CTSS’ “No D*ckheads” Policy
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 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 team and we regularly deny applicants.
This selection is not necessarily about your resume, fitness, age, skillset or even your previous climbing experience (as we can work with you to create a custom plan to achieve your goals around these things). Rather, this criteria is based on your character, and is designed to create a powerful, cohesive culture and a sense of belonging on all of our expeditions.
Over decades of front-line guiding, we have learnt that the ‘secret sauce’ to a great expedition is the people you share your experience with. When you have great people together in the mountains it is advantageous to everyone’s safety, success AND ultimate enjoyment. This can be the difference between success and failure.
From the moment you make contact with us, throughout the onboarding process, and even during the expedition, we will continually assess you to make sure you are a good fit for CTSS.
To qualify to be on a CTSS team you must demonstrate that you have the right character.
This Selection Criteria includes:
Humility & Respect:
- For the mountains and the environment
- For your Guides and their leadership calls
- For your teammates and their goals
- For our shared priorities of safety and success (strictly in that order)
You will be expected to clearly demonstrate:
- A positive and persevering spirit
- A deep commitment to your goal and obtaining the requisite fitness, skills and experience required
- A willingness and enthusiasm to work in a team environment. To be a true team player by going the extra mile and helping where you can
- An understanding that mountaineering requires you to be adaptable and positive
- A natural ability to take self-responsibility vs. playing the blame game
- Being an asset rather than a liability to your team
- And finally, that you are a nice, kind person!
You will need to prove that you DO NOT:
- Feel entitled to summit because ‘you paid for it’. Rather, you understand that the summit is a great privilege and never a guarantee.
- Have an unhealthy ego that is prone to ‘summit fever’ where you push circumstances, people or safety boundaries too far.
- A selfish, negative mindset that can infect a team and erode enjoyment for everyone.
We will not hesitate to enforce this policy and have done so in the past – firing Guides, changing contractors’ mid-season, expelling clients and declining applications for those we feel would jeopardized the health and happiness of the wider team. We are extremely privileged to be in the mountains. We don’t take that privilege for granted and we expect you to share that sentiment.
CTSS is the class of the mountain and spots on our expeditions are the among the most sought after in the world and we can therefore afford to be selective.
We hope that this policy, while tough, excites you because it aligns with your mindset and reassures you that you will be in good company.
*The No Dickheads Policy is credited to the NZ All Blacks – the most consistently successful sports team in history with a win rate of 86%. They attribute their success to their team culture and not suffering – quote – “…people who put themselves ahead of the team, people who think they’re entitled to things, expect the rules to be different for them, people operating deceitfully in the dark…”
6x Reasons to Choose CTSS
Safety
Your safety and success are our top priorities, in that order. We make conservative decisions, plan redundancies, and all our guides have wilderness medical training, safety and rescue plans, and access to doctors around the clock 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 at the most competitive price, without compromising on safety or taking shortcuts in logistics, staffing, or 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 Summits.
Guides & Team
Guides can make or break your climb. We hand-pick the most qualified, tenured, tested, and personable guides and Sherpas in the world. Owner and mountaineer Mike Hamill personally oversees the logistics and management of each expedition.
Our Values
We care about you, our people, and the planet. A portion of every expedition goes to the Tiger of the Snows Fund, supporting outdoor tourism workers and their families. We follow strict Leave No Trace principles and live by our No D*ckheads Policy, because who you climb with matters.
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. Most importantly, we believe in you & your ability to achieve your goals, and we are invested in putting you on top.