And the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum is the place that can do it with some of its exhibits and artifacts. The most famous might be what is simply referred to as "The Ax." It is an ice ax which belonged to the late mountaineer Pete Schoening.

The American climber was part of a party that attempted to be the first on top of K2 in 1953. K2, also located in the Karakoram, is considered to be the most dangerous mountain in the world despite being not as high as Mount Everest. It is the second tallest mountain in the world at 28,251 feet and is still to this day one of the toughest summits to reach.

While descending the peak to save a sick person in the party, one member slipped and fell. In the chaos that followed, climbing ropes got tangled and all six members were pulled off their feet. Schoening, the highest person in the group, plunged his ice ax into the slope and stopped the fall of every member, saving each of their lives.

"The ax is pretty sweet," said Cordes a day before leaving on a trip to China. "The symbolism and story behind it is amazing. It is an iconic piece of equipment. It's hard not to hold it in reverence."

A climber might have better insight as to what a heroic and amazing feat Schoening's actions were. That is from having the experience of self-arresting with an ice ax themselves. However, the story can give even an armchair climber the chills.

That is what the vision was when the museum was created, said museum director Nina Johnson. The museum is for those who not only climb, but who appreciate an adventuresome life and the natural beauty of the mountains. It offers a great presentation through various displays of not only the history and nuts-and-bolts of climbing, but it also delves into the characters who shaped exploring the high places in the world.

Many Coloradoans have heard of the 10th Mountain Division - made famous for its exploits during World War II in the Alps as well as the hundreds of miles of trails and backcountry huts dotting the Rocky Mountains in the state.

But how many people know that alumni of the Army division includes the founders of both Aspen Snowmass and Vail ski resorts? Or that former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole was one of its ranks?

"Like today--we had two folks come in after they saw us in a magazine article," Johnson said. "And they were totally absorbed by the museum. The museum is for anybody who loves the aesthetics of the mountains, who loves the art, who loves different mountain cultures around the world."

Cordes also has left his mark at the museum. One of his photos during his epic climb up Great Trango Tower is blown up as a display poster. Also he helped pose one of the mannequins of an ice climber to make its actions realistic.

Cordes' presentation about climbing, succeeding and failing rounded out the opening weekend's events, which also included presentations by famous local climbers Lynn Hill and Tonya Riggs.

Being up on stage and discussing his exploits is far more uncomfortable for Cordes than being perched up an ice rime-plastered headwall on some remote peak halfway around the world.

"It is odd being the center of attention," Cordes sad. "The reason you are up there is because you do remote climbs. And you are asked to talk about the remote climbs as a center of attention. The irony hasn't been lost on me."

Going to those remote places can bring pain, suffering and defeat. Those however are lessons Cordes has been trained previously in. He is a former collegiate boxing champion and he took lessons from his former hobby and applied them to his current passion.

"Even though they seem like completely opposite endeavors, they have similar mental aspects," he explained. "It helps with enduring pain and pushing yourself and the mental discipline for the intense training and blacking out your irrational fears. It makes your mind direct your body to do what it needs to do."

Over 800 people attending the opening weekend, the culmination of two years of creating the museum. It is the joint effort of The Colorado Mountain Club, The American Alpine Club and The National Geographic Society.

"The comment I kept hearing again and again was the look of the museum was so unexpected," Johnson said. "It is so modern, sleek, interactive and engaging. There are lots of different things do to."

Johnson said the museum plans on keeping things fresh as well, switching it's main exhibit every few months as well as changing displays and artifacts.

For more information about the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum, visit www.bwamm.org