Rick Agnew

Dr Richard (Rick) Agnew (born 1959) is an Australian high altitude sports aviator and high altitude alpine mountaineer who has completed the famed Seven Summits (climbing the highest mountains on each of the seven continents) climbing Mt Everest and many other peaks. He holds international records and over 25 Australian speed, distance and height aviation records.

Mountaineering

Agnew is the oldest Australian (and first Canberran) to have climbed the highest mountains on each of the seven continents in a feat known as the Seven Summits.

Agnew’s interest in climbing was prompted by the climbing activities of his oldest brother, Brian Agnew, who was instrumental in forming the Australian Army Alpine Association (AAA) who led, co-led and/or participated in climbing expeditions throughout the 1980-90s, primarily in the Himalayas, including the Australian Bicentennial Everest Expedition. Other AAA members also included Pat Culling SC, OAM, Jon Muir OAM and Zac Zaharias CSM.

Agnew has been climbing seriously since 2000 and has climbed, guided and/or co-guided on all seven continents. Expeditions include climbs in New Zealand and throughout South America, including the technically demanding Mt Fitzroy 3,405 m (11,171 ft), Patagonia, Argentina, volcanos in Ecuador and many peaks in Argentina, Chile, Peru and throughout the European Alps, prior to climbing in the Himalayas.

On an expedition to Aconcagua 6,961 m (22,838 ft), Argentina in 2007, Agnew was part of a team lead by Jon Muir when it became apparent that Muir had succumbed to altitude sickness and couldn’t continue to guide the team. At high camp, the famed Viento Blanco (white wind) caused all climbing teams at height to attempt an evacuation. One of Agnew’s fellow team members experienced life threatening High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), needing immediate evacuation down the mountain and subsequently airlifted to Mendoza hospital. Agnew was left to lead the remaining team member’s survival throughout a deadly night (including a tent fire and a death close by) at high camp. The retreat down the mountain the next day was memorable to Aconcagua’s base camp which was also devastated and many teams lost the majority of their equipment.

After many successful summits throughout the world (North and South America, the Andes and in the Alps), Agnew was one of six Australians and two Britons who made it to the summit of Mt Everest on 25 May 2010, with an expedition led by South Australian Duncan Chessell. Agnew finished the last of the Seven Summits with Mt Vinson, Antarctica in December 2014, becoming the first Canberran and oldest Australian to do so.

Agnew's climbing continues with a successful speed ascent of the technical Ama Dablam 6,812 m (22,349 ft), climbing back up from the precarious camp 2 to rescue a young Australian in Nov 2015 and an unsuccessful attempt on Shishapangma 8,027m (26,335 ft) in May 2016.

Gliding

Agnew trained with several Australian gliding clubs, soloing with the Canberra Gliding Club prior to his officer and pilot training with the Royal Australian Air Force. Agnew is a three diamond badged pilot (Dec 1992) who has achieved the Australian altitude record in a glider when he reached 10,000m (33,000 ft) in 1995, . He achieved his 1,000km Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) & diploma on 25 Nov 2005.