MISSOULA, MONTANA – May 19, 2009 – Ed Viesturs, a Talus Outdoor Technologies, LLCsponsored athlete, has once again conquered Mt. Everest. Viesturs and members of the high-profile "dream team" of climbers in the First Ascent expedition reached the top of Mt. Everest on May 19th at 8 a.m. Nepal time. This is the seventh summit of Mt. Everest in less than twenty years for Viesturs, who is known as the first American to summit the world's highest mountains without supplemental oxygen.
Using the Talus ColdAvenger face mask, Viesturs protected his face and lungs against chilling temperatures and high winds on the summit. The ColdAvenger face mask allows total free breathing and raises the temperature of air breathed in by 40-60 °F while elevating the humidity needed for proper and healthy respiratory function in the cold weather and altitude.

“The mountain amazes me every time," says Viesturs.  “It never gets any easier and you can’t take anything for granted. The team planned everything out perfectly, the weather cooperated, the ColdAvenger mask allowed me to breathe easily and keep my airway healthy, and things just fell into place.”

Ed Viesturs is America's leading high altitude mountaineer. He recently completed a 16-year quest to climb all 14 of the world's highest mountains (above 8,000 meters) without the use of supplemental oxygen. In doing so, he became the first American and the fifth person in the world to accomplish this. He reached the summit of his 14th peak, Annapurna, on May 12, 2005.

Mt. Everest is the highest mountain on earth, standing at 8,848 meters or 29,029 feet tall and is approximately 60 million years old. Part of the Himalaya range in Asia, Mt. Everest attracts climbers of all levels and poses many dangers to the thousands of climbers who attempt to summit each year. Unpredictable weather and wind have been known to plague both the Southeast and Northeast Ridge of the mountain, the two most popular climbing routes.

Founded and headquartered in Missoula, Montana, Talus Outdoor Technologies™ is a leading innovator in technologically-advanced outdoor gear. Talus is dedicated to helping outdoor enthusiasts Stay Out Longer.™  In 2007, Talus introduced the ColdAvenger®, an advanced, high-quality cold weather protection mask developed by a physician and a skier. The ColdAvenger® is the result of more than two years of research and development testing in Northern Rocky Mountain winters to achieve four functional goals: thermal comfort, ventilation adequacy, moisture control and ease of breathing during exercise. Talus is proud to provide an elite product while being socially and environmentally conscious.