Carlos Buhler is one of America's most accomplished high altitude mountaineers, including a background of 46 international climbing expeditions. His stories weave a fabric of success and failure on some of the most interesting and challenging routes up the remarkable mountains of the world. The path he has followed illustrates the fine line between momentous success and excruciating catastrophe; between world class accomplishment and heart wrenching tragedy. His experience leading international climbing teams has given him unique perspectives into the delicate challenges of multicultural communication, leadership development and team dynamics. Since 1984 he has presented to, and consulted for, a wide variety of organizations and businesses in which leadership roles are carefully tuned to create an environment that allows their units to excel.
Carlos’ climbing speciality has been characterized by high altitude, no supplemental oxygen, minimal equipment, small teams and relatively small amounts of funding, whilst accomplishing first ascents on the highest mountains by difficult routes in challenging conditions. In 1980, Carlos was invited to join the Spanish Aragon Himalayan Expedition where he and his Spanish partners made the first ascent of Baruntse's striking East Ridge and the first American ascent of the mountain (7,129 m / 23,390 ft.). In 1983 an American team became the first to climb what is considered to be the most difficult and dangerous route up Mount Everest, the Central Rib of the Kangshung Face. Carlos and his team reached the summit on October 8 and 9 – their route has never been repeated. During the 1985 Himalayan December season, he and his American partner pioneered, in pure alpine style, the first ascent of the awe-inspiring Northeast Face of Ama Dablam (6812 m / 22,349 ft.). In 1988, Carlos led the first successful American expedition of Kangchenjunga (8586 m/28,169 ft.), the world’s third highest mountain. Three of the five member international team summited Kangchenjunga and Carlos became the first American to reach the top of this foreboding mountain. In April 1992, Carlos's British climbing partner became sick in Base Camp just before their attempt of Nepal's iconic Dorje Lhakpa (6966 m / 22,854 ft.). Carlos overcame this setback by climbing the West Ridge alone, making the first ever solo ascent of the mountain. On his third attempt, in 1996, with a Russian team, Carlos ascended the infamous K2 (at 8611 m / 28,250 ft, earth’s second highest mountain) by the extremely daunting Chinese North Ridge. In 1998, Carlos led some of his Russian teammates to tackle the sheer, 5,200 foot, North Face of Changabang (6864 m / 22,514 ft.) in the Indian Himalaya. After living 14 days on the vertical wall, the five-man team reached the summit together. This ascent established one of the most difficult ‘big wall’ routes achieved in the Himalayan Mountains.
In 2002 Carlos was ranked ‘Best of the Best’ by Everestnews.com as one of the 4 best high altitude climbers in the world. In 2004 he was awarded a Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Grant awarded for cutting edge ‘bold first ascents or difficult repeats of most challenging routes’. In 2007 he was awarded the Robert and Miriam Underhill Award for outstanding mountaineering achievement by the American Alpine Club.
Carlos has developed a great respect for the mountain areas in which he climbs, and in 2001 was awarded the Polartec Challenge Award, for ‘vision, commitment, credibility and respect for the local culture and environment which serve as role models to outdoor enthusiasts worldwide’. He takes a personal interest in populations living with difficulty in areas in which he has climbed, particularly in Nepal. He sits on the Advisory Board of the ‘Gorkha Foundation’ (www.gorkhafoundation.org ). This non-profit is a grassroots organization whose purpose is to support initiatives that reduce poverty and inequality by making sustainable improvements to the living conditions of the poor and marginalized in the Gorkha region of Nepal. They do this by empowering communities to focus on Healthcare, Primary and Secondary education and income generating activities.
With his deep involvement leading and participating with international climbing teams, Carlos has gained an uncommon understanding of the delicate challenges of multicultural cooperation, leadership pitfalls and subsequent team dysfunction. Whilst still climbing as a hobby, Carlos is a highly experienced management consultant, meeting facilitator and executive coach. Today, he applies his leadership experience in mountaineering to help corporations and organisations worldwide open up pathways to high performance, and promoting organizational transformation.
