Watch the Mt. Everest Series

Inside the Mt. Everest Rapid Ascent Experience

In Spring 2025, we climbed Mt. Everest via the North Side, with Griffin Mims and his camera along for every step. This two-part video series takes you inside the reality of high-altitude guiding on the tallest mountain on the planet — from Base Camp to the summit. You’ll get an inside look at what it really means to climb Mt. Everest, starting from our home base in Lake Tahoe, CA all the way to the top.

Watch the series

Episode 1 – Acclimating Base Camp to the North Col

• Follow the team as they travel from home to Tibet, settle into base camp, and make moves higher up the mountain, including a night on the North Col at 23,000 ft.

Episode 2 – Alone on Top of the World

• The team makes a push from Advanced Base Camp, through Camps 1, 2, and 3, all the way to the summit of Mt. Everest on the best weather day of the season.

The Summit is the Goal, the Experience is the Purpose

Watching Everest from the inside gives you a sense of the scale, the commitment, and the reward. But every climber who stood on that ridge started smaller — with mountains closer to home, climbs that built skill, confidence, and the drive to keep going higher.

Climbing Everest isn’t about jumping to the biggest peak on Earth. It’s about taking the right steps, in the right order, and learning to love the process along the way.

Questions? Chat with Griffin today.

Take Your First Steps

If Everest sparks something in you, the first move isn’t the Himalaya — it’s building a foundation. That might mean climbing volcanoes in Ecuador, standing on top of Mexico’s 18,000-foot peaks, or tackling alpine objectives in Peru. These climbs give you the experience to grow as a mountaineer, and a chance to decide whether the bigger ranges are in your future.

Level up to The Big Mountains

Once you’ve built that base, the bigger peaks start to open up: Aconcagua in Argentina, Peak Lenin in Kyrgyzstan,  Ama Dablam in the Khumbu Valley, or Lhakpa Ri, in the shadow of Mt. Everest. These expeditions test your endurance, refine your skills, and prepare you for what climbing at 8,000 meters really demands.

From here, you have two options: 1. Move on to 8,000 meters on Cho Oyu, or 2. Combine two 7,000-meter peaks and set a meeting with our team to discuss your potential Everest qualification.

Test Yourself at 8,000 Meters on Cho Oyu

For most Alpenglow climbers, the path to Everest runs through Cho Oyu — the sixth-highest mountain in the world. At 26,906 feet, it’s often called the most approachable 8,000-meter peak. But don’t mistake “approachable” for easy: the altitude, exposure, and time at high camp are all real tests of whether the Himalaya is for you.

Climbing Cho Oyu builds the skills and confidence needed to consider Everest, while still offering the chance to stand on a summit higher than anything outside the Himalaya. If Everest feels like a spark right now, Cho Oyu might be the flame that gets you there.

Climbing Everest

Everest is where everything comes together — skill, preparation, and experience built over years in the mountains. At 29,032 feet, the North Side route is demanding, remote, and unforgiving. Success depends on more than physical fitness; it requires patience, planning, and a deep respect for the mountain itself.

Our Rapid Ascent style makes Everest possible in weeks instead of months, but there are no shortcuts to being ready. Cho Oyu and other big peaks are the proving ground. Everest is the goal.

If you’re ready, talk with our team today.