Colin O'Brady

Everest-Lhotse No O2: Attempt at back-to-back ascents of Everest and Lhotse, the first and fourth tallest mountains in the world, without the use of supplemental oxygen.

Everest 2021

Returning to Everest

A Double Feature: Everest-Lhotse Traverse. No Oxygen. Colin will attempt to climb Mt. Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen from Nepal’s South side, and in a continuous push, traverse to the summit of Lhotse prior to descending safely to basecamp. Colin dreamed of climbing Everest as a kid. He was successful in summiting the world’s tallest mountain using supplemental oxygen in May of 2016 as part of his world record breaking project for the Explorers Grand Slam and Seven Summits. Since then he’s always wanted to return to test himself on the world’s highest peak without supplemental oxygen.

The History

Mt. Everest has been climbed both with and without supplemental oxygen. As has Lhotse, the fourth tallest mountain in the world. A handful of climbers have linked Everest and Lhotse together with the use of supplemental oxygen. In 2017 Ueli Steck set out to complete the first traverse of these two peaks without supplemental oxygen, using the bold West Ridge route on Everest. Sadly, Steck died on Nuptse, a neighboring peak, while preparing for his traverse. Both Anatoli Boukreev (1996) and Juan Pablo Mohr (2019) climbed the Everest - Lhotse “double header” without supplemental oxygen in roughly 7 days, descending to lower basecamps in between the summits.

Colin & Jenna

Colin’s wife, Jenna, accompanied Colin on the Everest expedition. She planned to climb Lobuche East (20,075ft) and as high as Camp 2 on Everest. The original plan for returning to Everest was for the two to attempt to summit Mt. Everest together from the North Side (China/Tibet) in the spring of 2020. COVID-19 had other plans. With the continued Chinese travel restrictions making the North Side of Everest inaccessible to foreigners during the pandemic, as well as the K2 tragedy just months before, Jenna elected to not make a summit attempt on Everest this year. As a result, Colin endeavored to attempt the Everest-Lhotse traverse.

The Inspiration

While attempting to climb K2 in winter, Colin met Juan Pablo Mohr. The two became fast friends and spent several weeks sheltered together in their dining tent, waiting out bad weather. J.P. told Colin about his recent Everest-Lhotse “double header” with no O2, and encouraged Colin to one day test himself on those peaks.

What began as an ambitious personal attempt, ultimately ended in a surprise family achievement! Colin elected to give up his Everest-Lhotse No O2 traverse in favor of supporting Jenna's last minute revitalized ambition to stand on the summit of Mt. Everest. Together, the couple reached the top of the world using supplemental oxygen on June 1, 2021.

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April 10, 2021 - June 1, 2021

Twice

Colin has successfully stood on the summit of Mt. Everest twice!

Tribute

Juan Pablo, as well as four other climbers (Atanas Skatov, Sergi Mingote, John Snorri and Ali Sadpara) tragically lost their lives on K2 during the winter 2020/21 expedition. Colin was one of the last to see them alive. Colin climbed to honor his friends, dedicating the Everest-Lhotse traverse to the memory of their spirits. He brought each of their country flags to the summit of Everest in remembrance of their lives, passionately lived in these mountains.

Expedition Facts

2

summits targeted

29,029 & 27,940

feet (Everest & Lhotse)

-30

summit temperature

3,500

calories burned daily

60+

mph summit winds

Partners

“...to reach the summit of Everest without the use of supplemental oxygen canisters, a feat that remains rare today but was, in 1978, actually considered scientifically impossible.”

National Geographic

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Go Beyond

My keynotes are not just about the physical endurance required to cross Antartica alone or climb Mt. Everest...

...but instead are about the mental fortitude required to face any challenges, personal or professional. I share strategies for surpassing perceived limitations, achieving peak performance, and unlocking your potential. It’s about showing that with the right mindset, there are no limits to what we can achieve.

BOOK COLIN