| Katmandu (AFP) : 32-year-old
blind American mountaineer, who has scaled four of the world's seven
major peaks, has arrived in Kathmandu for an assault on the highest one of
all, Mount Everest.
Eric Weihenmayer, who lost his sight in both eyes at the
age of 13 from an eye infection, and 11 other members of the expedition
are scheduled to leave for Everest base camp on March 28 to begin their
journey up the 8,848-metre mountain.
At Tribhuvan International airport upon his arrival
yesterday, Weuhebmayer said, "I have an equal chance of success as
any other normal climber."
"However, a successful ascent of Mount Everest will
largely depend on the weather conditions apart from being skillful and
careful," he further said, "After reaching the summit of Mount
Everest, I will bring back a stone from the summit if it is not prohibited
under Nepalese law."
Weihenmayer said his fellow climbers would wear bells so
he could follow their path up the southeast ridge, and that he would use a
walking stick to help cover difficult ground.
"Eric Weihenmayer is climbing Everest just to prove
that handicapped persons are also equally fit to tackle the world's
toughest jobs including the limbing of awesome Everest," said
Pasquale Scaturro, expedition leader and Everest summitter. |
