| BY RON MANZ
Photo of: Finbar O’Sullivan
“T
he ego seeks the summit, the soul seeks the climb!” It became the mantra for
seven middle aged Kelowna residents who pushed themselves to the limits of human endurance. Their incentive behind climbing Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, at 23,000 feet the highest peak in the western hemisphere was an objective to help rid the world of polio.
“As we moved higher, the battle to breath became incredible,” noted Finbar O’Sullivan, 56. “It was like trying to breathe with a 300 pound weight on your chest while walking at the same time. Altitude sickness and the lack of oxygen leads to headaches, nausea and fatigue and is your worst enemy while the out- side temperatures hovered around -20 with very strong winds. It was the most physically demanding thing I’ve ever experienced.”
Peaks for Polio became the brain-child of O’Sullivan and Gord Savage of the Rotary Club of Kelowna (downtown). Rotary International has organized a 20-year campaign to eradicate polio worldwide. It only exists in four countries any longer,
20 YLW CONNECTION
India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. The focus is to raise $200-million dollars by 2012. O’Sullivan and Savage organized this unique adventure as their contribution to the fundraising campaign.
The group set out for the adventure of a life time December 4th from Mendoza, Argentina. A four day, 45 kilometre hike with 80 pound packs later found them at Plaza Argentina, the base camp at 14,000 feet for all expeditions attempting to climb Aconcagua.
“I’m not a climber or mountaineer,” stated Savage, 60. “I’ve just been intrigued by mountains my whole life. The concept of attempting to climb the highest peak in the world outside of the Himalayans had me wondering what it would be like and could I accomplish it?”
Laurie Skreslet, a 60 year old professional mountaineer from Bragg Creek, Alberta who became the fi rst Canadian to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 1982 and who has climbed Aconcagua 27 times, was hired to be their guide. He chose the easiest of three routes to the top, one that didn’t require ice axes and ropes but instead crampons for grip to hike up the ice and snow covered slopes.
By December 11th they had climbed to their second base camp at the 16,000 foot level and Dean McLay began showing signs of pulmonary edema (fl uid on the lungs). Rest was ordered for everyone. On December 14th the entire group made their fi nal carry climb to set up the high base camp at the 19,700 ft. Level.
“We were so proud we had all lasted to this point, but the effects of the altitude hit Linda Frandsen who struggled with nausea and exhaustion and she realized she could go on no further,” said Savage. “Our assistant guide Bill Marler helped her down to our mid-camp. The next day my wife Maureen also began feeling minor symptoms and she decided she would stay to man the high camp while the rest of us continued.”
Photo of: Laurie Skreslet
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