In loving memory of Mike Gardner (1991 – 2024)

Michael Gardner was raised by mountains. He was a second-generation mountain guide who spent his childhood in the Teton Range in Wyoming, the San Juans in Southwest Colorado, and the Himalayas. Michael’s life was undoubtedly shaped by time spent in the mountains.

His guiding apprenticeship began informally at age eight under the tutelage of his father and led him to become one of the youngest guides in the U.S. In addition to his lifelong relationship with guiding and climbing, Michael was a professional skier on the World Tour circuit for many years, and in 2014, he received his bachelor’s degree in Education.

Michael was continually drawn to the wildest reaches of the planet—from Antarctica to Alaska and the Himalayas. For Michael, being in the mountains was more than just a profession; it was a lifestyle. He found inspiration in pursuing his own alpine objectives on some of the wildest peaks in the world, and his legacy leaves behind multiple first ascents and ski descents across Alaska, the Himalayas, and the Western U.S.

Michael will be deeply missed and remembered by the Climbing the Seven Summits team.