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Matt Fioretti- Guide/Owner- has led 24 expeditions and has 44 seasons of experience at altitude.

Matt Fioretti- Guide/Owner- has led 24 expeditions and has 44 seasons of experience at altitude.
Matt Fioretti - Guide/Owner has led 24 expeditions and has 44 seasons of experience at altitude.




About Four Winds


HISTORY

Four Winds Himalayan Guide Service has been guiding trips in the Himalaya since 1994. We have 25 years and 44 seasons of experience at altitude, including 24 successful climbing expeditions (meaning everyone came home). With an emphasis on uncrowded treks and remote climbs, clients leave Nepal/Tibet having experienced the rich culture, ancient trails, and the intense climbing available in the Himalaya. Founder Matt Fioretti has been Alpine climbing since 1984 and brings 38 years of experience to the high altitude arena. Gombu Sherpa and Singa Lama joined Matt early on and bring with them more than 30 years combined experience on the trails and steep faces of the high peaks. The accumulation of years and passion for the mountains between the 3 individuals insures a safe, rare adventure.


GROUP SIZE

Our trips are intimate. We allow only 6 to 9 trekkers and 2 to 6 climbers on a journey. You can call the owner Matt Fioretti at home or office anytime prior to the trek or climb. Weather your on a climb or trek, individual attention is one of our top priorities. You can expect prompt, courteous responses to your questions. Pre-trip orientations allow for everyone to receive a comfortable knowledge about the journey. While on the trek our adherence to small group size helps members become brother and sister, a camaraderie that often lasts for years afterwards. The intimacy is extended to our Sherpa and Nepali friends. We have created lasting relationships with the locals. Our group is greeted with a warmth that suggests we are part of the family. You feel at home and get a “backstage” view into the culture.


ABILITY

Almost anyone can do a trek in the Himalaya. You can be a beginner and feel comfortable with our experienced staff. Our age group has spanned 11 to 79 years old. The pace is slow and comfortable, each day hiking village to village and traversing the highest mountain range in the world. Everyone has acclimatized on our treks because of the calm pace and expertise of the guides. For the more advanced we offer guided and commercial climbs. Climbers with experience but daunted by the idea of high altitude, are taught expedition skills and the logistics of climbing a big mountain in a safe environment. For those who don’t need a guide we offer commercial trips. This means we handle all the logistics and red tape that are inherent in the Nepal Permit system, but you go as a climbing team member proficient at climbing.


SAFETY

Safety is our number one priority. Each group is registered with the American Embassy in Kathmandu and is equipped with a satalite phone. In 22 years of leading trips on the trails and mountains of Nepal our safety record is flawless.


Join us. We are personable, professional, fun, and have years of experience at altitude.

We specialize in the Himalaya of Nepal so you will have a transformational, adventure. One cannot walk through the Himalaya with out being changed or experiencing some shift in the soul.




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Trekking and Climbing Shedule

Please call for possible openings for 2018. Now taking deposits for September, 2018, and March 2019 trips

2018 September Expedition- We depart from Kathmandu to attempt an unclimbed peak. Climbers must show a climbing resume to be considered. 2 spaces available for a team of 6. The peak is in the far west, the journey remote.

March 2019- Hike around the Manasulu, the 8th highest peak in the world. 23 days.

April 2019- Trek the 5 holy lakes in the Gokyo area. Hike to the summit of a 17700 foot peak. Cross a 17660 foot pass, visit 2 monasteries while trekking village to village. 20 days door to door. All abilities. 3 spaces left

September 2019 - Pilgrimage Mt. Kailash - Tibet's holy mountain. A true extreme hike and adventure. Hiking over the crest of the Himalaya in Nepal to Tibet. Then circumambulating Tibet's holy mountain on pilgrimage with Tibetans. Must be in excellent physical condition. 7 to 9 hour hiking days at altitude. 4 spaces left.


For more information and pricing please email or call.

Phone: 206-282-0472

Email: fourwindsexpedtions@gmail.com


Website: fourwindsexpeditions.com


Greg Valentine and Matt Fioretti did the first ascent of Nireka in a 2 day alpine style push.

Greg Valentine and Matt Fioretti did the first ascent of Nireka in a 2 day alpine style push.
Nearing the summit on the first ascent of Nireka. Four Winds strives to do peaks that are uncrowded, remote, and rarely done. On many of our expeditions we are the only team on the mountain.

Matt Fioretti eyeing the South Ridge of Cholatse

Matt Fioretti eyeing the South Ridge of Cholatse



What clients have to say....


True to his word, Matt was committed to safety on our trek to Nepal.He is knowledgeable, organized and has a positive attitude which is infectious. Matt is well loved in the communities we visited. The respect and admiration he has developed with the Nepali people created a unique, enhanced and truly exceptional experience for our group. Thanks, Matt! October 2013 Trek.

K. Baker


Going to Nepal was like stepping into the pages of National Geographic with the color, chaos and crowds of Kathmandu to the breathtakingly beautiful snow capped Himalayas. Matt had said we would stay with friends (I read business associates; I was wrong). These people were Matt's second family and they treated us as family. I didn't have as much vacation time as the rest of my group, so I returned early. It snowed one night and the inn keeper, Urken wouldn't let me leave until the trail was broken. A little while later I looked out the window and Urken was up on the mountain checking the trail for me. He came back in and said it was safe to go now. Later as I was crossing one of many suspension bridges, my porter, Prem, ran ahead of me to stop the yak train from starting across the bridge until I had finished crossing. With Matt's group you're not a tourist, you're part of Nepal, you're family.


Namaste,

Kathy


“It has been years since I went with Matt and his crew to Ama Dablam and crazy as it sounds, it still feels like yesterday. The experience was one that is hard to put into words, when you are there amongst the people and grandeur of the Himalayas you feel all at once small and insignificant, yet more real and present than ever. I carry the essence and spirit of that journey with me everyday. Just go… more than that, go with Matt.”


I was just shy of 60 when I did the Everest Trail Trek with Matt. It was one of the most memorable events in my life! I loved it! And I learned some trekking lessons that apply to the rest of life, as well---like "Pace yourself." Those of us who did pace ourselves made it to the magnificent Everest Base Camp area at 17,000'. Throughout the entire trek we always felt secure with wonderfully kind Sherpas always there to lend a hand and encourage us onward. It was a grand initial experience into trekking that held so very many gifts from beginning to end.

Port Townsend



"My trips to Nepal with Four Winds were life-changing experiences, in the best possible way. Being halfway around the world, in an unfamiliar place, thousands of miles away from everything you know, can be a scary situation, but when you're with Matt, there's a comfort level. It feels like all of Nepal is your family."

M. Mahoney



Yes, the trek stands out as one of my life's most amazing experiences, certainly because of the Himalayas magnificence, but also due to our group's lighthearted, playful camaraderie, the welcoming arms of the locals at the teahouses where you had been before, evening card games, and the way you kept us always under your protective eye ... checking every day for our oxygen saturation levels, making sure we drank enough water, stopping for rest when needed, and also encouraging us along, like on Gokyo Ri, for those last panting steps, so that I might not miss the view of one of the world's most spectacular, breath-taking sights ... and yet, I never felt pampered or stifled, as you simultaneously offered ample space for us to move in our own rhythms, moods and pace.

If I never properly said thanks to you before for all that Matt ... Thanks!!! ... the experience will continue to resonate within me for my lifetime!


Some things that are extraordinary about Nepal and going with Four Winds. Kids smiling faces, fluffy clouds, the aroma of incense, village life, and the journey in the mountains. I especially liked the pace of the trek. I could go at my own pace and felt comfortable. Tim S.


With Matt I have successfully climbed a 6000 meter peak and a 8000 meter peak in the Himalaya even though I suffer from a liver disease. The first was Naya Kanga, 6000M, post -monsoon , in the Langtang region near Ganga La. The friends I made have become lifelong best friends, not only the fellow trekkers but the sherpas as well, like Singi and Sangi who brought me milk tea (Dudh Chai)and cheese on the descent. The Four Winds staff, assistants and Sherpas, make the journey possible. When climbing Cho Oyu from Tibet we spent 7 weeks in the Dingri Region and 4 weeks above 20K feet, climbing to 27,500 feet without oxygen. Matt, being the consummate guide escorted a sick teammate back to BC. Two of the five members made the summit. When I go back it will be with Four Winds and fortunately with Matt who also had a serious illness sidetrack him, but who has already made his recovery and found his way back to the Himalayas. This is the true meaning of meeting life's challenges, and this is what you can achieve with Four Winds. Hope to see you on the high mountains. Namaste!

Glen Anders


Matt and Four Winds Himalayan Guide Service kindled in me a deep love of alpine climbing on my first trip to Nepal in 1999. This first trip taught me a lot and I have returned to Nepal with Matt four times since. Matt has a deep love and respect for the indigenous culture of the Sherpa people of the Khumbu, and in his 20 year dealings with the people in that region, he has established many deep friendships; it is especially remarkable to share in these connections with him. I have always felt safe when climbing with Matt. He has developed good mountain sense over the years, and his motto "may the four winds blow you safely home" is a propos of his climbing philosophy which holds safety in high regard. Matt is also a fountainhead of ideas, and has always provided a source of inspiration for those seekers who take to the mountains. I have learned a lot from Matt's personal struggles with aplastic anemia, and his return to active climbing continues to inspire many people to see mountains as metaphors for the challenges we all face in life. I have Matt to thank for what has developed into a life-long passion for me. It all started with one trip to the Himalaya.




My journey to Nepal with Matt and Four Winds was inspirational and life-transforming. Matt's expertise in guiding allowed us to safely explore the exquisite beauty of the Himalayas and experience Nepal's fascinating culture. We always felt welcome wherever we went, as Matt has formed incredible connections with the people of Kathmandu, the sherpas who gently encouraged us, and the families who brought us into their homes and fed us delicious meals. Nepal is a hiker and climber's paradise and an adventurer's dream. It's beauty is truly divine. The journey has made a permanent impact on the way I live my life, appreciate nature and take risks. I highly recommend traveling with Four Winds! Aileen P.



The smell was of burning lantern oils and incense. The colors were the bluest of blues for the sky and the whitest of whites for the clouds. The sounds were of another language, and the ringing of yak bells were soothing to my ears late into the night. The touch of the air was bitter cold in a soothing way. The taste of the food was bland, yet sweet and interesting to my taste buds. When I close my eyes and think back on this journey , it was the most romantic thing I have aver experienced on my own. I have returned with Four Winds 3 times. David Frisk



“Thank you Matt for my wonderful trip to Nepal. It really changed my life forever” Jeanne


Matt, I wanted to officially thank you for a seamless trip to Nepal which you made fun and easy. The trip and all its details were extremely well thought out. With all your planning, I never had to worry about any of the details one would normally have to deal with when traveling half way around the world. I also felt priviledged and protected to be under the many watchful eyes of all the friends you have made over the years (Gombu, Qayoom, Dawafuti & family, Tsedem, etc). Even when I branched off on my own your friends were there to make sure I was safe and happy (Hira, Ramesh, etc). If it wasnt for you and your flexible, can-do attitude, I would never have made this trip to the wonderful and amazing Nepal. D. Oxford


My trip to Nepal was life alterning and I owe so much of that to Matt and his team. He has such a passion for the country and the people that my trip was anything but ordinary. While we were taken to many of the main tourist attraction sites, we were also shown sites of Nepal that few tourists rarely see. My trek back to the 5th holy lake at Goyko will forever be in my heart as one of the greatest experiences of my life. Matt was in constant communication about changes to the intinerary (a common fact when traveling in the third world) and always worked diligently to ensure that things went as smoothly as possible, and that we were getting the best experiences everyday. His easy going personality allows for lots of laughs with quick and lasting bonds being formed. I am grateful to have found Matt and his team. I didn't have one bad expereince on this trip and I look forward to when I will be able to go again!


Everest at sunset from 20,000 ft.Everest Sunset from Pumori.

Everest at sunset from 20,000 ft.Everest Sunset from Pumori.

Nuptse

Nuptse
Taken from Camp I -Pumori

Pumori

Pumori
S. W. Ridge. Pumori

We are insignificant

We are insignificant
Trekkers at 16,000 feet dwarfed by some of the smaller peaks in Nepal. Have trouble acclimatizing? Our treks are designed so everyone acclimatizes.

Nirekha- 5th pitch

Nirekha- 5th pitch
Join us in October 2015 on this beautiful climb

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Base Camp and Sherpa crew

We are a day away from Base camp.  The trekking group just departed down into thicker air.  What an outstanding group and trip.  We were able to be flexible with sicknesses and schedule and had a fun time together.  I will miss them.  As I watched them head down there was a part of me that wanted to go down also.  The greenery, thick air, and warmer temperatures always pull on the mind. 

Tomorrow we head up to 17,600 feet to a base camp at a lake.  The area is remote there is no trail.  This trip would not be possible without the support of our Sherpa crew and porters.  Gombu Sherpa is the son of Chapa Sherpa who died in 2007.  Chapa was my head Sherpa for 13 years and now Gombu is following in his footsteps.  He is becoming an outstanding guide at age 23 and I could not run these trips without him.  There are hundreds of logistics and hundreds of pounds of gear to deal with and he takes them all in stride.

How does the gear get to Base Camp.  Thank you to our porter crew, noting would happen without them.  In fact no expedition would get off the ground if it were not for the porters.  We have been using some of the same porters for the past 5 years now.  Four Winds limits the amount of weight that is carried.  A practice that is absent amongst most other companies.

I will not be writing to you until after the climb.  Look for new blog entries on the climb in about 8 days.  Peace to all.  

Friday, April 26, 2013

first view

We have arrived at Gokyo 15600 feet.  Everyone is doing well after a bout of sicknesses.  The weather is very unsettled in the Khumbu with wind and clouds rolling in by 10 to 11am.  The climbers had their first view of the West peak and the route looks straight forward except for one small detail.  The summit ridge looks to be a mile and a half long.  This means that we will be traveling at or around 20,000 feet for several hours.  Well it will be  a beautiful view.  The East peak has a beautiful ice ramp that goes from col to summit.  Looks to be AI 2 or 3 with 70 degree ice.  The trekking group and I are very excited to hike to the summit of Gokyo Ri at 17,600 feet the pinnacle and half way point of the trek journey.  Peace to all. 

Monday, April 22, 2013

Light and fast Alpine Climbing

Our climbing hardware gear list for our Kangchung expedition:

6 Black Diamond Express ice screws
3 pitons
1 set nuts
1 50 meter 8 mm rope
1 50 meter 6 mm rope
2 link cams by Omega Pacific
12 slings by Camp
18 Camp carabiner ( Nano) the lightest on the market
2 Black Diamond Locking carabiner


old school

"I ski in these gloves" was his first response when I crinkled my brow. He held out his gloved covered hands.  These are not just any glove.  I have a client on the trekking portion of our trip who swears by his pig skin gloves, also known as gardening gloves.  He has taken the glove and sprayed them with some kind of waterproofing but other than that they are the everyday garden glove.  In fact I was using a pair in my garden before I left for the expedition.

What it comes down to is that the older generation is a hell of a lot tougher then I.  He probably has a tweed jacket for his high altitude coat.  I have secretly added an extra pair of gloves to my travel kit in case he does get cold. 

All is well

We have just reached Namche and finalized our climbing permit.  Everyone is doing well just the usual khumbu valley sicknesses, soar throat, cramped stomachs, emotional breakdowns, khumbu cough, sinus infections, and of coarse the runs.  We are all happy and excited to head north toward Tibet.  Love to all.  

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Uncanny Elizabeth Holly

There has been one person who as kept track of every expedition since 1963 in the Nepal Himalaya.  Now in her 80s Elizabeth Holly has interviewed every expedition leader from Reinhold Messner to Jerzy Kukuchka.  She really is the gate keeper to the land of the high mountains and if you are on expedition you want to meet with her.  She is the encyclopedia of climbing routes and peaks.  I met with her yesterday to go over the details of the Kangchung Expedition.  I was delighted to find that the West Peak or Kangchung Nup has not seen an ascent since 1959 and has only seen 3 ascents.  The East Peak may be a first ascent but research is still being done.

 I am always excited to meet with Elizabeth as she has become a friend over the years. She has so many stories and she keeps us climbers in line.  After each expedition we have to meet with Elizabeth and she grills us as to what we saw from the summit.  She wants to know if we actually stood atop. She can tell you what you will see from the top of any peak.  She can tell you rock features, snow depressions, descriptions of gully's and probably what way the wind will be blowing.  I am exaggerating only a bit here.  One thing I am not exaggerating is Elizabeth's sixth sense. Other expedition leaders will tell you and we have talked about it amongst ourselves,  Elizabeth can tell when any leader has entered Nepal with out any information given as to arrival date or flight itineraries.  For our Kangchung expedition I had emailed her 3 weeks ago and told her of our plans.  I even told her I would be arriving on the 18th even though I was arriving on the 15th.  When I walk into the hotel lobby on the 15th two minutes later the lobby Manager called me over to the phone.  Two minutes after I entered the hotel!  On the other end of the line was Elizabeth wondering if we could meet.  This is not coincidence.  She has located me within 2 hours of arriving in Nepal for every expedition I have done for the last 18 years.  I never have given her any flight details or arrival times.

Thank You Elizabeth for all you do.  Keeping track of us dirt bag climbers.  Thank you for being the gate keeper for the high realm and knowing where I am going to be at before I even know.





Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Lighten your load


I am always astonished to see climbers on a 2 day climb of Mt Rainier carrying 50 pound packs. It is uncalled for and outdated.  For a 3 day climb on Rainier my pack weighs 29 pounds.  I have friends go much lighter than this.  It starts with your choice of gear.  Following are a few companies that have supported my expeditions who make high quality gear.  Quality that I trust at altitude in the Himalaya.

The Nalgene Canteen.  It is the lightest water bottle on the market.  It shaves at least 2 ounces off your load when using two 1 quart canteens.  It could shave as much as 5 ounces off your load if you are using other brands.  The canteen is durable and light, it is compressible when not in use.

I just received a 48 Litre pack.  Most packs on the market that are 48 liters are 3 pounds and up.  They have bells and whistles which only get confusing at altitude or are useless on steep technical terrain. Eliminate useless weight and stream line your pack with Figure Four Packs.  Take a look at the Tau 48 by Figure Four Packs.  48 liters expandable to 55 plus liters weighs in at just 2 pounds 2 ounces and can be stripped down to 1 pound 7 ounces in the field in one minute.  It is stream lined, it moves with you as you move, it feels like part of your body on vertical ground.  It has everything you need for serious alpine climbs without all the extra weight.

I have been using a Feathered Friends sleeping bag since 2001.  I just ordered a new bag from them and was very pleased to receive a custom bag that is a minus 10 degree bag and weighs only 2 pounds 14 ounces.  For that warmth factor it is the lightest on the market.  The quality is outstanding.  Compare other bags with the same warmth factor and your looking at 3 pounds 4 ounces and up.  I have never been cold in my Feathered Friends bag.

If you go through each piece of your gear you can find something that meets the demands of what you will be doing in the mountains but does not hold unneeded weight.  Over the years I have shaved 15 pounds off of my back for a 3 day alpine climb.

Thank You Nalgen, Figure Four, and Feathered Friends.


Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Kangchung East Expedition



Packing for an expedition is a bitter sweet action.  On Friday I depart for my 20th expedition. Our journey is to Kangchung East.  A peak that rarely gets climbed. We will be attempting both the West Kangchung and East Peak in one expedition.  We will first acclimatize on West.  Return to Base camp for a day or two of rest and then attempt the East peak in a one day alpine style push from Base Camp.  The route of the East peak follows the left hand skyline. 

 The sweet? Being in the himalaya, unplugged, and feeling the peace that settles into the bones, the peace that nature gifts us.  I believe the mountains always teach us to be in the moment, humble, and reverent toward all life, human, ant, elephant, tree, we are all connected.  This is easy to see when in the mountains.  The mountain arena strips us down, forces us to look deep, vision becomes unclouded and the soul untainted.  I live in the city so it takes days to get rid of the dirt, noise, and constant chatter that comes with over stimulation. This cleansing always is a sort of homecoming for me.  

The Bitter:  When I have to leave part of this connection behind. Loved ones, Friends, Family, and animals at home.  I take you all with me every season.

Have fun following our upcoming expedition to the Kangchung Peaks.







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