This website illuminates my life and adventures. My longing for freedom has led me to over 2600 of the world’s 3978 provinces, to every country on earth and to the summit of the highest peak on each continent (thank heaven for good weather!). In my travels, I learned to respect the intelligence and ingenuity of people of all races and callings both past and present. Come see the world as I see it: as a peaceful place, full of nature and beauty. With the right spirit and intent, we can make our world a virtual Garden of Eden.
DISTINCTIONS: BBC 2017 Travel Pioneer • Journal Articles • Explorer’s Club Flag Expeditions
World Parks Project • Walk Across South America • Jeff Shea Travel Map
Greenland, Warming Island, off coast of Liverpool Land, Peak of SW Finger, Broken Glacier and New Strait, 2006 - This is an aerial shot showing the three Pinnacles in the foreground. The mountain in the center left is the high point of the south-westerly finger, and the pyramid sticking out of the clouds to the right is the tip of the middle finger. The crevassed glacier falls to the sea. The top of the glacier at the base of the SW finger is where we made our camp for six nights.
Cambodia, Kampong Spueu Prov, Fire
Tanzania, J Jeff Shea from the USA Doing 64 Pushups on Top of Mt. K(ilimanjaro), 1984 - On arrival at Uhuru Peak, the highest point of Mount Kilimanjaro, I celebrated by doing sixty-four pushups. I wrote in the book at top, "J Jeff Shea, from the USA, did 64 pushups, on top of Mt. K."
Turkey, Gumushane Prov, Castle
Tibet, Everest, North Ridge Route, Camp 3, Showing Second Step, Summit Pyramid, 8200m, 1995 -
This photograph is taken from 8200 meters (26,800 feet) high on Mount Everest at the site of Camp 3 on the North Ridge route, adjacent to the North Face. The summit pyramid of Everest is shown at the right hand side of the photograph, about 2000 feet above. About two-thirds of the way across the photograph from the left to right is a bump on the ridge. This is the famous "Second Step." I arrived at Camp 3 May 23, 1995 without the use of oxygen. There, Lhakpa Gelu, Tsering Dorje and I slept and departed at midnight for the summit, reaching it in 9 hours. One of the tents is visible at the far left of the photograph. The rope holding the tent down runs across the foreground of the photograph from right to left.
Antarctica, Jeff Shea Completes the Seven Summits Atop Mount Vinson, 1997 (with flag) - This summit was my completion of the Seven Summits: Climbing the highest mountain on each continent: Asia (Everest), Europe (Elbrus), South America (Aconcagua), North America (Denali), Australia (Kosciusko), Africa (Kilimanjaro) and Antarctica (Mount Vinson). It was so cold that when I pulled my film to load it into the camera, it snapped in two. The Flag was designed by Banner Arts' John Dugger for my project Seven Summits for a Free Tibet. The Dalai Lama wrote a letter of commendation for my project. He later spoke in front of a banner made of this design.
Hawk Landing, 2015
Argentina, Salta Province, Rio San Francisco Crossing South America on Foot and Raft Part 3 – The Bermejo River
Egypt, Hieroglyphics, 1984 - If one was to talk about the great temples and ancient sites in the world, Egypt rightfully would have to be mentioned at the top, and there is no place perhaps more fantastic than Luxor and the Valley of the Kings in the south. These hieroglyphics are found in Luxor.
Turkey, Canakkale Prov, Troy Walkway
Vietnam, Tuyen Quang Prov, Night River