Photos Courtesy of Clayton Wolfe
Clayton Wolfe isn’t your average 32-year-old. The Scottsdale resident is also a pilot, former farmer, Scottsdale 20/30 Club member, and mountaineer. He is currently in hot pursuit of the Explorer’s Grand Slam, which is an adventurer’s challenge to reach the North Pole, the South Pole and all the seven summits. Wolfe has found a way to connect his love of climbing to raising money to help those less fortunate. On April 18, he will begin his second attempt to summit Mt. Everest (last year, he got to 26,000 feet on his summit day when his teammate and Sherpa got sick and they had to turn back). He is inviting the community to get involved in his effort to tie his climb to a fundraising effort for the Scottsdale 20/30 Club.
On his website, everest22.com, Wolfe is selling $100 Everest Golden Tokens (which will make the trek up to the Everest summit of 29,035 feet with him, then be mailed back to supporters) and raffle tickets for an all-inclusive trip to Everest Base Camp, with all proceeds benefiting the Scottsdale 20/30 Club (scottsdale2030.org) and the local children’s charities supported by the club, including Boys Hope Girls Hope and The Care Fund.
This isn’t the first time Wolfe has climbed to raise funds for nonprofits. Before returning to his hometown of Scottsdale in 2020, he owned a farm-to-table food brand called Northerly that featured a “Climb and Give Campaign,” donating one serving of oats grown on his farm per foot in total elevation he climbed to the Feeding America Network. By February 2020, he was able to climb three of the seven summits, which in total was 59,218 feet of elevation. This enabled him to donate 59,218 servings (11,103 pounds) of rolled oatmeal to St. Mary’s Food Bank. “Being a farmer made me who I am today,” says Wolfe. “However, it wasn’t easy to live in two countries, splitting my time between Canada and Scottsdale. Selling the farm simplified life, but it left me looking for a way to match my mountaineering to another philanthropic effort.”
When Wolfe was introduced to the Scottsdale 20/30 Club, he says it was exactly what he was looking for. “This club is a way for me to be involved in supporting the community in a sustainable way—it provides me with accountability and a support system.”
“I’m a goal-oriented person, and this is a wonderful opportunity to make my pursuit of the Explorer’s Grand Slam bigger and greater than just myself,” he adds. “If I can do good for other people while reaching my goals, it’s a win-win.”
Get Involved
Visit everest22.com for details on how to support Wolfe’s fundraising climb. All proceeds benefit local charities. To get an insider’s look into his journey, follow him on Instagram @clayton.wolfe.
