Name: Joao Garcia
Birth date: 11th June, 1967
Passion: Mountaineering
Ethics: Climbing without the use of artificial oxygen.
Motive: To outdo or challenge himself; to go ever further and beyond.
At April 17th , 2010 Joao Garcia became the 10th climber in the world to achieve the feat of climbing all 14 mountains over 8000m without artificial aid oxygen or high altitude porters.
In December of the same year he climbed Mount Kosciuszko finishing the project 7 Summits consisting of climbing the highest peak of each continent.
Joao Garcia is UIMLA (Union of International mountain leader Association) certified mountain guide.
Sports Career
1983 – At the age of 16, he began his training in rock-climbing with the Mountaineering Club of Guarda in the Serra da Estrela Mountains.
1984 – He began his training in mountain climbing with snow and ice conditions, as well as rock-climbing in the Alps, with the Mountaineering Club of Guarda.
1985 – Several climbs and skiing/mountaineering raids, in the Alps. During this time, he was also competing in triathlon events in order to acquire the physical endurance needed to overcome the difficulties of climbing the Alps.
1990 a 1993 – He served in the Portuguese armed forces stationed in Belgium. He took advantage of being quite close to the Alps, and he intensified his activity there in the company of Bernd Hackler, becoming a member of CAB, DAV and, later on, FAME.
1993 – He joined a Polish International Expedition led by the Polish certified mountaineer, Krzysztof Wielicki, to Cho-Oyu (8.201m) in Tibet, reaching the summit from a new route, the Polish route, without the use of artificial oxygen. He attempted to climb the southern slope of Shisha Pangma which wasn’t successful due to health problems.
1994 – He joined an International Expedition to Dhaulagiri (8.167m) in Nepal, reaching the summit from the Northeast slope, without artificial oxygen.
1996 – He attempted to climb Nanga Parbat from the Kinshoffer route, Pakistan (reaching 7.000m), yet it wasn’t successful due to the bad snow conditions.
1997 – He attempted to climb Everest from the North slope in Tibet (reaching 8.200m), yet it wasn’t successful due to bad weather conditions.
1998 – He attempted again to climb Everest from the Northeast in Tibet (reaching 8.500m), yet it also wasn’t successful due to bad weather conditions.
1999 – He co-organized an expedition to Mount Everest (8.848m) in Nepal, reaching the summit without the use of artificial oxygen. At this point, he became the first Portuguese to climb to “The Top of the World”.
2001 – He climbed the Gasherbrum II (8.036m), in Pakistan, without the use of artificial oxygen.
2004 – He joined an expedition to Gasherbrum I (8.068m), in Pakistan, reaching the summit, without the use of artificial oxygen.
2005 – He climbed to Lhotse (8.516m), alone and without the use of artificial oxygen.
2006 – Sponsored by the Millennium bcp bank, he embarked on his latest project, “Conquering the World’s Summits”. He organized the expeditions to Kangchenjunga (8.586m), in Nepal, and Shisha Pangma (8.013m), in Tibet, reaching both summits without the use of artificial oxygen.
2007 – He organized the expedition to K2 (8.611m), in Pakistan, reaching the summit without the use of artificial oxygen.
2008 – He organized an expedition to Makalu (8463m) in Nepal, reaching the summit on 14th May and on 17th de July he reached the summit of Broad Peak (8047m) in Pakistan, both without the use of artificial oxygen.
2009 – In less then two months he conquered two 8000’s summits. At 24th April he reach alone the summit of Manaslu (8163m), in Nepal and at 10 th July he reach the summit of Nanga Parbat (8125m), in Pakistan, both without the use of artificial oxygen.
2010 – April 17, 2010 with the conquest of Annapurna, becomes the 10th climber in the world to have completed the feat to climb the 14 mountains over 8000m, without the use of artificial oxygen, or altitude porters. In December of that same year, Joao Garcia also completed the project “Seven Summits” which is to climb the mountain wider from each continent: Everest (Asia), Aconcagua (South America), Mount McKinley (North America), Elbrus (Europe), Vinson Massif (Antarctica), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Kousciuszco (Oceania).
It is currently the only Portuguese “cameraman” altitude and extreme conditions, having already made several documentaries about his expeditions that have been passed on Portuguese TV.
He is the author of “The Highest Solitude,” which has sold more than 30.000 copies of the book “Beyond – Beyond Everest”, launched in February 2007, co-author of “10 Steps To Rise Up” released in 2009 and author of” 14 – A Life in World Ceilings “, 2014.
In June 10th, 2010 is awarded as Honorary Commander of the Portuguese Order of Merit, by the Portuguese Government.
Current Sports Activities
All-terrain Biking, Swimming, Trail running, Randonnée skiing, Rock-climbing (including indoor), Mountaineering, Triathlon, Ice Climbing and Canyoning. Current Climbing level: V+6a (after the accident when he lost his fingertips due to frostbite). Climbing with several climbing schools, in such places as El Chorro, Espiel, Picos da Europa, Mallos de Riglos, Gredos, Serra da Estrela, Peneda, Espinhaço, Bioux, Valorcine, Freir, etc.