Nigel Shepherd began climbing aged 11 in Wales and became a qualified International Mountain Guide in 1979. Since then he has pioneered climbs in the UK, New Zealand, North America and Greenland, and continues to work in all aspects of mountaineering in many parts of the world. He has written several books and many magazine articles, and his photography has been published in The Independent, The Times and the Daily Telegraph, as well as outdoor magazines and manufacturers' brochures.