A Belfastman who came within sight of the summit of Mount Everest on two occasions is planning to climb the Himalayan mountain solo and without oxygen.
Gavin Bate, director of Adventure Alternative Ltd, is setting off for Nepal next week on the expedition, which aims to raise money for communities in the foothills of the Himalaya.
Mr Bate (37) made his first attempt on the world's highest mountain via the south-east ridge five years ago, but had to turn back at the south summit, just 100 vertical metres from the top. In 2002, he made a second attempt via the north-east ridge from Tibet, along with fellow Northern Irish climber Will Canning.
The pair took no oxygen or climbing support, and were within 200 metres of the summit at the Second Step when Mr Canning dislocated his kneecap. It took the two men four days to descend to advance base camp safely in storm conditions.
"Most of the time I was carrying Will or supporting him, we had no oxygen of course, and we were very lucky to come off it," Mr Bate said.
As Mr Bate acclimatises in Nepal, Irish Times equestrian correspondent Grania Willis will be preparing for her attempt on the mountain's north ridge from Tibet. If she is successful, it will be just a year after the first Irish female ascent of Mount Everest. Clare O'Leary, of Bandon, Co Cork, made the summit in May of last year from the south side, and she was followed over a week later by Samantha O'Carroll.
Mr Bate, who studied in Coleraine and worked with aid organisations in Africa before taking up mountaineering full-time, is founder of a charity named Moving Mountains. It helps street children in Kenya and promotes community projects in the Solukhumbu region of the Himalaya.
His company, Adventure Alternative, runs mountaineering expeditions, and he will be leading a charity trek in aid of Croí, the west of Ireland cardiology foundation, to Nepal and Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, in September and October.
A colleague and trustee of the charity, Chris Little, will accompany Mr Bate to the area and will take oxygen. Grania Willis leaves for Kathmandu on March 30th, as part of a group of 12 which will be led by New Zealand mountain guide Russell Brice.
