Disabled
mountaineer Gary
Guller will attempt to summit Mt. Everest,
the highest mountain in the world at 8,850m,
in Spring 2001. While any attempt at Everest
is one of the greatest challenges one could
undertake, Gary's attempt will be especially
personal. In 1986, Gary suffered a spinal cord
injury in a climbing accident. His neck was
broken and the nerve roots going to his left
arm were pulled out of the spinal cord.
Despite experimental surgery, the paralysis
was irreparable and he made the decision to
have his left arm amputated.
May
6 - 7
Mike writes: Pre-summit rest continues. We are
all well and rested and looking forward more
each day to the summit attempt. The weather on 6
and 7 May is still not that good, but the long
range forecasts continue to point to a good
spell starting on 11 May. The other teams are in
various stages of preparation and it won't be
clear who is going when until we reach Camp 2.
In terms of health, we are feeling in good form.
This is unusual - hardly anyone this year has
had to deal with the Khumbu cough, which results
from the dry air at this altitude.
May
8
The weather at last dawns warm and clear - just
the sign we need that the weather really will
change. We laze and pack the items we need for
the trip to the highest point on earth. Salute
to Paul Bakkom and the students at the Hamilton
School! Hi guys!
GG
here, lets do it! My mind and body (I think?)
are so ready to give this big o' hill the very
best I can. The support from everyone has kept
my attitude very positive. Thanks again to all!
Here we go!
Mike:
The plan for the summit is as follows, weather
permitting, of course: 9 May - Gary will go to
Camp 1 with Kipa and Git and stay the night.
Mike and Tunc will climb via Camp 1 to Camp 2
where they will sleep. 10 May - Gary will leave
Camp 1 for early climb to Camp 2, where he will
rest for the day. Mike and Tunc will laze and
rest while waiting for Gary. 11 May - The team
will climb the Lhotse Face to Camp 3 where we
will rest and drink as much fluid as possible.
12 May - Another early start to get up to the
South Col and Camp 4. The idea is to get there
as early as possible and rest throughout the
day, while again taking in fluids. We will rest
using oxygen. Gary will leave at 20:00 hours
(8:00 pm) for his summit attempt; Tunc and Mike
will follow 2 or 3 hours later. This will
hopefully bring us together at or near the South
Summit.
*The
first part of the journey from C4 to the summit
will be at night and takes us up to the feature
known as the "Balcony". It is a steady
climb punctuated by a series of shale cliffs
about 2-3 feet in height which are more a
nuisance than an obstacle. We should reach the
Balcony as day light appears. (At this altitude
daylight arrives around 04:00.)
*It is then a
steep climb to the South Summit which we hope to
reach around 09:00 hrs. To give you some idea of
our speed of progress, if we climb at 1.5 meters
a minute, we will be happy! (That's moving about
5 feet per minute - kids, try this at home!) *From the South Summit, we will be greeted by
the sight that Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans
saw on 27 May 1953. The narrow knife edge ridge
leading from the South Summit to what became
known 2 days later on 29 May 1953 as the
"Hillary Step". It is a small descent
from the South Summit to the ridge. The climb on
the knife edge is perilous but straightforward.
The Hillary Step changes each year; we'll let
you know on our return how it was this year!!
*Once past the
Step the journey becomes very pleasant. It is
only about 15 or 20 minutes to the top on easy
angled snow. And there it is - almost a bit of
an anticlimax. The top of the world is fairly
round with a small one foot high
"ridge" marking the end of the climb -
but who cares!! It is time for pictures - but it
is important to start down early - the descent
is far more tiring, and there is a vital need to
stay switched on.
For
those of you in the Austin, TX area, be sure to
tune in to Fox 7 News on Wednesday morning, 9
May. Gary will be calling via SAT phone to the
station to speak with anchor Joe Bickett at 7:00
am.
