Climbing partners Maria Hines, a James Beard–awardwinning chef, and Mercedes Pollmeier, an NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist and Level 2 nutritionist, decided that they’d had enough of packaged bars and goos. As a celebrated chef, Hines can make anything taste great, and Pollmeier knows the science behind exercise nutrition. On their long drives to crags an idea blossomed: write a nutrition book for mountain sports.