Outdoor Retailer Interview with Timmy O’Neill. June 2013.
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Scarpa Blog “Ever Ready: Majka Burhardt Keeps Things Moving.” June 2013.
“Majka Burhardt doesn’t slow down much. The SCARPA athlete, author and speaker has spent much of her adult life combining a love and talent for climbing with an equal tenacity toward the arts and social responsibility. Born and raised in Minnesota, Burhardt was an unlikely candidate to be a rising voice for African conservation. But after her first trip years ago, she was entranced and thus, found her calling . . .”
Travel Like a Pro, Tips with Backpacker Magazine. January 2012.
Coffee Story Ethiopia Book Launch Joy Trip Interview and Podcast. October 2011.
(as featured on USA Today Travel, Public Radio Exchange, Venture There, and Wend Magazine.)
“Many Americans -maybe even most of us- begin our mornings with a steaming cup of coffee. That wonderfully dark warm beverage helps to kick start your day and put a little bounce in your step. But if you’re like me, you probably haven’t put a whole lot of thought into where it comes from or how it’s grown. That’s why writer and climber Majka Burhardt traveled more than 8,000 miles to discover the story . . .”
Adventure Inspired. October 2011.
“Writer, filmmaker, climber and guide Majka Burhardt is an inspiration. Some of us dream of traveling the world, exploring unclimbed cliffs and getting to know foreign places. Majka has accomplished all of that and then some, capturing the hearts and minds of readers worldwide with her eye-opening writings and films . . .”
Gourmand Magazine Profile. August 2011.
“Coffee even stretches back into Africa further and more deeply than what is conventionally known”, says Majka Burhardt, who wrote the book “Coffee Story Ethiopia”. “Coffee is established in oral tradition far back as the tenth century B.C. . . .”
Fresh Cup Magazine Interview. June 2011.
“I really believe that if you take this crop that is the most valuable thing Ethiopia has and you attach it to richness, whether that’s cultural richness or commodity richness, then Ethiopia is going to be better off in the long run . . .”
TV8 Vail Interview. March 2011.
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Vail Daily Feature. March 2011.
“Majka Burhardt wants you to be uncomfortable. ‘I strongly believe that our conversations, and thus lives, are better when we are willing to be uncomfortable,’ said Burhardt . . .”
Wild and Scenic Film Festival | See Jane Do TV. January 2010 Interview.
Adventure Chronicles Friday Focus Interview. February 2010.
“Majka Burhardt is making it happen and we are stoked to be following along with her adventures. She is building her dream of climbing, writing and finding the balance to enjoy life. This week’s Adventure Chronicle’s Friday Focus highlights Majka’s balance, her passion for story telling, and her ability to find the strong balance that life needs . . .”
Livesauce Media Interview At Mountainfilm Telluride. May 2010.
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Joy Trip Project. Waypoint Namibia Film Review. March 2010.
“Waypoint Namibia is a great film and a fresh look at adventure with social purpose.”
“From the outset writer, mountain guide and now filmmaker Majka Burhardt admits she could have found a better place to climb. In her new movie “Waypoint Namibia” she went looking for an experience that went beyond climbing for climbing’s sake.
“I have a theory these days that you can make adventure additive,” says Burhardt as the film opens “You can go beyond pure physical adventure and get cultural understanding out of it.”
Much of adventure over the last century has held a very tight focus on singular objectives. Summit bids to claim a first ascent of high mountain peaks most often take clear precedent over building relationships with the local population. Though on many expeditions adventurers limit their contact with native people to hiring cooks and porters Burhardt and her small team literally went out of their way to engage those they met and learn something about their civilization.
Climbing Magazine. Waypoint Namibia Film Review. March 2010.
“Many climbing flicks focus solely on the epics–huge dynos, 50-foot whippers, clutch sends–while the ineffable, in-between moments are excised. Happily, Chris Alstrin’s film Waypoint Namibia, on granite-dome hunting, avoids this pitfall. As Majka Burhardt says early on, “No one went on this trip to climb. They went to go to Namibia.” With stunning visuals, Waypoint follows Burhardt, Kate Rutherford and Peter Doucette in the African wilds–driving 12-plus hours in 100-degree heat, climbing through bird crap (literally), and battling hives inflicted by aggressive flora. The trio manages a masterful FA–Southern Crossing–while exploring the intersection of culture, climbing, and conversation.”
Four Corners Business Journal, January 25th, 2010
” ‘In contrast to a national-park system where people have been taken off the land, every conservation project in Namibia starts first with the native people’, said Burhardt: ‘Conservation in Namibia is not tied to preservation, it’s tied to integration.’ “
[prk_section align=”left” bk_type=”prk_inner_block” bk_color=”” bk_pattern=”” bk_image=”” text_color=”” ][prk_styled_title align=”left” text_color=”” show_lines=”no” use_italic=”” title_size=”small”]Vertical Ethiopia PR: Awards, Interviews, Books Reviews & Press[/prk_styled_title]
Awards
Finalist, Mountain Literature Category, 2008 Banff Mountain Book Festival.
Television
Interview on NECN Television News. May 2008.
Radio Interviews
The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Forum Interview. Listen Online
Printed Press
Vancouver North Shore News. February 2009.
“I was trying to figure out why as a climber we think we have a right to go into these other places and climb — is it a legitimate way to come to know another country . . .”
Jackson Hole News and Guide. March 2008.
“Vertical Ethiopia opens our eyes to a different world. It suggests hope and could spread that message to the Horn of Africa . . .”
The Steamboat Pilot. February 2008.
“Burhardt’s new book, “Vertical Ethiopia: Climbing Toward Possibility in the Horn of Africa,” explores that landscape through climbing and seeks to point out the difference between perceptions of Ethiopia and the country’s real potential . . .”
Off the Shelf: from the pages of the Boulder Bookstore. February 2008.
“Climbers are a dedicated crew. We’ll brave freezing cold weather, scorching sun, and dangerous heights in the quest for the perfect climb. I count myself as a climber, but I’ll be honest: I’m not actually a fearless one. I prefer single-pitch routes, am not too fond of leading, and am often made fun of because I won’t boulder higher than 4 feet off the ground. In fact, I’m the antithesis of fearless . . .”
Center for New Words Interview. March 2008.
“Vertical Ethiopia simmers with what it means to climb virgin rock in another country—to intimately interact with the land, to open yourself to another culture, to challenge yourself physically and spiritually, and to do it as an all-female group in a sport dominated by men…Lucky for us, Majka’s climbing expertise comes matched with the ability to tell a story…”
Mountain Gazette.
“While climbing is the narrative vehicle, the theme of the book is the interface between Western and African culture, and the positive outcomes of that interaction.”
Climbing Magazine. 2008 Photo Annual.
“Vertical Ethiopia navigates a rarely explored landscape… “
Rocky Mountain Sports. March 2008.
Accessory Articles
Appearing in The Explorer’s Journal, NOLS Leader, and the NOLS Blog