Maxime Chaya (; born 16 December 1961) is a Lebanese mountaineer and

explorer Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some Expectation (epistemic), expectation of Discovery (observation), discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organis ...

. On May 15, 2006, he was the first Lebanese to climb

Mount Everest Mount Everest (), known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Qomolangma in Tibet, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and marks part of the China–Nepal border at it ...

and the Seven Summits. On December 28, 2007, Max also became the first from the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

to reach the

South Pole The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is the point in the Southern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True South Pole to distinguish ...

on foot from the

Antarctic The Antarctic (, ; commonly ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the South Pole, lying within the Antarctic Circle. It is antipodes, diametrically opposite of the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antar ...

coast, after an unsupported and unassisted journey that lasted 47 days. Then, on April 25, 2009, he reached the

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...

also on foot, all the way from Canada.

Biography

Maxime Edgard Chaya was born and raised in

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

until the year 1975 when the civil war saw him and his family take refuge abroad. He pursued his education overseas in Greece, France, Canada and the United Kingdom, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Honors degree from the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

(LSE). Chaya then spent a year as a trainee at Republic National Bank of New York's head office on

Fifth Avenue Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. The avenue runs south from 143rd Street (Manhattan), West 143rd Street in Harlem to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. The se ...

before foregoing post-graduate studies and returning home to take over the family's foreign exchange business. In 1999, he founded his own company VO2max, and through it, organized races and competitions for Lebanese youth of all ages.

Cycling Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...

, both

road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...

and

mountain biking Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...

triathlon A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of Swimming (sport), swimming, Cycle sport, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the ...

road running Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road. This differs from track and field on a regular track and cross country running over natural terrain. These events are usually classified as long-distance ru ...

, trail-running,

rock climbing Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...

, ski touring, and freeride were all part of the VO2MAX challenge series of events from 1999 to 2003. Besides organizing events for others, and the youth in particular, Chaya showed great interest in competing personally, and seemed to excel in every discipline he would adopt. Despite the lack of professional training and advice (owing in part due to the

Lebanese Civil War The Lebanese Civil War ( ) was a multifaceted armed conflict that took place from 1975 to 1990. It resulted in an estimated 150,000 fatalities and led to the exodus of almost one million people from Lebanon. The religious diversity of the ...

), his rigorous training, coupled with unfailing determination, perseverance and willpower won him several awards and trophies in a host of disciplines both at national and international level. Chaya now resides in

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

with his two children: Edgard and Kelly. Despite work and family life, he has kept his fitness level at the very top but has gradually put down his rackets, skates, and various balls to take up more open-air sports such as

trail running Trail running is a type of running that takes place on outdoor trails, often in mountainous terrain, and often includes significant ascents and descents. It is similar to both mountain running, mountain and fell running (also known as hill r ...

, biking,

backcountry skiing Backcountry skiing ( US), also called off-piste (Europe), alpine touring, freeriding or out-of-area, is skiing in the backcountry on unmarked or unpatrolled areas either inside or outside a ski resort's boundaries. This contrasts with alpine s ...

, and

climbing Climbing is the activity of using one's hands, feet, or other parts of the body to ascend a steep topographical object that can range from the world's tallest mountains (e.g. the eight thousanders) to small boulders. Climbing is done for locom ...

. Since his partnership with Bank Audi on the "Seven Summits Project" in January 2003, it has been one successful expedition after another for Chaya, acquiring experience, knowledge and wisdom, while discovering new limits within him, and 'Growing Beyond His Potential' summit after summit. On August 5, 2013, Chaya and his two crew-mates beat the world speed record in rowing the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...

. The three adventurers, Chaya, the Faroese Livar Nysted and the British Stuart Kershaw crossed from Geraldton in the Western Australia and rowed alternatively, during 57 days, 19 hours, 25 minutes and 52 seconds exactly. They were also the first crew of three ever to cross any ocean. In December 2016, Maxime and his British friend and teammate Steve Holyoak were the first ever to cross a sand desert on bicycles. They chose the Empty Quarter and rode their fat bikes unassisted from

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most popu ...

UAE on the Arabian Gulf all the way south to

Salalah Salalah () is the capital and largest city of the southern Omani Governorates of Oman, governorate of Dhofar Governorate, Dhofar. It has a population close to 331,949. Salalah is the third-largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, and the largest ...

Oman on the

some 1,500 km and 21 days later.

Major sporting achievements

National

* National champion in several disciplines including squash,

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing whereby skiers traverse snow-covered terrain without use of ski lifts or other assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreational activity; however, some still use it as a m ...

and

cycling Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...

* Four times winner of the Redbull Sno-to-Sea (

– 2003 to 2006)

International

Numerous national representations at international events. * 2nd overall: "Trophée du Nil" (

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

– 1998) * 3rd overall: "Raid Thai" (

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

– 1999) * 1st place: "Kenya Sports Safari" (

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

– 2001) * 23rd: UCI World Masters Championships (Canada – 2001) * Among the first Lebanese to complete an "Ironman" triathlon (the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

– 2002)

Expeditions

In 2000, while on a visit to

for an international

stage race that he won, Chaya went on to climb

Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Kilimanjaro () is a dormant volcano in Tanzania. It is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain above sea level in the world, at above sea level and above its plateau base. It is also the highest volcano i ...

in nearby

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

. Little did he know that this was to be the first of his 'Seven Summits', and as he watched the sunrise from the roof of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, he pondered over his desire to challenge himself yet further on these new sports grounds in the great outdoors: the high mountain. Over a three-year climbing odyssey, Chaya took on each of the 'Seven Summits' (the highest peak on each continent), raising the Lebanese flag – and national pride – on every occasion. Still intent on thriving, Chaya subsequently went on to achieve the 'Three Poles'. In 2006,

Discovery Channel Discovery Channel, known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery, is an American cable channel that is best known for its ongoing reality television shows and promotion of pseudoscience. It init ...

launched a reality television series entitled '' Everest: Beyond the Limit''. It is a multi-episode documentary that portrays the two-month expedition and the struggles, highs, lows, triumphs and despairs of 11 climbers aspiring to stand on the summit of the world's highest peak. Chaya was one of those climbers. The series turned-out to be a tremendous success to the point that it was repeated in subsequent years, with different climbers in what was known as Series II and Series III. Maxime Chaya receives Guiness World Record

Maxime Chaya receives Guiness World Record

As Chaya said in many interviews about his Everest expedition, reaching the summit – and more importantly, coming back – should never be taken for granted. This is a serious endeavor that could put even the finest climbers' lives at risk. Everest may not be as technical as some other 8,000 meter peaks, yet its sheer height greatly magnifies any problem that is not dealt with immediately. This – the altitude – is what makes Chomolungma (the Tibetan name for Everest) unique and worthy of all the respect it deserves. On May 15, 2006, Chaya, exhausted after his successful summit bid, saw his triumph turn to tragedy, as he encountered a dying climber on his way back from the summit of Everest in a cave in Death Zone, alongside the body of another dead climber known as Green Boots. The name of the mortally ill climber was David Sharp. Chaya and his Tibetan Sherpa Dorjee, tried their utmost to help, despite the risk to their own lives under depleted oxygen conditions. They spent more than an hour next to the stricken climber, whom they did not know, desperately trying to revive him. Unfortunately, Sharp was unconscious and frozen from the knees down and did not respond to the oxygen administered. Chaya, distraught by the man's condition, as evident by the recorded transcripts of his frantic radio calls to basecamp, eventually forced himself to come to terms with the fact that nothing more could have been done for Sharp at that critical stage. He reported, "He was much closer to death than he was to life." Chaya was deeply touched by David Sharpe's mother, who expressed her gratitude to him and reassured him that she was confident that he had done the best possible for her son, under impossible conditions. Chaya subsequently went on to achieve the Three Poles Challenge. He reached the

– S90 – unassisted and unsupported on December 28, 2007, after setting off from the Hercules Inlet 48 days earlier with his teammates from Canada,

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

, Norway and Switzerland. A year and a half later, on April 25, 2009, Chaya and his two teammates from the USA reached the North Pole – N90 – after a 53 days on the ice unassisted. He then became the 16th person to achieve the Three Poles Challenge and the 6th ever to achieve both the Seven Summits and the Three Poles Challenge. Still intent on thriving, Chaya took to the high seas. After years of planning, preparation and training he set off from

Geraldton Geraldton (Wajarri language, Wajarri: ''Jambinu'', Wilunyu language, Wilunyu: ''Jambinbirri'') is a coastal city in the Mid West (Western Australia), Mid West region of Western Australia, north of the state capital, Perth. As of the , Geraldt ...

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

on June 9, 2013 aboard his rowboat "tRIO". Along with his two crewmates from the

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ) (alt. the Faroes) are an archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean and an autonomous territory of the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. Located between Iceland, Norway, and the United Kingdom, the islands have a populat ...

and

they reached

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

57 days later on August 5. The trio were awarded two

Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...

when the Ocean Rowing Society homologated their time as the fastest row across the

in 57 days 15 hours 49 minutes. They are also the first three-man crew ever to row an ocean. Chaya is believed to be the only person ever to have succeeded in climbing the Seven Summits, reaching the Three Poles Challenge and rowing an ocean.

Climbed peaks and reached landmarks

Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (, ) is a mountain in the Alps, rising above sea level, located right at the Franco-Italian border. It is the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus Mountains, the second-most prominent mountain in Europe (after Mount E ...

(France/Italy) * Cho Oyu (Tibet/Nepal) * Mount Aspiring / Tititea (New Zealand) * The Geographical

(the Arctic Circle) * The

(Antarctica) * Mount Ama Dablam (Nepal) * The

Matterhorn The , ; ; ; or ; ; . is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the Main chain of the Alps, main watershed and border between Italy and Switzerland. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, ...

(Switzerland/Italy)

Climbed, and raised the Lebanese flag on all Seven Summits

– 5,895m (

– September 2001) * Mount McKinley/Denali – 6,196m (

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

– June 2003) *

Aconcagua Aconcagua () is a mountain in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes mountain range, in Mendoza Province, Argentina. It is the highest mountain in the Americas, the highest outside Asia, and the highest in both the Western Hemisphere and the ...

– 6,961m (

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

– January 2004) *

Vinson Massif Vinson Massif () is a large mountain massif in Antarctica that is long and wide and lies within the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains. It overlooks the Ronne Ice Shelf near the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. The massif is located ab ...

– 4,892m (

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

– December 2004) * Mount Elbrus – 5,642m (Russia – July 2005) * Carstensz Pyramid – 4,884m (

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

– November 2005) *

– 8,848m (

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

– May 2006)

Public recognition

Awards and distinctions

*December 2003: Knighted by the President of the Republic. " National Order of the Cedar" – Rank: Knight. *May 2006: Decorated by the President of the Republic. " National Order of the Cedar" – Rank: Officer. *May 2008: Awarded the "Paul Harris Fellowship" by the

Rotary Foundation The Rotary Foundation is a non-profit corporation that supports the efforts of Rotary International to achieve world understanding and peace through international humanitarian, educational, and cultural exchange programs. It is supported solely ...

of Rotary International.

Stamps

*July 2007: Postal Stamp Issued by the Ministry of Finance commemoration Chaya's ascent of Mount Everest *April 2008: Fiscal Stamp Issued by the Ministry of Finance commemorating Chaya's South Pole Success.

Calling cards

*March 2008: Kalam Cards (calling cards) issued by the Ministry of Telecommunications commemorating Chaya's successes. Two cards: One commemorating the Everest success on May 15, 2006; and another card commemorating the South Pole success on December 28, 2007.

Inspirational speaking

Schools, Universities and Clubs

As part of his own CSR, Chaya regularly visits school, universities and clubs across the region delivering his presentation entitled: "There is an Everest for Everyone". SteepDreams

List of some Schools and Universities visited by Maxime Chaya to address and motivate the students: * International College *Antonine Sisters School - Mar Elias Ghazir-Lebanon * Repton School –

Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...

*Beirut Modern School * Notre Dame de la Paix des filles de la Charite – Kobayat *Modern Community School * Wellspring Community School Exhibition – Max Museum *Graduation Sagesse Technique * City International School * ACS * American School of Dubai *École des Sœurs des Saints Cœurs – Zahle *Collège des Sœurs des St Cœurs - Kfar Hbaab Ghazir * Lycée Franco - Libanais / Remise des Diplômes * Collège Saint Joseph – Antoura – Aintoura * Collège des Sœurs des Saints Cœurs – Bouchrieh *Saydet Al Ataya – Dekwaneh *St. Hripsimiantz College * Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais *Alba –

Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts The Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA; ) was originally a stand-alone Lebanon, Lebanese institute, now one of the Faculty (university), faculties at the University of Balamand, teaching courses in fine art. It was founded in 1937, and it was the ...

* Dubai Women's College * Armenian Mesrobian School * Collège Notre Dame de Jamhour on the independence day celebration November 2010

Companies

Chaya also speaks to companies at annual events. He delivers a more elaborate, corporate presentation also entitled "There is an Everest to Everyone" where he draws the parallel between mountain climbing and the challenge of business and life. Maxchaya

Royal Dutch Shell Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company, headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New ...

–

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

(July 2009) *

PepsiCo PepsiCo, Inc. is an American multinational corporation, multinational food, snack, and beverage corporation headquartered in Harrison, New York, in the hamlet of Purchase, New York, Purchase. PepsiCo's business encompasses all aspects of the f ...

–

(June 2009) *

Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technologies corporation headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Its common stock is a c ...

–

Sharm el Sheikh Sharm El Sheikh (, , literally "bay of the Sheikh"), alternatively rendered Sharm el-Sheikh, Sharm el Sheikh, or Sharm El-Sheikh, is an Egyptian city on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, in South Sinai Governorate, on the coastal strip alo ...

(May 2008) *United Motors Agency – KSA (April 2008) *

Honeywell Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building automation, industrial automa ...

–

(April 2008) * Abbott Pharmaceuticals –

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

(March 2008) *

General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...

–

UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a federal elective monarchy made up of seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi serving as i ...

(March 2008) * RasGas –

(February 2008) * L'Oréal – United States (January 2008) * OBEGI Consumer Products –

(June 2007) *

Hewlett Packard The Hewlett-Packard Company, commonly shortened to Hewlett-Packard ( ) or HP, was an American multinational information technology company. It was founded by Bill Hewlett and David Packard in 1939 in a one-car garage in Palo Alto, Californi ...

–

(May 2007) * Schneider Electric –

(March 2007) *

Leo Burnett Leo Burnett (October 21, 1891 – June 7, 1971) was an American advertising executive and the founder of Leo Burnett Company, Inc. He was responsible for creating some of advertising's most well-known characters and campaigns of the 20th cen ...

–

(February 2007) * Medco –

(January 2007) * Boston Scientific –

(July 2006) *

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...

–

(January 2006)

Philanthropy

Charities

In spite of controversy concerning mountaineer David Sharp, Chaya is increasingly solicited to endorse and speak on behalf of charities and NGOs across the region and beyond: * Oum El Nour *Tobacco Free Initiative – Lebanon * Arc-En-Ciel * Social and Economic Action for Lebanon (SEAL) –

* Toufoula –

*Chance –

* Heartbeat –

NGOs

* ThinkGreen

Board memberships

* Beirut Marathon Association *World Links

Publications

*Book: ''Steep Dreams: My journey to the Top of the World'' *Comic book: ''Maximum Max - Vol.1: Metamorphosis on the Magic Mountain'' *Comic book: ''Maximum Max - Vol.2: Prince of Peaks'' Lebanon's foremost sportsman and climber, Maxime Chaya was the first person from his country to hoist its flag atop Everest, and he did so en route to ascending the highest mountain on every continent – the Seven Summits – while also skiing to the North and South Poles. Written in conjunction with New York Times bestselling author Richard Buskin, and illustrated with more than 700 stunning, high-quality, comprehensively captioned photos, 'Steep Dreams: My Journey to the Top of the World' tells the story of Max's adventure-based achievements; of his brushes with death in a wide variety of settings, along with the physical pain, mental anguish, soul-searching, emotional highs and ultimate satisfaction of not only surviving, but also learning to contend with the forces and marvels of nature. It is, in short, the gripping, sometimes harrowing, always rewarding tale of one man's incredible trans-global journey and the realization of his most heartfelt lifelong ambition.

References

External links

Chaya's Live BlogChaya's Seven Summits WebsiteChaya's Personal Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaya, Maxime Summiters of Mount Everest Living people Lebanese mountain climbers 1961 births Officers of the National Order of the Cedar Sportspeople from Beirut Alumni of the London School of Economics