Cho Oyu 1999

In the Fall of 1999, Chris Warner and Brad Johnson set out to climb Cho Oyu, the sixth tallest peak in the world. The weather that season was horrible. Chris and Brad were among the few people that summited. And at least three people were caught in avalanches: including Chris. More

Cho Oyu Summit [ Play Video ]

Everest 2000

In 2000, Chris Warner helped guide an expedition, led by Russell Brice, on the North Ridge of Everest. Although the team didn't summit, it was a great Everest experience: from rescues and intrigue, to bitter cold nights and jet stream winds. And just when things couldn't get worse, a lake formed on the trail to Base Camp, requiring the building of a raft at 20,000 feet. More

Everest 2001

In 2001, Chris Warner was back on Everest, guiding the North Ridge. On May 23 the team summited. Evelyne Binsack was the first Swiss woman to summit Everest. Ellen Miller was the first American woman to summit Everest from the North Ridge (a year later becoming the first American woman to summit Everest from the North and South). Naoki Ishikowa reached the "three poles" that year. Jaime Vinals climbed to his Seventh Summit. And Marco Siffredi made the first complete snow board descent of Everest. But in the end this expedition may best be remembered for the amazing rescue that unfolded following the last climbers and guides reaching the summit. More

Everest 2001. Hollow victory?

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Shishma Pangma 2001

In the fall of 1999, Chris Warner and Brad Johnson trekked to base camp on the south side of Shisha Pangma, the world's 13 tallest peak.  On the night they arrived a Sherpa from another expedition raced into their tent. A massive avalanche had killed two American climbers: Alex Lowe and David Bridges.

Chris and Brad, along with most of the climbers in BC, hiked to the base of the mountain to help the surviving team mates. The storms that battered the Himalaya that week proved especially fatal. At least 17 climbers were killed on various peaks. 

With the threat of avalanches too great, the 1999 expedition was abandoned.

Chris returned, alone, in 2001. In a non-stop 34 hour push he climbed up and down the 7000 foot face.

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Shishma Pangma Summit.

1^st American Solo.

[ Play Video ] 

K2 2002

This expedition was ill-fated, perhaps from the beginning. We were a group of 11 climbers, all sharing a permit, and brought together by one of the most experienced of modern day expedition organizers: Henry Todd. But in reality we weren't there so much to climb together as to just summit. This paradox, combined with horrible weather and the tragedies that be-fell our neighboring teams, combined to defeat us. In the end, not a single climber summited either K2 or Broad Peak that season. Two climbers lost their lives trying.

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Lhotse 2004

On April 5^th, 2004 Chris Warner departed on a three-month journey to the summits of two 8000-meter peaks: Lhotse and Nanga Parbat. There are 14 mountains in the world that rise above the magic 8000-meter (26,240 ft) mark. 10 of the peaks are located in the Himalaya Mountains of Nepal, Tibet and Pakistan and 4 are located in the Karakorum Range of Pakistan and China. To date, just 11 climbers have summited all of these peaks.

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Nanga Parbat 2004

In 2004, after summiting Lhotse (during which Chris suffered frost damage to his toes and fingers), he headed from Nepal to Pakistan to attempt Nanga Parbat. 

As the ninth highest peak in the world, Nanga Parbat, 8125m/ 26,658 ft., is considered one of the most dangerous and best-guarded summits in the world. Chris attempted the Kinshoffer Route that ascends the Diamir Face. Chris worked with a German team to establish the route and pushed to the summit in mid June.  Prior to 2004, approximately 200 people had summited Nanga Parbat.

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K2 & Broad Peak 2005

The Team: Chris Warner and Tao Franken are teaming up for this ambitious double-header.

Chris Warner, the owner of Earth Treks, has been on ten 8000 meter peak expeditions. He has summited on Cho Oyu, Everest, Shisha Pangma and Lhotse. In 2002, he attempted both Broad Peak and K2. His second summit bid on Broad Peak ended on an avalanche prone 50 degree snow slope, just 150 feet from safer terrain. His attempt on K2 ended in tragedy, as a friend fell from thousands of feet above and landed 500 feet from Chris and his partner. The first on the scene, Chris and his climbing partner, pronounced him dead. Chris is anxious to complete a challenge begun three years ago.

Tao Franken is the owner of Bomber Gear, a high-end kayak accessories business, and a mountaineering guide for Earth Treks. Tao has a long and decorated past as a competitive adventure sports athlete (from Rodeo Kayaking to BMX). Tao has an impressive ice climbing resume with numerous WI 5 and 6 solos. This will be Tao's first expedition to an 8000 meter peak. Chris and Tao have been climbing together for nearly 20 years.

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