Journey to the top of Mount Everest – Sri Lankans at the peak share experiences
The journey to the top of the world in not a simple task. Many have tried but few have succeeded and some breathed their last trying to get to the top. However two Sri Lankans were able to achieve what was thought to be the impossible.’
Here is a look at their journey to the Top of the world, Mt. Everest.
- Standing at 29,019 feat from sea level Mount Everest is considered one of the hardest mountains to summit.
- It attracts many climbers, some of them,, highly experienced mountaineers.
- However only a handful have completed the journey.
- Since temperatures are low, snow is well-frozen in certain areas and death or injury by slipping and falling can occur.
- High winds at these altitudes on Everest are also a potential threat to climbers.
Sri Lankan Mountaineers, Jayanthi Kuruthumpala and Johann Peiris set off to summit the mountain knowing very well the risks and the challenges it encompasses.
Months of vigorous mental and physical training paid off for the duo on the early hours of May 21 when they became the first Sri Lankans to summit the highest point of planet earth.
Peiris, who reached the summit within 100 meters could not finish the climb due to health reasons.
During this year’s spring season, the first climbing season for two years on Everest after the Nepal earthquake, the altitude sickness has claimed three climbers in three days after they reached the summit.
An Indian climber died on Sunday after reaching the summit a day before, as Sherpa guides were helping him descend.
Utumpala is among the less than 500 women who successfully summited Everest.
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