David Lien began fishing in northern Minnesota at the age of four, shot his first squirrel when he was eight, and his first deer when he was thirteen. These early hunting experiences laid the foundation for David's later climbing and trekking in some of the world's most remote and rugged regions, including South America's Patagonia, Asia's Himalayas, Australia's Outback, and the interior of Antarctica. He has also been to highest points in all 50 U.S. states and on the 54 highest peaks in Colorado (the 14ers). David's worldwide travels have taken him to 35 countries on each of the seven continents. In addition, he has tackled some of the world's highest and most dangerous mountains, including Mount McKinley in Alaska and Mount Everest in Nepal/Tibet. Lien turned back at 25,200 feet on the north/Tibet side of Mount Everest during May 2006, whereas two of his fellow expedition members died during their summit attempts. David Lien is a former air force officer, worldwide adventurer, accomplished mountaineer, lifelong hunter, founder and co-chair of the Minnesota Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, chairman of the Colorado Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, and in 2014 he was recognized by Field & Stream as a "Hero of Conservation." His climbs and travels have taken him across Colorado, the country, and planet, and onto six of the Seven Summits (the highest points on each continent). David's first book, 4/44/14 I (Four Years and Forty-Four Fourteeners): First Fourteeners, was published by Outskirts Press during December 2010. His second book, 4/44/14 II: Nemesis, was published by Outskirts Press during December 2011. A third book, Age-Old Quests: Hunting, Climbing & Trekking, was published during December 2012. Then a fourth, Age-Old Quests II: Hunting, Climbing & Trekking, during January 2014. David is a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America and has contributed stories, articles, essays, letters, and photos to numerous periodicals, books and newspapers, including: Everest: Surviving The Death Zone, Moving Mountains, The Firegrate Review, Bugle, Fur-Fish-Game, The Backcountry Journal, The Boundary Waters Journal, Trail & Timberline, Whitetales, NewWest, Summit Daily News, The Aspen Times, Vail Daily, Rocky Mountain News, Rocky Mountain Chronicle, The Pueblo Chieftain, The Denver Post, Colorado Springs Independent, The Durango Telegraph, The Durango Herald, Deseret News, Casper Star Tribune, Anchorage Daily News, Outdoor News, Duluth News Tribune.