Our Leaders

Every trip is accompanied by a Mountain Company leader, we employ both local and western leaders.

Local Leaders
The Mountain Company supports the countries that we visit by employing professional local leaders. Not only does this mean that employment and revenue stays in the local economy but also means you benefit as they will share their knowledge about their history and culture.

Western Leaders
The Mountain Company uses western leaders for the more technical or remote trips. Some of our leaders are described below:

Roland Hunter
Roland is the founder and owner of The Mountain Company, for information on his background and experience

in 2008 he will be leading the following treks:
Manaslu Circuit (Nepal) in April 2008
Biafo and Hispar glacier and Snow Lake (Pakistan) July 2008
K2 basecamp and Gondogoro la (Pakistan) August 2008
Lunana Snowman trek (Bhutan) October 2008
Mera Peak expedition (Nepal) November 2008

Gary Pfisterer
Gary is known as one of the great leaders in the mountaineering world (per EverestNews.com). He has led many expeditions, often with his late wife Ginette Harrison, including to K2, Kanchenjunga (three times!), Shishapangma, Makalu, Dhaulaghiri and Lhotse. All of these expeditions, with the exception of Everest, were achieved without the use of High Altitude Porters or supplementary oxygen.

He has summitted Everest, Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam, Kilimanjaro via the Heim glacier, Mt Logan (third unsupported alpine style traverse of East Ridge) among many others.

Read more about Gary

Gary is leading the Dhaulagiri Circuit via French Col in October 2008.

Alan Ward
Alan has been leading treks and expeditions since 1990 and in the course of his travels has visited over 50 countries. A qualified International Mountain Leader and Mountain First Aid Trainer, Alan operates his freelance activities though his own company http://www.bigfootservices.co.uk.

By day however, Alan is employed by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority in Wales and is responsible for a wide range of access and conservation responsibilities in the National Park. In this role he is also responsible for training of staff and volunteers to Mountain Leader Award standards.

Most recent treks include Morocco and Nepal in 2007, Nepal and China in 2006, Chile in 2005, Peru, Morocco and Taiwan in 2004 with notable peaks including Stok Kangri (6,121m), Jade Mountain (3,952m) and Toubkhal (4,165m).

In 2006, Alan was one of 11 worldwide finalists in the Wanderlust Top Guide Awards competition following recommendations from clients.

Alan is leading the Upper Mustang Forbibben Kingdom trek (Nepal) in September 2008

Mike Farris
Mike has been hiking and climbing at high altitude for over 30 years and has completed many technical alpine rock and ice climbs in the USA and Canada, climbed Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua, reached 26,000 ft on Kangchenjunga and Broad Peak, and summited Gasherbrum II (26,362 ft).

He will be attempting K2 during the summer of 2008. Since 2002 he has spent nearly eight months above 17,000 ft. Mike has also completed over 40 marathons and ultramarathons, including two finishes of the Hardrock 100 Trail Race. Mike has a great website with photos from his various trips plus other interesting information, take a look at www.mfarris.net

Mike is a Professor of Biology at Hamline University (Minnesota, USA). His interests include ecology, natural history, and high-altitude physiology and performance. He has taught ecology courses in both Costa Rica and Australia. His book, The Altitude Experience, will be released this spring by Globe Pequot Press for further information take a look at www.thealtitudeexperience.com

Mike will lead the Manaslu Circuit trek in October 2008

Paul Walters
Paul has visited the Himalayas many times and has summited five peaks over 8000m- Cho-oyu, G2, Dhauligiri, Everest and Broad Peak. He has also climbed many others such as Mt Cook, Stok Kangri, Khan Tengri, Pobeda, Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua and the Matterhorn. He spent 6 months climbing in New Zealand in 1990 and 7 months climbing in Bolivia in 1992.

Paul has lived, worked and travelled abroad for the past 15 years. After seven years in Saudi Arabia he moved to Kuwait where in his spare time enjoys sailing, both racing and teaching.

Read more about Paul (not up to date, only to 2002)

Mark McDermott
Mark is only one of only three Britons who have climbed to the summit Everest without supplemental oxygen. He was on the same expedition as Roland to the north side of Everest when they both summitted on May 22, 2001. He has also climbed Cho Oyu without supplemental oxygen.

Mark has a very impressive record of long distance running, both fell running and ultra marathons. In 1997 he won the Hardrock Hundred (miler) in the US with his friend, Mark Hartrell, in 30 hours and 33 minutes.

He still holds the Tranter’s Round record at 12 hours and 50 minutes- this combines the Lochaber Traverse with the Mamores, the parallel range to the south The Mamores contain eleven Munros (counting the recently promoted Sgorr an Iubhair). The total ascent in Tranter's Round is around 6300m.

Read more about Mark

Henry Lickorish
Henry combines his passion for mountaineering with his work as a professional geologist, he has travelled to almost every mountain range we can think of!

Henry’s first trip overseas was in 1987 to Mt Bayinchwuma (5551m) located in the Fenghuoshan range of Tibet. See below for a brief summary of where he has been since!

South America: Cordillera Blanca & Bolivian Andes treks; Patagonia Ice-cap ski traverse; and Aconcagua.

Himalaya: Indian himalaya bicycle tour Delhi-Manali-Leh-Srinagar-Delhi; Yazghill Glacier expedition in Pakistan; and in Nepal the Drahmo Expedition near Kanchenjunga N basecamp.

Europe & Artic: climbed extensively in the Alps when living in Zurich for 3 years; in 1994 went to the Caucasus’s with summits of four peaks including Elbrus at 5651m; in 1996 and 2003 visits to South Greenland and in 2000 a mountain bike tour of Iceland to a wild and remote area.

Africa & Middle east: Atlas Mountains mountain bike tour; trip to Mt Kenya on Pt Lenana; and has just come back from a rock climbing trip to the mountains of Wadi Rum (Jordan).

North America: Henry currently lives in Calgary, Canada and makes regular climbing and skiing visits to the Rockies!