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| Editos Nichols archyvo nuotr./Edita Nichols in Geneva Airport |
“Today I am leaving on my expedition to attempt to climb the north ridge of Mt Everest. It will be a little more challenging than attempting the southern route but a lot less crowded. I am a bit nervous but I am ready for this journey,” Edita told 15min.lt before her flight.
She also informs that China, from whence she is starting her climb, is blocking Word Press that she uses to update her blog. China also restricts access to Facebook, another medium Edita uses to communicate her progress. Despite that, Edita has found a way to occasionally update her blog.
“My partner Paul has graciously agreed to to be the communications manager from the 'home base'. So the blog will continue to be live. Paul will post updated of the expedition and will post links to my actual location received via GPS Spot tracker,” Edita assures.
15min will also give updates on Edita's Everest expedition, in both Lithuanian and English.
“Now it is time to go and fulfill my lifelong dream. Next stop, Katmandu. To my entire family, all my friends, supporters and armchair adventurers, I want to say thank you all for being behind me during my preparations; you will be with me during this adventure,” Edita told 15min right before the flight.
International team
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| Editos Nichols nuotr./Atop Mount Manaslu |
Edita, who is the only Lithuanian woman having conquered 8-kilometre peaks twice, will join an international ten-member team led by experienced climber Phil Crampton. Under his leadership, the Lithuanian climbed to Mount Manaslu (8,156 metres) last year. Crampton himself has already glanced down at the world from atop Mount Everest more than once.
“I chose the team because of the leader's experience. I like his style. We climb as an independent team of mountaineers. He is able to secure excellent service in the base camp, assemble a great team of Sherpa helpers,” Edita has said before.
Edita's team, consisting of climbers from Australia, Denmark, the US, Spain, and the UK, will include three women.
The climbers will meet in Katmandu, Nepal, and the following day will head towards the Chinese border. According to the plan, the expedition should take about two months. Weather conditions and other unforeseen factors can modify the initial schedule.
Expedition might take 60 days
Edita is planning to climb Everest from the north side. After meeting in Katmandu, her team will stay there for a few days, in order to finish paperwork, receive permits for the expedition and Tibetan visas.
In about one week, Edita should reach the base camp, situated some 5,200 metres above the sea level.
When they reach the base camp, the team of climbers will have to stick to a strict acclimatization plan. In higher altitudes, the human body must gradually adapt to lower oxygen levels. Therefore the team will be climbing up during days, but will have to descend a little to spend the night.
The video below, by experienced climber Alan Arnette, gives a good idea of how a climbing schedule might look like in such altitudes. It was made during Everest expedition last winter. Edita and her team's quest will be similar.
The team is also prepared to spend several days each time for suitable weather – waiting in itself can be taxing. All climbers know, however, that should one choose bad time to leave the camp, bad weather could completely ruin an entire expedition.
Even though the expedition is estimated to last 60 days, no one can tell for sure when Edita will come back.
Climb dedicated to poor African region
Edita dedicates her ambitious quest to a campaign called “Everest for Sahel 2013”. She says she wants to draw attention to a serious food crisis that affects millions of families in the region and also collect some funds to help.
“When I was working in Niger, the media initially paid much attention to the food crisis. But later the interest abated. And people there are suffering not just famine. An armed conflict is currently raging in Mali,” she says.
Sahel is a zone in west Africa stretching across eight states. The food crises was triggered by crop failure in 2011 due to adverse natural conditions. As stocks went down, food prices spiraled up. Many families cannot afford it and risk starving to death.
Edita saw suffering people with her own eyes and resolved to try and help them – she thought she could draw attention to their problems and maybe even collect some money for relief. She says her life changed after seeing suffering people.
“To finance the Everest trip, I spend my own hard-earned money and borrowed funds. I finance all my expeditions myself. This trip, too, is entirely covered by my personal funds and those of my sponsors (this time, though, sponsors cover only 3 percent of the trip, - 15min). Meanwhile all the money donated or collected during the expedition, and intended for the people of Sahel, does not go to my own account but rather to one of the World Food Programme,” Edita points out.
Exceptional year for Lithuanian mountain climbing
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first successful expedition to the top of Mount Everest. On 29 May 1953, humans set their foot on the world's highest peak for the first time. Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay climbed up its southern slope.
The year is special for Lithuanian mountaineers, too. Twenty years ago, on 10 May 1993, Vladas Vitkauskas became the first Lithuanian to make it to the top of Mount Everest. Moreover, the Lithuanian tricolour was the first of the three Baltic states to crown the Himalayan summit.
In all, four Lithuanians have so far made it to the top of Everest. These are Vladas Vitkauskas (in 1993), Saulius Vilius (2003), Aldas Baltutis (2007), and Darius Vaičiulis (2007).
In spring 2011, a woman climber from Lithuania, Aldona Skėraitytė, attempted to repeat their success. However, she fell ill at 7,000 metres and was forced to head back.
Edita has lived outside Lithuania for many years, but she always stresses she is Lithuanian. She is taking the Lithuanian tricolour, hoping to raise it above the roof of the world.
You can support Edita's Everest quest. To learn more about how you can contribute, press here.
To support Edita directly, press here.
