Elia Saikaly

I built my career against the current. No road? No problem. No path? I’ll carve one. I live at sea level. I’ll begin with Everest. Impossible? I’ll show you the way. Since 14, I’ve lived by the philosophy: follow your bliss. And I’ve since learned Joseph Campbell’s words are rooted in something deeper. In Sanskrit: Sat — Truth Chit — Consciousness Ananda — Bliss Bliss isn’t chasing pleasure. It’s what arises when you live in truth, anchored in awareness, whatever the cost. Start with bliss and work backwards and it always leads to consciousness and truth. I’ve started a Substack called Higher Ground. It’s an opportunity to journey with me in long text format. I’d love to see you there. #Everest #EverestShadow #Mountaineering #8000m

“We don’t have a lot of time,” my coach said to me. Those words were gasoline on the fire burning within – a fire longing for the energetic charge of being alive, fully in my body and its potentiality. I only had 12 weeks to prepare. Just enough time to give me a shot. This was a beach workout with sandbags under 35 degree temperatures while on vacation back in February - part of a systematic plan to maximise survivability. Every movement, every rep, every cold plunge and every breath practice was designed to stress my system, recover it, and prepare it for what was coming. At 46, it’s incredible to feel what happens when you truly honour your body’s potential. Too many stop moving. Too many neglect the vessel that houses their soul. Too many believe ageing means decline. It doesn’t have to. When you understand how to build, maintain, and regenerate what time and neglect erode, everything changes. Tool’s 46 & 2 played on repeat for months. Hypnotic, cellular programming tied to my youth – a rebellious “fuck you” energy merged with lyrics about evolution and transformation. Fuel for survival. I needed Buddha and as my friend traverboehm coined it: the gorilla as well. This journey brought me closer to death than ever before. But it wasn’t driven by an unconscious need to escape life like in the past. Rather than unconscious drive, it was conscious drive. Rather than dissociation, it was association. It was a conscious act on all levels to confront and show up in full presence, with an intent to detach and say goodbye to Great Mother, and have a transcendent experience with the Divine. To embody all I’ve learned since touching the very bottom. And to bring home a symbolic story for those disconnected from the Self we all long to be in harmony with. Pushing ourselves beyond comfort reminds us this breath, right now, is not guaranteed. And when it ends, I want to know I honoured the gift of life by fully living it – strong, capable, embodied and wide awake. There is more - tragically incongruent with my intention which I was also fully prepared for. More on that soon. 🎶 Music: Tool – 46 & 2 #Everest #No02 #Body #Mind #Soul #Individuation

Loaded up, below the Lhotse Face. Every gram mattered. But what mattered more was knowing I wasn’t carrying it all alone. Part of my mission in 2025 was to bring science and performance together. To embody what I’ve learned about relationship, the nervous system, and connection – with others, with myself, and with the mountain. Not to objectify it, but to be in true contact. My friend mastinkipp once shared a study conducted by Schnall, Harber, Stefanucci, and Proffitt (2008), which found that when people stand before a steep hill, it looks less steep if a supportive friend is beside them. On Everest, I lived that truth. Even though I was alone up high, I wasn’t alone in spirit. I carried the voices and love of those supporting me from afar. Strength isn’t about doing hard things alone. It’s about knowing we can count on others. We can climb steep hills and face impossible moments because someone stands beside us, sharing the rope. #Everest #No02 #LhotseFace #Mountaineering #Resilience #Embodiment #HumanConnection #PerformancePsychology #Climbing #MindfulMountaineering

There’s a haunting gap in my memory this season – entire hours lost in the death zone, where only scattered fragments remain and the rest has vanished into the thin, unforgiving air. What worried me most was the deterioration above Camp 4. We’ve all heard stories of hypoxic climbers ripping off their mitts, acting ‘crazy’, or leaping off the mountain. That’s why mental programming was everything. At 8000m, it’s not just conscious decisions that keep you alive, but the ones buried deep in your subconscious. My study of breathwork became critical. Understanding CO₂ tolerance, gas exchange, and how oxygen truly works in the body gave me tools to control my nervous system when it mattered most. Coherence breathing, non sleep deep rest and nightly visualizations became rituals, priming my mind to handle what was coming. I rehearsed everything – turning back, succeeding, running into complications. All of it. Programming the subconscious became a nightly practice, embedding responses deep within so they would emerge when conscious thought failed. We measured my acclimatization, tracked SpO₂, and monitored cognitive decline through simple mathematics exercises. I relied on my team from afar, receiving texts via InReach to help inform my decisions in those final hours. The data shows my physiology slowly shutting down, my body preserving its vital organs as the end drew near. In some ways, the bad weather forecast was a blessing – because reaching the summit wasn’t the primary mission this time. Because for me, up high, it wasn’t just the mountain I feared – it was the intentions of some who were less than pleased with me. I had my brother at basecamp, filming my every move. Bookends for a project I began in 2019. A project more difficult to complete than anything I’ve ever taken on in my life. Still, like Sisyphus, I continue to push the boulder up the hill – committed to a decision made more than six years ago. A voice for the voiceless. A mission that chose me. I’ve written 20,000 words since, trying to piece it all together. This is just the beginning of the work ahead. Perhaps my final work – time will tell. Onwards. #Everest #DeathZoneWitness

Human performance has always fascinated me. It’s multi-dimensional: physiology, genetics, training, psychology, spirituality, environment, and lived experience. But in the death zone, it requires more than the body. Because the body fails. Up there, we’re transient beings, dipping our toes into thin air before retreating as quickly as possible. Anecdotal evidence from colleagues who’ve climbed above 8500m, unsupported and without supplemental oxygen, report hallucinations, memory loss, hypoxia-induced cognitive decline, near-death clarity – and moments of profound transcendence and peak performance. Breathwork, meditation, and psychedelics have long been portals to altered states – and so too is the world above 8000m. Most don’t understand why one would go there. But there’s something to be learned at that thin edge between life and death – an experience of being so close to the heavens, to God, to the afterlife… and returning with knowledge. In recent years, I resolved my ‘why’ and sought a more sustainable way – especially at 46. I studied neuroscience, the unconscious, and the shadow. Became a certified breathwork facilitator. Trained in Gestalt, Polyvagal Theory, mind-body therapy, and peak performance psychology – merging lived experience with theory to help others unlock potential and live freer lives. This year, I trained harder than ever, packed on 15lbs of muscle, and enlisted a team to monitor my every move. I wore a CORE temp sensor, Oura ring, Garmin watch, Polar HR monitor, Bluetooth SpO₂ sensor, and did regular hemoglobin and hematocrit testing – overseen by experts providing real-time feedback. My nervous system was carefully tracked, and I applied practical strategies to stay regulated within my limits. Much remains unknown about what happens above 8000m in mind, body, and spirit. I hope future research dives deeper – not just for the climbers who venture there, but for what these lessons reveal about the limits, fragility, and potential of all of us. #Everest #No02 #Unsupported

This is david_goettler – North Face athlete, summiting Everest unsupported and without oxygen in 2022. I was on assignment with kentoncool and noticed a humble, unassuming man in a yellow down jacket outside our mess tent at Camp 2. He was hesitant to enter and even refused a cup of tea. His approach was simple: no oxygen, no support. Minimal footprint. And absolute consequence. Before his summit push, I saw the magnitude of his risk. He seemed less confident than I expected, but it wasn’t insecurity – it was wisdom. Knowing that once he committed above Camp 4, alone, it was life or death. No margin for error. On Everest, climbing this way, there is no forgiveness. Only consequence. As a filmmaker, bottled gas was my only approach. My job required clarity to tell the stories unfolding around me. When I read in The Third Pole that Everest on oxygen at 4LPM is equivalent to the summit of Kilimanjaro, it reframed how I saw my own 5 successful ascents. And so began the fascination with wanting to be in true contact with Everest. Not a contact diluted by artificial gas, fooling me into thinking the death zone is less than it is, but one of meeting the mountain entirely at its level. At 8,000 meters, the partial pressure of oxygen is roughly one-third of what it is at sea level. Every breath is a battle. The body begins to die. Even simple tasks become monumental. Up there, stripped of artifice, there is no illusion. Only truth. David shared his strategy with me in early 2025 as I prepared for my own first unsupported attempt. He was generous with his time. If you’re unfamiliar with this style, give David a follow. He’s a gentleman and role model, embodying the ethics and spirit of true exploration. #Everest #Unsupported #NoO2

The Avalanche — I went into this prepared. Every detail. Every scenario. Nothing left to chance. But perhaps the most vital preparation wasn’t logistical. It was psychic. The kind of readiness forged not in planning, but in pain. Not in gear lists, but in the long shadow of collapse. Because the injuries you can’t see—the ones that bruise the psyche —Those take longer to heal. They bleed invisibly, slowly. They whisper when the world is quiet. I know. I’ve bled that way before. There was a time I wasn’t ready. A time the blows came too fast, too soon. And I froze. I dissociated. Watched myself shatter from somewhere outside myself. Shame grew there. Guilt made its nest in the stillness. I called it weakness. But it was survival. So I trained for this. Not just the mountain—but the breaking point. I trained to be unfuckwithable. To hold center on the brink of death. To meet malevolence without flinching. And when the moment came— When the walls closed in and the sky thinned— I didn’t freeze. I moved. I acted. Fast. Not with panic, but precision. This time, instinct was fully accessible. This time, I stayed inside my body. And this time—there is no psychic wound. Only blessings. #Everest #no02

A month ago today, I was on my way to the top of the world—fully unsupported and without supplemental oxygen. 
I spent two nights in the death zone without O2. No Sherpa support. No safety net. Just me, my gear, and the mountain. Despite five previous Everest summits, I can now say with lived certainty: attempting it this way is an entirely different beast. There were a number of no 02 attempts this past season, but to my knowledge, none were properly unsupported. They all had some degree of Sherpa and logistical support above basecamp. Backup plans and safety nets. I had none of that. I refused even a cup of tea from friends beyond basecamp. I wanted to experience the mountain in its purest form. I did use the fixed ropes and the infrastructure put in place by the Icefall Doctors and rope fixing team. On the 22nd, the winds were beyond my risk threshold. I held out for another weather window and stayed a 2nd night at camp 4, but by the 23rd, I had to make the call: I aborted the summit push shortly after I began climbing. Even climbers on O2 turned back. From my point of view, it was simply too dangerous to proceed solo, without gas or support under those conditions. The line between life and death was as razor thin as it’s ever been. Live to climb another day. I kept this expedition quiet—for many reasons, mostly for my personal safety. Let’s just say: some wild shit went down in Nepal before and after the climb. I documented all of it. I was on the mountain, finally turning the lens on myself after 20 years in the high mountains. Pulling together 6 years of work that began in 2019. I’m still processing everything that unfolded—not just above 8000m and on the descent, but at basecamp pre summit push. I’m trying to determine how most effectively to share the entirety of the experience. To those who supported me quietly and consistently—thank you. Your presence and support meant more than you know. And for those wondering about the silence on IG: I’m good. All is well. Huge thank you to my brother fsinkorea for the 🎥 and everything beyond. What a ride! #Everest #NoO2 #Unsupported

20 years of walking these beautiful trails to Everest Basecamp. Looking forward to sharing the experience with our group in a few weeks. #Everest #EBC #Nepal #Himalayas #Khumbu

Last Call to join me for Everest Base Camp this spring. 2025 marks 20 years since I first set foot in Nepal—a country that has had a profound impact on my life. Since then, I’ve embarked on 11 unforgettable expeditions to Everest and made 25 trips to this beautiful land. This year, I’m inviting you to join me on an extraordinary trek to Everest Base Camp, where we’ll celebrate this milestone together and give you an opportunity to see Nepal with your own eyes. Trip Highlights 🥾 Breathtaking Trails Through Sagarmatha National Park Trek across suspension bridges, pass through charming Sherpa villages, and immerse yourself in the rich traditions of the Khumbu Valley. 🏔️ Unparalleled Himalayan Views Stand face to face with Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and other legendary peaks. 🌄 Summit Kala Patthar at Sunrise for for a front-row seat to Everest, bathed in golden light at dawn. ✨ A Night at Everest Base Camp Sleep beneath the stars at Everest Base Camp surrounded by the towering peaks of the Khumbu Icefall. 🌌 Witness the Milky Way Over Everest (Optional) Rise at 1 a.m. to watch the Milky Way ascend over Nuptse and the Icefall—a celestial spectacle beyond words. This trek offers you the chance to experience the magic of Nepal firsthand. 🚀 This is your last chance to join me. It’s not too late. 📅 DM me or comment below for more details. Let’s celebrate 20 years of adventure together and walk these legendary trails. This is more than a trek—it’s a life-changing journey. See you in the Himalayas! ⛰️💙 #EverestBaseCamp #TrekEverest #Nepal2025 #AdventureAwaits #Himalayas

A year ago, we did a thing. And yes—there were funny glasses and wigs involved. We summited Kilimanjaro and supported Mariam, one of the most resilient human beings I’ve ever met, take one step closer to her dream of standing on the summit herself. Our entire team made that happen—Kenyans, Tanzanians, and an assortment of incredible humans from across the globe. Behind the scenes, more than 30 amazing people worked to make this journey possible. And on the mountain, with the leadership and logistics of my African friends, I had the privilege of co-leading and hiking alongside a group of truly inspiring people—Team FindingLife. We did it. FindingLife - it’s about the journey. Safari Njema lelinor09 socalizee instagramofcharlie trudi_schlatter lisi.tirol lelinor09 m.werner715 joycenolanca sahai_akal sherpapk mariamstafordbandaba rzaman12 #Kilimanjaro2024 #TeamFindingLife #RiseTogether #DreamsDontStop #SafariNjema

Here Are 5 Fun Reasons to Trek with Us to Everest Base Camp This Spring Here’s what you can look forward to:    •   Trek Through the Himalayas: Follow the legendary trails of Sagarmatha National Park, crossing suspension bridges and passing through Sherpa villages steeped in centuries of tradition.    •   Unparalleled Views: Stand in awe of the world’s highest peaks, including Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam.    •   Summit Kala Patthar at Dawn: Witness breathtaking views of Everest and its surrounding peaks as the first light of day illuminates the Himalayas.    •   Breathwork in Nature: Experience Conscious Connected Breathwork, guided by me, with the mountains as your backdrop. Reconnect with yourself in one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes on Earth.    •   A Night at Everest Base Camp: Spend an unforgettable evening under the stars, surrounded by towering peaks and the Khumbu Icefall. Optional Milky Way Viewing: Rise before dawn to witness the Milky Way ascending over the mountains—an indescribable moment of wonder. With expert guides, welcoming accommodations, and a focus on meaningful connection, this trek is about more than reaching a destination—it’s about the journey itself. The link to the trip is in my bio. Spaces are limited. Let’s walk these trails together this April and experience the magic of the Himalayas. #Nepal #Basecamp #Everest #Trek #Himalayas #JoinMe #Adventure#ScoobySocks