Theodore Fairhurst

Theodore Fairhurst (born April 18, 1947) is a Canadian fine artist, entrepreneur, high-altitude mountain climber and public speaker. On December 9, 2018, at the age of 71 years and 231 days, Fairhurst became the oldest person in the world, 1st North American, and 9th person in history to have scaled all the Seven Summits and all the Volcanic Seven Summits.[1]

Theodore Fairhurst
Born
Theodore Frederick Fairhurst

(1947-04-18) April 18, 1947
Westmount, Quebec, Canada.
NationalityCanadian
Alma materSir George Williams University now Concordia University
OccupationReal Estate entrepreneur, mountain climber, adventurer, artist, professional speaker
Years active2006–present
Known forOldest in the world, first North American, and ninth person to successfully climb Seven Summits and Volcanic Seven Summits

Early years

Born in Westmount, Quebec of Canadian and English descent, Fairhurst grew up in Montreal. He went to Elizabeth Ballantyne Elementary School, Montreal West High School and Concordia University.[2] He began drawing and painting at age four and studied at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in his youth. At 22 years old, his desire to see and experience the world began and he traveled to Europe and Asia. In the Netherlands (1972), Fairhurst transported young travelers around Europe and North Africa for several years.[3]

Fairhurst continued producing art and exhibited at the Atrium Mensa in Amsterdam in 1974. He returned to Montreal in 1976 to advance his artistic career: "His interpretations of “man’s relationship to science and technology” painted on Plexiglas was a body of work that he is still very proud of. He had exhibitions here, in the U.S. and in Europe".[4]

Business

In 1983, Fairhurst built a real estate development business in Montreal. He was recognized by the City de Montreal for several of his projects in 1992. He continues to manage these companies.[2]

Mountaineering

Fairhurst became interested in mountains while living in Banff, Alberta in 1969.[3] Later the same year, he went to Nepal and hiked alone for 32 days from Kathmandu to the Khumbu Glacier at the foot of Mount Everest. This experience motivated him to return and climb Mount Everest.[5]

Between 2006 and 2014, Fairhurst completed the Seven Summits achievement by climbing Aconcagua, Denali, the Vinson Massif, Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, Puncak Jaya, and Mount Kosciuszko.[4] He has also climbed Cho Oyu and Mont Blanc.

At the age of 70, within an approximate 8-month period from 2017-2018, Fairhurst successfully climbed 6 of the Volcanic Seven Summits. Unfortunately, when he was 75m from the top of his final climb, Ojos del Salado, he was shut down. Fairhurst ultimately completed the final climb on December 9, 2018 making him the ninth and first North American to complete both the Seven Summits and Volcanic Seven Summits. He currently holds the record for being the oldest person in the world to accomplish this feat.[6]

Mountaineering Timeline

Seven Summits
Date Summit Name Continent Summit Height
January 23, 2006 Aconcagua[7]  South America 22,841 ft / 6962m
May 29, 2007 Denali North America 20,320 ft / 6190m
January 19, 2009 Vinson Massif[8] Antarctica 16,050 ft/4,892m
May 23, 2010 Mount Everest[9] Asia 29,035 ft / 8,850m
January 25, 2012 Kilimanjaro Africa 19,341 ft / 5,895m
August 8, 2012 Mount Elbrus Europe 18,510 ft / 5,642m
March 19, 2014 Puncak Jaya Oceania 16024 ft / 4884m
April 10, 2014 Mount Kosciuszko Australia 7,310 ft / 2,228m

Volcanic Seven Summits
Date Summit Name Continent Summit Height
June 2, 2017 Mount Elbrus Europe 18,510 ft / 5,642m
June 9, 2017 Kilimanjaro Africa 19,341 ft / 5,895m
September 29, 2017 Mount Damavand Asia 18,403 ft / 5,610m
October 9, 2017 Mount Giluwe Oceania 14,327 ft / 4,367m
December 21, 2017 Pico de Orizaba North America 18,491 ft / 5,636m
January 14, 2018 Mount Sidley Antarctica 14,058 ft / 4285m
December 9, 2018 Ojos del Salado South America 22,615 ft / 6,893m

Other Climbs
Date Summit Name Continent Notes
September 29, 2006 Mont Blanc Europe Highest mountain in Alps (15,777 ft / 4,808.7 m)
October 5, 2008 Cho Oyu[10] Asia 6th highest mountain in the World (26,864 ft / 8,188 m)

Video

Fairhurst's video Mount Everest ICE FALL has gone viral on YouTube with over 3.5 million views to date. He shot it with a helmet-mounted camera (POV) in the perspective of the climber. It has video images of the Khumbu Glacier as it breaks up descending from the Western Cwm to Base Camp. Voted top 10 at Killarney 2011 Adventure Film Festival.

Media

Author Jean-Pierre Lemaitre discussed Fairhurst in his book, 'Pas d’excuses’, stating: "I have been impressed by the way Ted Fairhurst managed his life. His philosophy of life is in harmony with the messages and techniques that I present in my book. That's why I decided to make him a key figure in my book. Page after page we discover how he managed to live his passions and to have the life he always wanted. Ted is an example for our youth!"[11]

In 2010, Fairhurst served as the Honorary Chairman of the English Montreal School Board in its annual International Walk to School Day.

Other

Fairhurst serves as a director of the ESPRIT DE CORPS FOUNDATION.[4]

On August 2, 2014, Fairhurst sailed a Volvo Ocean 60 across the North Atlantic to Quebec.

References
  1. Stone, James. "Updated list of Volcanic Seven Summiters – January 2019" (29 January 2019)
  2. "Elizabeth Ballantyne grad who climbed Everest to be honorary chair of local Walk to School Day". West End Times. October 2, 2010.
  3. Boone, Mike (29 September 2010). "63-year old Ted Fairhurst reached the top of the world's highest mountain on May 23". Montreal Gazette.
  4. Thompson, June. "A Mountain Climber's Dream" (Montreal Gazette, 12 July 2012)
  5. Benma, Adam. "Everest: A 63-yr-old's journey" (8 November 2010 - Youtube)
  6. Brownstein, Bill. "Focus, fitness paramount on Montreal's icy sidewalks: mountain climber" (12 March 2019)
  7. Fairhurst, Theodore. "Climbing Aconcagua — Story and Photos"
  8. Fairhurst, Theodore. "2009 Vinson Massif Climb Trip Report"
  9. Himalayan Database. "Ascents - Spring 2010"
  10. Himalayan Database. "Ascents - Autumn 2008"
  11. Lemaitre, Jean-Pierre. 'Pas d'excuses !: Mode d'emploi pour passer à l'action'(Les Éditions de l'Homme, 15 February 2011)


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