Chris grew up in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains before finding climbing while studying cinematography at New York University, and has been hooked ever since.
After beginning his guiding career in 2006 with a move to the Pacific Northwest, Chris has climbed, guided, and skied across the world from the Western US to Alaska, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Nepal, Pakistan, India, Africa, Mexico, the Andes, and Canada. His climbing achievements include everything from Yosemite big walls to new routes and virgin summits, and his guiding career has taken him from Ouray to Denali, and up and down Mt. Hood too many times to count.
Chris Wright is an IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide and alpinist who splits his time between obsessions with climbing, skiing, and eating.
An avid first ascensionist, Chris recently received alpinism’s highest honor, the prestigious Piolet d’Or for the first ascent of one of the world’s most coveted unclimbed peaks, the 7041m Link Sar in Pakistan, via the Southeast Face (VI WI4 M6+ 90°, 2300m).
Chris has also received the Mugs Stump and American Alpine Club Cutting Edge Awards for his climbs in India and Nepal, where he made the first ascents of multiple routes on unclimbed peaks, including Pangbuk North (6,589m), Shigrila (6246m) and Lunag West (6,507m). In addition to climbs in the greater ranges, Chris has also climbed new routes from Oregon to Norway, and has made significant repeats of alpine classics, including a free-solo ascent of the Matterhorn’s North Face in only four hours and fifteen minutes. He has also guided multiple ascents of hard routes throughout the Alps including the Matterhorn, the Mont Blanc, Grand Capucin and Aiguille Verte, among others, as well as rock, ice and alpine routes throughout the globe.
He is easily excited by coffee, beer, and wine, and greasy food of any sort, especially Thai fried chicken.
Career Highlights
Winner, Piolet d’Or, October 2020 (Read about the award.)
IFMGA Mountain Guide (93rd American), February 2014
First Ascent, Link Sar (7041m) via the Southeast Face (VI WI4 M6+ 90°, 2300m), Karakoram, Pakistan, August 2019 (Read all about the ascent, hear the story on The Nugget Climbing podcast, or check out Chris’s tips on training for alpinism at Uphill Athlete.)
First Ascent, The Indirect American (VI WI4+ M7, 1200m), Mt. Macdonald, Rogers Pass, British Columbia, Canada, November 2018 (Listen to the story on the American Alpine Club’s Cutting Edge Podcast or check it out on Planet Mountain.)
First Ascent, Way Out West (V M7 A0 95°, 2400’), Stortinden, Lofoten Islands, Norway, February 2018 (Check out the American Alpine Journal report.)
First Ascent, Shigrila (6246m) via the Southeast Face (V AI4 M5 5.8 A0, 1100m), Kulu, India, October 2016 (See the trip report here.)
First Ascent, West Face Direct (VI M6 5.10 X A2+ 95°, 6000’), Celeno Peak (13,395’), Saint Elias, AK May 2016 (See the Rock & Ice Magazine article.)
First Ascent (solo), Wish You Were Here (IV WI4 M6 A0, 1400’), Abrahamstind, Lofoten Islands, Norway, February 2016 (See the AAJ article here.)
First Ascent, Night Crosses the Crown (V WI4+ M6 R, 2500’), Vågakallen, Lofoten Islands, Norway, February 2015 (Read all about it.)
Schmid Route (TD WI4 M5 1300m), Onsight solo in 4 hours from Hörnli Hut to summit, Matterhorn, Switzerland, October 2014
First Ascent, Pangbuk North (6,589m) via Purgation (VI WI6+ M6, 1200m), Khumbu, Nepal, Oct 2013 (Check it out at Climbing Magazine.)
First Ascent, Lunag West (6,507m) via Open Fire (V WI5 M3, 1100m), Khumbu, Nepal, October 2013
First Ascent, Terror (VI WI6 M7 R/X A2 1500m), Mooses Tooth, Alaska, April 2013 (Read about it in Climbing, Alpinist or The Source Weekly.)
North Selkirks Ski Traverse (9 days), Selkirk Mountains, Canada, May 2012
First Ascent, Wright-Pond (III 5.11 R, 800’), Cutthroat Creek Wall, WA, August 2010
First Ascent, Mantok II (9,627’) via the Ladies’ Couloir (III AI3+, 2800’), Alaska, April 2010 (Check it out here.)
Ski descent of the North Face (55°, 6300’), Pioneer Peak, Chugach, Alaska, May 2009
Guided ascents up to 6300m and Grade V/ED-, including the Grand Capucin, Trident du Tacul, Arête des Grands Montets, Liberty Crack, Denali, Chimborazo, Orizaba, the Spigolo Giallo on the Cime Piccolo di Lavaredo and more
Guided ski descents and traverses including the Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route and the first descent of the Utburdvassdalen in Norway’s Lofoten Islands
Multiple repeats and first ascents throughout the US and abroad, including the FA’s of Burning Churches (5.12c), Smith Rock, OR and Ha Dov (M8 WI4+) and Ephemeral Cortex (WI5 M7) Ouray, CO, and Waiting (M9), Crag of Doom, OR
The first Human-Powered Three Sisters Ski Traverse at home in Bend, OR - riding bikes from our doorstep to the mountains, summitting all three peaks and riding back for 82 miles and 15,000’ of elevation gain in about 20 hours
Ascents of 5.13, M9, WI6+ and A3+
But climbing hard isn’t all that matters.
IFMGA Mountain Guides are the only guides who have been trained and assessed to the international standard, which is administered in the United States by the AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association). When you climb with a certified guide, you can be sure to receive the highest quality instruction on the most up-to-date techniques in the industry, and to climb with a partner whose safety and judgment have been intensely scrutinized. If you’re climbing with an IFMGA Mountain Guide, you’re climbing with a professional. Why trust your time and your life to anyone else?
Chris is also an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, AMGA Certified Ski Guide and AMGA Certified Alpine Guide as well as a guide trainer and assessor as a member of the AMGA’s Instructor Team. His credentials include a Level III Certification from the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (which is the highest level of snow and avalanche safety education one can receive), as well as a Wilderness First Responder certification and a BFA in Film Production and Cinematography from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts. He is also not a bad cook, and can order a pint in a variety of languages.
