Peter Hillary Speaker Biography
World Renowned Adventurer and Philanthropist
There is nothing more inspirational than a great adventure, and the name Hillary is synonymous with adventure. ‘Growing up in the Hillary family, was quite an adventure…Adventure was compulsory’ Peter Hillary has said of his childhood. Now he aims to share those experiences with his audience, and encourage them to make great achievements in their own lives.
Adventure
Like his father, Sir Edmund Hillary before him, Peter Hillary has accomplished one of the greatest achievements in the world of adventuring and exploration: the climbing of Mt. Everest. But this was only the tip of the summit for Peter, who has also made such feats as crossing Antarctica to the South Pole, forging a new route in the process, traveling to the North Pole with his father and astronaut Neil Armstrong, being the first to traverse the length of the Himalayas, and clearing each of the “Seven Summits”, the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.
Storyteller
Like any good adventurer, Peter has a wealth of stories to share about each of these challenges and many more. While he may not expect his audience to go climb a mountain after one of these speeches, Peter’s greatest strength is in his sound judgment. He has mastered the art of balancing risk with caution, stretching his boundaries, but knowing his limits. He utilizes humor and heart-stopping excitement to thrill his audience, supported by superb slide and video footage, but it is practical applications like these that make his presentations so inspiring to those just trying to get ahead in their own fields, and staying relevant to the requirements of his clients.
Philanthropy
Peter has followed in his father’s footsteps in more than one regard, as he is also an active member of the Himalayan Trust, the organization Edmund founded to assist locals in the Mt. Everest region. Through these efforts, Peter has helped build and run 42 schools, hospitals, and medical clinics, taking in over 800 teenagers to assist with the construction and maintenance of the facilities. He is also a member of several other foundations across the Himalayan region, including the American Himalayan Foundation, the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation of Canada, the Himalayan Trust UK, and the Australian Himalayan Foundation, continuing to bring aid to the people of Nepal and beyond.
Books
Peter has left the legacy of his escapades in print form as well, including In the Ghost Country, the story of Peter’s journey to the South Pole while overcoming both the frigid conditions and conflict among his own companions, First Across the Roof of the World, the first crossing of the Himalayas, Two Generations, written alongside his father, Rimo: Mountain on the Silk Road, A Sunny Day in the Himalayas, and even a children’s book, Bridgit was Bored, proving that sometimes adventure is closer than you think.
Peter Hillary Speaking Topics
Climb Your Own Everest: Hillary's 10 Steps to the Summit of the World
Peter Hillary shares the ten principles most important in putting both father and son on top of the world, all presented alongside hilarious and thrilling anecdotes to take your audience along for the journey. These ten steps will provide all the tools and equipment needed to make the expedition and overcome the mountains in their own lives: 1. Nothing ventured; nothing gained. 2. Challenge = uncertainty = excitement. 3. Fear makes you focus. Fear makes you thorough. A little bit of fear is good. 4. Passion gives you the confidence and the dedication to accomplish the goal. 5. Fun makes for a great team. Having fun together helps cement a team, and makes the goal more achievable. 6. Make sure you have lots to live for. 7. Resist the flock factor. 8. You are all you have. 9. Powerful experiences are what memories are made of, but you must be prepared to risk defeat. 10. A view from the summit…to new horizons.
To the Ends of the Earth
An extraordinary 15-year quest that took Peter Hillary to the North Pole, the very top of our planet, the summit of Mt. Everest, its highest point, and skiing overland to the South Pole on the bottom. This long and exhaustive journey is a testament to the values of perseverance, setting goals, and never losing sight of them. Peter weaves this entertaining and inspirational presentation to instill these same values in his audience, encouraging them to make their own unshakable goals. It's all about the Dream, the Drive, and the Dedication to the goal.
K2 Crisis: Survive...and Thrive
Not every adventure ends with success. A story of those who died - and those who survived - on K2, the world’s most savage mountain…because surviving is the name of the game. Peter was the only survivor of a group of eight climbers who braved the trek up K2. The climb seemed a sure bet, but a combination of observational skills and intuition led Peter to turn back. “Never be afraid to stand alone,” his father once said, and Peter stood alone that day as he headed back down the mountain, a wise decision as a ferocious storm claimed the lives of the rest of his team. Peter retells this cautionary tale with a message to become more self-reliant, judge situations carefully, and know when to turn back.
Peter Hillary Books
