Lindsay Elms was born in Sydney, Australia and moved to Christchurch, New Zealand at an early age. While attending Hagley High School he joined the school tramping club and within a couple of years (1974) joined the Canterbury Mountaineering Club. For the next six years he climbed in the lesser ranges of the Southern Alps and learned the required mountaineering skills, however, as with many young antipodeans he needed to further his experience by travelling and trekking overseas: Southeast Asia, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Europe and North Africa. In 1985 he went to Antarctica where he worked for the United States Antarctic Research Program at McMurdo Sound. He spent a year and a half on the continent, which included wintering over in 1986. Several trips were then made to South America and Central America before coming to the USA and Canada. For the next eight years he worked as a Mountaineering Instructor for the Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training (COLT) program at Strathcona Park Lodge on Vancouver Island, but also continued climbing in Latin America. He currently works at St. Joseph's General Hospital in Comox.

Since arriving on Vancouver Island in 1989 Elms has climbed over two hundred and fifty of the island's peaks including a twenty-four hour round trip ascent of The Golden Hinde, a four hour ascent of Elkhorn and numerous other speed ascents, however, he has also climbed many of the lesser known and rarely visited north island peaks. He maintains his fitness through running and has completed numerous marathons, three ultra-marathons and a number of endurance races and is a member of the Comox Valley Road Runners. Elms lives in Comox on Vancouver Island and has published two books: Beyond Nootka (1996) and Above the Bush (2012). He continues to collect stories and photographs about the history of mountaineering on Vancouver Island.

Significant Ascents by Lindsay Elms:

Vancouver Island Qualifiers (IQ):
The Golden Hinde - 2,200m 1989, 91, 92, 93, 94, 94, 95, 95, 96, 98, 05, 06
Elkhorn Mountain - 2,166m 1989, 92, 94, 05, 06, 07, 12
Victoria Peak - 2,163m 1989, 04
Mount Colonel Foster - 2,135m 1999, 06
Warden Peak - 1,969m 1996, 06
Mount Harmston - 2,009m 1994, 05
Mount Septimus - 1,941m 1995, 05
Rugged Mountain - 1,861m 1998
Nine Peaks - 1,847m 1991, 92, 95, 06

Mexico:
Popocatepetl - 5,452m 1988
Citlaltepetl - 5,611m 1988 (Jamapa Glacier route)
Nevado de Toluca - 4900m 1999

Venezuela:
Pico Bolivar - 5,007m 1994
Pico Humboldt - 4,942m 1994
Pico Bonpland - 4,936m 1994
Mount Roraima - 2,810m 1994

Colombia:
Volcan Purace - 4,646m 1988
Nevada del Tolima - 5,215m 1988

Ecuador:
Cotopaxi - 5,897m 1986
Chimborazo - 6,310m 1988 (Original Whymper route)
Illiniza Norte - 5,126m 1988
Tungarahua - 5,016m 1988
Volcan Sangay - 5,230m 1988

Peru:
Huascaran - 6,768m 1988 (Garganta Col route)
Alpamayo - 5,947m 1988 (Southwest Face)
Nevada Uros - 5,483m 1988
Nevada Ishinca - 5,546m 1988
Maparaju - 5,600m 1988 (Solo)

Chile:
Volcan San Jose - 5,850m 1987 (Solo)
Cerro Diablo - 4,210m 1987 (Solo)

Argentina:
Aconcagua - 6,962m 1987 (Solo attempt-failed)

Canada:
Mount Waddington - 4,017m 1994 (Southeast Chimney route)
Mount Logan - 5,959m 1996 (King's Trench route)

USA:
Mount Rainer - 4,393m 2000 (Emmons Glacier route)
Mount Baker - 3,285m 2001 (Coleman/Deming route)