Meet the Virginia politician climbing volcanoes
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Senator Surovell prepares to summit. Photo courtesy of Scott Surovell
Every legislator preps for duty in their own way. For Virginia state Sen. Scott Surovell, what gets him going is a midnight climb to the top of a nearly 19,000-foot volcano in central Ecuador.
"After that, ready for anything in the Richmond session!" the Democrat and newly elected Senate majority leader posted on Christmas Eve.
What's happening: As a consequential Virginia legislative session gets underway, Surovell, a 52-year-old Fairfax resident, chatted with Axios about how tackling peaks can help with policy making.
How it started: After graduating from the University of Virginia law school in the late '90s, Surovell biked 4,200 miles across the United States from Oregon to Virginia Beach.
- "I've always thought it was important to challenge myself physically," Surovell tells Axios. He says it helps ground him when facing difficult decisions as a senator or at his Fairfax law practice, Surovell Isaacs & Levy PLC.
What he's saying: "I always tell myself, whatever I'm dealing with on a daily basis isn't any harder than biking across the United States or climbing some of these mountains."
How it's going: Surovell's a "46er," climber slang for anyone who's hiked all 46 of the High Peaks in New York's Adirondacks Mountains — which, no coincidence, he completed before his 46th birthday.
- Of the 100+ mountains he's summited, Kilimanjaro — his 50th birthday challenge — is the highest, at more than 19,300 feet. He did it in a surprise blizzard with no blizzard equipment.
Zoom in: Virginia is for mountain lovers when it comes to Surovell's climbing buddies, which include Sen. Tim Kaine's chief of staff, Mike Henry.
- The duo tackled that tough Kilimanjaro adventure and spent a recent week in Ecuador summiting some of its highest challenges, including the previously mentioned volcano, Volcán Cayambe.
The intrigue: So how much policy shaping happens in the peaks? Fortunately for Virginians who want to see their leaders in one piece, not much.
- "It's so important to focus on what we're doing that we didn't really talk to each other," says Surovell. "If you lose your footing, you're sliding down the mountain at 50 or 60 miles an hour until you either hit a rock or go into a crevasse."
Climbing fuel: Watered-down Gatorade, dried mangoes, and trail mix. "When I rode across the United States I always had a sleeve of Fig Newtons in my shirt. But after that trip, I didn't eat a Fig Newton for years."
Hidden talent: In addition to climbing, Surovell was a star French hornist and played in JMU's nationally recognized marching band.
What's (hopefully) next: Cotopaxi, an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains that will be his highest climb at close to 20,000 feet. But, volcanic gas and Ecuadorian government permission are an issue.
The bottom line: "I just find climbing fun. Most everyone I talk to says they'd rather sit on a beach. But my mind's pretty active and I don't really sit still very long."
💭 This story is part of Axios D.C.'s Weekend Warrior series, profiling Washingtonians leading extraordinarily active lives. Know somebody who should be featured? Email me at [email protected].