Adrian Ballinger

Adrian Ballinger is a world-renowned mountaineer, big mountain skier, and mountain guide. Pioneering and innovative, he has climbed over 18 8,000-meter peaks, including Mount Everest, which he has summited nine times.

Ballinger’s relationship with Everest encapsulates everything his career stands for. As a climber, he consistently pushes the limits, exemplified by his 2017 expedition where he became the fourth American to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen. His numerous ascents of the mountain inspired him to found Alpenglow Expeditions, an international mountain guide company for which he serves as Founder and IFMGA Mountain Guide. Aspenglow aims to help others safely and successfully navigate tall peaks. The company utilizes Rapid Ascent, a pioneering pre-acclimatization program designed by Ballinger and Alpenglow, which cuts the time required to summit in half. This process involves sleeping in a pressurized tent at home, physically preparing climbers for high-altitude expeditions, and setting them up for safer success.

A passionate environmentalist, Ballinger also uses Alpenglow as a platform for education and preservation of the natural world. He works closely with the Nepalese people on initiatives to clean up the mountains and ensure that visitors leave no trace of their tourism.

Ballinger’s unique ability to blend a zest for life with a respect for risk enables him to tackle the planet’s toughest peaks. He is credited with the first ski descents of Makalu and Manaslu, and is the only American to have completed three successful ski descents of 8,000-meter peaks.

In 2016, he completed his second ski descent of Cho Oyu with his wife, fellow climber Emily Harrington. The duo met at Everest Base Camp in 2012 and have been inseparable ever since—as partners, professionals, and, as of 2022, parents. Harrington and Ballinger travel the world together, sharing their adventures on their YouTube channel, DangerStikTV.

Ballinger’s dedication to approaching challenging summits with intention and meticulous planning has made him a go-to resource for media seeking thought leadership on safe and ethical climbing practices. He strives to make climbing accessible to anyone who dreams of adventure.