Everest 2013

Everest 2013

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Everest....so surreal...like a dream...can't wait so see you again!!



Hi Everyone!!!

Well, as you probably read below,there was no summit for me this time on Everest. I reached the Balcony (8400m) of Everest (8848m) on May 13th and then got ill and had to turn around...more details to come on that evening. I was probably 6-7 hours from the summit. Turning around was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. After collapsing for the third time though, I laid face in the snow for good 10 mintues before digging deep and knowing that going on would just be stupid and irresponsible, as I would not only be risking my own safety, but that of others. So Everest I will see you again, and hopefully really soon!! It is incredibly hard to work for so many years towards a goal and then have to turn away from it only hours away.

I am still not back in the U.S., but hope to be home this weekend. I am feeling much better, think I have regained almost all of my weight back(that was quick!), and ready to share more of this incredible journey...busy writing away...so stay tuned. My body is still recovering and sleep is the greatest gift. Overall though, I just feel blessed to be overall healthy, as others this season were not so fortunate.

It is hard to believe the journey is over and now seems a bit surreal...like it was a dream. I cannot wait to go back though! As much as I was tired of the freezing nights, roasting on the glacier some days, and pushing my body to the max point of exhaustion, I already miss it-the awe of the mountain, the challenge of pushing myself, the amazing people I met, the overall incredible experience that I could never replicate in my day to day. So Everest will be there for me next time :)

Special thanks to everyone for following along the journey and supporting our efforts for women in Congo....many more details to come soon.

Special thanks also to:
My incredible employer McKinney Rogers for partially sponsoring my climbing fees and also allowing me a sabatical to go on this remarkable challenge. Looking forward to seeing the team again :)

To Kathy Setian (Climber), Steve Prentice, Melanie O'Toole, Mylene Pelandre, and Tristan Ang,and Hector Miranda for either climbing this big mountain or trekking to Base Camp and supporting the campaign either by fundraising or moral support!!

To VDAY and International Medical Corps for their continuous work and efforts for women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. You are impacting the lives of women and children on a daily basis and giving them a chance for a better future.

To Dokument Films- David Serota and Giovanni Messner for all of their support and encouragement and this amazing clip they are working on---you'll see it soon :)

To Ning for building me an amazing new interactive website where I could communicate with you all....I had built the first one myself and I am sooooo grateful for their help!

To Eve Ensler, who without the article she wrote back in August 07, I may have never set off on this journey.

More to come soon, but you can still support our efforts for women in Congo at www.climbtakeaction.com

Also, please note that none of the money donated through my site went towards my climbing expenses. All climbing expenses were paid by myself and partially by my sponsor McKinney Rogers. All donations made go directly to both International Medical Corps and VDAY and are 100% tax deductible.

Thank you all for your loving messages and encouragement. More to come, pic, videos, and stories....


Hugs,

G

Monday, May 16, 2011

Summit Day

Ghostwriter #1 is back with an update via SMS from high in the Himalayas. ‎... update from Georgina! "Made it to just about the balcony of Everest (8400m) then collapsed and fainted and had to turn around :( it was the hardest decision I have had to make and disheartening, but happy to be safe. I was about 6-7 hrs from the summit..." G's update cont'd: "Thank you for all of your incredible support. This has been a remarkable challenge and incredible journey for a good cause. Everest we will meet again sometime soon for a second go :) More to come soon on the blog. At BC for some recovery and dr time before the trek out - hugs for now!! G"

We are all so proud of you Georgina and we are glad you are safe and sound! You are an inspiration!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Made it to the South Col!

Just checked on the Peak Freaks blog and it sounds like the team made it to the South Col in good time and are now resting and sipping oxygen. They are going to stay there tonight and all day tomorrow so they have an extra boost, rather than heading up tonight. The weather is holding, so they're going to rest up and get energized for the big push on the 12th which should have them on the summit the morning of the 13th.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Summit Climb Begins Tomorrow!

Hi everyone, ghostwriter #2 here, wanting to update you all that Georgina is sleeping at Camp 3 tonight (7,100 m) and will climb to the South Col (8,000 m) and get some sleep before they start their summit climb at 9 pm tomorrow. If all goes as planned, our girl should be standing at the very top of our world day after tomorrow, May 12!

Some other updates: the team unfortunately lost three climbers due to illness. They also got caught in a windstorm at Camp 2 and 74-mph winds shredded her tent, but Georgina is feeling well regardless. She even did yoga at 6,400 m (and wanted to give a shout-out to Gita Wenaweser for the yoga routine)!

Kathy, who is also climbing in support of women in the Congo with Georgina, is doing well and ready for the summit climb too.

She also wanted to give a special thanks to her employer, McKinney Rogers, for supporting her on this climb, to Ning for her website, and to the organizations she is doing all of this for, International Medical Corps and VDAY.