Vernon "Vern" Tejas is an American
mountain climber
Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become mounta ...
and
mountain guide. He is the current world record holder in the amount of time taken to summit all of the
Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains on each of the seven traditional continents. On 30 April 1985, Richard Bass became the first climber to reach the summit of all seven.
In January 2023, ''Climbing (magazine), Climbing'' said "Today, t ...
consecutively, having also previously held the same record. He was also the first person to solo summit several of the world's tallest peaks. Tejas was named one of the top fifty Alaskan athletes of the twentieth century by ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' in 2002.
In 2012, he was elected to the
Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. Tejas plays the harmonica and guitar. He currently resides in
Greenwich Village, New York.
Life and times
Vernon Tejas was born on 16 March 1953 at
Portland, Oregon
Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...
, the son of
Phillip Sand Hansel and Janice Elaine Hansel. Tejas was born Vernon Edward Hansel and later changed his name to Vernon Tejas.
Career
From Oregon, Tejas headed north and ended up in Alaska. He went to work on The Alaska Pipeline and for
Alaska Telecom, and enjoyed tower work where he built and maintained communication towers on
North Slope in Alaska. He is now with
Alpine Ascents International as a senior international high altitude alpine mountain guide.
Mountain climbing
Tejas became a mountain guide and
mountain rescuer operating in the
Andes
The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...
,
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...
, the
Alaska Range
The Alaska Range is a relatively narrow, mountain range in the Southcentral Alaska, southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, from Lake Clark at its southwest endSources differ as to the exact delineation of the Alaska Range. ThBoard on G ...
, and
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. ...
during the 1980s.
In 1980, he was part of the team that summited
Mount Hunter in the winter season for the first time. The team consisted of Gary Bocarde, Paul Denkewalter, Vernon Tejas.
The ascent began on
Kahiltna Glacier. Their climb was via the Northwest Spur. The Northwest Spur is also known as the Lowe-Kennedy Route, after
Michael Kennedy and
George Lowe made the ascent with this route in 1977. The team took their supplies to the base of Triangle Face, which was located a few thousand feet above their base camp and established an advanced camp. They climbed the Triangle Face and headed for Mushroom Ridge. Next the team climbed and reached the summit of Mount Hunter.
In the autumn of 1982, Tejas broke his ankle while rock climbing in
Yosemite
Yosemite National Park ( ) is a national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service ...
. The doctors had to wait a week for the swelling to subside before setting the fracture with a cast. The stress the ankle was subjected to over the years took its toll. The pursuits of a mountaineer and a high altitude alpine mountain guide had destroyed the cartilage in between the
subtalar joint
In human anatomy, the subtalar joint, also known as the
talocalcaneal joint, is a joint of the foot. It occurs at the meeting point of the talus and the calcaneus.
The joint is classed structurally as a synovial joint, and functionally as a pl ...
. In 2010, S. Robert Rozbruch, M.D. of the
Hospital for Special Surgery
Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is an academic medical center and research institution headquartered in New York City that specializes in the treatment of orthopedic and rheumatologic conditions. Its main campus is located at 535 East 70th S ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
utilized the
Ilizarov technique and injected
stem cells
In multicellular organisms, stem cells are undifferentiated or partially differentiated cells that can change into various types of cells and proliferate indefinitely to produce more of the same stem cell. They are the earliest type of cell ...
into the fixated
subtalar joint
In human anatomy, the subtalar joint, also known as the
talocalcaneal joint, is a joint of the foot. It occurs at the meeting point of the talus and the calcaneus.
The joint is classed structurally as a synovial joint, and functionally as a pl ...
to stimulate the growth of cartilage. The procedure is known as ankle distraction.
In 1986, he led the first winter summiting of
Mount Logan
Mount Logan ( ) is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America after Denali (McKinley). The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada ...
. Around this time he also made several summits of
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 ...
, two of which led to descents to the base camp via a
mountain bike
A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling (''mountain biking''). Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in r ...
, and then a
paraglider
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched Glider (aircraft), glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a :wikt:harness, harness or in ...
, both of which he took to the peak himself along the climb.
In 1988 he became the first person to paraglide from the
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 ...
in Antarctica,
and later became the first man to solo ascend the mountain.
He has also paraglided from the summit of
Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus; ; is the highest mountain in Russia and Europe. It is a dormant stratovolcano rising above sea level, and is the highest volcano in Eurasia, as well as the tenth-most prominent peak in the world. It is situated in the south ...
.
In 1988, Tejas became the first person to successfully solo climb
Denali
Denali (), federally designated as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak on land, measuring . On p. 20 of Helm ...
(formerly named Mount McKinley) during the winter season. He had previously summited the peak several times as a mountain guide.
[Freedman, Lew. (1 October 1990). ''Dangerous Steps. Vernon Tejas and the Solo Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley''. Stackpole Books. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. .] During the climb, Tejas carried an aluminum ladder as a part of his safety equipment so as to prevent becoming stuck in a
crevasse
A crevasse is a deep crack that forms in a glacier or ice sheet. Crevasses form as a result of the movement and resulting stress associated with the shear stress generated when two semi-rigid pieces above a plastic substrate have different rate ...
.
In 2011, he recorded his fiftieth summit of Denali.
He has also summited the northernmost peak in the world,
Helvetia Tinde.
In 1989, he began guiding for Alpine Ascents International.
In 1992, Tejas was part of the team that measured the exact height of
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 was the team member that planted the prism pole at the top of the mountain so that lasers could be used to measure the exact altitude.
On 12 May 1992, Tejas, Todd Burleson and
Peter Athans placed laser prisms from
Bradford Washburn on the summit of
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 ...
as part of a study to determine the height.
[Angus-Leppan, P. V. (1982). The Height of Mount Everest. ''Survey Review''. 26(206): 367-385.][Ward, Michael. (1995). The Height of Mount Everest. ''Alpine Journal''.][Washburn, B. (1999). New official height of Everest. ''National Geographic''. 11, 76.][Washburn, Bradford, & Freedman, Lew. (2013). Bradford Washburn, An Extraordinary Life: The Autobiography of a Mountaineering Icon. Graphic Arts Books.]
In 1994, Tejas helped guide
Norman D. Vaughan up his namesake Antarctic mountain
Mount Vaughan (named for his aid of Richard Byrd in Byrd's 1928 Antarctic expedition) in the days leading up to Norman Vaughan's 89th birthday.
In 2010, Tejas set the world record for the fastest period in which a person has climbed all
seven of the world's highest mountain summits, at 134 days.
He is also the only person to have summited all seven on at least ten separate occasions, and has climbed all seven twice within a year.
He had previously held the record in 2005 at 187 days. During the period of the new record, he also scaled
Puncak Jaya
Puncak Jaya (; literally "Victorious Peak", Amungme: ''Nemangkawi Ninggok'') or Carstensz Pyramid (, , ) on the island of New Guinea, with an elevation of , is the highest mountain peak of an island on Earth, and the highest peak in Indones ...
(also known as Carstensz Pyramid) in
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, ...
on the island of
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...
.
Significant ascents
*First person to climb
Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains on each of the seven traditional continents. On 30 April 1985, Richard Bass became the first climber to reach the summit of all seven.
In January 2023, ''Climbing (magazine), Climbing'' said "Today, t ...
10 times. On 12 May 1992, Tejas was the youngest person (at the time) to ascend the Seven Summits.
*
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 ...
, 11 guided summit ascents.
*
Denali
Denali (), federally designated as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak on land, measuring . On p. 20 of Helm ...
, 54 guided ascents, 1st solo winter ascent, 1st
paraglider
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched Glider (aircraft), glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a :wikt:harness, harness or in ...
descent, 14:50 speed ascent. During the Denali solo winter ascent, when Tejas reached the summit he planted a Japanese flag to commemorate the heroic efforts of
Naomi Uemura. In 1984, Uemari had reached the summit attempting a solo winter ascent but disappeared on the descent and his body has never been found.
[Bragg, Beth. (15 December 2016). Alaska Sports Hall of Fame welcomes mushers and a star of Native games. Sports. ''Alaska Dispatch News''.]
*
Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus; ; is the highest mountain in Russia and Europe. It is a dormant stratovolcano rising above sea level, and is the highest volcano in Eurasia, as well as the tenth-most prominent peak in the world. It is situated in the south ...
, 34 guided ascents, 3:20 speed ascent from hut, and paraglide descent.
*
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 ...
, 25 guided ascents, 8:02 speed ascent, and paraglide descent.
*
Carstensz Pyramid, 3 guided ascents via Jungle route.
*
Mount Vinson
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 a ...
, 36 guided ascents and personal ascent, 1st solo ascent, 10:20 speed ascent, 1st
paraglide descent.
*
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 ...
, 15 guided ascents and 10:45 speed ascent.
*
Mount Hunter, Alaska, first winter ascent.
*
Mount Logan
Mount Logan ( ) is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America after Denali (McKinley). The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada ...
, first winter ascent.
*
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 ...
, 3 guided ascents and personal ascent.
*
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier ( ), also known as Tahoma, is a large active stratovolcano in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest in the United States. The mountain is located in Mount Rainier National Park about south-southeast of Seattle. With an off ...
, 2 guided ascents.
*
Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu ( Nepali: चोयु; ; ) is the sixth-highest mountain in the world at above sea level. Cho Oyu means " Turquoise Goddess" in Tibetan. The mountain is the westernmost major peak of the '' Khumbu'' sub-section of the Mahalangur Him ...
, 1 guided ascent.
*He has also ascended
Chimborazo
Chimborazo () is a stratovolcano situated in Ecuador in the Cordillera Occidental (Ecuador), Cordillera Occidental range of the Andes. Its last known Types of volcanic eruptions, eruption is believed to have occurred around AD 550. Although not ...
,
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, ...
,
Mount Kinabalu
Mount Kinabalu ( Dusun: ''Gayo Ngaran'' or ''Nulu Nabalu'', ) is the highest mountain in Malaysia and Borneo. With a height of , it is the third-highest peak of an island on Earth, the 28th highest peak in Southeast Asia, and 20th most prom ...
, and
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi () is an active stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains, located near Latacunga city of Cotopaxi Province, about south of Quito, and northeast of the city of Latacunga, Ecuador. It is the second highest summit in Ecuador (after Chim ...
.
Greenland and Helvetia Tinde
*
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. It is by far the largest geographically of three constituent parts of the kingdom; the other two are metropolitan Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Citizens of Greenlan ...
, world's northernmost mountain.
[Gardiner, Steve. (2002). North America, Greenland, North Peary Land, First Ascents, a Traverse of the Peninsula and Confirmation of the World's Most Northerly Peak. Climbs and Expeditions. AAJ. ''The American Alpine Journal''. 44(76): 286.]
In 2001, a nine-person team on the
Return To The Top Of The World Expedition (RTOW2001) landed at
Frigg Fjord. The group traversed the peninsula to the north, and made their way up the
Syd Glacier, then crossed the
Polkorridoren, and proceeded down the
Nord Glacier. As the team crossed, five climbers: John Jancik, Joe Sears, Vernon Tejas, Ken Zerbst, and Steve Gardiner made the second ascent of
Helvetia Tinde on 17 July 2001 via a new route up the east ridge. In 1969, the British Joint Services Expedition first climbed the 1920 meter summit of Helvetia Tinde.
Helvetia Tinde is the highest peak in the most northerly mountain range on Earth, a mere 750 km from the geographic
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 ...
. On 18 July 2001, all nine team members: David Baker, Terri Baker, John Jancik, Jim McCrain, Jim Schaefer, Joe Sears, Vernon Tejas, Ken Zerbst, and Steve Gardiner made the first ascent of the highest as yet not climbed peak in the northern most mountain range on Earth. On reaching the north coast, the team recorded altitudes of summits, altitudes of saddles, and GPS readings for 14 peaks. On 23 July 2001, a team crossed the
sea ice
Sea ice arises as seawater freezes. Because ice is less density, dense than water, it floats on the ocean's surface (as does fresh water ice). Sea ice covers about 7% of the Earth's surface and about 12% of the world's oceans. Much of the world' ...
at
Sands Fjord to make first ascents of several peaks on
Cape Christian IV. On 25 July 2001, Sears, Tejas, and Gardiner climbed additional peaks in the area that included Peak 6. The whole team continued east along the coast to
Cape Morris Jesup, and met up with their pilot and airplane to return to the United States. The team's data was submitted to the appropriate experts in Denmark and the United States. The results indicated that Peak 6, at 83°, 36.427' north, is the summit of the most northern mountain on Earth.
[
]
Significant explorations
*First traverse of Wrangell-St. Elias Range in Alaska.
*Ski mountain guide for Shackleton Traverse, 2 times. In November 2012, the Shackleton Crossing Team consisted of Laurie Goldsmith and Richard Goldsmith, husband and wife retirees from the United States, Anja Schikarski, a speech and language pathologist from Ulm, Germany; Harald Helleport, a postal worker from Vienna, Austria
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
; Scott Anderson, a veterinary surgeon from Pacific Palisades, California
Pacific Palisades is a neighborhood in the Westside Los Angeles, Westside region of the city of Los Angeles, California, situated about west of downtown Los Angeles. Throughout January 2025, the majority of Pacific Palisades was severely affec ...
; Joel Robinson, a retired engineer from La Canada Flintridge, California; Franz Schondorfer from Germany; Carole Tejas and Vern Tejas, a husband and wife team from the United States; Rick Sweitzer from the United States; and Paul Schurke from the United States. Guides for the team were Vern Tejas, Rick Sweitzer, and Paul Schurke.
*Ski guide, Last Degree to 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 ...
, 2 times
*Ski guide, Last Degree to 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 ...
. In April 2012, Tejas was a ski guide for the North Pole Last Degree Ski Expedition. The team consisted of Michael Stringfellow, a radiologist
Radiology ( ) is the medical specialty that uses medical imaging to diagnose diseases and guide treatment within the bodies of humans and other animals. It began with radiography (which is why its name has a root referring to radiation), but tod ...
from Central Coast, Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
; Simon Hearn, an executive recruiter from London, England
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
; Alex Hearn, son of Simon; Lien Choong Luen from Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
; Jianhong Li from China; Xiaohua Lu from China; John Dahlem from the United States; Vern Tejas from the United States; Keith Heger from the United States; and Rick Sweitzer from the United States.
*Scout, Overland Traverse to 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 ...
*Kayak
]
A kayak is a small, narrow human-powered watercraft typically propelled by means of a long, double-bladed paddle. The word ''kayak'' originates from the Inuktitut word '' qajaq'' (). In British English, the kayak is also considered to be ...
guide for Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
, Santorini
Santorini (, ), officially Thira (, ) or Thera, is a Greek island in the southern Aegean Sea, about southeast from the mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago formed by the Santorini caldera. It is the southern ...
, and Crete
Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
Moon-Regan TransAntarctic Expedition
*First wheeled crossing of Antarctica. The Moon Regan TransAntarctic Expedition was a 10-man team headed up by Andrew Regan and Andrew Moon. In November 2010, the expedition traveled from the west coast of Antarctica at Patriot Hills to the South Pole (retracing the steps of the famous Vivian Fuchs
Sir Vivian Ernest Fuchs ( ; 11 February 1908 – 11 November 1999) was an English scientist-explorer and expedition organizer. He led the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition which reached the South Pole overland in 1958.
Biography
Fuch ...
and Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary (20 July 1919 – 11 January 2008) was a New Zealand mountaineering, mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Sherpa people, Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the Timeline of M ...
Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition
The Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition (CTAE) of 1955–1958 was a Commonwealth-sponsored expedition that successfully completed the first overland crossing of Antarctica, via the South Pole. It was the first expedition to reach the South ...
), and then north to McMurdo Sound
The McMurdo Sound is a sound in Antarctica, known as the southernmost passable body of water in the world, located approximately from the South Pole.
Captain James Clark Ross discovered the sound in February 1841 and named it after Lieutenant ...
across the Transantarctic Mountains
The Transantarctic Mountains (abbreviated TAM) comprise a mountain range of uplifted rock (primarily sedimentary) in Antarctica which extends, with some interruptions, across the continent from Cape Adare in northern Victoria Land to Coats L ...
. Members of the team were: Andrew Regan, British entrepreneur and businessman; Andrew Moon, lawyer and competent sailor from the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory, and the largest by population. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located so ...
; Paul Sciefersten, cross-country skier with first aid skills; Vernon Tejas, mountain guide; Jamie Bligh, downhill skier, lead communicator for the expedition; George Pagliero, cameraman and documentary writer; Pete Ash, expedition mechanic; Gunnar Egilsson, expert snow and ice terrain driver; Astvaldur Gudmundsson, Air Ground Rescue, Iceland member and experienced snow and ice driver; and Ray Thompson, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London
Imperial College London, also known as Imperial, is a Public university, public research university in London, England. Its history began with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, who envisioned a Al ...
, research associate
Research associates are researchers (scholars and professionals) that usually have an advanced degree beyond a Bachelor's degree such as a master's degree or a PhD.
In some universities/research institutes, such as Harvard/Harvard Medical Scho ...
. The expedition utilized three vehicles: the Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle (BIV) and two six-wheel drive Science Support Vehicles (SSVs) which acted as mobile laboratories.
Awards and recognition
*Fastest time to climb the Seven Summits
The Seven Summits are the highest mountains on each of the seven traditional continents. On 30 April 1985, Richard Bass became the first climber to reach the summit of all seven.
In January 2023, ''Climbing (magazine), Climbing'' said "Today, t ...
including Carstensz (male). Vernon Tejas. Mount McKinley. United States. 31 May 2010. Following is the award citation:
Vernon Tejas (USA) set a new speed record of the Seven Summits following the combined Kosciuszko and Carstensz lists of summits. Tejas began his record attempt with Vinson Massif on 18 January 2010 and after ascents on Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid, Kosciuszko, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus and Everest, reached the top of the last summit, Mt. McKinley on 31 May 2010.
This record is for 133 days and for this Tejas was given a Guinness World Record.
*Explorers Grand Slam
The Explorer's Grand Slam is an adventurer goal to reach the North Pole and South Pole, as well as climb the Seven Summits ( Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Vinson, and Puncak Jaya or Kosciuszko).
History
The original ...
*American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club (AAC) is a non-profit member organization with more than 26,000 members. The club is housed in the American Mountaineering Center (AMC) in Golden, Colorado.
Through its members, the AAC advocates for American climbers d ...
, Lifetime member.
* Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, Moment, 2017. Vern Tejas' 1988 solo winter ascent of Denali
Denali (), federally designated as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak on land, measuring . On p. 20 of Helm ...
.[
* Alaska Sports Hall of Fame, Member, 2012. Vern Tejas' Solo Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley in 1988.
* Alaskan of the Year Award, Governor's Award, 2012.
*]National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...
, Denali Pro Pin for Rescue. In 1986, Vern Tejas and Wolfgang Wippler, along with the National Park Service, and Environmental Protection Agency helicopters, rescued Korean climbers on Denali. The climbers were suffering from ''high altitude cerebral edema
High-altitude cerebral edema (H.A.C.E) is a medical condition in which the brain swells with fluid because of the physiological effects of traveling to a high altitude. It generally appears in patients who have acute mountain sickness and involves ...
'' and were retrieved by dragging the climbers off the mountain and rescued via helicopter evacuation at a cost to the government of $23,141.
*''Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'', Top 50 Athletes From Alaska, 2000.
*''Eco-Challenge
''Eco-Challenge: The Expedition Race'' is a multi-day expedition length adventure race in which teams of four (five in the early years) competed. It originally aired on TV from April 1995 to April 2002. Based closely on the Raid Gauloises advent ...
'', finisher, 10th in 1999 and 13th place in 2001.
*United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
, 15 year member.
*In 1988, Tejas successfully completed the first parapente
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched Glider (aircraft), glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a :wikt:harness, harness or in ...
or paraglider
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched Glider (aircraft), glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure. The pilot sits in a :wikt:harness, harness or in ...
descent of 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 ...
.
Certifications
* Wilderness First Responder / CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure used during cardiac or respiratory arrest that involves chest compressions, often combined with artificial ventilation, to preserve brain function and maintain circulation until sp ...
, 8 times.
*Alaska Mountain Rescue, 20 year member.
*American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), Level 1 Avalanche Course.
Scientific contributions
*On 12 May 1992, Tejas, Todd Burleson and Peter Athans placed laser prisms from Bradford Washburn on the summit of 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 ...
as part of a study to determine a more accurate height of the peak.[
*Scientific study conducted in Nepal. Acknowledgement given to Vern Tejas, Todd Burleson, Gordon Janow, Willie Prittie, Jibhan Gimire and Bharat Karki from Alpine Ascents International.
]
Endorsements and sponsors
* Martin Guitar.
In popular media
*Host for Food Network's ''Tasting Alaska''.
*Talent ESPN TV special ''Surviving Denali'', 1994.
*Talent for National Geographic '' Ultimate Survival Alaska''.
Photograph credits
*Cover photo on ''Dangerous Steps. Vernon Tejas and the Solo Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley''.
*Cover photo on ''You Want To Go Where?''[Blumenfeld, Jeff. (17 June 2009). ''You Want To Go Where?: How to Get Someone to Pay for the Trip of Your Dreams''. Skyhorse Publishing. .]
*''Alaska Magazine'', "Cover Boy"
References
Further reading
*Freedman, Lew. (1 October 1990). ''Dangerous Steps. Vernon Tejas and the Solo Winter Ascent of Mount McKinley''. Stackpole Books. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. .
*Blumenfeld, Jeff. (17 June 2009). ''You Want To Go Where?: How to Get Someone to Pay for the Trip of Your Dreams''. Skyhorse Publishing. .
*Hamill, Mike. (4 May 2012). ''Climbing The Seven Summits. A Comprehensive Guide To The Continents' Highest Peaks''. Mountaineers Books. .
*Tejas, Vern with Freedman, Lew. (15 August 2017). ''Seventy Summits. Life in the mountains''. Blue Rivers Press. Indianapolis, Indiana. .
External links
Vernon Tejas official site
Vern Tejas, Alpine Ascents
Martin Guitars
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tejas, Vernon
American mountain climbers
Alpine guides
Ski-orienteers
1953 births
Living people
American polar explorers
American harmonica players
American summiters of Mount Everest
Summiters of the Seven Summits
Kayakers
Mountain rescue
Paraglider pilots
Guitarists from Alaska
Guitarists from Oregon
Musicians from Portland, Oregon
People from Greenwich Village
20th-century American guitarists