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Wednesday, May 27, 1998 Published at 16:02 GMT 17:02 UK
World: S/W Asia
Everest the hard way
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Tom Whittaker said he wanted to show what disabled people can accomplish
A mountaineer with an artificial leg is reported to be the first disabled man to reach the top of Mount Everest.
Tom Whittaker, a 49-year old, Welsh-born American scaled the world's tallest peak, 8,848 metres (29,028 feet) above sea level, with four Nepalese sherpas and a fellow American.
They stayed at the summit for 20 minutes.
Mr Whittaker, an outdoor sports teacher, lost his right leg in a car accident and wears an artificial leg fitted below the knee.
He teaches adventure education at Prescott College in Arizona.
Mr Whittaker said he wanted to show what disabled people can accomplish.
He estimates that it takes him 30-35% more energy to climb mountains than able-bodied people.
Two previous efforts
Bad weather had thwarted Whittaker's two previous efforts at reaching the summit in 1989 and 1995.
He delayed another attempt a week ago when he fell ill with pulmonary edema, a swelling of blood vessels, common at very high altitudes.
The expedition used the southeast ridge route pioneered by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953. Since then, nearly 800 people have reached the summit and close to 150 have died.
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Internet Links Adventure Everest '98: information about Tom Whittaker's expedition Everest News - Mount Everest news information Everest Environmental Expedition '98 Prescott College Arizona |
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