My friend is about to become the oldest to have ever climbed the seven highest mountains!

Sir Edmund Hillary is reported as the first person ever to climb to the top of Mt. Everest in 1953. There is a debate about that.

From Wikipedia:

Tenzing Norgay stated in his narration "The Dream Comes True" that Hillary had indeed taken the first step atop Mount Everest, despite Hillary quoting that both had reached the summit at the same time. They reached Everest's 29,028 ft (8,848 m) summit, the highest point on earth, at 11:30 am.[1][18] As Hillary put it, "A few more whacks of the ice axe in the firm snow, and we stood on top."[19]

I cannot imagine doing this in 1953. In today's world we have developed food tech and food packaging, Air transportation to Lukla (hazardous though it is), Communications by sat phone, cell phone, internet, digital radio, etc. and also things like Gortex and lightweight tents, sleeping bags etc. Also they can ferry the equipment and food, water, etc. up to the base camp by helicopter instead of on the backs of Sherpas and Lamas. It is an extremely difficult trip today. It is however carefully planned and the trails, at least through the ice flows are cut in advance of the hikers. They hardly had any of these things in 1953.

from Wikipedia:

The Hunt expedition totalled over 400 people, including 362 porters, twenty Sherpa guides and 10,000 lbs of baggage.

It must have taken several months and they probably had to start around January or February.

They spent only about 15 minutes at the summit. Hillary took the famous photo of Tenzing posing with his ice-axe, but since Tenzing had never used a camera, Hillary's ascent went unrecorded.[20][21] However, according to Tenzing's autobiography 'Man of Everest', when Tenzing offered to take Hillary's photograph Hillary declined – "I motioned to Hillary that I would now take his picture. But for some reason he shook his head; he did not want it". Tenzing left chocolates in the snow as an offering and Hillary left a cross that he had been given by John Hunt.[13] Additional photos were taken looking down the mountain in order to confirm that they had made it to the top and that the ascent was not faked.[21]

It must take an extremely humble person to achieve great things such as this.

This is excellent and fantastic for him!

It's nice to know that you really can do most anything you put your mind to disabilities aside. I feel like even at such a young age it might be "too late" to take up something but it's men like this that let me rest assured that my life is far from over... My problem is learning how to travel and sustain living while doing so. How does one take a trip like this? Savings? Do they have a job to return to? Not necessarily this specific story but many people do these things without private funding and I just wonder how.

Wow very impressive stuff good for him.
I recently saw a doctor on TED talk about his experience climbing Mount Everest.

Originally posted by Aliensun
Too bad he can't find something more beneficial to do with his time and money.
I consider this ego "report" a waste of ATS space and my time.

I served in the Air Force so that you can have the freedom to express your opinion and go to some other thread if so desired.

Originally posted by Blunter
This is excellent and fantastic for him!

It's nice to know that you really can do most anything you put your mind to disabilities aside. I feel like even at such a young age it might be "too late" to take up something but it's men like this that let me rest assured that my life is far from over... My problem is learning how to travel and sustain living while doing so. How does one take a trip like this? Savings? Do they have a job to return to? Not necessarily this specific story but many people do these things without private funding and I just wonder how.

Having a job to return to would have been a real problem for me. Also it would be hard to do this and put aside family goals, etc. In Martin's case this has been his hobby and it also helps that he and his brother own a hardware, gardening business as well as a Radio Shack. For a single person as he is his hobby is the main thing he strives to do. As far as how to do this and return to work that would be tough. It would kind of mess up your resume.

Originally posted by drock905
That's amazing. I love record breaking attempts like this.

Good luck to your friend.

Keep us posted on his attempt.

As of yesterday here is where Martin Douthitt and Team 1 are.

IMG guides Mike Hamill and Justin Merle report that the first team had a good acclimatization hike yesterday in the Pheriche area yesterday, and tomorrow they are ready to make the jump tomorrow up to Lobuche Base Camp. The temperatures will take a dive, and they will feel like they are truly in the mountains now!

There a picture of Team 1 on here:

www.mountainguides.com...

Martin is the one in the back with the gray beard and the black cap.

I hope some of you are still following Martin Douthitt's climb.

Here is the lastest news for Team 1:

Khumbu Glacier Shakedown

April 9, 2013

I pulled into camp yesterday in time for the Team 1 puja, and Jangbu and I spent the rest of the day getting to know the lay of the land here in our 2013 Base Camp.

It was great to see all of the Sherpa in one place! They did a great job today, getting all 49 loads moved up to Camps 1 and 2. All Sherpas will take the day off tomorrow and head up the next day with big loads.

Phunuru and Ang Pasang are doing a great job organizing the loads for the Sherpa carries. Camp 2 cook Shyam is working on the kitchen gear and food to go up the hill. After 48 hours of network issues, our Bgan internet terminal is now fully operational. We have gusting, strong winds in Base Camp, and it is quite chilly up here!

Guides Hamill, Merle, and Anderson joined the Team 1 (guided and hybrid) climbers today training with their personal Sherpas out on the glacier, getting all rigged up for the fixed ropes. They will head out in the morning for Lobuche Base Camp along with the Hybrid trekkers, who continue downhill heading back to Kathmandu. Along the way they will pass the Team 2 (Classic climbers and trekkers) on their way up to EBC with guide Aaron Mainer.

An update from 11 April, 2003:

Weather Improving

April 11, 2013

IMG leader Greg Vernovage reports that it was snowing and blowing at Base Camp last night (in his words, "just like in Alaska") prompting a decision at 9pm to postpone the big Sherpa carry today to Camps 1 and 2 (the sherpas normally leave BC very early, before dawn). It was a good decision, as it sounds like some sherpa from other teams tried to go to Camp 2 today but turned back at Camp 1 due to the stormy conditions in the Western Cwm. During the day, today, the weather improved and the winds died down, and now (evening time) everything has calmed. The team are ready to head back up to Camp 2 in the early morning tomorrow with a lot of bamboo wands to mark the trail with all the fresh snow.

Down at Lobuche Peak Justin Merle reports that the guided and hybrid climbers were able to move up to high camp and are all set for their own early morning pre-dawn departure tomorrow for the 20,000 foot summit of Lobuche (actually they go to the false summit, as the real summit is very difficult to reach).

At Base Camp, the Classic team had a good day of organization and training today, and tomorrow they will head a short way up in the Icefall for some practice crossing ladders.

—Eric Simonson, IMG Partner

An update from today 12 April, 2003:

Base Camp Training with the Sherpa Team; Lobuche Peak Summits!

April 12, 2013

The IMG sherpas have been working closely with the Classic climbers at Base Camp to make sure everyone is on the same page with their gear and techniques. Then, it is down to Lobuche Peak to give it all a double check before hitting the Khumbu Icefall for the first time. Most of our sherpas are now graduates of the Khumbu Climbing School, and some of them, like Phunuru, have trained and worked with US National Park Service ranger teams on Denali and Mt. Rainier. The group here all have a minimum of three years with IMG and work as hard as any group that I have had the pleasure to be involved with. Ang Jangbu and I are very proud of them.

Down on Lobuche Peak, Mike and Justin report 100% success for the guided and hybrid climbers (Team 1). Sounds like they had a great day of climbing. They will take a rest day at Lobuche BC before coming back up to Everest BC the following day. Classic climbers and trekkers (Team 2) are heading down to Lobuche BC tomorrow, while Max, Jenni, and Team 3 will be arriving in Everest BC.

Up on the hill today we had 47 sherpas make it up to Camp 2 and back to BC with loads. They report the route in the Western Cwm was good climbing conditions but that it was very cold up there. They wanded the route well with flagged bamboo garden stakes and report not too much fresh snow on the trail (the wind scoured a lot of it away). We have another 47 sherpas heading back to Camp 2 tomorrow.

—Greg Vernovage, Expedition Leader

—Eric Simonson, IMG Partner

I just found out that Martin Douthitt has experienced some severe problems, apparently with a virus he caught while on his trip up the mountain.

He will be forfeiting his trip and returning home.

What a bummer!

I know this is hella old but- I'm proud of him for even going in the first place and doing as much as he could. I'm proud of him for not just giving his life to Everest, and having the sense to turn around and come home when he knew it was too dangerous for his health.

What a legend summit or not.

-Alee