Providing expeditions
since 2005
13 December 2007, 12:34. Vinson, all programs »

Can I confirm details of completing the 7 summits, all at the first attempt!- luck more than judgment. My name is Dr Alistair Sutcliffe, address Moor Lodge, Brackenhill Lane, Sleights, North Yorkshire.


Order of summits:
1. Aconcagua, summit via Vacas Valley, leader Mark Tucker, from International Mountain Guides. Summit date 24th Jan. 2003.
2.Vinson, leader Phil Esrhler, again IMG, summit normal route, 9th Dec. 2003.
3.Denali, leader Ryan Campbell, Mountain Trip. Organized through Jagged Globe, Tom Briggs. Summit day 15th June 2005.
4. Everest, via south side. Leaders Dave Morton and Vern Tejas, Alpine Ascents International, summit day 20th May 2006.
5.Kilimanjaro, via Umbwe route. Leader Steve Findlay, organized with Jagged Globe, Tom Briggs. Summit day 20th November 2006.
6.Elbrus, via normal route. Leader Dave Morton, Alpine Ascents International. Summit day 27th June 2007.
7. Carstenz Pyramid. Leader Bill Allen, Mountain Trip. Normal route, summit on 24th November 2007.

Please add my name to your 7 summit list, thanks again, and keep up the great work with your web site. All the best, Alistair Sutcliffe.


From the old interview of doctor Sutcliffe.

How do you fit in to the busy life of a Doctor climbing the world’s highest mountains? No trouble getting a signal up here!

AS: I just make time. An average day for me starts at 5am, with a one or two hour training run. I do about six marathons a year and that gives me a focus throughout the year, to keep up my running training. Then I come to work. After work I tend to do body strength gym work. I have some weights at home I use and some contraptions I tend to move around the place. I have some tyres I’ve roped together and I tie them to a harness and drag them up and down where I live much to the amusement of my neighbours and take them to the beach and drag them along with the dogs.

What about the mental side of things, how do you train for the darkness and cold?

AS: You really do have to try and focus your mind. Spending a long time alone in a tent, miles from the people you love can be hard, but to achieve your dreams you must put yourself through these things and mental focus is an important part of it. The marathon running is very important for that, because the emotional experiences you take on when you go through a marathon are very up and down, the constant focus being on the finishing line and that’s why, when you’re climbing a big mountain, the focus is only on the next camp, it’s not on reaching the summit from the bottom, you just take a little step at a time. AB: Will the fact that you’re a Doctor be a help or a hindrance? You have specialist knowledge, can that be frightening as well as helpful?"I have some tyres I’ve roped together. I tie them to a harness and drag them up and down where I live"