Emma Schwerin is redefining what it means to chase big mountain dreams. At just 16, she has summited six of the Seven Summits in record time, with her most recent achievement being Vinson Massif in Antarctica this December. Now, she sets her sights on Everest this April, aiming to become the youngest woman in the world to complete the Seven Summits.

As we follow along on Emma’s journey, it has been an incredible privilege to watch her grow and push her boundaries. She’s not just ticking mountains off a list—she’s inspiring everyone around her, including all of us, with every climb. Here’s a peek into her unstoppable year:

🇦🇺 Kosciuszko (November 2023)
🇹🇿 Kilimanjaro (January 2024)
🇺🇸 Denali (June 2024)
🇫🇷 Mont Blanc (July 2024)
🇦🇷 Aconcagua (December 2024)
🇦🇶 Vinson (December 2024)

Emma’s path reflects not only grit and determination but also adaptability—with Mont Blanc standing in for Elbrus due to the current geopolitical climate in Russia.

Next up for Emma? Everest. We do not doubt that Emma’s grit, determination, and love for the mountains will keep driving her forward. We can’t wait to see her take this next step, and we’re with her all the way.

Thank you to Emma for sharing these photos with our team.

Congratulations to our entire team on Vinson Massif for their successful summit today, December 23rd. After moving to high camp on Friday, the crew took a rest day before turning their eyes to the summit.

Here’s who was on top:

• Alex C.
• Sam S.
• Emma S.
• Andy N.
• Dawn R.
• Neil B.
• Guide Mike B.
• Guide Nani S.

Our second team of the season will be hitting the blue ice runway just after the Christmas holiday, and we cannot wait to follow along once again!

Photos from CTSS Archives

2024: A Year to Celebrate and a Future Filled with Possibilities

Dear CTSS Family,

As we reflect on 2024, our hearts are filled with gratitude for an extraordinary year of achievements, adventures, and connections. There have been firsts, breakthroughs, and so many moments that remind us why we do what we do.

To begin with, 2024 marked our most successful season yet in the Himalayas. Over six remarkable weeks, 59 climbers and guides reached the summit of Everest, embodying the spirit of adventure as they achieved their life’s dreams. We were also honored to celebrate our teammate Phunjo Lama, who set a new Everest speed record, reaching the summit in just 14 hours and 31 minutes. Stories like these are what make our community so special, and Phunjo’s strength and vision continue to inspire us and many others. We’re thrilled to share that Phunjo will join our Everest guide team in 2025. 

This year also saw the launch of our inaugural First Ascent expedition, a bold adventure into the unexplored ranges of western Nepal. Despite weather challenges, our climbers accomplished two first ascents, writing themselves into the history books and leaving with memories as awe-inspiring as the peaks they climbed. We’re thrilled to carry this excitement forward, with recon already underway for our 2025 First Ascent team. 

Team member Matt best captured the essence of our First Ascent program: “For me, the best part about this entire expedition was being by ourselves! We were obviously some of the first Westerners in this area, and not having other teams around was absolutely astounding [… ]Thanks again, Mike, for your dedication and philosophy of pure climbing – you and your CTSS team really are keeping our sport pure!”

Outside of Nepal, Carstensz Pyramid reopened for the first time since 2019, and CTSS was among the select few operators authorized to lead expeditions. After a challenging reopening, our climbers started to tick off this elusive summit, including Meghan Buchanan and Julie Beall-McKelvey, who have officially completed their Seven Summits journeys. The true Seventh Summit is often debated–Carstensz or Mount Kosciuszko–and both Meghan and Julie left no room for doubt by completing both! We applaud their determination and tenacity in completing this milestone achievement.

As you’ve probably caught on, it was a banner year for women in the mountains, with incredible accomplishments from climbers and guides alike. We’re proud to announce the launch of our all-women’s expeditions to Ecuador and another season on Mount Baker in 2025. These climbs are designed to create spaces where women can thrive, connect, and push their limits in a supportive environment.

Off the mountain, we eagerly relaunched our webinar series, which aims to share insights and resources into the world of mountaineering. These free events are designed for the greater climbing community, regardless of whether you’re a budding mountaineer eyeing Mount Baker or suiting up to summit Vinson Massif. As we reflect on the past year, we’ve loved sharing our team’s knowledge with all of you, and we hope our climbing community continues to make strides to open doors. We are excited to kick off 2025 with a fresh webinar, Mindset for Mountaineers, a topic close to our hearts. Click here to register for this upcoming webinar.

Finally, through the Tiger of the Snows Fund, we gave back to the communities that support us on every step of our Himalayan expeditions. This year, we awarded a grant to Mrs. Yangdi Sherpa, a mother of three daughters who has faced significant hardship since losing her husband, Nima Tenji Sherpa, in 2021 while he was working on Everest with another operator. With this support, Mrs. Yangdi can continue to provide for her family while her daughters continue their education near their home in Lukla. 

As we look toward 2025, we want to thank all of you for being part of our journey and the Climbing the Seven Summits family. Whether you climbed with us, joined a webinar, or simply followed along from afar, your support fuels everything we do. Here’s to a new year filled with bold dreams, shared adventures, and the transformative power of the mountains.

With gratitude,

Mike Hamill & Caroline Pemberton
Owners, Climbing the Seven Summits

Our first Vinson team of the season has arrived! The crew gathered in Punta Arenas, Chile, for gear checks, a team briefing, and our signature welcome dinner. Early this morning, the team flew to “the ice” at Union Glacier Camp under blue skies and calm weather. With calm weather on the horizon, they are planning to fly directly to Vinson Base Camp after a quick layover at Union Glacier.

Here we go! Sending the team ample sunshine and safe climbing conditions for our first Vinson expedition of the season!

Thank you to guides Nani S. and Mike B. for sending along these photos.

Team dinner in Punta Arenas, Chile

First look at Antarctica!

Here we go! Arriving at Union Glacier!