A Wicklow climber who is attempting to break the world record for the fastest ascent of the seven highest peaks on all seven continents has been forced to abandon his attempt on Mount Elbrus 200 metres from the summit.
Ian McKeever was going for the summit of the 5,642-metre Russian peak on Monday morning, but had to turn round with the summit in sight when one of the expedition members was struggling in the sub-zero temperatures.
Will Sharp, an 18-year-old Briton attempting to become the youngest climber to complete the Seven Summits, was suffering from exhaustion and hypothermia in temperatures of -40 when the decision to abort the summit attempt was made.
"We could have summitted, but Will was in trouble", McKeever told The Irish Timesyesterday. "It was safety before glory, but it was the right call. There's no ego on the mountain, it has to be safety first. I'm just proud that we did the right thing."
McKeever, who is suffering from frostbite on his left cheek, is still determined that he will succeed in his Ulster Bank Seven Summits Challenge attempt to set a new world record of 180 days to climb the seven highest mountains on the seven continents.
"The record is still within my grasp", McKeever said yesterday. "We'll just have to go back to Elbrus at the end of June after we've done Denali."
McKeever, who is climbing with British guiding company Adventure Peaks, is scheduled to leave for Tibet later this month.