Jim Williams
Expedition Leader and Base Camp Manager
As veteran of Everest expeditions for the past 12 years Jim will take on a new role this season – Base Camp Manager and Expedition Leader. Jim will be in Base Camp during the Expedition overseeing all the expedition logistics and lending support to Nima Tashi and Robie during their attempt on Mt Everest. Jim will accompany Robie and Fallon as high as Camp 2 in the Western CWM before attempting Nuptse with his old climbing friend Lily Leonard (Everest 2000) if time permits.
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Nima Tashi
Professional Mountain Guide / Expedition Sirdar
Nima Tashi has been working with Exploradus/ Professional Mountain Guides
for the past ten (10) years as the leader of many expeditions.
His accomplishments include more than 10 Everest expeditions spanning
nearly twenty years. Nima has more than Nine (9) summits of Mt. Everest
and numerous ascents of Ama Dablam which is located in his back yard.
Nima lives and is building the newest and best Lodge in Pangboche.
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Robie Vaughn
Expedition Member
For many years Robie has been captivated by the thought of some day climbing Mt Everest. After training and preparing for this climb for the past several years this will be the real test. “This is an adventure and we will go to have fun…it would be nice to summit the mountain but it is even more important to return home safely…the mountain and weather will dictate how high we can climb so we'll see what happens!"
Robie comes at this endeavor with the drive of a successful businessman and past US Olympic Team Leader, as head of Vaughn Petroleum and the US Skeleton Team from 1999 through the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Both he and his wife Fallon were on the US National Skeleton Team together. Fallon will be supporting Robie’s efforts to climb Mt. Everest this season by being with the team until the end of April.
Robie is the author of
HEADFIRST: The Olympic Success Story of Skeleton.
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Fallon Vaughn
Support Climber
Fallon unlike her husband has not been dreaming of climbing to the summit of Mt. Everest for years. She has however been involved in many of the training climbs leading up to this Expedition. Fallon will join the team on the Trek to Base Camp and will stay with Robie while he makes his first few trips through the Khumbu Ice Fall to acclimatize. Fallon will depart around the end of April.
An avid sports competitor, Fallon has many outstanding accomplishments to her
credit. She began her outdoor career in 1983 with a 30 day NOLS trip in the Wind
River mountains of Wyoming followed by climbs on Mt. Rainier and the Grand Teton.
She first went to the high mountains with Robie on an attempted ski ascent and
descent of Mustagh Ata in Western China in 1986. Fallon was a member of the USA
Skeleton National Team from 1999 – 2002, competed in the US Olympic Trials and
was elected by her Skeleton Team peers as a forerunner in the 2002 Olympic Winter
Games at Salt Lake City.
She also qualified for the USGA Women's Mid-Amateur Golf Championship
in 2006!
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Trevor Dunlap and Robert Vaughn
Support Climbers
Trevor is completing his second year as an engineering major at the University of Virginia. He is in good shape, very tall at 6’7” and doing a marine prep exercise program this Spring. He and Robert Vaughan were roommates at Culver Academy and Trevor is well known to Robie and Fallon. Trevor is really excited about this trip. He has mountain experience mostly skiing in the winter in Colorado and camping experience in several African countries and northern Canada.
Robert graduated from Culver Military Academy where he was Indiana's sole All-American in lacrosse last spring and he captioned Culver's polo team to second place in the Interscholastic Championships last year as well. He now attends the University of Texas at Austin while studying Petroleum Engineering. Robert has climbed the Grand Teton and Mt. Moran with his father and Jim Williams. Following his last exam this spring, he is looking forward to experiencing the challenges of high altitude while trekking to Base Camp.
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George Jordan
Support Climber
George graduated from St. Mark's School of Texas. Like Robert, he was named All-American in lacrosse last spring and was also the MVP in football last fall. He will attend the University of Texas-Austin upon his return from Nepal. He is an experienced hiker, camper and snowboarder. George is anticipating a great trek to the base camp with his friends.
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EXPLORADUS