Victor Saunders is a British climber^[1] and author. He trained as an architect^[2] at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. His first book, Elusive Summits, won the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature in 1991. He became as a UIAGM/IFMGA ski and mountain guide in 1996 and joined the SNGM (National Syndicate of French Mountain Guides) in 2003. Saunders first reached the summit of Mount Everest in May 2004, and went on to climb it several more times.^[3][4] In 2020 he became president of the Alpine Club.^[5]

He lives in Les Houches,^[6] near Chamonix, France.^[7]

Notable climbs

The climbs are listed in date order.

• 2017 - Mount Tyree^[8]
• 2016 - Sersank Peak^[9]
• 2016 - Carstensz Pyramid-Puncak Java
• 2014 - Mount McKinley-Denali
• 2013 - Aconcagua^[7]
• 2013 - Chamsen
• 2012 - Mount Elbrus
• 2012 - Dykh-Tau
• 2010 - Everest ^[10]
• 2007 - Ama Dablam^[11]
• 2007 - Everest
• 2006 - Everest^[12]
• 2005 - Everest
• 2004 - Ama Dablam^[13]
• 2004 - Everest ^[14][3]
• 1997 - Cho Oyu
• 1996 - Mustagh Ata
• 1995 - Bhutan
• 1995 - Ecuador Volcanoes, Chimborazo and Cotopaxi
• 1994 - Panch Chuli Trek
• 1994 - Hatezan Zom
• 1993 - Bhutan Basingtang
• 1993 - Gondoro La
• 1993 - K2 - Saunders returned from 8000m during rescue operations.
• 1992 - Panch Chuli V - first ascent, with Dick Renshaw, Stephen Sustad & Stephen Venables
• 1992 - Rajramba - New route up SE Ridge with Dick Renshaw, Stephen Sustad & Stephen Venables
• 1991 - Elbrus
• 1991 - Karakoram
• 1991 - Ultar
• 1989 - Kangchuntse, a subsidiary summit of Makalu - First ascent of West Face with Stephen Sustad
• 1988 - Jitchu Drake - First ascent
• 1987 - Golden Pillar of Spantik, Pakistan - First ascent with Mick Fowler
• 1986 - Ushba - West Face Direct
• 1986 - The Icicle Factory and White Wedding Cuillin, Isle of Skye - First ascents, with Mick Fowler
• 1985 - Rimo I - attempt with Stephen Venables
• 1984 - Bojohagur Duanisir - attempt with Phil Butler
• 1978 - Eiger - North Face in winter, with Stevie Haston^[15]
• 1978 - Shield Direct, Ben Nevis - the first route on Ben Nevis to be graded VI

Publications

• Elusive Summits: Four Expeditions in the Karakoram, 1990
• Trekking and Climbing in the Andes (Trekking and Climbing Guides), 2002, by Kate Harper, Val Pitkethly and Victor Saunders
• Alpes Occidentales: Trekking y Alpinismo, 2002, by Victor Saunders and Hilary Sharp
• Himalaya: The Tribulations of Mick & Vic co-written with Mick Fowler, which won the Grand Prize at the Passy International Mountain Book Festival, 2015
• No Place to Fall: Superalpinism in the High Himalaya, 2017
• Structured Chaos: The Unusual Life of a Climber, Vertebrate Publishing, 2021