Peak Practice

‘SOMEWHERE in one of those awful books that tell you what you must do before you hit 30, or die, – in between hang gliding over the Niagara Falls and streaking at Lord’s – is a page that commands ”Climb Everest”.

Our man takes a breather on Everest foothills

And since it’s nearing the 50th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing’s ascent of the world’s highest peak, everyone’s at it.

The Telegraph leads today’s bulletin from the slopes of the Himalayas with news that a chap called Sherpa Lhakpa Gelu has just raced to the top in the record time of 10hr 56min.

His ride up the Everest Escalator comes just four days after the previous fastest ascent was claimed in 12hr 45mins, and in the same week as a 15-year-old girl played truant to become the youngest person to reach the top.

The Independent also watches the clamour to say ”I was there”, seeing Sibusio Vilane become the first black African to reach the summit, 70-year-old Yuichiro Miura become the oldest person to get to the top and our own Terry Jones become the fist man to reach the roof of the world while dressed as a Tellytubby.

Only one of those is untrue – but tomorrow the chances are they all will be reduced to history’s footnotes, their achievements surpassed by other, bigger, bolder and more stupid climbers.

‘

Posted: 27th, May 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink