About Elías de
Elías, a.k.a. “The Spaniard”, grew up in Segovia (Spain) at the foothills of the Sierra Guadarrama, where he began going to the mountains at the age of 8, discovering his passion for mountaineering soon after in the European Peaks N.P. and with later treks in the Pyrenees and the Alps. While earning a degree in Physical Education and coursing Postgraduate Studies in Physical Performance, Elías was for 4 years in the Spanish top 8 in the track event of 400m hurdles. After his college years, he pursued formal mountaineering and climbing instruction with the Spanish Mountaineering Federation, a task that he continues today with the AMGA in the USA. In 2004 he arrived in Colorado, where he matured as a climber, making the Rockies his playground, having ascended over 100 peaks above 4000 meters. Currently, he lives in Vail, where besides ice climbing, he also volunteers in the Search & Rescue group. Elías has climbed in North and South America as well as in Europe. He enjoys sharing climbing time with people on snow, ice or rock, but prefers them all combined in an attractive alpine route. Elias for sure loves to share his favorite sight ever, that of the Patagonian Ice Shelf, the 3rd largest continental ice cap in the world where he will for sure try to encourage you to go! This will be Elías' third year guiding with RMI.
- 14 summits of Mount Rainier via 4 routes (including an “up and over, full traverse, 1push-18hour climb” via Liberty Ridge, with fellow RMI guides)
- 2 expeditions of Mount McKinley, 1 summit
- 1 summit of Mt. Aconcagua (22,840'), 1 summit & complete circumnavigation via “Polish Traverse”
- Peruvian Andes: Artesonraju (19,790'); Tocllaraju (19,790'); Ishinca (18,143'); Urus (17,782')
- Argentinian Andes: Plata (19,684'); Rincon (17,448')
- 1 Patagonian Ice Field Traverse (circumnavigation of Fitz Roy Massif)
- Climbed all 57 "public" Colorado Fourteeners
- Different climbs in the French Alps and the Spanish European Peaks and Pyrenees
- Ice climbing in Colorado, New Hampshire and Quebéc
- Wilderness First Responder
- A.I.A.R.E. Avalanche Level II
- A.M.G.A. Alpine Guide Course
- A.M.G.A. Ice Instructor Course
- Mountaineering Instructor (FEDME-Spain)
- Leave No Trace Trainer
- Vail Mountain Rescue Group member
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