| At 9:30 am on October 5, 1982, Laurie Skreslet became the first Canadian to reach the peak of Mount Everest. Since his return, Laurie has toured North America appearing on radio and TV, and talking to business and community groups about his experience. |
Born in Calgary, Alberta, on October 25, 1949, Laurie began facing physical challenges early in life. At age 17, he left Calgary and went to work as an able-bodied seaman aboard a privately-owned American four-masted sailing ship. He later rounded out his world travels with stints in the Norwegian and United States Merchant Marine.
Laurie's first involvement with climbing was in 1970 when he took a 26-day standard course at the Colorado Outward Bound School. His performance was such that they hired him as an assistant instructor. Four years later he joined the Canadian Outward Bound Mountain School at Keremeos, B.C., as a Course Director and Senior Instructor. In these capacities he was responsible for guiding assigned students, on both 26-day standard and 10-day skill courses, through activities planned to present them with challenges of increasing difficulty. He instructed mountain rescue, skiing, rock, snow and ice climbing, paralleling, mountaineering, first aid, map reading, expedition planning, wilderness survival, and white water kayaking. Throughout these activities special emphasis was placed on leadership skills.
Laurie joined the Canadian Everest Expedition in the spring of 1981. Separate from his role as climber was his responsibility for the selection, development and testing of equipment to be used. With the equipment manager, he transported 27 tons of gear to base camp in Nepal by air, animal and finally, human transport.
At 9:30 am on October 5, 1982, he reached his goal, the peak of Mount Everest, 29,028 feet above sea level, as the first Canadian to do so. Since his return, Laurie has toured North America appearing on radio and TV, and talking to business and community groups about his experience.
Laurie Skreslet's story of this unique and successful expedition is
moving and inspiring. But it is also much more. Skreslet draws
intelligent and subtle parallels between the challenges of the mountain
and the challenges faced every day in the business world. He describes
the teamwork and organization that goes into a trip of such magnitude,
the mental preparation, the physical preparation, and the importance of
giving your best, not just for yourself, but because others need and depend
on you. The audience will come to realize that limits are self-imposed
and that the will to succeed is paramount. Audiences are consistently
thrilled by his message and go on to become themselves, peak performers.
| DLA | Speakers | Categories | Top Of Page |