Garrett Madison

Garrett Madison, America’s premier Everest climber and guide, began guiding professionally in 1999 on Mount Rainier. As Expedition Leader, he has personally led over 50 climbers (clients) to the summit of Everest since 2009, more than any other guide. In 2011, Garrett led the first expedition in history where climbers succeeded in the Everest – Lhotse combination, reaching the summit of two 8000-meter peaks in less than 24 hours (while personally guiding one climber peak to peak in 21 hours). He has since repeated this ‘double header’ combination in 2013 and 2018 and is currently the only climber in the world to have done so. Garrett holds the record for guiding climbers (5) in reaching the summits of two 8000-meter peaks within 24 hours.

In 2014, Garrett led the first successfully ‘guided’ ascent of K2, arguably the hardest and most dangerous mountain in the world. He reached the summit with 2 clients and 3 Sherpas on July 27, 2014, and again on July 22, 2018 with 8 clients, 3 guides and 15 Sherpas reaching the top. Garrett also regularly guides many ‘7 Summits’ expeditions during the year such as Mount Vinson, Carstensz Pyramid, Mount Elbrus, Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, etc., as well as first ascents of unclimbed peaks. As an Emmy award winning producer, Garrett is regularly consulted on Everest and other film productions, including Sports Illustrated’s Capturing Everest.

Garrett Madison holds multiple high-altitude mountaineering world records, such as being the only person to climb Mount Everest and nearby Mount Lhotse in a day, 3 times. He is the only American to climb K2 twice, and personally has led more climbers to the summits of Mount Everest and K2 than anyone.

In addition to leading high-altitude expeditions worldwide throughout the year, Garrett consults on mountaineering equipment product testing for Mountain Hardwear and speaks professionally to groups about his mountaineering experiences.