Kristoffer Erickson

Alpine Climber

For the last two decades, Kristoffer Erickson has skied and climbed the world over. He has compiled a long list of first ascents: from the Andes to Alaska, Antarctica to the Himalaya, and the Karakoram to North Africa.

The North Face: Chad Expedition 2010

Mark Synnott, James Pearson and Alex Honnold travel to the Ennedi Desert of Chad, the first climbers to explore the remote landscape stacked with wild unclimbed towers.

Always Above Us

Biography

Both climbing and skiing have been an integral part of his life since he was a teenager. Kris grew up in a small town in North Central Montana where his family valued spending time in the mountains. With encouragement from his parents to get outdoors, Kris learned to ski and climb at a young age.

By 1997 he had found a path to combine his academic skills with his passions for the mountains, and began documenting his adventures. With his unique combination of alpine and ski mountaineering ability, Kris has pushed his exploration further by blending these two disciplines. Kris has a BA in photography from Montana State University and has gained extensive international recognition as a professional photographer and videographer.

Kris is also an internationally certified IFMGA Mountain Guide. Kris is currently splitting time living in Montana, the remote Central High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, and Chamonix, France with his wife and daughter.

Career Highlights

  • Established Nutcracker, WI6 M8+, Hyalite Canyon, MT 2014
  • Summits of both Everest 8848m and Lhotse 8516 in under 24hours 2012
  • Ski descent of West face of Lhotse 8516m from 7500m 2011
  • 23 descents off 15 summits in 9 days in the artic region of Svalbard 2010
  • Winter Expedition to Pakistan Karakoram in 2010
  • Several dozen first descents along the Antarctica Peninsula during nine visits 2000-2015
  • Established dozens of new multipitch rock routes up to 5.12 in Central High Atlas of Morocco 2006-2016
  • In Nepal- NW ridge Cholatse 6440m 2005, Losar 760m WI5 2006, 1st ascent in winter on NE Ridge Tawoche 6501m 2007, First descent of Rakse Peak 5500m 2009
  • 1st American male to ski off the summit of an 8000m peak, ChoOyu 8201m, Tibet 2002
  • 1st ski descent of “The Shield”, Huascaran Sur 6788m, Peru 2000
    5th ski descent of Artesonraju 6025m, Peru 1998
  • 1st ski descent of NE ridge of Tocllaraju 6032m, Peru, 1998
  • First ascents on Caraz III and Santa Cruz Norte, Peru, 1997
  • Dozens of first ascents and descents in home state of Montana from 1995-2014

MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS/FILMS

  • Published in National Geographic, Saudi Aramco World, Skiing, Powder, Backcountry, Outside, Climbing, Rock & Ice, Alpinist
  • Always Above Us, Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOm6Nktxof4
  • Sherpas Cinema: Into the Mind
  • Sherpas Cinema: All I Can
  • Salomon Freeski TV: Berber Turns, Link: https://vimeo.com/20896659
  • Chased by the Sun, Link: https://vimeo.com/22558634