Tim Kudo

Back when Mountainfilm took place in just three nights at the Sheridan Opera House, Telluride local Tim Kudo held an array of positions, from film judge (“mostly because they needed warm bodies”), to shuttle driver (“Yvon Chouinard thought I was taking him to a Sheraton Hotel and was so happy when I dropped him at the Sheridan”). Affectionately known as The Buddhist, Kudo, who has lived in Telluride since 1976, is the quintessential climber/skier/carpenter. Driven by a love of climbing, Kudo holds first ascents on the Ophir wall, the South face of Dallas Peak, Indian Creek and various climbs in Canyonlands. He has completed five ascents of El Capitan, was a Helitrax guide from 1990-2005, has climbed in Africa and South America and traveled extensively through Asia and Europe.