From a boy who grew up on the flatlands of Illinois, Ed Viesturs has established himself as America’s premier high-altitude mountaineer. He’s the first American and the fifth person to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter (26,250-foot) peaks—all without the use of supplemental oxygen. He moved to Seattle in 1977 to study at the University of Washington and then at Washington State University, where he graduated with a degree in veterinary medicine. Viesturs began guiding on Mount Rainier with Rainier Mountaineering, Inc., in 1982 and has participated in 30 Himalayan expeditions since 1987.

Climbing Highlights

• 200 summits of Rainier (14,410 feet/4,392 meters)
• 6 summits of Everest (29,035 feet/8,850 meters)
• 1 summit of K2 (28,250 feet/8,611 meters)
• 1 summit of Kangchenjunga (28,169 feet/8,586 meters)
• 1 summit of Lhotse (27,940 feet/8,516 meters)
• 2 summits of Cho Oyu
• 1 summit of Makalu
• 1 summit of Gasherbrum II
• 1 summit of Gasherbrum I
• 1 summit of Broad Peak
• 1 summit of Manaslu
• 1 summit of Dhaulagiri
• 1 summit of Shishapangma
• 1 summit of Nanga Parbat
• 1 summit of Annapurna

Certifications

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine