About Us


CTSS Mission Statement


We believe in the transformative power of the mountains to turn ordinary people into extraordinary achievers.

We will deploy the best guides and logistics in the world for your safety and success.

Discover your best self with Climbing the Seven Summits.

Who We Are & What We Do


Climbing the Seven Summits LLC (Feel free to call us ‘CTSS’ for short!) is a world leading mountain guiding, expedition and trekking service.

We are known as the Seven Summits Specialists for good reason with our trademark expeditions being the tallest peak on each of the seven continents, including Everest. That said, we don’t stop at just those Seven! We run countless expeditions and treks all over the world and can also build custom ones for you. 

If you can dream it, we can help you do it. 

A little about us – CTSS is owned and operated by renowned high altitude guide, Mike Hamill, who is a veteran of over 120 expeditions to all seven continents. Mike has “lapped” the “Seven Summits” six times and has been guiding for over two decades with unrivalled success. He is also the author of the guidebook by the same name, “Climbing the Seven Summits.”

Having worked in the trenches as a Guide with numerous other climbing companies, Mike saw the opportunity to dramatically improve upon the status quo and broke out to start CTSS. The subsequent growth and reputation in the short ensuing years are proof of his hypothesis. The industry needed a shake up and he was the right person for the job. 

How?

We stand apart from the competition by listening to what our clients need and customising our expedition options to suit their style, budget and experience level vs. dictating a ‘one size fits all’ approach. We want you to know more about us, and we want to know more about you.

Our holistic approach reaches beyond the mountain and we are committed to helping you prepare, plan and progress throughout your entire climbing career, whether that’s on a single summit or the ‘Seven’. 

We focus not on just the big picture priorities like your safety, the calibre and experience of our handpicked guide team and delivering superior logistics in far flung corners of the world but also on the little details which some might dismiss as ‘soft’ but are actually highly strategic. 

One of our fundamental guiding principles is that happy, healthy, well rested climbers are successful climbers. By investing in better accommodations, fresh, hearty food on the mountain and little creature comforts that make your experience more enjoyable, your mind will be focused, your body will feel stronger and you will perform better. 1% here, 1% there, it’s these marginal gains that quickly compound into a huge summit advantage. 

Our priorities are (and will always be) your safety and success, in that order. You can trust us to deploy the best, most experienced and respected mountain leaders in the world, use top of the line equipment, not skimp on costs, make wise decisions in your best interest and go above and beyond to stack the odds in your favour. 

We want to be the pride & class of the mountain on every expedition by climbing in “good style”. By this we mean, prioritising the wellbeing and safety of our teams, leaving no trace in the environments we operate in, respecting culture, contributing to local economies by employing regional staff and businesses and climbing in a self-sufficient and self-reliant way.

We recognise that successfully summiting the world’s mightiest peaks requires more than just physical fitness. It also demands enormous mental strength, commitment and most importantly deep humility.

For this reason, CTSS is HIGHLY SELECTIVE of our both our Guides and our Clients. Unlike other operators we won’t blindly accept anyone who can pay the bill. We will only enrol climbers who we feel will be an asset to our teams.  This selection is not about resume, fitness, age, demographics, skillset or even previous climbing experience. It is exclusively about character and creating a powerful, cohesive culture and a sense of belonging.

Over decades of front line guiding we have learnt that when you put together great people in the mountains it is advantageous to everyone’s safety and success AND ultimate enjoyment.

We lead by example and promote a responsible approach to adventure travel by connecting people to the natural world and giving back to local communities by donating a percentage of every expedition to ‘Tiger of the Snows Fund”

This ethos shows in the positive feedback we receive from our teams who form lasting friendships forged in the mountains as they work together to overcome tough challenges. These are experiences that go beyond just an expedition and shape people for a lifetime, transforming them into better, more powerful versions of themselves.

So if you can see yourself on the summit of an epic mountain, we’d be honoured for you to place your trust in CTSS to help you get there (& back down!) safely.

6x Reasons to Choose CTSS


Safety

Your safety and success are our priorities in that order. We make conservative decisions, plan redundancies and all our guides have wilderness medical training, safety & rescue plans & access to doctors 24/7 to help keep you safe.

Value for $

We keep our overheads low to pass savings on to you. We are proud to offer the best service for the most competitive price, without skimping on safety or taking shortcuts with logistics, staffing and infrastructure.

Holistic Approach

Our service goes far beyond the mountain. Think of us as your climbing coach, we’ll be there from start to finish to prepare, debrief and plan your progression as a mountaineer, whether your goal is a single summit or the Seven.

Guides & Team

Guides can make or break your climb. We hand pick the most qualified, tenured, tested and personable guides and Sherpa in the world. Owner and mountaineer Mike Hamill personally oversees the management of each expedition.

Our Values

We care about you, our people and the planet and we walk our talk by donating a percentage of every expedition to Tiger of the Snows fund which supports outdoor tourism workers all over the world and following strict Leave No Trace principles amongst other initiatives.

Success

We have an unparalleled summit success rate. How? We do it in a myriad of ways; like a great chef’s secret sauce, we've fine tuned the recipe over decades but most importantly, we believe in you & your ability to achieve your goals and are invested in putting you on top.

The CTSS Story with Mike Hamill


A Snapshot of CTSS Success


CTSS Guides

Owner & Lead Guide, Mike Hamill personally oversees every CTSS expedition alongside his handpicked team.

6x laps of the Seven Summits including 6x summits of Everest, (his fastest circuit in just over 200 days!)

One of the world’s premier high altitude mountain guides with over 20 years of experience

Literally wrote the guide book ‘Climbing the Seven Summits

130+ expeditions under Mike’s leadership, maintaining a 91% expedition summit rate

200+ climbers on top of 8000m peaks under Mike’s guidance

A Quick Hit of Inspiration - Rediscover Your Dreams


A short mountaineering film to inspire you to never lose sight of your dreams