Climbing the World to End Alzheimer's
“One of the world’s most respected chroniclers of Everest” — Outside Magazine
Alan Arnette
CLIMBER · COACH · WRITER · ADVOCATE
Major Expeditions
36
About Alan
Climbing and covering the world's highest peaks since 1997
Summiting Everest in 2011 and K2 in 2014 at age 58 — becoming the oldest American at the time — Alan Arnette has spent almost three decades as both a high-altitude climber and one of the most trusted independent voices in mountaineering journalism.
This site is a record of that journey: 36 major expeditions on seven continents, hundreds of pages of trip reports, gear and guide reviews, expedition dispatches, and the real stories behind each climb and every Himalayan and Karakorum season.
Climbing the world to end Alzheimer’s.
01
✍️
Writer
Authoritative Everest coverage since 2002 — 24 consecutive seasons of no-hype dispatches trusted by a million+ readers annually.
02
⛰️
Climber
Everest, K2, Broad Peak, Cho Oyu, Denali, Aconcagua and 30+ more. Every expedition was documented with photos and honest accounts, even the no-summit expeditions.
03
🧭
Coach
Independent Summit Coach for climbers at every level — from first 14ers to Everest and K2. No guide service agenda. Your success only.
04
🎤
Speaker
Captivating talks on peak business and personal performance, Alzheimer’s awareness, and the leadership lessons of extreme mountaineering for any audience.
May 21, 2011 · Summit
Everest at 54
After three previous attempts in 2002, 2003, and 2008 — each raising Alzheimer’s research funding — Alan reached the summit of the world’s highest peak on his fourth attempt at 29,032 feet at age 54.
July 27, 2014 · His 58th Birthday
K2 at 58
Becoming the 18th and oldest, at the time, American to summit K2, Alan climbed the world’s most dangerous mountain for his mother, Ida and the fight against Alzheimer’s — raising research funding across every expedition.
By the Numbers
Major
Mountaineering
36
Major expeditions
38
Age when he started
225
Colorado 14er summits
Seven continents. Eight 8,000-meter peaks. 58 Colorado 14,000-foot peaks. A lifetime of purpose-driven climbing.
Latest Coverage
From the Blog
Everest: The Other Side-a movie that will leave you sweating
November 7, 2026
2 Comments
I saw Everest: The Other Side in an IMAX theater this week with close friends. We were the only ones there for the 2:00 pm matinee.
It offered a solid human story of striking tragedies, perseverance, and courage. The family dynamics felt genuine rather than forced or artificial. Some
Are We Actually Making Progress on Alzheimer’s? Here’s the Real Story
October 16, 2026
4 Comments
Many of you who have followed me for more than 20 years know the story of the day my mom, Ida, looked at me in a Perkins restaurant in Memphis, Tennessee, and said, “Now, who are you again?”
My world pivoted in that moment.
Over time, I shifted part of
Podcast: Guy Cotter on Making Tenzing, and the Lessons of a Hard Year in the Mountains
October 13, 2026
No Comments
If you follow mountaineering, you know Guy Cotter. He summited Everest as a guide with Rob Hall and Gary Ball in 1992, has run Adventure Consultants for thirty years, and has quietly helped bring mountains to the big screen since Vertical Limit. Tomorrow, October 16, Tenzing premieres on Apple TV.
Autumn Himalayan Climbing – Everest and More
October 12, 2026
2 Comments
Despite a brutal year in the high mountains—including 20 dead or presumed dead during Nepal’s autumn season and the 10 killed on Broad Peak in Pakistan in July—the 2026 autumn Himalayan climbing season continues. A small four-person Russian team is currently climbing on Everest, scouting a possible new route for
Changing Mountains, Changing Risk: Is There Always Another Route?
October 5, 2026
13 Comments
A couple of months ago, I talked about the tragedy on Broad Peak. Many of you listened and left thoughtful comments. Thank you for that. Since then, it’s been a tough season in the mountains. A really hard year. I took some time to think deeply about a few key
Climbers missing after avalanche hits Himlung Base Camp—sixteen missing.
September 27, 2026
2 Comments
Climbers missing after avalanche hits Himlung Base Camp—fourteen people are missing. Himlung Himal (7,126 m), in Manang district, requires an additional permit for helicopter flights, adding to the difficulties of reaching the mountain.
Himlung has been heavily marketed since Nepal floated the idea of requiring a 7,000-meter climb in Nepal
Summit Coach
A coach with
no agenda but yours.
As an independent coach, Alan doesn’t work for any guide service. The goal is simple: help you choose the right objective, the right team, and the right plan — for your goals, your experience level, and your life.
🗻
Objective Selection
Matching your experience and ambitions to the right peak — honestly, not optimistically.
🤝
Guide Service Vetting
Independent evaluation of operators, costs, safety records, and team fit.
📋
Training & Preparation
A personalized plan covering physical, technical, mental, and emotional readiness.
“When I came to Alan, I had absolutely no climbing experience, and I only dreamed of climbing Mount Everest as a teenager. Despite my initial inexperience, Alan provided me with all of the insights and training I would need to summit Mount Everest at 19. He guided me every single step of the way, all the way to the top.
Ryan MitchellSummited Everest
“Alan has extensive knowledge and experience in mountaineering, and provided valuable advice based on my individual profile. He helped me choose the right guiding company and gave me key insights on technical, physical and mental preparation. The knowledge from Alan played a key role in the success of my Everest and K2 summits.
YinghongSummited Everest and K2
Professional Speaking
Lessons from the edge
of the possible
After 36 major expeditions, Alan brings authentic stories and hard-won insight to corporate audiences, nonprofits, and universities. His talks connect the demands of extreme mountaineering to real-world leadership, resilience, and purpose.
His casual yet powerful style brings audiences into the high-altitude world with stunning photography, video, and personal storytelling — leaving them entertained, educated, and motivated.
Peak PerformanceLeadership Under PressureAlzheimer's AwarenessRisk & ResilienceGoal Setting
Summit of K2 · July 27, 2014 · His 58th Birthday
Alan & Ida — 28,251 feet
Forthcoming Memoir
Hard or Impossible?
Summiting K2 for Ida
“Alan Arnette took on K2 — one of the most dangerous mountain on earth — not for himself, but for his mother and the fight against Alzheimer’s. This is a story about what real purpose looks like at altitude.”Ed Viesturs — The only American to summit all 14 eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen
58
Age on K2
7
Continents summited
$500K
Raised for Alzheimer's
1 in 4
K2 climbers don't return up to 2014
From Chapter 1 · Gasping for Air
“A surge of debilitating fatigue overtook me. My shoulders drooped. I stared at my yellow boots, crushed by disappointment… My ice axe fell onto the snow. It was 12:30 a.m. on July 27, 2014 — my fifty-eighth birthday.”
56,000 words · Foreword by Jim Davidson
@AlanArnetteClimbs on YouTube
Watch the latest video
Alan’s YouTube channel covers Everest, K2 and more climbing seasons, with personal expedition narratives and mountaineering insights. Subscribe to be notified of new videos.
WHAT VIEWERS ARE SAYING
“Your narrative of the summit night gave me chills. I felt like I was right there on the ridge with you.”
“Best Everest coverage on the internet. No hype, just what matters. Can't wait for the memoir.”
“The way you tell these stories is unmatched — pure storytelling.”
The Podcast
Alan Arnette
on Audio
In-depth conversations on mountaineering, high-altitude climbing, Alzheimer’s advocacy, and the stories behind the expeditions. Available on all major platforms.
Across 36 expeditions on seven continents, Alan has raised nearly half a million dollars for Alzheimer’s research and awareness — in memory of his mother Ida, who passed from Alzheimer’s on August 16, 2009.
- • No cure · Always fatal
- • 7th leading cause of death in the US for all ages
- • 5th leading cause of death in the US for those over 65
- • New case every 4-5 seconds worldwide
- • Impacts 7M+ in the US, 25M+ worldwide