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, 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 unrivaled 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, you will focus your mind, 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 favor.

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 enroll 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 the 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.