PAUL AND AARON ANDERSON CONQUER MOUNT EVEREST
PAUL AND AARON ANDERSON CONQUER MOUNT EVEREST
Paul and Aaron Anderson from West Kirby became the first ever father-son team to reach the summit of Mount Everest climbing from Tibet . They took the same route that fated climbers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine attempted exactly 100 years before . Paul describes what it was like to reach the world ’ s highest point and how he overcame physical exhaustion , oxygen deprivation , and the stress of watching his son Aaron collapse metres from the summit . For the rest of the article , Paul recounts his extraordinary trip climbing Everest .
My journey to Everest began with a fascination for mountains , progressing from local hills like Moel Famau to Alpine giants such as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn . My son Aaron and I tackled peaks like Mera Peak in Nepal , Everest North Col , and Denali in Alaska , each step honing our skills and proving our worth to Himalayan guiding companies . Rigorous training , including gruelling gym sessions , Saturdays and Sundays spent on Snowdon ’ s slops and unique methods like pulling tyres on the beach at West Kirby . In addition to this we used the advanced recovery treatments at AIM Health in Hoylake .
We left the UK on 20th April 2024 for a six-week trip . This was the shortest time possible as acclimatisation to the high altitudes and low levels of oxygen can only be done over an extended period of time . The body ’ s response to the low oxygen levels is to produce more red blood cells for better absorption .
We started with two and a half weeks on Mera Peak in Nepal , standing at 6,223 metres . We trained by rotating up and down the mountain twice , staying in tea houses along the route and tents at high levels above 5,000m . Permits to climb from the Northern Tibet side are notoriously difficult to obtain and are often delayed , but as a result of this and the strict checks that the Chinese authorities put on individual climbers and trekking companies , the number of people climbing on this side is much less . Unlike the Nepalese side , where the authorities are happy to take the $ 15,800 fee from anyone who wants to try and climb , with very few checks . Everest climbing fees are an important revenue source for this impoverished country .
This lack of regulation results in many inexperienced and ill-equipped climbers and guides , creating dangerous conditions . Because of these risks , we chose to wait for permits to climb from the quieter North Side in Tibet , providing us with a safer and less crowded route for our ascent .
On 10th May 2024 , Aaron and I left Kathmandu and crossed into Tibet . The drive across the Tibetan plain is a long and barren traverse but on a tarmacked road surface all the way into base camp which is 12 miles from the mountain . The views of Everests North Face from here are jawdroppingly intimidating . The planned route from here follows the East Rombuck Glacier , this was the same route taken by Mallory and Irvine during the British Army ’ s expeditions in the early 1920s .
From Base Camp , our team moved to Intermediate Base Camp , then to Advanced Base Camp ( ABC ) at 6,250 metres . Here , we rotated up and down the mountain to acclimatise , battling altitude ’ s debilitating effects like loss of appetite , sleeplessness , and constant headaches . The first major challenge after ABC was the North Col , one of Everest ’ s steepest sections at 7,000 metres . Aaron and I , along with our experienced climbing Sherpas Nima and Pasang , climbed it twice , spending a night there before descending back to ABC for rest . On 20th May , we set off for our summit push , hoping for a clear weather window on 24th May .
The second time at the North Col , we slept with oxygen for the first time , which made a huge difference . The next morning , our team pressed on to Camp 3 at 7,800 metres , a gruelling six-hour climb . Completely exhausted , we rested for five hours before being told that at 9:30 p . m . we would push all the way to the summit at 8,848 metres , bypassing the highest camp at 8,300 metres .
What followed was the hardest day of my life . The climb took us past the three major features on the northeast ridge ( The 3 steps ), with the second step being the crux and a challenging pinch point . Just 50 metres from the summit , my heart sank in shock and horror as I watched Aaron collapse in front of me . It turned out to be a faulty oxygen valve , a stark reminder of how perilous small mishaps can be . After addressing the issue , we resumed the climb , and two hours later , at 10:15 AM local time , Aaron and I stood together on the summit of Everest , blessed with the entire upper mountain to ourselves and clear blue skies .
Reaching the summit took every ounce of my energy and mental strength . The descent was incredibly tiring , underscoring why 80 % of accidents happen on the way down . Progress was painfully slow , and our two climbing Sherpas grew concerned about remaining oxygen .
To conserve as much oxygen for me as possible , Aaron was sent ahead to reach lower , more oxygen-rich altitudes . This decision was distressing for both of us , as there was a real risk we might not be reunited . The dread of that possibility weighed heavily on both of us . After some emergency medication restored my strength , I managed to descend to Camp 2 at 7,800 . At this point , we were largely out of