James McManus is attempting to become the first Irish person to climb Mount Everest without oxygen.
With around 700 to 800 attempts at reaching the summit of Mount Everest each year, County Tipperary man James McManus wants to go that step further and take on the challenge without the help of supplementary oxygen.
To date, only 216 people have ever climbed Mount Everest without oxygen. McManus is hoping to make history as the first Irish person to join the list.
People from all over Ireland have achieved great things on the mountain. However, how different is this quest without oxygen to assist you?
Irish people and Mount Everest – Ireland’s mark on the world’s highest mountain
County Tipperary man James McManus is hoping to become the first Irish person to climb Mount Everest without oxygen.
When it comes to Ireland and Mount Everest, we have made some incredible advances.
Almost 30 years ago, Dawson Stelfox of Belfast, County Antrim, became the first-ever Irish person to climb Mount Everest. Dr Clare O’Leary would go on to be the first woman to reach the summit in 2004.
Since then, Mount Everest has been successfully summited by 55 Irish mountaineers, some more than once. This is a wonderful achievement for Ireland and its people to accomplish such a feat.
Everest without oxygen – how much harder will it be?
The challenge of summiting Mount Everest takes the average mountaineer about 60 days.
McManus told Newstalk radio station that it would normally take between 45 days and two months, but that it’ll certainly take him much longer without the supplementary oxygen.
Another thing to consider is that oxygen is useful in heating up the body in these cold temperatures.
He says he will have to be “quite tactical” as he must get on the mountain at a quieter time to avoid queues. Queues lead to stopping, stopping leads to getting very cold.
Trek with a message – promoting sustainable mountaineering
James McManus is the Managing Director of a Dublin-based travel company, Earth’s Edge, that specialises in high-altitude treks all over the world. James has already climbed some of the tallest mountains across the globe.
For this trek, he hopes to use the experience and platform to highlight some issues. Mainly to promote sustainable mountaineering, to outline poor employment conditions in Nepal, and to discourage littering on Mount Everest.
He said, “Sherpas absolutely need more recognition for what they do. That’s why sustainable and ethical tourism is really important in Nepal.”
The brave mountaineer will be arriving in Nepal next month to attempt being the first Irish person to climb Mount Everest without oxygen. Good luck James!
