Peak performance

HIMALAYAN AIMS Ger Duffy is hoping his Himalayan climb will raise over €20,000 for the Irish Cancer Society and Mayo SPCA.  Pic: James Osborne/In The Frame

Living a childhood dream and conquering fears

Interview
Edwin McGreal

When he was growing up, Castlebar man Ger Duffy loved watching National Geographic. It planted in him a curiosity for the world and a yearning to explore Everest.
It also left him quite apprehensive about two important elements of such a trip – flying and heights. So his trek to Everest Base Camp next September and subsequent climb of Island Peak will see him living his childhood dream, but also testing his fears to the limit.
One of his favourite shows growing up was Air Crash Investigates. He would watch one show after another and be utterly fascinated by how badly things could go wrong.
That was all well and good, but when a ten-year-old Ger was due to fly with his family from Knock to Luton to visit relations, all that was on his mind was that TV programme.
“I stopped on the steps because I saw a rusted rivet and said that the panel is going to rip off. My mother Anna was behind me and got me on the plane as quickly as possible before I made a scene,” Ger recalls, laughing at the memory.

Pushing through
The 29-year-old photographer and video editor – who also produces The Mayo News Football Podcast – says his fear of flying has abated somewhat. However, even the most sedate passenger would find the air journey to Nepal difficult. Flying first of all into the country’s mountain-surrounded capital, Katmandu, is no piece of cake, but that’s nothing compared to the next leg.
In order to get on the ground for his climb, he will have to get a flight from Katmandu to Lukla, considered the most dangerous airport in the world. Its runway is just over 500 metres long (Knock, considered quite small, is 2,300 metres by comparison), and pilots have to land faster than normal there due to its high altitude. The runway is set at an incline to help planes down – overshoot the runway and they’d go straight into a mountain face.
“I cannot say I’m looking forward to flying into Lukla in a 14-seater rickety plane from Katmandu,” said Ger. But do it he will, because Ger does not believe in staying in his comfort zone.
“I can’t wait. Getting to the Himalayas is something I have obsessed about since I was young, I’ve read so many books, watched so many documentaries. I’m drawn by people pushing through adversity. I’m looking forward to seeing how I can push myself through adversity and the challenges. I’m looking forward to seeing the mountains, experiencing the culture and taking photographs because that’s what I do!
“I always wanted to see Everest in person and get to Base Camp. I made the decision to go then last summer; Covid was a factor, not having been away for a year.
“I was following Damian Browne, the Irish adventurer and former rugby player. He was trying for the summit and was releasing podcasts. I was glued to it.
“I decided I want to go beyond Base Camp and summit a peak. There’s an Irish expedition tour company called Earth’s Edge who go to Island Peak, so I’ve signed up for that,” he explains.

Learning the ropes
Island peak, otherwise known as Imja Tse, is 20,305 feet above sea level. (By comparison, the Reek is 2,506.) Ger will trek to Everest Base Camp first, which is 17,500 feet above sea level. From there he will hike to the Island Peak Base Camp and climb from there. And when we say climb, that’s what we mean. Not ideal for someone like Ger with a fear of heights.
“You’ve to use ropes, ice picks, clamps on glaciers… there are deep crevasses you will go across on aluminium ladders… The more experienced climbers would not call it a technical climb, but for someone like me it would be.
“I’m nervous about certain aspects… Like crossing crevices where there’s only black beneath you and you are walking across a rickety ladder,” he admits. Don’t look down? Easy said from this side of the world.
Ger and his fellow climbers will be trained in the use of all the equipment in advance. The climb up and down from Island Peak Base Camp is 14 hours, so they will leave at 2am and  return the following afternoon.

Altitude and attitude
Ger’s biggest fear though is neither the flights nor the scary heights. It’s the one thing most likely to halt his trip: altitude. Too much exertion at high altitude will leave a climber short of breath and exposed to altitude sickness. Steady as she goes is the name of the game.
“It’s one of the main reasons I have to work so hard in advance,” he says. “A good fitness level is essential to coping at high altitude. You have to respect the altitude too. The highest percentage of people who struggle with Island Peak are young, fit men because they think they can fly up, but you have to go slow and let your body acclimatise.
“I don’t want to get altitude sickness, that’s the main thing I am nervous about because that could end the trip immediately.”
As regards the fitness, the demands are high. A comparison with familiar ground has made him aware of just how high. “What I’ve been told is, if you can do a seven- to eight-hour hike around Mweelrea and come back and do the same again the next day, but you’re struggling, you will struggle on the mountain. If you’re feeling okay, you’re in good shape.”
“Croagh Patrick is short and intense. It burns the legs and the lungs. I need more endurance work, from a more gradual incline over a longer hike, so I will be progressing to Mweelrea.”

Charity fundraiser
Ger has set-up his own Twitter account for the trip (@GerToEverest), and is doing the climb to raise funds for two charities – the Irish Cancer Society and the Mayo SPCA. His aim is to raise €20,305 – a euro for every foot above sea level to the top of Island Peak.
“My mother had cancer in July of last year, a melanoma in her heel. She had surgery and a big chunk of her heel had to be removed and reconstructed. It was successful and she is back walking now. I can see how things can get turned upside down fairly quickly.
“My girlfriend, Joanne, is a volunteer with the SPCA in Ballyhaunis. We’ve adopted cats from them. They do stellar work. It is not just a shelter for new pets; they rehabilitate pets and re-home them. They do so much unseen work.”
Even though Ger will be the other side of the world, people at home will be able to follow his progress. He will have a live GPS tracker on his website, gerduffy.ie, and will be updating everyone with online vlogs as well.
To donate for Ger’s Everest Expedition, go to www.gerduffy.ie/donate.