“Bravery doesn’t mean being fearless. It means to be full of fear but still not being dominated by it.” This means that bravery is having fear, but not letting it stop you from anything. In this essay I will be writing about three climbers who summited Everest with disabilities. Everest is the highest mountain in the world. It rises 29,035 feet or 5.5 miles in the air. When climbing, there are dangers of avalanches, ice, hidden cracks, storms, and crevasses. Erik Weihenmayer, Paul Hockey, and Tom Whittaker summited Everest with disabilities.
Tom Whittaker summited Everest with an amputated leg. He attempted to climb it three times and he never gave up when he was unsuccessful. He didn’t give into fear or anyone telling him he couldn’t do it. On Thanksgiving in 1979, a car crash shattered both of his legs. His right foot and lower leg had to be amputated. He tried three times to summit Everest. On his third attempt he summited Everest in May, 1998. He says that climbing Everest is more of a challenge and more important to him since he is disabled. Tom Whittaker’s current quest is to climb the highest peaks on each continent- the Seven Summits. Tom will never refer to himself as “Walking impaired” because he believes he can be just like everyone
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He also lost both of his parents to cancer. Paul told people that he climbed Everest because he wanted a challenge that was worthy of any regular person, he wanted something “out there.” He traveled to New Zealand to learn the art of mountaineering. His study and training in martial arts taught him to continually challenge himself. Paul summited Everest on Sunday, June 5 of 2005 at 7:42 a.m. Paul Hockey became the first disabled person to climb Mount Everest from the North Side. He didn’t let fear get in his way and he still doesn’t. He continues to push his mental, physical, and spiritual toughness to their absolute
The book "Within Reach: My Everest Story" by Mark Pfetzer wand Jack Galvin is an autobiography written by Mark Pfestzer at the age of 16. Mark writes about his mountain climbing adventures over a 4 year period that started at the age of 12. The book covers the years of Mark's life mountain climbing from 1992 all the way up to 1996 when Mark is actually climbing on Mount Everest. The chapters in the book are written in a first person narrative with a dated diary format. Each one of Mark's entries talks about his struggles, adventures and personal experiences with the challenges of climbing a mountain.
The article states “The youngest is an American boy who made the climb when he was 13 years old; the oldest is a Japanese woman who was 73 years old when she made her second successful climb.” That explains how people all over the earth, big and small can climb mount everest and also can have a success time. Another example from the article is “ In 1953, the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and the Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first people to reach the 29,035-foot peak of Mount Everest. Since that time, nearly 4,000 other people have successfully scaled the world’s highest mountain.” This quote is perfect example why people want to climb mount everest and why it's possible. The quote say
“A trans-like state settles over your efforts, the climb becomes a clear eyed dream.” Stated Krakauer in The Devils Thumb. Mountain climbing has become a popular interest for thrill-seekers in modern times. It is an immensely challenging activity, involving strength, determination, and the proper mindset. There are many accounts of mountain climbers heroically reaching the summit of mountains, but none more striking than that of Everest and The Devils Thumb. These are gut wrenching, first hand accounts of some of the greatest feats performed in mountain climbing history, although they are each different in their own way. Krakauer was climbing to find himself amongst the frozen rocks and chest deep snow, and Weihnmayer climbed to push his limits, and to accomplish what many thought to be the impossible.
Despite his impressive record he had never attempted anything close to the scale of Everest, whose summit is at an extremely dangerous altitude. He even admits to his relative inexperience with high altitude saying, “Truth be told, I’d never been higher than 17,200 feet--not even as high as Everest Base Camp”(28). Krakauer also mentions how he has gotten out of shape over the years partially because of the lack of climbing in his life, making him even less prepared for the assent. Krakauer shows a definite fear of such a high mountain, referring to climbers who have perished in the past. He states that, “Many of those who died had been far stronger and possessed vastly more high-altitude experience than I.” (28). Even though Krakauer’s experience may be more relevant to the Everest assent than some of the other tourist climbers, it is nowhere near the level needed to be considered an elite climber.
Rob Hall, a full-time professional climber who climbed Everest four times, was the main director of the Everest climbing service that led Krakauer and a victim of the events of May 1996 (34, 181). Mike Groom, a guide and survivor. Andy Harris, a guide and a victim to Mount Everest. Doug Hansen, a client that was with Hall the day the storm hit. Beck Weathers, a doctor with an appetite for climbing mountains also a survivor. Stuart Hutchinson, a client that had to step in as leader when Hall and the others got stranded on the mountain. Ang Dorje Sherpa, a helper that had refused to fix the ropes for the climbers (187). Jon Krakauer an eager mountain-climber also the narrator and author of the book. Yasuko Namba, group member that got lost on the way down the mountain and unfortunately is left for dead (223). The last person I included, Makalu Gau Ming-Ho was not from this same expedition group but I included him because he had been abandon by his Sherpa and had been rescued by members of Hall and Fischer’s team, he was the leader of the Taiwanese climbing group
“You can never tell who the mountain will allow and who it will not.” The novel “Peak” by Roland Smith shows you the thrilling journey of climbing the tallest mountain in the world. Climbing a mountain for several months doesn’t just take physical strength, but also mental strength. The story takes you through Peak Marcello’s journey to become the youngest person in the world to climb Mt.Everest. “Peak” follows a theme of love, family, and most of all survival.
Mt. Everest’s summit has always seemed an unattainable goal for most people. The idea that most people have is that if I can climb Mt Everest, I can accomplish anything. To have the money and desire to try to attempt it is one thing, but being able to endure the punishment is quite another. Beck Weathers, one of the climbers on this particular expedition, had such severe frostbite that he had to have his right arm, nose and the fingers on his left hand amputated. Everyone on the expedition suffered the rigors of Everest. The two expert guides, Rob Hall and Scott Fischer, lost their lives due to a violent storm that ripped through during their descent from the summit. Their impaired judgment also contributed to their demise. Everest is no respecter of persons. Mt Everest is the most respected mountain in the whole world and if
Two noticeably famous people who have climbed the ruthless mountain Everest, Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmand Hillary, are possibly the best 2 climbers that have been around, and If I had to choose between the two, I would pick Norgay. When deciding between the two I had to think about several things, and one of them is the advantages of having both people with myself. Nonetheless, I concluded that they were both bold and that they were willing to do anything to go 29,000 feet. They were both someone who knew about the land, and knew what to do, and not what to do. “At that great moment for which I had waited all my life, my mountain did not seem to me a lifeless thing of rock and ice, but warm and friendly and loving.” (Norgay Page 42) Even
Even though the climbers understood that climbing is no easy task to accomplish, they witnessed miracles that only humans can perform such as that of Beck Weathers still being alive after becoming blind in his right eye with no one to watch after him as he started walking in the wrong direction (316). While preparing for and being on this mountain climb, the mountain trekkers experienced emotions only humans facing struggles can feel with such intensity. The author experienced determination when he wished to quench is mountain-climbing thirst even with his few credentials and he felt belief as he wore a Xi-stone and hoped his partner Doug would reach the summit with him (113, 159). The author, who probably never felt these human emotions on a regular basis with such fervor, only experienced them when he was faced with the struggle of climbing Everest. As the author climbed Everest, he realized several things that he would not have had he not climbed Everest. When forced to be the ice chopper in place of a Sherpa, Krakauer understood that even as he goes under gruesome conditions as a climber, and life in general, some people have to do even more labor than he
Many people have dreamed of climbing the tallest mountain on earth, Mount Everest. However one must possess certain physical and mental attributes to accomplish this giant feat. “Courage is not having the strength to go on: it's going on when you don't have the strength.” Ed Viesturs knows first-hand what having courage is all about although you’ve used all your strength. He kept going to reach his goal even after he faced life threatening obstacles.
Have you ever wondered what kind of hardships come with climbing the tallest mountain in the world before? Expectantly, the book Peak by Roland Smith and the movie Everest have a lot of similarities with some exceptionally prominent differences. From personal conflict and character conflict to the general aspect of climbing Mt. Everest, the book and the movie explore all different types of similarities and differences. Being similar, in both the movie and the book, the mountain always decides. The morals were constant and everyone experiences the same deal in similar ways. One significant difference came between Peak, the main character in the book, and Rob(5th summit attempt), the main character in the movie.
One very off-putting factor for climbing Mount Everest is the climb itself. This is because of all of the risks taken when doing so. All of the risks are very extreme and most can actually lead to death as many that have attempted making the treacherous journey up the mountain have not made it back down safely. This factor can become stuck in many people’s heads and change their minds about making the journey up this beautiful mountain completely. Although several see the travel up the mountain as dangerous and unpleasant, many also see it as the best part of the whole trip. This makes perfect sense seeing as during this climb you can experience some of the most beautiful scenery anyone would ever have the chance to see in their entire lives. The climb has been said to be beautiful and well worth all of the hardship of injury and pain. Overall the climb up the mountain can be seen as the whole reason not to climb Mount Everest or the very reason to do so, but either way the sights you can see are magnificent, or are they?
On May 10, 1996 six people died trying to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. These people were parts of two expeditions that were in the Himalayas, preparing to ascend the summit for six weeks. The first group was under the direction of Rob Hall, who had put 39 paying clients on the summit in five years. Hall was considered the leader of the mountain and the man to see no matter what the discrepancy. Group two, headed by Fisher, who like Hall, was trying to start a profitable business in providing the experience of climbing Mt. Everest to all for the price of 60 to 70 thousand dollars. Unfortunatly, neither man would live to tell the tale of this expedition.
Even though it is an exceedingly risky climb, he chose to attempt to conquer the mountain. Knowing the weather conditions could be unpredictable, he had to trust that his group of climbers would make the correct decisions. It takes courage to leave your fate to other people. His mother was very worried about him, she even said “People die up there Peak. You might die up there.” (Pg. 179) Peak could have died of HAPE, which stands for High-altitude pulmonary edema, meaning your lungs could not withhold the strain from the high altitudes, he could have been buried under snow from an avalanche, or killed from some other type of storm. Either way this would not stop Peak from following his
Aron’s story of adversity in Between a Rock and a Hard Place is not only a tale of survival but really shows us a new philosophy on life and disability. Before Aron acquired his disability he was an avid climber and outdoorsman. Many of his occupations included climbing tortuous tails, camping, and experiencing many life-threating adventures. Thought his book he reminisces on different trips he had in his life, which included being chased by a bear to surviving an avalanche. Aron Ralston would often go on these trips alone and had a goal of climbing the highest peaks in Colorado. He could be described as anything less than an adrenaline junkie.