Her only previous mountaineering experience was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro a decade ago. But that didn’t stop Lee den Hond from aiming to be only the third South African woman (after Cathy O’Dowd, the first woman to climb Everest from both sides, and Mandy Ramsden) to stand on the highest mountain in the world.
No stranger to endurance events, Joburg-based businesswoman Den Hond has completed three Ironman triathlons, the Comrades Marathon, several Two Oceans Marathons and many more of South Africa’s toughest races – frequently placing among the top female finishers. So she is clearly a good endurance athlete. But however painful and stressful Ironman or Comrades are, they are one-day events. Climbing Mount Everest takes two months – a whole different ball game.
“I made the decision to climb Everest last June,” laughs Den Hond. “Initially I planned to hike to Base Camp, then I thought, ‘Why just Base Camp, why not the top?’”
No South African companies were offering trips to Everest last year, so Den Hond contacted Canadian expedition company Peak Freaks – known not just for its 100 percent safety record, but also for its willingness to allow climbing novices to have a bash.
She spent a week in the Alps learning how to use crampons and other high-altitude skills. It was preparation, but she had no idea what she was letting herself in for.
“Everest was a gift,” she notes, “but I totally underestimated what it would entail. The biggest challenge was the cold. I kept having to say to myself, ‘Lee, the cold mustn’t manage you, you must manage the cold.’
“And I didn’t have nearly as much help as I’d imagined. I’d paid an extra $5 000 (about R53 000) for a personal Sherpa who I hoped would be my guide. But I soon realised this was an unrealistic expectation. His English was exceptionally poor, and he was unable to offer me any training. There is one rope on the south side of the mountain, which every climber uses to get up and down. You climb Everest on your own, clipping into the fixed line for safety. I carried my own personal gear, my own oxygen and my own food between camps with very little support from my personal Sherpa.”
Fortunately inspiration and strength came from veteran Peak Freaks lead guide Marty Schmidt. This, coupled with Den Hond’s innate determination and self-belief, carried her through all the challenges and on May 9 she stood on the highest point on Earth.
“Summit day was unbelievably tough,” she concedes. “It’s only 848m from Camp 4 to the summit, but it took me 14 hours up and another nine hours to get back to camp. I was exhausted. The commitment to reach the top came from knowing that so many South Africans were supporting me and essentially climbing the mountain with me.”
The toughest part was holding on to her vision in extremely trying circumstances. “Each day I was reminded that I was a complete novice. My body had never experienced these heights and I really struggled to adjust to the altitude. And I was cold. On the first night at Base Camp temperatures dropped to -21ºC.”
Raising funds for her chosen charity, Carte Blanche’s Making a Difference campaign, which offers help to child-headed households, was a major motivating factor.
“After meeting a 13-year-old boy taking care of his 8-year-old sister I decided to give something back to the Schaumburg community,” she explains. “Several special children had signed their names on the South African flag which I held proudly on the summit, so that was a huge moment for me.”
There were other highlights, including the relationships she formed with her fellow climbers.
“But the greatest ‘Gift of Everest’,” she insists, “has been taking away the pure belief that nothing is impossible if you truly believe in it: the gift of being able to share my story with children and adults and to inspire them to ‘climb their own Everest’ – to overcome their own personal challenges.”
The dangers of high-altitude climbing were all too apparent. More than 600 climbers summitted Everest last year, but nine people died. And two months after Den Hond and Schmidt stood on top of the world, Schmidt and his son, Denali, were killed in an avalanche on K2. “I feel privileged to have spent so much time with Marty. He was a great man who taught me all the skills required on the mountain. His incredible attitude and respect for the mountains were awe-inspiring.”
So has the bug bitten? “No way,” Den Hond insisted on her return. “I gave all my gear away. You’ll never catch me on another mountain.”
But, like so many mountaineers, after a time of reflection she’s had a change of heart and has just announced her next adventure: Summit South Africa One Peak at a Time. The main purpose is to raise awareness of the “mountains” that so many children in South Africa climb daily in looking after their siblings as heads of households.
In April a team will attempt to scale 10 peaks in South Africa – the highest peak in each province and Table Mountain. The climbs will be led by Den Hond, experienced climber and technical coach Gustav van Rensburg, and photojournalist Mark Wessels. The team will comprise five youths who head households and a full support team. Sponsors are invited to join the team. For information, e-mail [email protected]
* Den Hond is a contender for Nightjar Adventurer 2014. If you know of other crazy sorts who have completed extreme expeditions in the past nine months, nominate them at www.nightjartravel.com/nightjar-adventurer-2014
Cape Times