First Everest climb

First Everest climbers from US reminisce

4 men reunite 50 years later

BERKELEY, Calif. — It might be hard to conceive now, in an era of extreme sports and ultra-light equipment, but there was a time when Americans who set out to conquer mountains engaged in a pursuit that was as lonely as it was dangerous.

But four men — Norm Dyhrenfurth, now 94; Jim Whittaker, 84; Tom Hornbein, 82, and Dave Dingman, 76 — remember. The leather boots that stayed wet for weeks. Oxygen canisters that weighed 15 pounds. The shrugs of indifference most of their countrymen gave a half-century ago to what it would take to get a U.S.led mountaineering expedition to the top of Mt. Everest.

"Americans when I first raised it, they said, "Well, Everest its been done.  Why do it again?"  Dyhrenfurth recalled Friday as he and three other surviving members of the 1963 expedition gathered in the San Francisco Bay area for a meeting honoring the 50th anniversary of their achievement.

The American Alpine Club is hosting lectures, film screenings, book signings and a dinner this weekend reconciling the pioneering climbers and what their feat, captured in a Life magazine cover story, came to represent in the years after President John F Kennedy honored the Everest team with a Rose Garden reception the birth of mountaineering as a popular sport in the U.S.

"When they were talking about a reunion three years ago, I thought, who the hell cares about that?  I figured we'd just get together for some beers, "Dingman said between interviews with National Geographic, Outside magazine and the Alpine Club's oral history project. "it's turned into this big event, and I'm glad it has."

Whittaker, who lives in Seattle and went on to become chief executive of outdoors uotfitter Recreational Equipment Inc was the first American to summit Everest.  He and his Sherpa companion, Nawang Gombu, reached the top of the world on May 1, 1963, a decade after New Zealand's Edmund Hillary.

Memories of how close he came to his own death on Everest - he and Gombu ran out of oxygen on the summit and had to climb up and back without water after their bottles froze, infused every day of his life since with gratitude and child-like wonder, he said.

"I think I will probably take it with me into my next life, if I have one, " Whittaker said.

Three weeks after Whittaker's ascent, two other Americans, Hornbein and late Willi Unsoeld, became the first men ever to scale Everest via a more dangerous route on the mountain's west side.  The next day, they descended by the southern route that Hillary, Whittaker and by then, two more members of the American team had taken to the summit.

The adventure, which included spending the night without sleeping bags or tens at 28,000 feet, made them the first men ever to traverse the world's highest peak,  and cost Unsoeld nine frost bitten toes.

For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series, CLICK HERE 

To order your copy of Murder on Kilimanjaro, CLICK HERE
Follow Charles Irion on twitter HERE
Friend Charles Irion on Facebook HERE
Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel HERE 

Seven Year Old Boy Conquers Mt Kilimanjaro

Moshi, March 4, 2013 — WHILE admitting that getting to the top of Africa's highest peak was not easy, seven-year old Aaryan Balaji from India has just achieved the feat and lived to tell his story.

He sets the record for being the youngest climber to reach the Uhuru Summit on the world's tallest free standing mountain after braving the chilly weather, pounding rain and fever-inducing heights.

"The paths up the mountain were muddy and slippery, the rains, mist and fog were scary but I was determined and thanks to the experienced guides the mission was successful," said Balaji who already holds a certificate of being the youngest adventurer to scale the Atlas range of mountains peaking at the world's highest point.

Balaji may be holding a number of outdoor expedition records but he admits that scaling Mount Kilimanjaro was not easy and he couldn't believe it when he managed to reach the Uhuru Summit at 5,895 metres above sea level. This hasn't exactly been the year for climbers at Kilimanjaro.
In January a bolt of lightning struck one tourist dead. That same month a team of 100 pilots who scaled the mountain to accomplish the first ever paragliding attempt from the summit were forced to abandon the exercise following harsh weather conditions.

They left the country without a word. Balaji is currently a Grade 2 student of Mahatma Gandhi International School in Port Blair India and in his Kilimanjaro trip went through the Lemosho route in the Siha District of Kilimanjaro region.

His trekking started on Monday, February 18 and returned last weekend. For the Kilimanjaro trip, Balaji was accompanied by his mother, Mrs Riki Balaji who said she is supporting her son as a way of encouraging other mothers worldwide to take their children out for constructive outdoor adventures instead of letting youngsters be spoilt by passive activities such as video games and television.

Few Tanzanians bother to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and most of them are not prepared to have their children risk their limbs, health and lives trying to become heroes on the continent's highest peak. The Arusha School used to send pupils to climb Mount Meru annually but of late there have been reports that authorities at Arusha National Park have slammed restrictions on under-aged climbers.

Balaji has been honoured with the Gandhi Seva Medal, which places him on the same platform with the likes of Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Sonia Gandhi and Lata Mangeshkar. He is also an Ambassador for the Gandhi Global Family becoming the youngest member of the GGF.

For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series, CLICK HERE 

To order your copy of Murder on Kilimanjaro, CLICK HERE
Follow Charles Irion on twitter HERE
Friend Charles Irion on Facebook HERE
Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel HERE 

article source: allafrica.com

Due To Frostbite Ranulph Fiennes Ends Vinson Massif Climb

Ranulph Fiennes Unable to Continue Expedition After Developing Frostbite

The 68-year-old explorer hoped to become the first person to cross the frozen continent in winter later this year, but pulled out of the journey after suffering the injury during training.

A spokesman for the expedition, dubbed the "Coldest Journey on Earth", said Ranulph Fiennes had fallen while skiing in a blizzard and attempted to fix his binding with his bare hands.

His five team-mates are attempting to extract him to South Africa, but have agreed to embark on the 2,000-mile without him, beginning on March 21.

Tony Medniuk of the Coldest Journey expedition told the BBC: "In seeking to reattach his binding he felt that he couldn't get it on and had to take his glove off in very cold conditions and exposed his hand to snow and as a consequence he has contracted frostbite.

"After five years of preparation, a small slip like this and a few moments can undermine the most meticulous preparation."

The team will attempt to transport Fiennes 43 miles by skidoo to the Princess Elisabeth Station, from where he can be flown to Cape Town via the Antarctic Novo airbase, but are unable to leave until the current blizzard subsides.

The veteran explorer has experience of frostbite from his previous expeditions, losing the top third of all the fingers on his left hand during an expedition to the North Pole in 2000.

On his return to Britain, he removed his fingertips himself using a fretsaw after reportedly balking at the cost and time it would take doctors to amputate them.

Hannah McKeand, a polar guide who has trekked to the South Pole a world record six times, said frostbite is now extremely rare on polar voyages but might occur if someone had lost core body temperature, for example after not eating enough.

Taking precautions against the injury is "absolutely basic Antarctic 101", but Ranulph Fiennes' previous frostbite would have made him more vulnerable to a second bout, she told the Telegraph.
She said: "I take my gloves off to do things all the time. If there is something like a broken ski binding or a really fiddly job you really need your bare hands to do, experience tells us you are going to be able to do that.

"The problem with Fiennes is he has suffered severe frostbite before, and the moment you have suffered any cold injury of that nature you are susceptible to it in those digits for the rest of your life."

But his attempt to cross the continent during its winter months was to be his most daunting challenge, in conditions of almost permanent darkness and temperatures as low as -90C.  The team has been outfitted with high-tech equipment that prompted comparisons to the preparations, including special breathing apparatus. The expedition will use 20-ton tractors to transport sledges with mounted living quarters and fuel that is designed not to freeze in the extreme temperatures.

The furthest anyone has ventured into Antarctica during its coldest season until now was a 60-mile  expedition in the early 20th century.

A spokesman said Fiennes would continue to support Seeing is Believing, the expedition's chosen charity.

Murder on Vinson Massif explores the same conditions Ranulph Fiennes and his team are experiencing on the mountain.  In the book, hero Scott Devlon finds himself in Antarctica, complelled to join the expedition about to attempt an unprecedented winter climb of Vinson Massif, the highest mountain on the world's most inhospitable continent in order to catch a killer. 


Murder and treachery abound as the high tech expedition braves the Antarctic night with temperatures falling below minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Old friends and fresh enemies die as Scott seeks the lost idols and in the end all perish save two.

For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series, CLICK HERE 

To order your copy of Murder on Vinson Massif, CLICK HERE
Follow Charles Irion on twitter HERE
Friend Charles Irion on Facebook HERE
Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel HERE 

 Article source: telegraph.co.uk

Five things climbing Kilimanjaro taught me about being an entrepreneur

This is a fantastic article that I though was worth sharing.  I couldn't have said these things better myself. 

inSha

When I told people I planned to climb Kilimanjaro, their reactions were similar to when I started a business – a mix of indifference, awe, envy, and subtle questioning of my sanity. I know that many serious climbers don’t consider Kilimanjaro a real climb, but for me reaching 19,340 ft. was an eye-opening experience and proof that I could push my limits.

While I was preparing for the climb, the parallels between mountaineering and founding a company became very interesting. While I am not sure if being an entrepreneur made me a better climber, or vice versa, there is tremendous overlap between the personalities of people who want to be entrepreneurs and people who want to climb Kilimanjaro. What separates those who dream of success and those who actually succeed? It really comes down to how you find the motivation to get up and get going, and how you make critical decisions along the way.

Here are six things Mount Kilimanjaro taught me about being a better entrepreneur.

1. Hope for the best and plan for the worst, in that order.

Before embarking on my journey to Tanzania, I researched everything from altitude sickness and climate changes to the local culture. In my business life, I am also an information sponge. The more I know, the more tools I have to identify, understand, and problem-solve when inevitably unexpected issues come up. Savvy entrepreneurs find out everything they can about their market, competitors, etc., and they never stop learning.

2. Choose the most efficient route.

There are at least six different routes one can take to the summit of Kilimanjaro, each with their own pros and cons. I chose the Umbwe route, which is the most direct, but also the steepest and most challenging. Entrepreneurs can’t afford to take a round-about, stop-and-start approach to building their businesses. Taking the most direct route – creating a business plan and then doing everything you can to execute on that plan quickly – is the fastest way to succeed. Don’t waste time with constant distractions. Instead, get to your goal as quickly and as efficiently as you can.

 3. Celebrate your arrival at base camp.

Making it to base camp is an accomplishment. You aren’t all the way to the top yet, but you’ve reached an impressive milestone. When I reached base camp on Kilimanjaro, Barafu at 15,300 ft., and looked up at the peak of the mountain towering thousands of feet above, I was reminded of launching my new business website and signing on our first customers. It’s exciting when your tireless work starts to turn into a real company – and many entrepreneurs don’t stop to reflect on these early milestones. But every milestone is worth celebrating, considering many entrepreneurs never make it to the first step of creating a revenue generating company. Take a moment to celebrate each milestone and then evaluate how well you’ve met goals and steps you need to take to make it to the next level.

4. Surround yourself with a competent team.

There is a reason most entrepreneurs and climbers fail to succeed; the higher you climb, the more challenging the journey becomes. In times of resource deprivation, be it physical, financial or mental, it is critical to surround yourself with people you can trust. On Kilimanjaro, I surrounded myself with a reliable, experienced team including great guides who knew the mountain like the back of their hands. Entrepreneurs must build a cohesive team that can quickly identify signs of weakness in your business plan, execution, or results – and then offer strategic solutions. The right team has significant expertise and will help keep you motivated and focused.

5. Reach many summits.

In business, the goal post is always moving. There are new competitors, new markets, and new advances in technology. The world’s best entrepreneurs are always thinking ahead, even when they’ve just crossed a tangible finish line. When I summited Kilimanjaro, I sat on top of the mountain looking out at the most amazing view I had ever seen. But did I stay in the moment? No, my mind began wandering to the next adventure. What mountain will I climb next? Where will my next adventure take me? If I am capable of this, what else am I capable of?

The instinct to push forward, to look ahead, to run past the finish line is what separates entrepreneurs from ‘want-trepreneurs’. The most successful entrepreneurs don’t just reach one summit; they reach many during the lifetimes of their companies or whatever challenge they take on.

Author Charles Irion at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro

For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series, CLICK HERE 
To order your copy of Murder on Kilimanjaro, CLICK HERE
Follow Charles Irion on twitter HERE
Friend Charles Irion on Facebook HERE
Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel HERE   

Source:venturebeat.com

Murder on Kilimanjaro - New Review

I'm thrilled to share this new review from one of my favorite reviewers The Midwest Book Review.  Thank you very much to editor-in-chief James A. Cox for a wonderful review!

“The country can wait when family is on the line.  “Murder on Kilimanjaro” is an entry into Charles G. Irion & Ronald J. Watkins’ Summit Murder Mystery series.  Scott Devlon is hired to be the president’s guide as he looks for his lost son on the top of Africa’s tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro.  Finding that this guidance job goes beyond being bizarre because it’s for an American president, there may be more that hangs in the balance than a son, a president, or his country.  “Murder on Kilimanjaro” is well worth considering for lovers of mystery and suspense.”  – The Midwest Book Review

If you would like to read and review any of the books in my Summit Murder Mystery series or Hell Series, please contact my publicist Jennifer Howell at jennifer@irionbooks.com! 

For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series, CLICK HERE 
To order your copy of Murder on Kilimanjaro, CLICK HERE
Follow Charles Irion on twitter HERE
Friend Charles Irion on Facebook HERE
Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel HERE  

200 paragliders to fly off Mt. Kilimanjaro for charity

200 paragliders to fly off Mt. Kilimanjaro and fundraise $1M for East Africa charities

Some events only happen once in a lifetime. While we’ve seen hundreds if not thousands Kilimanjaro charity climbs, we’ve certainly never seen 200 paragliders jump from the peak of Africa’s 19,341 foot summit in the name of charity.
It will be a world-record breaking event. Three years of preparation will culminate in the largest Kilimajaro fundraising event of its kind with the 200 paragliders and support team set to start their climb up Mt Kilimanjaro on January 27^th, 2013.

The project is appropriately dubbed ‘Wings of Kilimanjaro’. Paragliding pilots and passengers from around the world will aim to reach the summit and then jump off the mountain paragliding down. Normally, this type of activity is banned by the Tanzanian Government – but determination has made it possible and the team received a one-time special permission.

The team's fundraising towards a one million dollar goal for three charities supporting East Africa: One Foundation, Plant with Purpose, and WorldServe International. 
“I could never understand why anyone didn’t believe that they were capable of achieving anything that they wanted in life.” Australian Adrian McRae says about his fundraising idea.
Adrian credits his sister Paula and cousin Peter for helping the project come together.

How did the team choose which charities to fundraise for?

“We certainly weren’t looking for a ‘quick fix’. We wanted to be positive that the money would generate changes that were sustainable and progressive and incorporated the involvement of local communities.” Paula says.

Despite the many obstacles along the way, including gaining special permission from the Tanzanian Government for the flights to take place, organizing the shear logistics associated with bringing a project of this magnitude together, and having to move from Australia to Tanzania, Adrian says “The weather up on top will be the single biggest obstacle for the overall success of the project.”

Doctors will monitor the pilots and passengers closely for good health at high altitude. “All pilots and passengers will be tested for brain function and fitness by the safety team before being allowed to fly,” Adrian reports. “We will be relying on the weather gods to give us the right conditions to be able to launch paragliders from the summit.”

Passengers are required to fundraise more than pilots for the event and will no doubt enjoy the spectacular scenery on the decent.

Most important to the team of 800 (made up of pilots, passengers, media, guides cooks and porters) in addition to the safety of its pilots and passengers, is the end goal for the people of Tanzania.

Adrian says that “Visualizing the eventual difference we as a group are able to make in people's lives through this project is gratification and celebration in itself.”

Paula adds “We’re just two Aussie kids from the country having a crack at making a difference in the world.”

Check out Wings of Kilimanjaro for more info and to support this awesome initiative.
Watch the Wings of Kilimanjaro Vimeo Trailer

For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series, CLICK HERE 
To order your copy of Murder on Kilimanjaro, CLICK HERE
Follow Charles Irion on twitter HERE
Friend Charles Irion on Facebook HERE
Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel HERE   

article source: climbforchange.com

Celebrities Climb Kilimanjaro to Promote Water Cause

A GROUP of 12 celebrities from the United States of America have just completed scaling Mount Kilimanjaro, a trek done to promote safe and clean water in Africa.

The celebrities, through a campaign famously known as Summit on the Summit, started their ascent on January 6, this year and all made it to the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro, the Uhuru Peak and spoke to the media in Arusha on Sunday.

The Summit on the Summit climb includes celebrities such as Actor Justin Chatwin, artist Mark Foster, Melissa Arnot, Chevenee Reavis, the Director of Strategic Initiatives for Water organization, Mr Kenna Zemedkun, Chase Jarvis, Actress Beau Garrett, Bryn Mooser, David Morton, Dr Greg Allgood, Steve Hall and Cynthia Koenig.

The initiative is designed to drive awareness and change to the global clean water crisis while engaging a community through raising awareness, supporting education, inspiring advocacy and activating fundraising.

By taking cultural influencers, educators and high profile individuals to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Sumit is able to support organizations in bringing clean water to the 1 billion people living without the basic human right.

This year's Summit took seven days with internationally recognized influencers as well as men and women who have either made an exceptional global impression around the water crisis or proven to be leaders in youth activism. These two groups represent influencers and educators.

They climbed the mountain as a team, communicating about the issues around access to water, learning of solutions to the problem, discussing how to improve social awareness and embracing the idea that they are now the example for showing ways to take action and give back to those with little or nothing.

Through these efforts, Summit will directly support non-profit organizations providing safe, clean drinking water to struggling communities and giving future generations the chance to thrive. Computer maker HP has also joined the 'Summit on the Summit,' as the official technology outfitter, to help Kenna and the entire team to continue bringing clean water to Africa.

 Would you climb a mountain to support a charity??

For more information about the Summit Murder Mystery series, CLICK HERE 
To order your copy of Murder on Kilimanjaro, CLICK HERE
Follow Charles Irion on twitter HERE
Friend Charles Irion on Facebook HERE
Visit Charles Irion's YouTube channel HERE   

Article source:  allafrica.com