Everest 2016 – The Irish Story

Everest Season 2016 – The Irish Story   The Everest 2016 season has reached its conclusion with expeditions heading home on both Nepal and Tibet sides. It was a very successful season for Irish climbers, with four summits creating new and exciting records, and bringing the total number of successful summits by Irish climbers to 53. Mary Scannell became the …

Read more Everest 2016 – The Irish Story

My Top 10 Everest Tips

Top Everest Tips   Everest prep is in full flow for many climbers around the world, as countdown to the 2016 season continues. After two disastrous seasons, everyone is hoping for better fortunes in 2016. I won’t be going this year. Being out there during the two biggest disasters in the history of Everest in 2014 …

Read more My Top 10 Everest Tips

Nepal – Shakes, Debates & Dilemmas

Nepal is emerging from the sort of five-month period that would bring any country to its knees. 9236 dead, 600,000 homes destroyed, millions affected, entire towns wiped out in two major earthquakes & subsequent avalanches, political turmoil & violent street protests and a divisive constitution ratified. So here is my dilemma… I am caught between wanting to feverishly promote Nepal …

Read more Nepal – Shakes, Debates & Dilemmas

Everest 2015 Announcement

Next weekend I return to Nepal to complete my Everest mission following the disappointment of last years cancellation due to the tragic avalanche which claimed the lives of 16 Sherpa and led to the effective shut-down of a season which witnessed 19 deaths, including one of our expedition staff members. This will be a difficult and emotional period for those families and for …

Read more Everest 2015 Announcement

The Heights of Sacrifice

On April 18th 2014 I was almost half-way through the final chapter in the Seven Summits voyage when the deadly avalanche struck the Khumbu icefall, a section of the mountain which we were preparing to climb through a few days later. The death of 16 Sherpa and the ensuing political drama involving some Sherpa and the Nepalese …

Read more The Heights of Sacrifice

In Pursuit of Seven

On the morning of Good Friday 2014, I was ascending fixed ropes near the top of Leboche East at 6119m as part of final pre-acclimitisation before starting the one-month rotations up the high mountain and through the various camps that lead to the top of Everest. We reached the summit at 9am after six hours …

Read more In Pursuit of Seven

Altitude Training for Everest

Preparation for Everest 2014 included living for 2000 hours in simulated altitude in the Altitude House at UL from July 2013 to March 2014. The University of Limerick facility is the only residential altitude training centre in Ireland and UK, providing elite sports people simulated altitude conditions while also availing of the world-class sports facilities …

Read more Altitude Training for Everest