Seventy Summits

As a mountain climbing guide, it is Vern Tejas's job to climb the tallest mountain on each continent. Always rebellious, Tejas never met a challenge he couldn't overcome, even the daunting task of climbing Mount Everest. In fact, he climbed all of the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents more than ten times each. Seventy Summits is his tale of the beauty, danger, and surprising freedom of mountain climbing and what it has given him throughout his life. Tejas battled the extreme cold of Denali and scaled Aconcagua and its windy slopes. Mont Blanc provided beautiful views, but Tejas towered over the European continent on Mt. Elbrus. The Roof of Africa is attempted by 35,000 people each year, but Mt. Kilimanjaro wasn't as friendly as it looked. Antarctica's Mt. Vinson boasted the last true frontier at a steep price tag. As a guide, Tejas got paid to climb it. Mt. Koscuiszko, Australia's tallest mountain, was practically a stroll in the park at 7,310 feet. Finally, Tejas climbed tallest mountain in the world: Mt. Everest. Then he climbed them all ten times each.