Athlone man recalls brave attempt to climb Everest
RTE children's television presenter and Athlone native, Rob Ross gives a personal account of his gruelling attempt to climb Mount Everest in order to raise funds for the Hope Foundation. “Would you like to rent a second movie for an extra €2?†Emmm, no thanks. “Would you like to climb Mount Everest for charity?†Emmm ... Some offers just can't be turned down and taking a trip to the highest place on earth was certainly not something I was going to say no to when it came knocking. However, had I known the hardship my body would have to endure at altitude, I would have never have answered the door. Being a kids presenter on RTE gives one a small amount of profile and seven months ago, I got a call from the Hope Foundation (a charity organisation who raise money for street kids in Calcutta) wondering whether I would be up for climbing beyond base camp on Everest to raise money for their cause. Without thinking twice or investigating the charity, I accepted and after a real eye-opening trip to the slums of Calcutta, I found myself on a plane bound for Nepal with 13 other thrill seekers. The trek was 22 days long with stops to Everest base camp and Kala Patthar on the way to a mountain called Island Peak, which, at 21,000 feet, was our ultimate goal. From the minute our plane landed at Lukla airport at 9,000 feet, I began to feel the adverse affects of the height on my system. The next two weeks were a bit of a nightmare as my body struggled to cope with a lack of oxygen. Blinding headaches, nausea and vomiting, sleepless nights and a lack of appetite, leading to fatigue, became daily fare. Despite being sick, I pushed on every day telling myself I was fine and not wanting to give up. Having made base camp and climbed Kala Patthar, I finally found myself on the snow on my way up Island Peak with ice axe in hand, harness on and tied to the rest of the team. At this point I became very unsure on my feet and began to lose balance. I was utterly fatigued and every step became a marathon. One of the Sherpas (an ethnic group from the most mountainous region of Nepal) obviously noticed my poor state as he came over and held my hand to lead me across some dangerous ridges. At this point, I also began to see black spots and red patches in the snow that were not actually there. We were now at about 6,000 metres or just under 20,000 feet and came to an ice wall and narrow ridge leading to the summit. It was so, so close but at this point the ascent changed from a tough trek to technical climbing and, in my condition, the risk of a serious accident or death became very real. It was make or break time ... and in my case, BREAK. I was done. As I lay on the snow leaving some of the others to complete the summit, I could not believe I had, for once in my life, backed down and not been stubborn. Am I getting old and sensible or am I just getting soft I thought? From the flat of my back, I watched avalanches on the far mountains and wondered how the hell I was going to get down, but I felt I had done the right thing in stopping. That is, they say, the biggest risk in mountain climbing - knowing when you are beaten, knowing when to stop. Climbing mountains is great fun in theory but when you look up at Everest you have to remember that over 200 bodies lie frozen in the snow up there. It is intense and high risk, and extreme caution must be used. Leaving Ireland to go for the mountain, I felt confident I would be well able for it. I was after all probably the fittest in our group, but altitude sickness strikes without regard to fitness as I have learned. I also learned you can push the human body too far and common sense must accompany extreme physical exertion. Will I push myself again? Undoubtedly! Will I push myself again at altitude? Emmm, count me out of the pillow fight on the top bunk. Now back in Ireland, I am glad I went on my Everest adventure despite the sickness. Our group has so far raised €60,000 for HOPE and might yet to get to €70,000. I would like to thank all those who supported me especially the members of the Hodson Bay, Sheraton and Mount Wolseley gyms who walked every step I did on the treadmills and stepper machines in their respective gyms. Every penny will help those who need it most.