Vernon Tejas facts for kids

Vernon "Vern" Tejas is an amazing American mountain climber and mountain guide. He holds a world record for climbing the "Seven Summits" – the highest mountains on each continent – in the fastest time! He was also the first person to climb some of the world's tallest peaks all by himself in winter. Sports Illustrated magazine even called him one of the top 50 Alaskan athletes of the 20th century. In 2012, he joined the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. Vern also plays the harmonica and guitar. He lives in Greenwich Village, New York.

Vernon Tejas's Early Life

Vernon Tejas was born on March 16, 1953, in Portland, Oregon. His birth name was Vernon Edward Hansel. He later changed his last name to Tejas.

Vernon Tejas's Career as a Guide

After growing up in Oregon, Vern Tejas moved north to Alaska. He worked on the Alaska Pipeline and for Alaska Telecom. He enjoyed building and fixing communication towers in the Alaska North Slope. Today, he is a senior international high-altitude mountain guide with Alpine Ascents International.

Vernon Tejas's Mountain Climbing Adventures

Mount Hunter from the northwest (Kahilta Base Camp)

In the 1980s, Vern became a mountain guide and mountain rescuer. He worked in the Andes, Himalayas, the Alaska Range, and Antarctica.

First Winter Ascent of Mount Hunter

In 1980, Vern was part of the first team to climb Mount Hunter in the winter. The team included Gary Bocarde and Paul Denkewalter. They started their climb on the Kahiltna Glacier. They used a route called the Northwest Spur. This route is also known as the Lowe-Kennedy Route. The team set up camps along the way. They climbed the Triangle Face and Mushroom Ridge. Finally, they reached the top of Mount Hunter.

Overcoming Injuries

In 1982, Vern broke his ankle while rock climbing. Doctors had to wait for the swelling to go down before putting it in a cast. Over the years, all the climbing put a lot of stress on his ankle. In 2010, he had a special procedure to help his ankle heal. This helped him continue his amazing climbing career.

More First Ascents and Descents

In 1986, Vern led the first winter climb of Mount Logan in Canada. Around this time, he also climbed Aconcagua many times. On two of these climbs, he rode a mountain bike or used a paraglider to get back down to base camp! He carried the bike and paraglider up the mountain himself.

In 1988, he became the first person to paraglide from Vinson Massif in Antarctica. Later, he was the first person to climb that mountain alone. He has also paraglided from the top of Mount Elbrus.

Solo Winter Climb of Denali

In 1988, Vern Tejas became the first person to successfully climb Denali (which used to be called Mount McKinley) alone during the winter. He had already climbed Denali many times as a guide. During his solo winter climb, Vern carried an aluminum ladder. This was part of his safety gear to avoid getting stuck in deep cracks in the ice called crevasses. In 2011, he reached the summit of Denali for the 50th time! He has also climbed Helvetia Tinde, the northernmost peak in the world.

Measuring Mount Everest

In 1992, Vern Tejas was part of a team that measured the exact height of Mount Everest. He was the team member who placed a special prism pole at the very top of the mountain. This allowed lasers to be used to get a super accurate measurement of Everest's height.

Helping Others Reach Summits

In 1994, Vern helped guide Norman D. Vaughan up Mount Vaughan in Antarctica. This mountain was named after Norman Vaughan himself! This climb happened just before Norman Vaughan's 89th birthday.

World Record for Seven Summits

In 2010, Vern Tejas set a new world record! He climbed all seven of the world's highest mountain summits in just 134 days. This was the fastest time ever recorded. He is also the only person to have climbed all seven summits at least ten times. He even climbed all seven twice in one year! He had held the record before in 2005, completing it in 187 days. During his record-breaking climb in 2010, he also scaled Puncak Jaya (also known as Carstensz Pyramid) in Indonesia.

Vernon Tejas's Notable Climbs

• First person to climb the Seven Summits 10 times.
• Mount Everest: 11 guided climbs to the top.
• Denali: 54 guided climbs, first solo winter climb, first paraglider descent, and a super-fast climb in 14 hours and 50 minutes. During his solo winter climb, he placed a Japanese flag at the summit to honor Naomi Uemura, a Japanese climber who disappeared trying a solo winter ascent in 1984.
• Mount Elbrus: 34 guided climbs, a fast climb in 3 hours and 20 minutes from the hut, and a paraglide descent.
• Aconcagua: 25 guided climbs, a fast climb in 8 hours and 2 minutes, and a paraglide descent.
• Carstensz Pyramid: 3 guided climbs using the Jungle route.
• Mount Vinson: 36 guided climbs and personal climbs, first solo climb, a fast climb in 10 hours and 20 minutes, and first paraglide descent.
• Kilimanjaro: 15 guided climbs and a fast climb in 10 hours and 45 minutes.
• Mount Hunter, Alaska: First winter climb.
• Mount Logan: First winter climb.
• Mont Blanc: 3 guided climbs and personal climbs.
• Mount Rainier: 2 guided climbs.
• Cho Oyu: 1 guided climb.
• He has also climbed Chimborazo, Matterhorn, Mount Kinabalu, and Cotopaxi.

Exploring Greenland's Peaks

In 2001, Vern Tejas was part of a nine-person team on the "Return To The Top Of The World Expedition." They explored northern Greenland. Five climbers, including Vern, made the second climb of Helvetia Tinde on July 17, 2001. This mountain is the highest peak in the most northern mountain range on Earth, only about 750 kilometers from the North Pole. The next day, all nine team members made the first climb of another unclimbed peak in the same area. They recorded information about many peaks. Later, they found that Peak 6 is the summit of the most northern mountain on Earth.

Vernon Tejas's Explorations

• First to travel across the entire Wrangell-St. Elias Range in Alaska.
• Ski mountain guide for the Shackleton Traverse, two times.
• Ski guide for the "Last Degree" to the South Pole, two times.
• Ski guide for the "Last Degree" to the North Pole. In April 2012, Vern was a ski guide for a team skiing the last part of the way to the North Pole.
• Scout for an overland journey to the South Pole.
• Kayak guide in Greece, Santorini, and Crete.

First Wheeled Crossing of Antarctica

In November 2010, Vern Tejas was part of the "Moon-Regan TransAntarctic Expedition." This was the first time anyone crossed Antarctica using special wheeled vehicles! The team traveled from the west coast of Antarctica to the South Pole. Then they continued north across the Transantarctic Mountains to McMurdo Sound. The expedition used three special vehicles, including the Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle (BIV).

Awards and Recognition for Vernon Tejas

• Fastest Time to Climb the Seven Summits: Vern Tejas set a new speed record for climbing the Seven Summits. He started with Vinson Massif on January 18, 2010. After climbing Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid, Kosciuszko, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, and Everest, he reached the top of the last summit, Mount McKinley (Denali), on May 31, 2010. This amazing feat took him only 133 days! He received a Guinness World Record for this achievement.
• Explorers Grand Slam
• American Alpine Club: Lifetime member.
• Alaska Sports Hall of Fame:

* Recognized in 2017 for his 1988 solo winter climb of Denali. * Became a member in 2012 for his 1988 solo winter climb of Mount McKinley (Denali).

• Alaskan of the Year Award: Governor's Award in 2012.
• National Park Service Denali Pro Pin for Rescue: In 1986, Vern Tejas helped rescue Korean climbers on Denali who were very sick from the high altitude.
• Sports Illustrated: Named one of the Top 50 Athletes From Alaska in 2000.
• Eco-Challenge: Finished 10th in 1999 and 13th in 2001 in this tough adventure race.
• United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association: 15-year member.
• In 1988, Vern successfully completed the first parapente or paraglider descent of Vinson Massif.

Vernon Tejas's Certifications

• Wilderness First Responder / CPR: Certified 8 times.
• Alaska Mountain Rescue: Member for 20 years.
• American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE): Completed Level 1 Avalanche Course.

Vernon Tejas in Popular Media

• Host for Food Network's Tasting Alaska.
• Featured on ESPN TV special Surviving Denali in 1994.
• Featured on National Geographic's Ultimate Survival Alaska.

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