We’ve just arrived back at base camp after 2 days of the toughest down climbing. Mentally and physically I'm drained, but you have to be on it as that's when accidents happen. It still hasn't real sunken in, I've been trying to process everything. I’m also a little embarrassed that I was blubbing on the phone to everyone!
The summit push couldn't have gone more to plan, although one of the toughest days of my life, it was a genuinely enjoyable climb across the razor sharp balcony ridge, up the mixed climbing of the large rock section, the summit ridge, Hillary step and finally the feeling of stepping onto the summit was out of this world. The nature of this challenge and indeed mountaineering and sport in general is it's a bit like snakes and ladders!
I had no indication of this on summit day, in fact I thought I'd bruised my toe nail on the front of my boot on the down climb, but on arriving back in base camp and visiting the medical centre I've just found out that I have frostbite in my right big toe. I did everything right and didn’t make any mistakes, it's a case of circulation and hypoxia at 8950m. Nevertheless it's serious, at the moment I'm being helicoptered out tomorrow to get back to sea level asap. Denali is 50:50 as is losing my toe. Jagged Globe, my expedition partner have ensured I'm being looked after by the very best high altitude medics and I will do everything I can to get through it. I'm shell shocked, gutted and angry.
I would like to say a massive thank you to David and Andy the exped leaders, Rachel and Jen the doctors at the Everest base camp medical centre and all the team back at Jagged Globe HQ in Sheffield for being awesome and helpful. I would also like to thank the rest of my summit team - Adam, Mark and Steve (who are taking the mick out of me now!) Gavin made lamb shank tonight to celebrate our summit. I’m being flown back to Kathmandu tomorrow in a helicopter to get back to sea level as soon as possible and to avoid any more trauma to my toe - giving me the best chance of a recovery in time for Denali. Catch you tomorrow guys!
2 weeks ago today marked the 5th summit of Richard Parks’ incredible 7-month race to climb the highest summits on each of the world’s continents and to venture the last degree to the North Poles a
Hi guys, I got home yesterday from Kathmandu. I got upgraded to business class on the way home and was so excited about this that I hardly slept on the flight! I did attempt to lie flat and sleep for a bit but then started playing with the bed controls…
After the elation of summiting Mount Everest on Wednesday and ticking off the 7th leg of his 9 leg record-breaking challenge, former Wales flanker turned mountaineer Richard Parks was shell shocked on
After a few whiskeys with David Hamilton and the rest of the team at base camp I slept like a log...or it could be the relatively thicker air at base camp! I'm so disappointed about my toe but feeling less sorry for myself today. The helicopter came to…
Richard Parks’ world first race to climb the 7 highest summits in the world and conquer the North and South Poles has been put in to jeopardy shortly after completing the most dangerous and gruellin
Check out this amazing account of the summit push by Adam Potter – who was part of Richard and Steve’s Jagged Globe team who made the summit of Everest yesterday. Adam climbed with Richard to the
I passed Steve on the south summit. He was pretty tired, not using o2 between camp 3 and camp 4 made it extra tough for him. Fairplay he summited about 2 and a half hours after us. It was great to see him and I’m made up he topped out. We got back…
Richard summits Everest at 7:42am local time/2.57am UK time today.
Steve summits Everest at 10.10am local time/5.25am UK time today.
Click below to see news story and how to listen to Richard's interview from the summit of Everest.
Former Wales international Richard Parks has reached the summit of the world's highest mountain - Mount Everest at 7.42am local time/ 2.57am UK time today.
The Welsh Rugby Union has sent a message of congratulation to the former Wales international Richard Parks who has scaled the summit of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest, in the latest conques
Former Wales international rugby player Richard Parks and double Olympic gold medallist rower Steve Williams have reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain - Mount Everest. Richard summite
Our Sherpa Sirdar has been awesome. All in good spirits and attempting summit tonight. Leaving at 9pm. It was a windy night but toasty in my rab exped bag. Camp 4 might as well be the moon, broken tents, wind-strewn debris, abandoned camps and you…
UPDATE FROM DAVID HAMILTON (TEAM LEADER) FROM JAGGED GLOBE AT BASE CAMP
"With the summit team poised at Camp 4 on the South Col the Base Camp staff gathered in the mess tent to follow their progress throughout the night. At 21.30 Mingma Sherpa, leader…
We left camp 3 at 7am, which is later but to avoid high winds. We climbed using o2 for the first time. Steve climbed without o2. Climbing the Lhotse face was awesome but a tough day. The mixed rock, yellow band was pretty full on and then we had high…
The Welsh rugby squad sent a special message to former player Richard Parks today as he embarks on the final stages to summit Mount Everest and complete another leg in his record-breaking challenge.
Steve, Adam, Mark and myself made good time to camp 3 (7100m) all arriving with plenty in the tank. It took us 4.5hrs. We had to climb up the Lhotse face into spin drift and gusts blowing down from the south col. Camp 3 is a ledge cut out the face just…
We are climbing to Camp 3 tomorrow morning. Leaving at 5am to avoid the sun on the Lhotse face. Happy to leave Camp 2 as camp is crumbling around us. Avalanches, rockslides and glacial ice cracking around us. It’s very obvious that the end of the…
All change again..40kph winds gusting up to 70kph on the 23rd now means we are waiting at camp 2 tomorrow. Climbing to camp 3 on the 22nd May. Conditions look to be improving after. It’s patience, holding our nerve and one day at a time.
EVEREST…
Mark, Adam, Steve, Andy and I all got to camp 2 safely and in reasonably good shape. We left at 2am after a quick Puja blessing. The rest of the team got up to see us off. The icefall was very different again, there were a couple of avalanches in and…
After spending weeks strategising and climbing up and down the mountain preparing and acclimatising, here is the schedule and guide to the Everest summit bid for the next few days for Richard and Stev
Following further weather updates today and increased wind speeds on Everest over the next few days, Richard and Steve will now remain in camp 2 tomorrow and will not climb to camp 3 until Sunday 22nd
It’s been a funny few days. Yesterday I had mixed feelings. The main Jagged Globe team arrived back in Base Camp from their successful summit and it was great to have them back safely. It's been hard for me though, some are exhausted, some elated and…
Due to a change in weather conditions Richard Parks and Steve Williams will now set off on their summit bid of Mount Everest tomorrow (Friday 20th May). Their final climb up the mountain sees them pla
Hey everyone, here's my update from yesterday:
It's getting close to that time! I'm feeling a mixture of nervous, apprehensive, excited and confident! I know its gonna be tough, my plan is a 4 day summit push without a rest day, but all things…
Yesterday was another needed rest day at base camp . Steve had a rest day at camp 2 after spending the night at camp 3. My shower yesterday was the first since leaving Kathmandu! Ha! One of the main Jagged Globe team, Adam Potter, has joined mine and…
Hi Guys. Arrived back in base camp today after my acclimatisation strategy. 6 nights above 6000m was tough, mentally-very little to do and physically-very little you can do! but I feel good for it.
When I got back I had a chorizo, Spanish onion &…
The main team left this morning for summit bid. Wished I was with them. I feel really strong. Today was a rest day at camp 2 for me with the sherpas who are climbing tomorrow. The waiting is the hardest bit now. Steve had a rest day at base camp.
Steve went back down to base camp this morning. I climbed to camp 3, 7100m with Passang (our Sherpa leader). We left camp 2 at 6.15am and arrived at camp 3 at 10.20am. Steve is going good, he went down following his strategy.
I carried a small load…
We all slept well last night at camp 2. Steve, Andy and I climbed to the bottom of the Lhotse face, 6790m. The main group arrived at camp 2 this morning on their summit bid. Sadly they climbed over the body of the 82 year old Nepalese man that we met…
EVEREST WEATHER UPDATE
General situation:
The subtropical jet over the Himalaya is weakening on the 9th of May. The wind direction does not change. The summit remains in a southwestern flow. Cyclonic conditions will bring more convection and…
Left camp 1 at 6am this morning, arrived at camp 2 at 8.15am, 6400m. All feeling good. Camp 2 is on glacial moraine 2/3 up the Western Cwm. We had to cross a 5-ladder crevasse today, pretty scary with full 100 litre rucksacks on!...The climb this…
For Richard Parks and Steve Williams the realisation of a dream is just a few weeks away, and the clock is ticking. The former Wales flanker and 2-times Olympic gold medallist rower stepped straight
In camp 1, 6,025m. Left base camp at 3am arrived 7.25am. Climbed here with Andy Chapman and Steve. Very windy up here, some tents in camp have been destroyed that were not secured properly. Still amazes me how much the icefall changes every time I…
Okay, where do I start! Today (7th) is a rest day at base camp. Both Steve and myself are feeling good and enjoying Gavin's cooking and the company of the main Jagged Globe team. Amazingly Gav, wearing his Welsh - feed me till I want no more apron,…
Updates for 3 days below – sorry my phone has been a nightmare! Both Steve and I slept well at camp 1, 6035m, which is a great start to our acclimatisation and summit strategy. We left c1 at 6.20am and descended down through the icefall to base camp.…
Steve, Passang (our Sherpa) and I climbed through the icefall to camp 1. We left at 4.20am from base camp and arrived at camp 1 at 9am. Compared to previous years the icefall is in good condition, never the less we had to cross several ladders. Some…
Rest day today. Last night my Petzl head torch died! It’s had a good innings, but I’ve had to ask a porter to buy me a new one in Namche! I realised today that I’ve also either forgot or lost my Grivel helmet, which is a pain in the ar*e! I'm…
Steve and I left at 4.30am this morning for our first venture into the Khumbu Icefall. The objective was to climb half way up for acclimatisation and to get used to the ladders without heavy packs. We climbed to 5725m. The Icefall is compacted but still…
Today's another rest day, which I'm grateful for, as I didn't sleep that well last night. The temperature has already significantly risen, to -10c in the nights, causing the glacial ice to creak and produce avalanches. Normally I sleep like a log, but…
We had a Puja ceremony in the morning, which was fantastic. The Llama blessed us for the climb and some of our gear. Our grivel crampons and ice axes, plus some Nepalese prayer flags that I've got. It was about an hour long. In the arvo Steve, Passang…
We've been grateful for a rest day today to allow our bodies to catch up with the altitude. Base camp was eerily quiet as most of the teams are higher up the mountain. It's been snowing all afternoon. I've been trying to switch off today to give my mind…
Yesterday we arrived at Gorak Shep and after a few hours of rest we met up with David Hamilton our Jagged Globe 2011 Everest team leader. I had met David in Antarctica on Mount Vinson so it was great to catch up with him again, also for Steve to meet him…
Hey guys, apologies for being quiet - here's my updates for the last few days, here and below!
We left Lobuche this morning for the 3hr trek to Gorak Shep. Gorak Shep (5,220m/17,126ft) is the site of the 1953 expedition's base camp. It is the last…
We had breakfast with the trekkers. David and Rakesh took the highway to Lobuche (also spelt Lobuje) and Steve, Dai and myself climbed the Kongma la pass 5527m to Lobuche. It was a tough, 10 hour day. Fresh snowfall made route finding challenging to say…
Whilst Richard Parks prepares to begin his ascent of Mount Everest, the 7th leg of his world first 737 Challenge – it’s time for you to get involved and climb every step of the way with Rich.
We had dinner with the 737 Challenge trekking team which was cool. It was great to meet John and to see Howard Lewis again. They've had a good week and it was good that we could have dinner together and share stories. Howard, awesomely, got a signed…
We had a really good day today. Slept at Chukung. We trekked up to Chukung hills, which are about 5,005 metres and felt really good. It’s also the highest Steve’s dad has trekked to which is great. Then Steve’s dad went back down and Steve, Dai…
Steve and his dad brought Easter eggs with them which was a nice surprise! We trekked to Chuckhung it has been snowing. Dai and I just went halfers on an out of date pack of chocolate digestives for £3.50 - awesome at 4770m! Hope everyone had a great…
We were greeted with amazing views of Everest and Ama Dablam in the morning leaving Debouche. We trekked from Debouche to Dingbouche today, about 6hrs. We're sleeping at the Sonam friendship Lodge at 4380m. We had a few amazing river crossings today on…
We're sleeping in the Rivendell Lodge in Debouche at 3800m. Today was a long 8hr day but at a leisurely pace and taking lots of breaks. We dropped down into the valley to cross the Imga Chola river and had a 500m climb in the afternoon. We're all…
We are still in Namche. Today has been a rest and acclimatisation day. We all got up for breakfast early this morning and then Dai Camera and myself went back to bed and slept until lunch. Steve and his dad wondered around the museums in Namche. After…
We've spent today acclimatising and resting. We trekked up to the summit view hotel, 3880m, where we could see Everest before the clouds came in. I was more blown away by Ama Dablam though. Such an amazingly, beautiful peak. We then spent the…
We trekked to Namche today, 3450m. 7 hour day, but we are taking it really easy. In Monjo where we had lunch we met a couple from Cardiff, Dale and Julie, on their honeymoon, which was cool. We got caught in a mega thunder and hailstorm after lunch, the…
We flew to Delhi on Saturday then on to Kathmandu. Steve, Dai our Cameraman (who for the purposes of my blog will be named as Dai Camera) and myself didn’t sleep that well on flight but our excitement is getting us through! We met our Jagged Globe…
