In addition to completing personal mountaineering goals this climbing season, Moniz says he hopes to gain a deeper grasp of the impacts his mountain travels have had on his brain, and he is working with a team of brain scientists to study his brain.

Waters talks about this season’s challenge with the familiarity and perspective of a pro walking off the links at the Masters. He’s not priming a fairway shot or reading the green, but his view shares the absorption of technical details and evaluation of risk often seen with toptier performers in their field.