Ed made the first of his 187 summit trips up Mount Rainier, while he was studying at the University of Washington, during the winter of 1978. Most of his other ascents have been made while working for Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. 

Ed has repeatedly proven himself as America's leading high-altitude mountaineer, having ascended many of the world's most challenging peaks, many of those without the aid of supplemental oxygen. His mountaineering prowess has led to several remarkable climbing records, the most notable of which is becoming the first non-Sherpa to climb Mount Everest five times and make it down alive. Three of those trips were without bottled oxygen. Ed also became the first American and one of only five people to climb the highest peaks on all six continents, yet again without supplemental oxygen.

His latest quest is to climb all fourteen of the world's highest mountains with elevations over 8,000 meters without the use of supplemental oxygen. On May 12, 2005, he successfully completed his quest when he stood on the top of Annapurna. Only nine others have done so, seven of them forgoing oxygen. Ed is the first American to top all fourteen.

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