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Economics and Politics of Mountain Guiding

Professional Bio

Eric Simonson is one of the world's premiere international expedition leaders, specializing in climbs of Mt. Everest and the other classic 8,000m peaks. Eric has been a professional guide since 1973 and has personally conducted over 85 expeditions around the globe, including over 25 to the Himalayas.

Eric Simonson's 1999 Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition stunned historians and the mountaineering community with its discovery of the remains of George Mallory, a famed pioneer in Everest exploration. Simonson's team took a giant step toward unraveling mountaineering's greatest mystery -- the fate of the 1924 Mallory/Irvine expedition. Ghosts of Everest, the inside story of the 1999 expedition, was published by The Mountaineers Books in October 1999.

Eric is an owner and active partner in International Mountain Guides (www.mountainguides.com), one of the oldest and most active U.S. mountaineering companies in operation today, conducting expeditions and treks throughout the world. Eric also owns and operates Mt. Rainier Alpine Guides (www.rainierguides.com), offering mountaineering training and seminars as well as guided summit climbs via Mt. Rainier's Emmons Glacier. Eric serves on the Board of Directors of the American Mountain Guides Association, the American Foundation for International Mountaineering Exploration and Research, and the Boy Scouts of America. Eric's personal climbing resume includes expeditions on every continent of the globe, including the "Seven Summits", eight expeditions to Mt. Everest, reaching the summit in 1991 via the North Ridge route (and three other trips reaching 8750 meters). Other classic ascents include Mt. Vinson (Antarctica), Peak Communism (Tajikistan), Mt. Elbrus (Russia), Aconcagua (Argentina), Carstensz Pyramid (Irian Jaya), and Cho Oyu (Tibet). His experience in the U.S. includes over 260 ascents of Mt. Rainier and 16 ascents of Mt. McKinley in Alaska.

Detectives on Everest, published by The Mountaineers Books in July 2002, is the story of the 2001 Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition, led by Eric Simonson. Using that climb as a starting point, Eric leads us through the adventure of his 2001 team's return to the North Side of Everest, and the results of their search for further evidence from the pioneer climbers, including Mallory's partner, Andrew Irvine. It is a fascinating story of dedication, teamwork, and of the "behind the scenes" intrigue of Everest politics. In addition to conducting the world's highest archeology project, the 2001 Expedition culminated with the highest mountaineering rescue in history.

Eric currently resides in Ashford, Washington at the base of Mt. Rainier. A native of that state, he received a Bachelor's degree in Geology from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota followed by a M.S. in Geology from the University of Washington.