The Tripod

Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: Features

Many Trinity professors can claim the completion of impressive feats. Some have published novels, others have made life-altering discoveries, and still others may have composed an opera or written a screenplay. But how many of our teachers and mentors can say that they have scaled the highest peak in the world?

Anne Parmenter, Associate Professor of Physical Education, Head Coach of Field Hockey, and Assistant Coach of Women's Lacrosse, can claim such an accomplishment. In a slideshow and speech given on Tuesday, April 10, Parmenter shared her experience climbing Mount Everest. After a first attempt in 2004, Parmenter accomplished her goal in May of 2006, climbing the North side of Mount Everest. The expedition, led by Project Himalaya, consisted of 12 members originally, though only six of those completed the mountain. Parmenter and her expedition were a part of the 476 people who summitted Everest last year.

Parmenter's expedition did not start at the bottom of Mount Everest. Climbing Mount Everest consists of a battle to adjust to the extreme altitudes by gradually accustoming oneself to the incredible heights. It started in Kathmandu, where Parmenter and her group got a taste of the culture of Nepal. She said it was a "throw back to the pre-industrial revolution" time. The group stayed in teahouses as they treked through the area, acclimating. Parmenter noted that, for her, the trip wasn't just about getting to the top of the mountain. It was also about "experiencing the culture. The children and the things that you see are a big part of the expedition," she said. As the group prepared for their ultimate goal by doing smaller, day hikes, the significance of the paramount task ahead of Parmenter hit her. "We live in a state of denial," Parmenter explained. "You pack your bags, but eventually, you realize that you could die." Each year climbers die due to the elements and the treacherous climb.

According to everestnews.com, the current death count for 2006 is 10, possibly 11 people. During their trek to the summit, Parmenter's team passed nine corpses, as it is impossible to rescue bodies from the mountain. It is even near to impossible to attempt to rescue injured or ill climbers from the highest sections of the climb as the paths are simply too narrow, the cliffs too high, and the mountains and weather usually too treacherous for even the best of pilots to navigate in a helicopter.

Despite the risk, Parmenter and her group pressed on, even renting a 45-year-old Russian helicopter in order to bypass a Maoist blockade that was in their way. After the helicopter trip and three days in a Toyota Land Cruiser, the hike up the mountain began, starting at Base Camp. In order to acclimate to the extreme altitudes, climbers must reach one goal (for example Advanced Base Camp), turn around, go back to their point of origin, and make the same trip again after a few days of recovery. This is repeated with locations up and down the mountain.

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