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Peaking, but not too soon

Andrea Smith meets two climbing friends both prepared to put their lives in each other's hands

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By Andrea Smith
Sunday Mar 9 2008

'IT'S paramount from a safety point of view to have someone with you who can spot subtle changes in your behaviour, in case oxygen deprivation makes you start acting funny," says Graham Kinch, one half of the climbing duo who are aiming to become the youngest Irish males to reach the summit of Mount Everest. "I know that dehydration can be an issue with Ian, and the nature of altitude is such that if he's tired, he mightn't even be aware of it."

This bid will represent the pinnacle of a year that has seen Ian Taylor, from Leixlip, Co Kildare, and Graham, from Deansgrange, Co Dublin, climb four mountains in four continents, hopefully raising enough to build a primary school in Uganda. Both 29, Ian and Graham first met when aged 10, while on a Church of Ireland Scripture Union outdoor activity and Bible studies camp at Ovoca Manor, near Avoca, Co Wicklow. They were great friends for years, but lost touch when Ian went to Glasgow to complete the final years of his degree in leisure management. His itchy feet took him all over the world for several years, including visiting 37 states in the US, and he is now assistant general manager at Westwood fitness club in Clontarf.

Meanwhile, Graham was doing a degree in electrical and electronic engineering at DIT Kevin Street, during which he took a year out to work for RTE.

"I was doing everything from setting up tables and chairs to fully rigging a studio," he says. "I went back to complete my degree and joined Vodafone on a graduate programme, and am still there, working as service management manager, which basically means that I'm an internal telecoms strategist."

It was in 2003 that Graham and Ian met again at a party, after which they kept in touch, going on many camping, climbing and mountaineering trips abroad, including a three-week trip to Peru in 2005 where they tackled the Inca Trail.

It was a conversation they had about Mount Everest with a girl they met on a bus at 16,000 feet that planted the seed for what was to come in Ian and Graham's minds. As soon as they returned home, they booked to go to Nepal to do the two-week trek to the Everest base camp the following April.

They coped so well that they decided to set themselves the personal challenge of climbing four mountains in four continents in one year. Mindful of huge time commitment involved, which means sacrificing work and family time, the duo didn't want to make the project all about themselves and so involved the charity Fields of Life, (www.fieldsoflife.com) which is committed to building sustainable communities in East Africa through teaching the Christian faith and the provision of quality education, health care and income-generating projects. Attracted by the fact that 98 per cent

of all donations go directly to projects, Ian and Graham aim to raise the €85,000 needed to build a primary school in the Ugandan village of Kitandwe.

"It means that we'll be raising €1 for every foot climbed," says Graham, adding that they have both paid €35,000 of their own money each to complete the climb. "The great thing about doing it with Ian, is that he is so enthusiastic. You wouldn't believe the amount of planning and preparation involved, and there were times that we encountered roadblocks, and it was Ian's passion and excitement that kept us going."

The project began last June, when the two men climbed Mont Blanc in France, which at 15,771 feet, is the highest mountain in Western Europe. In September, they tackled Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (19,340 feet) and in January conquered Aconcagua in Argentina, which stands at 22,841 feet.

And in two weeks' time, they will fly to Nepal to tackle Mount Everest, which, at 29,035 ft, is the highest mountain in the world. Temperatures there can reach -60C, and even at the warmest time of the year, it never goes above freezing point.

Both are highly experienced climbers, and have approached their training in a sensible, mature fashion, doing everything in their power to minimise the potential risks. Although they will do their best to avoid it, in theory they could lose up to a quarter of their body weight out there, and one of the most difficult aspects of the trip is setting their affairs in order, in case of a tragic outcome. As very careful climbers, the most serious incident to date was when Ian fell 40 feet and badly skinned his legs on Mweelrea, the highest mountain in Connacht.

"I know this week that I have to write letters to my family saying farewell, and it's difficult," admits Ian, who, like Graham, is single. "I have to prepare my last will and testament, outlining who gets my car and the €2 left in the bank. The thing is that we're putting ourselves in an area called the death zone," he adds, mentioning that the freezing temperatures means that when you go outside to pee, it freezes before it hits the ground. "I need to make sure that I am fully acclimatised and ready and able for the climb. It's not enough to be determined to do it just because I've paid 35 grand, or have told people I'm doing it and don't want to look like an idiot. Otherwise I risk Graham's life and risk my own."

With five climbers in their team, plus their guides and Sherpas, it will take Ian and Graham 72 days altogether to complete the climb, as they will climb up and down to the various camps initially, carrying all their own equipment. The final summit bid will take an estimated four days up and three back.

"We can't wait, and the benefit of having Graham along is the comedy perspective," says Ian. "The two of us bounce off one another really well, and our strong faith and Graham's morale-boosting comical lines is what will help us through it."

Information on the climb, and on donating to Fields of Life is on Graham and Ian's website, www.everest2008.ie

- Andrea Smith