Mission 14™

"I will attempt to climb the world’s 14 highest peaks in just one year" In mountaineering history only 27 people have summited all 14 of the world’s highest mountains. On average it has taken them between 8 and 16 years to achieve this. In 2014, I will attempt to summit all 14 in a single year with only sherpa support.

Climbing mountains to rescue children from the depths of poverty

The significant challenges of the expedition will mirror the challenges that face families living in poverty across the world: in places like La Chureca, a garbage dump community in Nicaragua, or Baltimore City. Children growing up in communities like these will face under-education, underemployment, trafficking, malnutrition, and orphanhood. We are summiting mountains on their behalf.

About Nick Cienski

It is because of his faith that Nick has started Mission 14™, Inc., a non-profit that focuses on rescuing children from the tragedies of abandonment, prostitution and slavery. By working with local leaders and orphanages, his dream is to help build this lost generation into the leaders of tomorrow. Nick believes that it is possible to change these children’s futures, and it is his faith that motivates him to do something.

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Agents of change

Mission 14™ is the biggest challenge my wife and I have ever taken on. While it is by far the most daunting, it also has the highest potential to change the lives of thousands of childen, and that is what drives us. I have suffered some very close calls in my years climbing and feel blessed to have been given a second chance. We are here for a reason and I know what that is for me now. And though it will be hard, I know it is right.

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The Mission 14™ team

The mission 14™ team is all-in for success. Nick is supported by some of the best in the business. Mission 14™ employs specialists in public relations and communications, alongside industry-leading entertainment production talent and sponsor development. With such a formidible task ahead, Mission 14™ is prepared to face it head on with a strong core of involvment.

Meet the team

The Expedition

In 2014, Mission 14 founder Nick Cienski will climb these 14 mountains with support from high-altitude sherpas. This small, agile team of expert climbers is key to the success of the year-long expedition. The team will start climbing in the winter months,facing extremely cold temperatures, down to -40°F,

as well as jet stream winds and heavy snowfalls. By spring, Nick will attempt to set a new speed record ascent of Mt. Everest. In 2004, Permba Dorje, a local sherpa, climbed from base camp to the summit in just 8 hours /10 minutes. This is just one of the records Nick will attempt to break.

Expedition Details

Summits

Expedition Continued...

To ensure speed and safety as Mission 14™ strives for a 100% success rate, Nick’s team will climb the ‘normal’ routes on all 14 peaks, and will use supplemental oxygen above 23,000 feet.

The logistical challenges will be equal to the climbing challenges: moving over 250,000 pounds of gear and food into some of the most remote regions on the planet is unprecedented. Over 3780 porters and nearly 100 support staff will be used in this highly choreographed undertaking —ensuring that the correct gear and staff make it to the correct mountain at the correct time. The ground assault will be

overseen by a hand picked team of veterans from Special Forces, Marines and highly ranked retired military commanders.

Mission 14™ is venturing into uncharted territory. No human has ever attempted climbing so many high altitude peaks in such a short amount of time. Nick will be accompanied by a team of doctors conducting research on his biometrics, blood, brain, and energy expenditure. Mission 14™ will be the world’s toughest expedition, and push hard on the limits of what the human body can achieve.

Join Our Mission

Each financial gift empowers Mission 14 and our partners to lift children and families out of untenable situations throughout the world. Please visit our Mission page to learn more about the causes we champion. Because of our generous corporate sponsors and a fantastic new model for non-profit fundraising, over 95% of your tax-deductible gift will go directly to the charitable purposes of Mission 14. Thank you so much for your generous hearts!

The Mission

The World’s Toughest Expedition is neither a clever marketing phrase nor hyperbole. This expedition is the most daunting physical challenge ever attempted. Via major social media initiatives, television, film, books, and speaking engagements, Mission 14™ is well positioned to reach a massive global audience.

This audience will connect not only with the high- adventure of the expedition, but with the world- changing hope behind it. Mission 14™ will harness its arsenal of media platforms to highlight suffering children across the USA and Nicaragua. Every summit bid will be undertaken on behalf of children and families who cannot speak for themselves—young boys and girls who have no voice, no advocacy, and no attention.

This exposure will allow Mission 14™ to continue to raise funds for years to come, and is the foundation of our sustainability strategy. In phase 1 of our fundraising, the majority of our efforts will focus on corporate donations and highly resourced individuals. As the expedition goes live in 2014, our support base will increase to the mass market and our efforts will shift to cultivating support from our followers. By 2015, we aim to regularly achieve 80% of our funding from our global audience, and just 20% from corporate sponsors.