Mike Roberts

IFMGA Mountain & Ski Guide
AC Guide Mike Roberts on the summit of New Zealand's Mount Aspiring.

Kiwi Mike Roberts is one of Adventure Consultants' most seasoned high-altitude guides. Not content with reaching the top each of the Seven Summits at least twice, he holds nine successful Everest summits under his belt.

Born on the North Island of New Zealand Mike first started climbing in 1978, at age 16. He has been guiding for nearly 30 years and during his guiding career has climbed many of the world’s highest mountains including 9 ascents of Everest including back to back ascents of Everest and Lhotse.

He has guided extensively in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, has more than 20 seasons in Antarctica as a Field Leader/Guide to the USA and NZ Antarctic Programs, SAR Leader for the Joint Antarctic Search and Rescue team, has worked as a Professional Ski Patroller/Avalanche Forecaster and is a qualified physiotherapist!

BIO
Notable Ascents

Everest 8,850m / Lhotse 8,516m

  • Back to back Everest + Lhotse, 2013
  • 9 times Everest summitter

Gasherbrum II 8,035m

  • Solo climb without oxygen, 2006

Ama Dablam 6,828m

  • Solo climb, 2003

Seven Summits

  • After climbing Carstensz Pyramid not once but twice in a row in 2013
  • Mike has now completed the Seven Summits having climbed each one at least two times

Mount Hicks, New Zealand 3,216m

  • Climbed the Yankee/Kiwi Couloir on the South Face, 1989

Mount Douglas, New Zealand 2,187m

  • The South Face, 1985, 1987

Aoraki Mount Cook, New Zealand 3,754m

  • New route named Sweet Dreams, 1985
  • The Caroline Face, 1987

Sabre Peak, New Zealand 2,162m

  • ‘Black Doris’ on the NE Face, 1986

Mount Walter, New Zealand 1,925m

  • Winter climbs, East Face, 1984, 1986

Mount Earnslaw, New Zealand 2,830m

  • The first winter ascent of the South Face of the West Peak via a new route, 1982
International Expeditions

Seven Summits

Everest (8,850m/29,035ft)

  • Summits - 2002, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017
  • Lead Guide - 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019
  • Guide – 2002, 2004, 2007, 2013

Carstensz Pyramid (4,884m/16,023ft)

Total of 8 ascents

  • Back to back summits as Lead Guide which completed Mike’s Seven Summits (2013)
  • Lead Guide 2018, 2019 (summiting twice!)
  • Lead Guide March and November 2016 (summiting twice on the November expedition)

Kilimanjaro (5,895m/19,340ft)

  • Lead Guide on 5 successful expeditions (2003-2018)

Mount Elbrus (5,642m/18,510ft)

  • 19 summits (2004-2019)

Denali (6,190m/20,308ft)

  • 12 expeditions, 11 summits
  • Lead Guide - 1988, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009

Mount Vinson (4,892m/16,050ft)

  • Lead Guide 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2018, 2019

Aconcagua (6,962m/22,841ft)

  • Lead Guide 1998, 2002

8,000m Peaks

Lhotse (8,516m/27,939ft)

  • Summit 2013

Gasherbrum 2 (8,035m/26,361ft)

  • Lead Guide, 2 expeditions, 1 summit, 2003, 2006

Cho Oyu (8,188m/26,863ft)

  • 8 expeditions, 6 summits, 2001-2016
  • Lead Guide, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 (pictured)

Himalayan Climbs

  • Baruntse (7,129m/23,389ft) - Lead Guide 2008
  • Mera Peak (6,476m/21,246ft) - Lead Guide 2006, 2008
  • Island Peak (6,189m/20,305ft) - Lead Guide 1991, 2003, 2013
  • Lobuche East (6,119m/20,075ft) - Lead Guide 1991

Other

  • Mount Jenkins (1,705m/3,526ft) - Guided first ascent 2000 (Wiencke Island, Antarctic Peninsula)
  • Mount Sidley (4,285m/14,058ft) - Guide 2012 (Highest volcano in Antarctica)
  • Mont Blanc (4,807m/15,771ft) - Guide 2011
  • Matterhorn (4,478m/14,691ft) - Guide 2010
  • Mount Sanford (4,949m/16,236ft) - Lead Guide 2006 (Wrangell Mountains, Alaska)
  • Muztagh Ata (7,545m/24,754ft) - Lead Guide 2 expeditions, 1 summit, 2000, 2001
  • Antarctic Peninsula - Guide 2000 (6 week sailing/ mountaineering expedition aboard Pelagic, several first ascents)
New Zealand Ascents

Aoraki Mount Cook (3,754m/12,316ft)

  • Over 20 ascents

Mount Aspiring (3,033m/9,950ft)

  • Multiple ascents

Other New Zealand ascents

  • Numerous ascents of New Zealand mountains, 1985-2018
Qualifications
  • IFMGA Mountain & Ski Guide, 1990
  • Level 2 Avalanche and PHEC
  • NZMGA Guide,1986
Special Projects

NZMGA

  • Assessor

Otago Polytechnic, NZ

  • Directed 7 day Avalanche Courses

United States Antarctic Program, (USAP) McMurdo Station 1987-2018

  • Field Leader for the USAP geological and glaciological groups, 20 seasons
  • USAP Field and Safety Training Instructor, 4 seasons

Antarctica New Zealand

  • Review of Antarctic Field Training Program, 2005/06

Film & Safety Work

  • Mountain safety and rigging on several film projects
Mike Roberts with fellow AC Guide Steve Moffat and a client on the summit of Carstensz Pyramid, wide smiles as they celebrate!

"Well, I would say the man is a living legend. He came up with a wealth of experience. I truly appreciate Mike. I have my respect for his experience and the way he briefed about upcoming events. I think he is just fantastic and absolutely an asset to AC. I am so glad that I got him as my guide and get to learn a lot from him; he exactly knows what he is saying and doing."

Umesh Panicker - Elbrus
AC IFMGA Mountain & Ski Guide Mike Roberts fat tyre biking at Union Glacier, Antarctica

"I climbed with Mike on Elbrus and Everest and would climb again with him in a heartbeat. His incredible experience and care always make you feel perfectly safe. Through his patience and expertise, he ensures you get the best summit window possible and he led us successfully to the top both times. He is a legend but still incredibly humble and selfless and just a great person to be on a trip with."

Roman Tschupp, Switzerland - Everest
AC IFMGA Mountain & Ski Guide Mike Roberts in the Karakorum Valley, Pakistan

"I can't speak highly enough of Mike Roberts: calm, quietly authoritative, assertive when he needed to be, friendly and open. It was a privilege to climb with him."

Ed Butchart - Elbrus
DISCOVER. ADVENTURE. REPEAT.