Grant ‘Axe’ Rawlinson is an adventurer,author, and inspiring speaker. Born and bred in New Zealand, Grant has led a lifetime of challenge and discoveries – from an international seven-a-side rugby player to a mountaineer and adventurer, challenging himself with the world’s greatest mountain ranges.
Grant is a proponent of lightweight expeditions using very little support. He has climbed over 50 mountains around the world, including virgin peaks in Kazakhstan, the treacherous north ridge of Mt Everest, and remote mountain ranges in Iran, Pakistan, and Patagonia. Grant has made human powered peak-to-peak journeys in the UK, France, Switzerland, and from the summit of the North Island of New Zealand to the summit of the South Island. These expeditions involved kayak crossings of dangerous straits, cycling thousands of kilometres completely unsupported, and scaling peaks from the base up.
He shares the philosophy that he practises in his adventure life with his audiences, encouraging and motivating others to do more with less, to use resources creatively to achieve greater results, and to continually challenge and transition ourselves in order to grow.