Oli France is a British expedition leader, mountaineer, and founder of Wild Edge. Best known for his Ultimate 7 Project—journeying from the lowest to the highest points on each continent entirely by human power—he has cycled, skied, and climbed across some of the world’s most extreme environments.
Early Life & Background
Born and raised in Wigan, Lancashire, Oli’s passion for the outdoors began with climbing in the Lake District at age 17. After earning a degree in Outdoor Leadership, he led his first solo expedition through Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, igniting a career spent guiding and exploring the world’s wild places.
Key Expeditions
- Death Valley to Denali (2024–5) – 3,500 miles human-powered ride, ski & climb from –282 ft to 20,310 ft.
- Spine of Asia (2015) – Winter expedition from Hong Kong to Istanbul, climbing peaks in every country.
- Lake Baikal Solo (2020) – 400-mile unsupported ski across Siberia’s frozen lake.
- Ultimate 7 Project – World-first plan to connect each continent’s low and high points by human power.
Wild Edge
In 2022, Oli founded Wild Edge, an expedition company offering specialist guiding in remote, hostile environments—from Yemen and Syria to the Arctic and Antarctica.
Awards & Recognition
- Named “Adventurer of the Year” by Outdoor Enthusiast Magazine, 2021.
- Recipient of the “Global Explorer Award” from the British Mountaineering Council, 2023.
Learn More
Follow his ongoing Ultimate 7 journey on Instagram: @oli_france and explore upcoming expeditions at wildedge.co.
« Back to Glossary Index