Wilco van Rooijen
🇳🇱 Netherlands • Mountaineering
Full Explorers Grand Slam
"It's on the summit where the expedition begins"
Hailing from the Netherlands, Wilco's insatiable thirst for adventure led him to scale towering peaks, traverse treacherous terrains, and undertake daring feats that have left an indelible mark on the world of exploration. Eventually, this led him to be on the absolute elite list of just a dozen people to have completed the Full Explorers Grand Slam - climbing all 7 highest summits on each continent and reaching the North and South Pole from the shore.
🏆 Only Dutchmen to complete the Full Explorers Grand Slam
👷♀️ Climbs without supplemental oxygen
🏔️ Survived nights alone above 8000m
Planned: Rowing the Pacific form California to Hawaii
USA 🇺🇸
Jun. 2024
Starting in June 2024 Team Ocean will row unaided from California to the magical backdrop of Hawaii. A total of 2800 miles rowing in shifts of 2 hours on and 2 hours off non-stop
We are Team Ocean with a mission to row across the mid-Pacific in order to raise awareness around Climate Change. Donations will be used to plant trees to offset climate change and to help fund our cause.
They will set out in May 2024 from San Francisco and row non-stop 4500km in shifts of 2 hours on and 2 hours off to Hawaii. It’s going to be tough to say the least but the mission is clear
Learn more: Team Ocean Website
Second no-O2 attempt of Kanchenjunga (8586m)
Nepal 🇳🇵
2022
Attempt to climb the third highest mountain in the World (8586m) - just few hundred meters from the summit Wilco was forced to turn around and abandon the summit attempt.
Sailing across the Atlantic
Spain 🇪🇸
2021
Sailing from Gran Canaria to St Lucia
No-O2 attempt of Kanchenjunga (8586m)
Nepal 🇳🇵
2022
Climb the third highest mountain in the world (8586m) without supplemental oxygen. With his climbing partner Cas van de Gevel they had to abandon the attempt due to bad weather.
Various Himalaya Expeditions
Pakistan 🇵🇰 Nepal 🇳🇵
1994 - 2016
Various expeditions to the highest mountains in the World.
2016: Cho Oyu expedition (8.201m, Nepal)
2014: Cho Oyu expedition (8.201m, Nepal) aborted due to a devastating avalanche
2008: K2 (8.611m, Pakistan, 2e highest of the world, w/o O2)
2006: Broad Peak (8.047m) / K2 (8.611m) (2x 8000+ w/o O2)
2004: Mount Everest (8.850m) Expedition w/o O2.
2002: Mount Everest (8.850m) Expedition w/o O2
1998: Shishapangma (8.013m) Expedition w/o O2
1995: Seven-Up K2 (8.611m) Expedition
1994: Lobuche Peak (6.119m) Expedition
Finishing the 7 Summits & Full Explorers Grand Slam
Antarctica 🇦🇶
2011
By summiting Mount Vinson in Antarctica, Wilco completed not only the 7 Summits but also the Full Explorers Grand Slam.
The 7 Summits:
2011: 7 Mount Vinson (5.140m, highest mountain Antarctica)
2010: 6 Mount Carstensz (4884m, highest mountain Oceania )
2007: 5 Aconcagua (6.962m, Sud-America's highest mountain)
2007: 4 Mount Kilimanjaro (5.895m, Africa's highest mountain)
2007: 3 Mount Elbrus (5.642m, Europe highest mountain)
2007: 2 Mt McKinley (6.194m, highest mountain-N America)
2004: 1 Mount Everest (8.850m)
Full Explorers Grand Slam:
Reaching all 7 Summits and the North and South pole from the outer shore line
Reaching the Geographic South Pole
Antarctica 🇦🇶
2000
Under their own power, up and down to the South Pole, without supplies over a distance of 2300 km. Marc Cornelissen and Wilco van Rooijen reach the South Pole.
Reaching the Geographic North Pole
North Pole
1997
A the first Dutchmen, on May 20, 1997, after a 70-day walk, Wilco and the team reached the northernmost point of our earth.
Wilco was a guest on our Podcast 'Art of Adventuring'
