Ed Viesturs

America's Foremost High-Altitude Mountaineer

Ed Viesturs is a top adventure speaker and professional mountaineer and has successfully reached the summits of all of the world’s fourteen 8000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen, an 18 year project he christened Endeavor 8000. His goal was completed on May 12, 2005 with his ascent of Annapurna one of the world’s most treacherous peaks.

  • Ed Viesturs Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    $20,001 - $30,000

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    Idaho, USA

  • Ed Viesturs Keynote Speaker Fee Fee range is for U.S. events, depending on location and organization type

    $20,001 - $30,000

  • Languages Spoken

    English

  • Travels From

    Idaho, USA

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Viesturs lecture discusses (and documents) his primary goal of climbing the World’s 14 peaks over 8000 meters (26,000’ and above) without supplemental oxygen-a project he titled Endeavor 8000. This effort took him 18 years to complete and in doing so became the only ...

Viesturs lecture discusses (and documents) his primary goal of climbing the World’s 14 peaks over 8000 meters (26,000’ and above) without supplemental oxygen-a project he titled Endeavor 8000. This effort took him 18 years to complete and in doing so became the only American and one of five people to accomplish this feat. The themes interwoven within this story are team work, leadership, goal setting, overcoming obstacles, commitment and risk management. His images showcase these efforts and complement the talk.

Key points-
1.”Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory”. Climbing a mountain has to be a round trip. You need to plan ahead and have resources to make sure you finish what you set out to do.
2.”Listen to your instincts”. Make decisions based on your experience and gut feelings. Don’t get caught up in group think.
3. “Temper your ambition in the face of overwhelming risk”. Be patient enough to wait for the right time to move forward, even if others are going ahead. My motto has always been “The mountain decides whether you climb or not. The art of mountaineering is knowing when to go, when to stay, and when to retreat.”
4. “Patience and persistence are keys to success but I believe that passion is the most critical ingredient”. If you are passionate with what you do, you’ll perform better, enjoy the process and be willing to take as long as it takes to succeed.
5. “Teamwork, regardless of the industry, is the same: It is an implicit trust in, and recognition that the person next to you is No. 1”.

Learn More

Set Your Own Goals

Team Success is Individual Success

Planning is the Key to Achievement

Integrity of Approach is Paramount

About Keynote Speaker Ed Viesturs

Ed Viesturs is a professional mountaineer and has successfully reached the summits of all of the world’s fourteen 8000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen, an 18 year project he christened Endeavor 8000. His goal was completed on May 12, 2005 with his ascent of Annapurna one of the world’s most treacherous peaks. He is one of only a handful of climbers in history (and the only American) to accomplish this. That same year Viesturs was awarded National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year. Viesturs has also made seven successful ascents of 29,028’ Mt. Everest, three of these without supplemental oxygen.

Viesturs still guides in the mountains, works as a design consultant for outdoor equipment manufacturer Eddie Bauer/First Ascent and is a Rolex Ambassador. Ed also serves as a spokesman and advocate for Big City Mountaineers (BCM), an organization that instills critical life skills in under-resourced youth through wilderness mentoring experiences that help keep kids in school, reduce violence and drug use.

Viesturs resides in Ketchum Idaho with his wife Paula of 22 years, and their four children.

Testimonials

“Ed was inspiring, gracious, a pleasure to work with, and customized his presentation,  exceeding the expectations of our group.”

Kois Center

 

“Thank you for making our weekend retreat a great success. Your talk was the highlight of the retreat. You hit all the right points that we hoping for – achieving individual growth aspirations and being a team player. I’ll look forward to following your career to complete all 14 peaks successfully and safely.”

McKinsey & Company, Inc.

 

“Our group of 280 people were all current or former CEO’s of mid to large size companies. A group not easily impressed. We wanted a keynoter to open this conference of business leaders from all over the world who would be both inspiring and challenging. Ed Viesturs filled the bill perfectly! The fascinating presentation by this bright, articulate world class athlete had a great impact on the audience and got our conference off to an exciting start.”

John Durbin Chairman

InfrastruX Group for the Chief Executives Organization

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