pathfinder Prize, chosen by members of Hidden Compass: The Alliance, who cast their votes in the weeks leading up to the event, include project leader Lance Garland, climbing guide and writer Charlotte Austin, photographer Ian Finch and expert climber Jordan Cannon.
The team will document their climbing expedition to explore the following questions:
- How did queer climbers live when society told them only certain people could achieve great things?
- How do we document the history of queer people when that very documentation has been and can continue to be, a threat to their survival?
- By shining a light on this hidden part of history, can we write a more truthful narrative to reach a peak beyond the false summit of exclusion?
Garland shares, “A huge reason I started this project was because I couldn’t find role models. I couldn’t find people like me.” He continues, “We want to share our personal stories and stories from the past with the public. It matters. These stories affect people’s lives.”
Garland and his fellow explorers have three goals for their expedition. They intend to climb the Matterhorn as a diverse representation of the modern climbing community. The group will share the historical and riveting stories of queer climbers throughout history, stories that have not been widely told. And the group intends to build community with other queer climbers, many of whom have already reached out to participate in the journey. The team’s winning presentation with more details can be viewed here.
“We started Hidden Compass to leverage the power of community in a new age of exploration and transform how journalism is supported — through audience participation rather than clicks and advertisements,” said Hidden Compass CEO Sivani Babu. “The Pathfinder Prize is part of that mission. The prize makes aspirations reality by funding global expeditions focused on understanding the world rather than conquering it. Sabine and I are thrilled with the stories our 2023 winners Lola, Noo and Erik shared through In Tété’s Footsteps, and we can’t wait to see what Lance and his team create in 2024.”
Stories, videos, and the documentary trailer from In Tété’s Footsteps are available to view now in the 2023 Hidden Compass Pathfinder Edition.
ABOUT HIDDEN COMPASS
Hidden Compass is an independent journalism outlet and modern exploration society transforming the way audiences participate in journalism and exploration. Co-founders Sivani Babu and Sabine K. Bergmann, who have 25 years of experience in journalism and publishing, launched Hidden Compass in 2017 as an alternative to unhealthy, clickbait-laden content – what they call “junk food media.” In 2020, the company pioneered a unique business model, leveraging patronage campaigns to increase journalists’ pay and audience participation. The following year, readership grew by more than 40 percent, and Newsweek named Hidden Compass a finalist in its Future of Travel Awards. Learn more at https://hiddencompass.net.
