Come Discover Classroom Earth!

Special Events

Dinner in the Dark — YPO-WPO Member Opportunity
Get started NOW! — Click here to begin your travel experience

Dig Deeper

Return to Home
 
Donate Now — Support our life-changing educational travel programs.
Safety — Our participants (and their parents) entrust their lives to our care and we take that travel responsibility seriously. We take a preventative approach towards safety.
The GEx Difference — Learn more about the most comprehensive educational travel program available -- Global Explorers!
Responsible Tourism — Global Explorers and its participants practice active and responsible tourism.

Meet Our Staff

Eric Alexander

Eric Alexander, skier, climber, and mountaineer is achieving his goals while playing an instrumental role in helping others to achieve their own.  On May 25th, 2001, Eric defied the odds and scaled Mt. Everest guiding his blind friend Erik Weihenmayer to its lofty 29,035’ summit.  In 2002, the pair traveled to Russia and climbed Mt. Elbrus at 18,500 ft, and again found success on Mt. Kosciusko, Australia.  Two more of the seven summits (the highest points on each of the seven continents) notably the pair skied from the top of each of these latter two - making this the first-ever blind ski descents.  Eric shares this inspirational story with audiences all over the country and when he is not traveling, he teaches disabled skiers in Vail, Colorado and directs Adventures Beyond Limits, an organization that educates and encourages youth with disabilities in the outdoors. 

Eric grew up in the Colorado Rockies and started climbing in his teens.  He was a member of the University of Denver ski team, which led him to pursue work as a Ski Patrolman in Vail and in the French Alps, as well as instructing at Beaver Creek Resort.  Eric has successfully climbed the highest point on six of the seven continents and led expeditions throughout Europe, North America, South America, the Himalaya and other mountainous regions of the globe.

Climbing has not always been without its trials.  Eric reminds us of our humanity and demonstrates the courage it takes to succeed in climbing to the “top of the world”.  Surviving a 150’ fall in the Himalayas on Mt. Amadablam in 2000 was just the beginning.  Eric developed pulmonary edema and it became clear that he would need to be airlifted to safety.  For eight months, he struggled with pneumonia and was unable to train for Everest.  Gaining inspiration from his team and his faith, Eric dared to dream once again and fought back to play an instrumental role in this historic ascent.  Today, Eric continues to climb and look for new challenges both personally and in the outdoors while challenging people to overcome the “Everest’s” in their own lives redefining the limits of what we can achieve.