Victor Saunders (born c. 1950) is a British

Mountaineer 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 sports ...

, and

author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...

. He has summitted Mount Everest six times, and has climbed all the Seven Summits. His first book, ''Elusive Summits'', won the

Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature The Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature is an annual prize of £3,000 awarded by the Boardman Tasker Charitable Trust to an author or authors for "an original work which has made an outstanding contribution to mountain literature". The p ...

in 1991.

Climbing

Saunders began climbing as a child in Scotland. He would later attend Gordonstoun school, and later trained as an architect at the

Architectural Association School of Architecture The Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, commonly referred to as the AA, is the oldest private school of architecture in the UK. The AA hosts exhibitions, lectures, academic conference, symposia and publications. Histo ...

in London. Saunders first gained recognition for his climbing in 1978 with his first ascent of Shield Direct,

Ben Nevis Ben Nevis ( ; , ) is the highest mountain in Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the British Isles. Ben Nevis stands at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Highland region of Lochaber, close to the town of Fort William. The mount ...

. It was the first route on Ben Nevis to be graded VI. Later that year, he climbed the north face of the

Eiger The Eiger () is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland, just north of the main watershed and border with Valais. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends ...

in winter. In the 1980s, he began to make expeditions to the Himalayas and the

Karakoram The Karakoram () is a mountain range in the Kashmir region spanning the border of Pakistan, China, and India, with the northwestern extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Most of the Karakoram mountain range is withi ...

with fellow British climber

Mick Fowler Michael Fowler (born 1956) is a British rock climber, ice climber, mountaineer and climbing author. He is internationally noted for his alpine climbing and was awarded the Piolet d'Or three times, with Paul Ramsden (climber), Paul Ramsden, in 2 ...

. The pair would continue to climb together for the next four decades. Across the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges, Saunders would go on to make notable

first ascents In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers and climbers focused ...

on the North Pillar of

Spantik Spantik, also known as Golden Peak, is a mountain situated in the Spantik-Sosbun subrange within the Karakoram range. It is located in the Shigar District, within the Gilgit-Baltistan region administered by Pakistan. The northwest face of Spanti ...

, the east face of Uzum Brak and the first winter ascent on

Langtang Langtang Valley () also known as Lamtang Valley is a Himalayan valley in the mountains of north-central Nepal, known for its trekking routes and natural environment. Administrative The Langtang Valley lies in Rasuwa District, Rasuwa dist ...

. At age 44, he left architecture to become a professional mountain guide. In 1996, he was certified as a

UIAGM The ''Union Internationale des Associations de Guides de Montagnes'' is the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations, known alternatively by its French, German and English abbreviations: UIAGM, Union Internationale des Assoc ...

/IFMGA ski and

mountain guide A mountain guide is a specially trained and experienced professional mountaineer who is certified by local authorities or mountain guide associations. They are considered to be high-level experts in mountaineering, and are hired to instruct or ...

and joined the SNGM (National Syndicate of French Mountain Guides) in 2003. Saunders first reached 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 ...

in May 2004, and went on to climb it five more times. In 2015, writer Eric Vola published ''Les Tribulations de Mick et Vic,'' a collection of climbing stories from Saunders and Fowler. It encouraged the climbers to reunite to climb in the Himalayas once more. In 2016, he and Mick Fowler made the first ascent of Sersank Peak (6,100m) in the Indian Himalaya. It was their first time climbing together since 1987. Saunders was 66 years old at the time. In 2020 Saunders became president of the

Alpine Club Alpine clubs are typically large social clubs that revolve around climbing, hiking, and other outdoor activities. Many alpine clubs also take on aspects typically reserved for local sport associations, providing education and training courses, se ...

. In 2024, he and Fowler made the first ascent of the NW face of Yawash Sar, a 6,258m peak in Pakistan. Climbed in alpine style, the ascent in Pakistan's Karakoram was made forty years after the pair's first climb in the region. At the time of the climb, Fowler was 68 years old and Saunders was 74.

Personal life

Saunders is the son of George Von Saloschin, a Jewish immigrant from Munich who fled Germany with his family in 1936. They immigrated to the United Kingdom where Saunders' father was given a place at

Gordonstoun school Gordonstoun School ( ) is an elite co-educational private school for boarding and day pupils in Moray, Scotland. Two generations of British royalty were educated at Gordonstoun, including Prince Philip and his son King Charles III. Musician Davi ...

. His father changed the family name to Saunders when he joined the

Royal Marines The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...

. Saunders lives in

Les Houches Les Houches (; Arpitan: ''Les Ouches'' or ''Les Oucies'') is an alpine commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France. It is located just west of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, in the larger canton of ...

, near

Chamonix Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (; ; (no longer in use)), more commonly known simply as Chamonix (), is a communes of France, commune in the departments of France, department in the regions of France, region in Southeastern France. It was the site of the f ...

, France.

Notable climbs

The climbs are listed in date order. * 2024 - First ascent of Yawash Sar (6,258m,

) with

* 2017 -

Mount Tyree Mount Tyree (4852m) is the second highest mountain of Antarctica located 13 kilometres northwest of Mount Vinson (4,892 m), the highest peak on the continent. It surmounts Patton Glacier to the north and Cervellati Glacier to the ...

* 2016 - Sersank Peak * 2016 -

Carstensz Pyramid 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 ...

-Puncak Java * 2014 -

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 ...

* 2013 -

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 ...

* 2013 - Chamsen * 2012 -

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 ...

* 2012 -

Dykh-Tau Dykh-Tau or Dykhtau (; , derived from Turkic "dik dagh" which means 'Jagged Mount'), is the second-highest mountain in Russia and Europe with an elevation of 5,205 m (17,077 ft) above sea level. It is located in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia; its ...

* 2010 - Everest * 2007 -

Ama Dablam Ama Dablam is a mountain in the Eastern Himalayas range of Koshi Province, Nepal. The main peak is , the lower western peak is . Ama Dablam means "mother's necklace"; the long ridges on each side like the arms of a mother (''ama'') protecting he ...

* 2007 - Everest * 2006 - Everest * 2005 - Everest * 2004 -

* 2004 - Everest * 1997 -

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 ...

* 1996 -

Mustagh Ata Muztagh Ata (meaning 'Ice Mountain Father' in English), formerly known as Mount Tagharma and Wi-tagh, is the second highest of the mountains which form the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, with an elevation of . It is sometimes regarded as ...

* 1995 - Bhutan * 1995 - Ecuador Volcanoes,

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 ...

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 ...

* 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 Stephen Venables (born 2 May 1954) is a British mountaineer and writer, and is a past president of the South Georgia Association and of the Alpine Club (UK), Alpine Club. He is the first Briton to ascend the summit of Mount Everest without bottle ...

* 1992 - Rajramba - New route up SE Ridge with Dick Renshaw, Stephen Sustad & Stephen Venables * 1991 -

Elbrus Mount Elbrus; ; is the highest mountain in Russia and Europe. It is a dormant volcano, dormant stratovolcano rising above sea level, and is the highest volcano in Eurasia, as well as the List of mountain peaks by prominence, tenth-most promi ...

* 1991 -

Ultar Ultar (also Ultar Sar , Ultar II, Bojohagur Duanasir II) is the southeasternmost major peak of the Batura Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram mountain range, range. It lies about northeast of the Karimabad (Hunza), Karimabad, a town on the Kar ...

* 1989 - Kangchuntse, a subsidiary summit of

Makalu Makalu (; ) is the fifth-highest mountain on Earth, with a summit at an elevation of AMSL. It is located in the Mahalangur Himalayas southeast of Mount Everest, on the China–Nepal border. One of the eight-thousanders, Makalu is an isolat ...

- First ascent of West Face with Stephen Sustad * 1988 - Jitchu Drake - First ascent * 1987 - Golden Pillar of Spantik,

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

- First ascent with

* 1986 -

Ushba Ushba ( ka, უშბა) is one of the most notable peaks of the Caucasus Mountains. It is located in the Svaneti region of Georgia, just south of the border with the Kabardino-Balkaria region of Russia. Although it does not rank in the 10 highe ...

- West Face Direct * 1986 - The Icicle Factory and White Wedding

Cuillin The Cuillin () is a range of mostly jagged rocky mountains on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. The main Cuillin ridge is also called the Black Cuillin to distinguish it from the Red Cuillin ('), which lie to the east of Glen Sligachan.R. Anderson & ...

Isle of Skye The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated by the Cuillin, the rocky slopes of which provide some of ...

- First ascents, with Mick Fowler * 1985 -

Rimo I The Rimo massif lies in the northern part of the remote Rimo Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram range. It is located about 20 km northeast of the snout of the Siachen Glacier and its main summit, Rimo I (alternatively Rimo Kangri I) is th ...

- attempt with Stephen Venables * 1984 - Bojohagur Duanisir - attempt with Phil Butler * 1978 -

- North Face in winter, with Stevie Haston * 1978 - Shield Direct,

- 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

External links