Striving for the Summit

Striving for the Summit


In the month of May 2019 Australian mountaineer Gill Lee made his fourth attempt to reach the summit of Everest. Because of the heavy traffic on the Nepal route he used the north side of the mountain called the Tibet route. His goal was to climb Mount Everest without an oxygen tank.


At the height of 7600m his two sherpa guides noticed that he was getting ill. As they climbed further up the maunga his symptoms were getting worse. His lips were turning blue, he was constantly coughing and then his body switched off and he was out cold for three hours!!! Because he was unconscious and his body was limp they dragged him down the slope to his tent. The pair were doing everything they could to keep him warm by putting him in his sleeping bag with hot water bottles.


On the way down the mountain they met a Chinese rope fixing team who helped make him a sled with a sleeping mat and ropes. As the snow faded away the group called a man with a yak so they could get him across the rocky terrain. Gillian Lee recalls that was the most uncomfortable ride he’d ever had.

After reaching base camp a helicopter was waiting there for him to be loaded. The trip took around 20 minutes. When they arrived at Kathmandu Hospital his mother was beside herself with rage. She said he was so selfish that he put peoples lives at risk just because he didn’t want to use an oxygen tank. He was indeed lucky he escaped death.


I wonder if he will ever try to climb everest again?


Will anyone want to guide him again?