Victor Saunders

British mountaineer and author

Victor Saunders is a British climber^[1] and author. He trained as an architect^[2] at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. His first book, Elusive Summits, won the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature in 1991. He became as a UIAGM/IFMGA ski and mountain guide in 1996 and joined the SNGM (National Syndicate of French Mountain Guides) in 2003. Saunders first reached the summit of Mount Everest in May 2004, and went on to climb it several more times.^[3]^[4] In 2020 he became president of the Alpine Club.^[5]

He lives in Les Houches,^[6] near Chamonix, France.^[7]

Notable climbs

The climbs are listed in date order.

2017 - Mount Tyree^[8]
2016 - Sersank Peak^[9]
2016 - Carstensz Pyramid-Puncak Java
2014 - Mount McKinley-Denali
2013 - Aconcagua^[7]
2013 - Chamsen
2012 - Mount Elbrus
2012 - Dykh-Tau
2010 - Everest ^[10]
2007 - Ama Dablam^[11]
2007 - Everest
2006 - Everest^[12]
2005 - Everest
2004 - Ama Dablam^[13]
2004 - Everest ^[14]^[3]
1997 - Cho Oyu
1996 - Mustagh Ata
1995 - Bhutan
1995 - Ecuador Volcanoes, Chimborazo and Cotopaxi
1994 - Panch Chuli Trek
1994 - Hatezan Zom
1993 - Bhutan Basingtang
1993 - Gondoro La
1993 - K2 - Saunders returned from 8000m during rescue operations.
1992 - Panch Chuli V - first ascent, with Dick Renshaw, Stephen Sustad & Stephen Venables
1992 - Rajramba - New route up SE Ridge with Dick Renshaw, Stephen Sustad & Stephen Venables
1991 - Elbrus
1991 - Karakoram
1991 - Ultar
1989 - Kangchuntse, a subsidiary summit of Makalu - First ascent of West Face with Stephen Sustad
1988 - Jitchu Drake - First ascent
1987 - Golden Pillar of Spantik, Pakistan - First ascent with Mick Fowler
1986 - Ushba - West Face Direct
1986 - The Icicle Factory and White Wedding Cuillin, Isle of Skye - First ascents, with Mick Fowler
1985 - Rimo I - attempt with Stephen Venables
1984 - Bojohagur Duanisir - attempt with Phil Butler
1978 - Eiger - North Face in winter, with Stevie Haston^[15]
1978 - Shield Direct, Ben Nevis - the first route on Ben Nevis to be graded VI

Publications

Elusive Summits: Four Expeditions in the Karakoram, 1990
Trekking and Climbing in the Andes (Trekking and Climbing Guides), 2002, by Kate Harper, Val Pitkethly and Victor Saunders
Alpes Occidentales: Trekking y Alpinismo, 2002, by Victor Saunders and Hilary Sharp
Himalaya: The Tribulations of Mick & Vic co-written with Mick Fowler, which won the Grand Prize at the Passy International Mountain Book Festival, 2015
No Place to Fall: Superalpinism in the High Himalaya, 2017
Structured Chaos: The Unusual Life of a Climber, Vertebrate Publishing, 2021

References

^ Beaumont, Peter; Douglas, Ed (21 May 2006). "Has mighty Everest been reduced to a playground?" – via www.theguardian.com.
^ "Bonington's last big challenge: the secret summit of Tibet". The Independent. 26 January 1998. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Himalayan Database Expedition Archives of Elizabeth Hawley".
^ "Join Cooperative Activities".
^ Travers, Emma (28 January 2020). "International winter climbing meet attracts top ice climbers". www.thebmc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
^ Pfanner, Eric (13 July 2012). "A Blinding Rush of Snow Leaves Tragedy in the Alps". New York Times.
^ ^a ^b "Victor Saunders | Guide". Adventure Consultants.
^ "ALE Summits Mount Tyree". 25 February 2017.
^ Franz, Derek. "Mick Fowler and Victor Saunders make first ascent of Sersank Peak's north face". www.alpinist.com. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
^ "Maltese climbers conquer Everest". Times of Malta.
^ "Himalayan Database Expedition Archives of Elizabeth Hawley".
^ "Himalayan Database Expedition Archives of Elizabeth Hawley".
^ "Himalayan Database Expedition Archives of Elizabeth Hawley".
^ "168 Summits of Everest from Nepal in 2004: South Side Summits". www.everestnews2004.com.
^ Saunders, Victor (2021). Structured Chaos: The Unusual Life of a Climber. Sheffield, United Kingdom: Vertebrate Publishing.