Bio
Alex Staniforth is a 21-year old endurance adventurer, author and motivational speaker from Cheshire. In 2015 his second attempt to climb Mount Everest ended in disaster after the Nepal earthquake triggered avalanches, tragically killing three of his team-mates at base camp, whilst narrowly escaping an avalanche himself below Camp 1.
Having raised the £35,000 expedition costs himself, in Spring 2014 his first attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest, aged 18, was cut short by another major avalanche. With every obstacle being an opportunity in disguise, he has since raised over £55,000 for various causes, including the victims of the Nepal earthquake, and his gripping new book "Icefall" - endorsed by Bear Grylls - tells the story of these devastating events, recently winning bronze in the Readers Favorite International Book Contest. Alex suffered Epilepsy, mental health problems, stammering, bullying and low self confidence throughout his childhood; which has driven him to succeed and inspire others to overcome their own ‘Everest in life’ through regular speaking engagements.
He is proud to be the Young Ambassador for the award-winning Westgrove Group and YHA England & Wales, and to have carried the London 2012 Olympic flame through Chester. Alex climbed Mont Blanc aged just 17 and attempted to climb Baruntse (7,129m) the following year. In 2016 he returned to the Himalayas to climb Cho Oyu in Tibet, the sixth highest in the world at 8,201m, reaching 7,100m before abandoning his summit bid with Acute Mountain Sickness.
Besides mountains, Alex is a competitive runner and has completed a number of solo cycling challenges including 'Everesting', the National 3 Peaks Cycle challenge, an 880 mile ride from Chester to Chamonix in 8 days and more recently a 24-hour time trial covering 268 miles
