Founder of Summit Guides

Getting to know Tom

How did it all start?

I remember seeing a magazine advert with a climber on a frozen waterfall - crampons on, swinging an axe. To a little boy from Suffolk who had never seen frozen ice - let alone knew you could climb it - I was mesmerised. About the same time, I started reading old mountaineering books, and before I’d even seen a mountain I was obsessed.

I started walking long-distance paths locally with my Dad, then climbing and skiing in my teens.

Things escalated, with a round of the Munros, and a summer walking the length of the UK. At the end of a tough month doing an MPhil at Cambridge Uni, I remember looking up from my laptop, gazing out over the rooftops of the city, and thinking to myself ‘is this exactly what I want to be doing?’. The answer was no, and in that moment, the idea of escaping to the hills, setting up a guiding outfit, and sharing my adventures with others dawned on me.

Shortly after, I turned down a doctorate at Oxford to pursue my dream – moved to the mountains full time, and Summit Guides was born.

What have you been up to since?

In the last decade, I’ve been fortunate enough to have climbed, guided, and skied all over the world – from the Canadian Rockies to Antarctica, to the Andes, the Himalayas, the European Alps, and beyond. I’ve also had the opportunity to share my love of the mountains with countless individuals and teams – from guiding scientists in the Polar regions to managing film safety on big-budget Netflix productions.

Who are your heroes?

Bonatti, Messner. Um, anyone who sends harder than me??? Which is pretty much everyone ha!

What do you most love about your job?

There are lots of things I love about taking people into the hills - I love meeting new people and sharing the mountains with them - especially the feeling of satisfaction that comes from using my specialised skill set to enable people to achieve their dreams. I also get to spend my time in some incredible places - from sea cliffs and mountain crags in the UK to visiting the Greater Ranges.

Tell us a good epic moment:

I’ve had some real ‘wow’ moments over the years - seeing the sun rise for the first time in 3 months after an Antarctic winter, ski guiding clients down volcanos in Japan, the last few steps to the top of Kanchenjunga (8586m) in Nepal with good friends, or guiding a scorching Cuillin Ridge traverse, then dipping sore toes into a mountain pool on the descent. These are the ‘wow’ moments I strive to share with others.