(Mountain Madness photo: New owner Lisa Thompson with previous owner Mark Gunlogson)
Though West Seattle is home to hills and not mountains, it’s also home base to a variety of businesses tied to the latter. Among them: Mountain Madness in South Delridge, which has a long history, as the announcement explains:
Mountain Madness, a global leader in guided mountain adventures, was acquired by Lisa Thompson, founder of Alpine Athletics. Thompson will lead Mountain Madness as its new President and sole owner, bringing together Alpine Athletics’ expert coaching and training with Mountain Madness’ 40+year legacy of guiding transformative climbing, trekking & skiing adventures worldwide.
With nearly 20 years in the mountains, Lisa Thompson is an accomplished climber and coach. Among her achievements are the Seven Summits and becoming the second American woman to reach the top of K2, as told in her best-selling memoir, Finding Elevation. In 2018 she founded Alpine Athletics to prepare climbers of all levels for the physical, mental, and tactical requirements of mountaineering.
Mountain Madness was founded in 1984 by legendary climber Scott Fischer and partners. Fischer is widely known for his role in the 1996 Mount Everest expedition, chronicled in Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, which brought global attention to the risks and rewards of high-altitude climbing. Under Fischer’s leadership, Mountain Madness became synonymous with bold expeditions, but most importantly, a passion for sharing the magic of the mountains.
In 1997 the company grew under the new leadership of Christine Boskoff, one of the first prominent female 8,000-meter high-altitude climbers. Her vision took guests to new uncharted, off-the-beaten-path adventures, and strengthened Fischer’s dream to guide more 8,000-meter peaks. Longtime guide Mark Gunlogson, who began guiding for Mountain Madness in 1994, took the reins in 2008, expanding the company into a globally respected adventure travel leader while honoring its founding values of exploration, education, and empowerment. To honor Mountain Madness’s legacy and ensure its future thrives, Mark will remain onboard to guide and mentor the team.
Since 2021, Alpine Athletics and Mountain Madness have partnered on unique initiatives such as fundraiser climbs and all-women’s expeditions in the Pacific Northwest. This partnership continues with an all-women’s Ama Dablam expedition. With a shared vision to inspire and empower climbers to go beyond what they thought was possible, Thompson will further this by offering a fully integrated client journey — from the first training session to summit day — and everything in between.
Mountain Madness’s headquarters is at 9249 17th SW. That’s where you’re invited to attend Ski Film Night at 6 pm Friday, February 6, with screenings, beverages, and raffle. prizes including a drawing for a rescue course. Watch for more community events (we’ll add them to our calendar as we get them).