About Climbing the Seven Summits
Climbing the Seven Summits’ primary aim is to help you attain your personal climbing and trekking goals while experiencing the best of our planet and its unique cultures in a safe and professional manner.
We strive to offer the highest quality expeditions and treks at a great value while focusing on our primary goals: safety, success, and enjoyment. We achieve this through our extensive experience, top of the line logistics support, individualized service, and world-class guides.
Our expeditions strive to set the highest standards and climb in “good style” in a self-sufficient and self-reliant way.
To give our clients the highest possible chance at success, we provide personalized service, employ conservative acclimatization schedules, use top of the line camping and communications gear, hire only the best mountain leaders and don’t skimp on costs.
Our clients form lasting friendships because the strongest bonds are those formed when teams work together to overcome tough challenges.
We take immense pride in our expeditions, and this shows throughout the entire process.
We seek to promote a socially and environmentally responsible and sustainable approach to adventure travel by connecting people to the natural world and giving back to local communities.
Expedition Leadership by Mike Hamill
Mike Hamill is a 6-time Everest summiter, world class mountain guide, and author. He oversees every CTSS expedition.
A veteran climber, Mike has built his vast experience over twenty years as a senior mountain guide across all seven continents. Known as the foremost expert, he authored the book “Climbing the Seven Summits” and has made 6 laps of the acclaimed Seven Summits mountaineering challenge. In 2008 he completes the circuit in just over 200 days.
Expeditions under Mike Hamill’s guidance have maintained a 91% expedition success rate overall with an 80% client success rate on all expeditions.
An adventurer by nature, Mike has skied to the South Pole, cycled unsupported across the United States, competed at a national level as a nordic skier and is an ultramarthoner, cyclist, traveler and philanthropist.
His love for the mountains and adventure continues to compel him to travel the globe and connect with the local mountain communities, particularly the Sherpa of the Khumbu region. This bond was his impetus in creating the “Tiger of the Snows Fund” a not-for-profit that provides grants to further education of mountain tourism workers and their families.
Mike is a familiar and well respected face in the mountaineering community. He is passionate about imparting his knowledge, skills and experience to inspire others to harness their full potential in the mountains.
Our Sherpa Team
One cannot underestimate the importance of having the right team of Sherpas to support an Everest bid.
Sherpas are integral to almost every aspect of an Everest expedition and perform crucial roles as climbing partners, such as carrying loads, fixing ropes on the mountain, organizing gear and building camps among many other jobs. You will quickly notice not only their importance but also their many positive traits: hard work, humility, friendliness, gregariousness and strength.
Our team of Sherpa is simply the cream of the crop and are led by our sirdar, Tendi Sherpa, who has notched a dozen Everest summits on both the south and north sides of the mountain, as well as many other summits worldwide. Tendi is an internationally certified guide, co-owns a logistics company based in Kathmandu and is among the best in the business.
He holds his team of Sherpa to the same high standard that he holds himself and hand picks only the strongest, most skilled and trusted Sherpa friends. Tendi and his team will work incredibly hard to make your climb of Mt. Everest a success, and they will become friends for life.
Our CTSS Guides
The quality of an expedition is in large part dictated by the individual guide(s) leading the trip. CTSS hires only the finest guides operating at the highest standards of client care. All of the CTSS team are highly trained, well respected and trusted colleagues with impressive climbing resumes and certifications. They are some of the most experienced professionals in the world whose primary attention is safety. They are also fascinating and personable people that you will enjoy working and climbing alongside.
All CTSS guides maintain a Wilderness First Responder medical certification among a variety of other certifications.
CTSS Mission Statement
Climbing the Seven Summits is committed to offering the highest quality expeditions with excellent leadership. We aim to help clients set and attain goals that challenge themselves and inspire them to explore the world, learn through experience, and connect with the environment and local cultures in a socially and environmentally responsible way, while building positive and lasting relationships with fellow climbers.