John Ellerton is based near Penrith, Cumbria UK. Living on the edge of the Lake District was as important as medicine after he qualified from Oxford. He joined the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team in 1984, and soon became its Medical Officer. Doing around 30 rescues a year, he has amassed a wide experience of mountain rescue. He became a member of the medical subcommittee of the Mountain Rescue Council (England & Wales) in 1996 and its chairman from 2002-2013. He is member of ICAR Medcom (Medical Commission of the International Commission for Alpine Rescue) and its president 2017- 2025. He has been a member of the UIAA/ICAR/ISMM DiMM administrative group since formation.

John has co-authored papers around 30 papers on many aspects of mountain medicine particularly focussing on organised rescue. Analgesia, hypothermia, and avalanche medicine would be his main specialisms.Now retired from ‘everything’ he enjoys mountaineering - in summer, it’s walking, scrambling, biking and mid-grade climbing; in winter, it’s ice whether in Lakes or further afield.