It started at a conference in Berkeley in August 2016 — a shared love of nature and mountains made the connection immediate. Within days they were climbing Bernal Heights and Twin Peaks together, drawn to elevation even in the middle of a city.

Steve called Nitya not every day, not every week, but every other day. Within the first month he joined her and her brother Ishan on Mt. Whitney — a long, demanding summit that made for an unforgettable first adventure and set the tone for everything that followed.

They were friends first, then long distance as both pursued graduate degrees. Years of calls, visits, and shared wanderlust kept them close. Eventually both landed in Boulder, Colorado, where the mountains were never far and the relationship had room to grow into something permanent.

The years since have been full — Iceland, Chile, Argentina, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Nepal, and trails across the US, with more on the map. Backpacking trips, mountaineering objectives, and the kind of mutual friends who feel like family. On July 10–11, 2026, they bring everyone together in Setauket.