Expeditions · Company records 2026
Alpine Ascents International Review 2026: Everest Prices, Owner, Booking Terms and a Record Score of 51
Alpine Ascents International scores 51 out of 100 as a company record: the Seattle guide service founded in 1986 by Todd Burleson, who still owns and leads it, prices all seven summit peaks for 2026 or 2027, led by an Everest South Col climb at USD 80,000 for 5 April to 25 May 2027 with a USD 20,000 non-refundable deposit and no refunds, but publishes no independent review and no financial protection. This record covers the company behind the climbs: who owns it, what a climb costs, its booking terms, its guides and Sherpa ratios, its safety facts as printed, reviews and the gaps. Our Everest, Seven Summits and Kilimanjaro solo-climber pages linked below rank the climbs themselves; this page scores the company.
Verified 26 September 2026 · alpineascents.com about, office staff, guide, climb and price schedule pages · the National Park Service · the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot
Is this your company? Correct a fact. Alpine Ascents International can correct any line of this record through the contact page. Corrections are logged with the previous value kept, and the score moves only if the evidence does.
How Alpine Ascents International scores: 51 out of 100
Alpine Ascents International scores 51 out of 100: full marks for planning depth and pricing transparency, held to 7 of 20 on the ground and to zero on reviews and financial protection. Our Seven Summits operator index scores Alpine Ascents 70 out of 100 and ranks it third, because that index scores what each climb discloses peak by peak: price, guide ratios, oxygen and record. This record scores what a buyer can check before paying, its terms, financial protection and independent reviews, where Alpine Ascents publishes far less.
| Criterion | Points | Out of | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning depth | 24 | 25 | More than 200 guides named in its guide archive, with certifications on their own pages, such as Peter Athans, an AMGA certified alpine guide (8 of 8). Founder Todd Burleson has guided eight Everest expeditions and all Seven Summits (4 of 4). About 18 countries and territories across its climbs (4 of 5). The Everest itinerary runs day by day to day 55 and names the Yak and Yeti hotel in Kathmandu (5 of 5). Trading since 1986 by its own account (3 of 3). |
| On-the-ground cover | 7 | 20 | The Seattle office line, 206-378-1927, with no hours and no 24-hour number (0 of 7). A Seattle base for its US climbs, a Mount Rainier guiding concession, and a named senior Sherpa, Lakpa Rita Sherpa, for Everest; no office in the other regions (5 of 8). "We employ a professional mountain guide on each trip" is said of Kilimanjaro, not of every climb (2 of 5). |
| Pricing transparency | 20 | 20 | More than ten climbs priced with dates for 2026-27 or 2027, such as Everest South Col at USD 80,000 for 5 April to 25 May 2027, Vinson at USD 55,500 and Aconcagua at USD 7,800 (8 of 8). Inclusions listed with each price schedule, such as two nights at the Yak and Yeti (5 of 5). US dollars with dates (4 of 4). A USD 700 deposit on most climbs with refunds scaled at 120 and 90 days; Everest takes USD 20,000 with no refunds (3 of 3). |
| Review evidence | 0 | 20 | No Tripadvisor listing of its own and no reviews on its Trustpilot page (0 of 12). No second platform with reviews (0 of 4). No dated independent review (0 of 4). |
| Financial protection | 0 | 15 | Home market Washington State. No USTOA membership, no seller of travel number and no trust account statement found (0 of 15). |
| Total | 51 | 100 | Company record score, 26 September 2026. |
Alpine Ascents International prices every one of the seven summit peaks for 2026 or 2027 and names its expedition staff, its oxygen allocation and its Sherpa ratio on Everest. It does not publish a 24-hour number, an independent review platform with any reviews, or any financial protection, and its own account of a 1986 founding does not match the start date on its Better Business Bureau file.
The evidence record
The record holds 18 facts about Alpine Ascents International, each with its source and grade. Grade A means the company's own site or terms; grade B means a registry, review platform, awarding body or major press; grade C means a secondary source not confirmed elsewhere. Every line was read on 26 September 2026 unless its source says otherwise.
| Attribute | Value | Source · grade |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Alpine Ascents International, with no entity suffix on its own site; a 2016 National Park Service press release names it "Alpine Ascents International, Inc." | About us · A; National Park Service · B |
| Registered or head office | 109 W. Mercer St, Seattle, WA 98119 (map) | About us · A |
| Founded | 1986, by its own account; the Better Business Bureau records the business start date as 1 January 1995 | About us · A; BBB profile · B |
| Owner and leaders | Todd Burleson, named President, Founder and Owner across its pages; no other owner or ownership change is stated | Todd Burleson · A |
| Guides | More than 200 guides named in its guide archive, such as Peter Athans, an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide who has summited Everest seven times across 14 expeditions; senior climbing Sherpa Lakpa Rita Sherpa, 15 or more summits | Guide archive · A; Peter Athans · A |
| Presence | A Seattle head office; a Mount Rainier guiding concession it dates to 2006, and which a 2016 National Park Service award also names it among three companies holding, with International Mountain Guides and Rainier Mountaineering; an authorised guide service of Denali National Park; no Kathmandu office, though a Nepal Program Director is named | About us · A; National Park Service · B |
| Phone and support | 206-378-1927, with no hours published and no 24-hour number | About us · A |
| Climbs and countries | About 18 countries and territories across its climbs, from the United States and Nepal to Kyrgyzstan, Bolivia, Mongolia and Antarctica | Climbs · A |
| Prices | Everest South Col USD 80,000 for 5 April to 25 May 2027; Speed Ascent USD 80,000; Everest and Lhotse USD 97,000; Vinson USD 55,500; Aconcagua USD 7,800; Denali USD 12,250; Kilimanjaro from USD 5,290; Carstensz Pyramid USD 26,000 | Everest price schedule · A; Vinson price schedule · A |
| Deposit and balance | A USD 700 deposit, including a non-refundable USD 300 registration fee, on most climbs, balance due 120 days before departure; Everest takes a USD 20,000 non-refundable deposit; Vinson and Carstensz USD 5,000 | Everest price schedule · A |
| Cancellation | A graduated scale on most climbs, a full refund minus the registration fee outside 120 days, 50% from 90 to 119 days, none inside 89 days; Everest, Vinson and Carstensz deposits and balances are stated as non-refundable outright, with "NO REFUNDS" on Everest | Aconcagua price schedule · A; Everest price schedule · A |
| Financial protection | Home market Washington State. No USTOA membership, no seller of travel number and no trust account statement found; mandatory medical evacuation insurance, available through Alpine Ascents | Everest price schedule · B |
| Reviews | No dedicated Tripadvisor listing of its own found; its Trustpilot page is unclaimed with no reviews; its BBB profile carries an A+ letter grade but states "This business is NOT BBB Accredited" | Trustpilot · B; BBB profile · B |
| Safety facts as printed | Oxygen above Camp II at 4 litres a minute on Everest; a 1:1 Sherpa to climber ratio on Everest summit day, about 14 Sherpas for an eight-climber team; Aconcagua 12 climbers to 3 guides; Denali 9 climbers to 3 guides | Why climb with us · A; Aconcagua price schedule · A |
| Memberships | No company-level AMGA accredited-business claim found; no USTOA, TAAN or Nepal Mountaineering Association membership stated | Guide archive · B |
| Our other pages | Ranks third, 70/100, on our Seven Summits operator index; scores 38/100, "Below bar", on our Kilimanjaro operators for solo climbers page, which quotes its Machame climb-only price as USD 5,950, a figure its own price schedule read on 26 September 2026 does not show | Seven Summits operator index · B; Kilimanjaro operators for solo climbers · B |
| Marketing lead | None found; Gordon Janow is Director of Programs and Jonathon Spitzer is Director of Operations | Office staff · A |
| Anything material | Its Everest page states it "cooperates" with other operators, naming International Mountain Guides, Adventure Consultants and National Geographic, specifically on fixing the route through the Khumbu Icefall | Everest page · A |
Who owns Alpine Ascents International?
Todd Burleson, who founded Alpine Ascents International, is still named President, Founder and Owner, though the company's own account of a 1986 founding does not match the start date on its Better Business Bureau file.
Burleson has guided eight Everest expeditions in 20 years and all Seven Summits multiple times, and in 1998 received the American Alpine Club's Sowles Award for a 1996 Everest rescue, according to his own guide page. The company's about page states it was "Founded in 1986", while its Better Business Bureau profile records the business as starting on 1 January 1995, a nine-year difference this record states rather than resolves. Gordon Janow, Director of Programs, and Jonathon Spitzer, Director of Operations, are named on its office staff page; no marketing lead is named.
How Alpine Ascents compares with the rest of the field on price and safety disclosure is in our Seven Summits operator index.
Who guides an Alpine Ascents climb
Alpine Ascents International names more than 200 guides in its archive, led by Everest specialist Peter Athans and a named senior Sherpa on its Everest team.
Peter Athans, an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide, has summited Everest seven times across 14 expeditions over two decades. Carole Tejas, its Nepal Program Director, considers the Khumbu Valley her second home, and senior climbing Sherpa Lakpa Rita Sherpa, with 15 or more summits, is named on its Everest safety page. On Everest, Alpine Ascents states it "cooperates" with International Mountain Guides, Adventure Consultants and National Geographic on fixing the route through the Khumbu Icefall. What a guided high-altitude climb involves day to day is covered in our high-altitude trekking insurance guide.
How much does an Alpine Ascents International climb cost?
Alpine Ascents International prices all seven summit peaks for 2026 or 2027, led by an Everest South Col climb at USD 80,000 for 5 April to 25 May 2027. All prices below were read on 26 September 2026 on Alpine Ascents' own price schedule pages; only a current or future date counts toward this record's pricing score.
| Climb | Length | Dates shown | Price, per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everest South Col | 51 days, plus up to 4 weather days | 5 April to 25 May 2027 | USD 80,000 |
| Everest Speed Ascent | 34 days, plus up to 4 weather days | 21 April to 25 May 2027 | USD 80,000 |
| Vinson | about 16 days | 2026 to 2028 seasons | USD 55,500 |
| Aconcagua, Normal Route | about 19 days | 2026 or 2027 | USD 7,800 |
| Denali | about 21 to 22 days | 2027 | USD 12,250 |
| Kilimanjaro, Machame, climb only | 7 days | summer 2027, cheapest season | USD 5,290 |
| Carstensz Pyramid | 11 days | 20 February to 2 March 2027 | USD 26,000 |
Everest and Lhotse combined costs USD 97,000, and a Camp II turnaround only is USD 18,000. Kilimanjaro's full nine-day Lemosho package, with accommodation, costs USD 10,650 in winter 2026-27; the same climb-only tier that season is USD 7,500. General Everest cost bands across operators are in our Everest cost guide, and Seven Summits pricing across the field in our Seven Summits operator index.
Alpine Ascents booking terms and financial protection
Alpine Ascents International runs a graduated cancellation scale on most climbs but takes a USD 20,000 non-refundable deposit on Everest with no refunds at all.
| When you cancel (most climbs) | What you pay |
|---|---|
| 120 days or more before departure | A full refund, minus the USD 300 registration fee |
| 90 to 119 days before departure | 50% of the price, minus the registration fee |
| 89 days or fewer before departure | No refund |
Everest, Vinson and Carstensz sit outside that scale: Everest takes a USD 20,000 non-refundable deposit with the balance due 120 days before departure and states plainly "NO REFUNDS", including for expeditions that end without reaching the summit; Vinson and Carstensz take a USD 5,000 non-refundable deposit on the same non-graduated basis. No USTOA membership, seller-of-travel number or trust account statement was found on any page read, and mandatory medical evacuation insurance is available through Alpine Ascents itself. How that compares with operators carrying a numbered scheme is in our Seven Summits operator index.
Support on the mountain and at home
Alpine Ascents International publishes one Seattle office line with no stated hours and no separate 24-hour or emergency number.
The only number found, 206-378-1927, carries no hours and no emergency label, and no dedicated general terms or cancellation-policy page could be located outside individual price schedules. On Everest, climbers have contracted access to the Everest Base Camp Medical Center's doctors, and its guides are Wilderness First Responder certified, per its safety page. Insurance for high-altitude evacuation is covered in our high-altitude trekking insurance guide.
Safety facts Alpine Ascents International prints
Alpine Ascents International prints an oxygen rate, a Sherpa ratio and a summit-success claim for Everest; these facts are reported on this page, not scored.
| Safety fact | As Alpine Ascents prints it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Oxygen allocation | Provided above Camp II at 4 litres a minute from High Camp to the summit and back, using lighter cylinders than, in its words, "any other guide service" (Everest) | Why climb with us · A |
| Guide and Sherpa ratios | Everest: 1:1 Sherpa to climber on summit day, about 14 Sherpas for an 8-climber team. Aconcagua: 12 climbers to 3 guides. Denali: 9 climbers to 3 guides | Why climb with us · A; Aconcagua price schedule · A |
| Rescue and medical cover | Contracted access to the Everest Base Camp Medical Center's doctors; guides are Wilderness First Responder certified; mandatory medical evacuation insurance, available through Alpine Ascents | Why climb with us · A |
| Summit or safety claims | "100% summit success" claimed for both the 2024 and 2025 Everest seasons; "300+ climbers summited with Alpine Ascents over 25+ years" historically | Why climb with us · A |
These figures are as Alpine Ascents International prints them; this record reports them and does not score them.
What Alpine Ascents International reviews say
No independent review platform lists Alpine Ascents International with any reviews: it has no dedicated Tripadvisor listing, and its Trustpilot page is unclaimed and empty.
Only individual trip reviews mentioning Alpine Ascents appear on Mount Rainier's own Tripadvisor page, not a dedicated company listing. Its Better Business Bureau profile carries an A+ letter grade but states plainly "This business is NOT BBB Accredited", which is a grading system, not a review score. Why reviews often collect on one platform rather than another is explained in our guide to review platforms.
Who Alpine Ascents International suits, and who it does not
Alpine Ascents International suits climbers who want every one of the seven summit peaks priced by one company, with a named Everest specialist on staff and a stated oxygen and Sherpa ratio.
It suits less well a solo Kilimanjaro climber counting on a stated group-size maximum: this site's Kilimanjaro operators for solo climbers page scores it 38 out of 100 because it publishes only that "most trips run with between 12 and 15 people" rather than a maximum. It also suits less well a buyer who wants an independent review to weigh, or a bonded or insured booking. Current Kilimanjaro routes and costs are in our Kilimanjaro routes and cost guide.
Alpine Ascents International: the decisions that come next
Most Alpine Ascents prices exclude international flights and gateway city hotel nights beyond the two included in Kathmandu on Everest, so paying the deposit, choosing a flight and insuring the climb are still the climber's own decisions.
| Decision | What matters for an Alpine Ascents climb | Where we cover it |
|---|---|---|
| Paying the deposit | Everest's USD 20,000 deposit is non-refundable from the day it is paid, so the card used decides what purchase protection applies. | Best luxury travel credit cards; Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve |
| Reaching Seattle, Kathmandu or Mendoza | None of the Everest, Aconcagua or Kilimanjaro fares include the long-haul flight to the gateway city. | Best business class airlines; best first class airlines |
| Airport time | A long connection through Doha, Delhi or Dubai to Kathmandu is where a lounge pays for itself. | Credit cards with airport lounge access |
| A delayed or cancelled flight | A disrupted flight from a UK or EU airport can carry fixed compensation of up to 520 pounds or 600 euros, a separate claim from anything Alpine Ascents owes. | AirHelp vs ClaimCompass vs Skycop vs Flightright |
| Nights either side | Two Kathmandu nights at the Yak and Yeti are included on Everest; other climbs name no hotel, so status still brings breakfast and late checkout elsewhere. | Hilton Diamond vs Marriott Titanium vs Hyatt Globalist |
| Insuring the climb | Medical evacuation cover is mandatory on every international climb; high-altitude policies are compared in our guide. | high-altitude trekking insurance guide; notable mountain destinations guide |
Where Alpine Ascents stands on Uncompromised Travel
Alpine Ascents International appears on three Uncompromised Travel pages and holds a ranked position on two of them.
| Page | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Everest expedition operators index | Named, not ranked | Prints South Col USD 80,000 for 5 April to 25 May 2027, matching this record |
| Seven Summits operator index | No. 3, 70/100 | Seven of seven peaks priced; also notes its Elbrus price is de facto dormant on a page last modified in 2023, which this record also found |
| Kilimanjaro operators for solo climbers | 38/100, "Below bar" | Quotes its Machame climb-only price as USD 5,950; its own price schedule read on 26 September 2026 shows USD 5,290 in summer 2027 or USD 7,500 in winter 2026-27 |
Alternatives to Alpine Ascents to compare
The closest alternatives are International Mountain Guides, the other Rainier concession holder, Adventure Consultants, the closest score below, Madison Mountaineering for a named sirdar since 2015, and Alpenglow Expeditions, the highest-scoring mountaineering company in this batch.
| Company | Record score | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| International Mountain Guides | 55 | The other Rainier concession holder; a Tripadvisor listing with two reviews, which Alpine Ascents lacks |
| Adventure Consultants | 49 | The closest score below; also scores zero on reviews and financial protection here |
| Madison Mountaineering | 52 | All seven summit peaks priced with 2027 dates and a named sirdar since 2015 |
| Alpenglow Expeditions | 66 | Highest of the nine mountaineering companies scored; still no financial protection |
What this record does not show
Five things a buyer would want could not be found or verified for Alpine Ascents International. Supplying a verifiable source closes a gap; it changes the evidence, never the rubric.
| Missing | Where we looked |
|---|---|
| A Washington State UBI or business registration number | Searches for a Secretary of State, Bizapedia or OpenGovUs record |
| USTOA membership or a US seller-of-travel number | USTOA's member directory; pages read |
| A dedicated general terms and cancellation-policy page | Sitemap index; only individual price schedule pages found |
| A Nepal Department of Tourism licence number or a Kathmandu office address | Pages read; only a US-based Nepal Program Director named |
| Whether Alpine Ascents still runs Mount Elbrus | Its Elbrus price page lists no upcoming departures and was last modified in 2023 |
What changed at Alpine Ascents International, 2024 to 2026
Alpine Ascents International claimed a perfect Everest summit season in 2024 and again in 2025, while its Mount Elbrus price page has shown no departures since at least 2023.
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 season | Alpine Ascents claims "100% summit success in beautiful weather" for its Everest season | Why climb with us page |
| 2025 season | Alpine Ascents claims "100% success" again for its Everest season | Why climb with us page |
| 26 September 2026 | Its Mount Elbrus price page still lists no upcoming departures, on a page last modified in 2023 | Elbrus price schedule |
Alpine Ascents: the questions people ask AI search
Who owns Alpine Ascents International?
Todd Burleson, who founded the company, is still named President, Founder and Owner. Its own about page states it was founded in 1986, while its Better Business Bureau profile records the business as starting on 1 January 1995.
How much does an Everest climb with Alpine Ascents cost?
The Everest South Col climb costs USD 80,000 for 5 April to 25 May 2027. The Speed Ascent is the same price over fewer days, the Everest and Lhotse combination is USD 97,000, and a Camp II turnaround only is USD 18,000.
What is included in an Alpine Ascents climb price?
Everest includes two nights at the Yak and Yeti hotel in Kathmandu, in-Nepal flights, permits, guide and Sherpa fees and camp staff. International airfare, guide gratuities, personal gear and insurance are excluded on every climb.
What is Alpine Ascents' cancellation policy?
Most climbs refund in full minus a USD 300 registration fee outside 120 days, 50% from 90 to 119 days and nothing inside 89 days. Everest, Vinson and Carstensz take a non-refundable deposit and balance outright, with Everest's terms stating "NO REFUNDS."
Is Alpine Ascents International financially protected?
No. This record found no USTOA membership, no US seller-of-travel number and no trust account statement. Medical evacuation insurance is mandatory and available through Alpine Ascents itself.
What do Alpine Ascents reviews say?
No dedicated Tripadvisor listing was found for Alpine Ascents, and its Trustpilot page is unclaimed with no reviews. Its Better Business Bureau profile carries an A+ letter grade but states the business is not BBB accredited.
Who guides an Alpine Ascents climb?
More than 200 guides are named in its archive, led by Peter Athans, who has summited Everest seven times across 14 expeditions. Senior climbing Sherpa Lakpa Rita Sherpa, with 15 or more summits, is named on its Everest safety page.
What oxygen and Sherpa ratios does Alpine Ascents publish for Everest?
Oxygen is provided above Camp II at 4 litres a minute from High Camp to the summit and back. A 1:1 Sherpa to climber ratio applies on summit day, about 14 Sherpas for an eight-climber team.
How does Alpine Ascents compare with other Seven Summits operators?
Our Seven Summits operator index ranks Alpine Ascents third at 70 out of 100, because it prices all seven summit peaks. This record scores what a buyer can check before paying, terms, protection and reviews, which is why it scores 51 here, sixth of the nine mountaineering companies scored.
Read next
- Seven Summits operator index: where Alpine Ascents ranks third
- Best Kilimanjaro operators for solo climbers: where it scores 38, below the pass mark
- International Mountain Guides record: the other holder of a Mount Rainier concession
- Adventure Consultants record: the closest score in this batch