EVEREST LIVE
May 18, 2001
From: Eric Alexander
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| Maurice teaches Irie to play the guitar. Photo by Didrik Johnck. |
It is May 18th, and in all honesty I thought by now I'd be sipping champagne on a flight home upgraded to 1st class telling lies to anyone who would listen: . . . of how I single-handedly led a team of climbers including a blind man up Everest - the biggest, meanest, iciest, windiest mountain on earth well the tallest anyway . . . telling stories of how I climbed up without oxygen running up with Erik W to become heroes. The reality is that I am here in base camp looking about as strong, fit, and handsome as a burnt match with sideburns. I am sitting here with the "space cowboy", rather the "gangster of love" well some people just call him Maurice (Mau). Mau has been a great supporter of our effort despite us being a bunch of rowdy dirty, stinky climbers. I am curious as to what his view of this endeavor is, being that he is blind and has never really been "into" the outdoors, while being stuck in this place called base camp. I will ask him some questions about his feelings thus far after summing up the past week of our climb.
We left a week ago for what we thought would be our summit bid, but instead we got snowed on, so much so that at 28,000 ft. our tallest Sherpa had snow up to his armpits. We went up the Western Cwm at 22,000 ft. in the sunny heat of the day (only avoidable by getting up at the atrocious hour of 3:00 AM to leave by 4:00a.m). We, however, need our beauty sleep so we left at 5:30 AM. As we climbed up in the 100+ degree heat we were glad to be wearing the warmest boots on the planet. Arriving at Camp 2 we stripped to nothing but our skive shorts, and were still too hot. As the week passed we experienced weather: snow, wind, heat, avalanches, thunder and lightning oh my! We have all been kept safe and healthy thus far giving me confidence that the prayers of loved ones back home are being answered now if 1/2 of y'all would start praying for things like pizza, ice cream, nachos, soda, beer, and tent-mates that don't stink we would appreciate that too.
Soon we will go up again (as other teams fall apart, pack up and leave) summitting soon after my birthday I hope, but for now I grab Mau to pick at his brain and pose some questions to see if he thinks we are nuts as we know we are:
Erie: Mau, would you care for some tasty simulated meat-like product?
Mau: Since I am growing a bit tired of boiled potatoes and raw cabbage I will gladly take the spam thanks.
Erie: How 'bout some ecoli (eggs) and toast?
Mau: Knowing that Nepali chickens are free range, though through the gutters they may dwell, I find the eggs even tastier than at home.
Erie: More Hot sediment water?
Mau: Definitely - "tato pani" keeps my feet warm at night.
Erie: Mau, what do you think of this rock pile called home?
Mau: It is a lot like I would imagine living on the moon is like: lots of rocks and craters, low oxygen, and drastic changes in temperature like the light and dark side of the moon. The shower is the most luxurious comfort at base camp. The most fascinating thing about living on this glacier are the changes that we see almost daily i.e. where once there was a frozen lake now comes the sound of a rushing river. Daily and nightly rockslides alter the very landscape sometimes threatening to collapse neighboring tents.
Erie: Being blind, how do these daily changes in the landscape affect you and Erik?
Mau: Since I have come to expect these changes after nearly two months at base-camp, we pay very close attention to information directly in front of us picked up by our Leki trekking poles. We are also alert to differences in sounds and the feel of changing climate on this constantly moving glacier.
Erie: Tell me what it is like to be here in Erik's shadow so to speak?
Mau: Given the tremendous responsibilities that Erik has as a professional climber, public speaker, and media darling, I am perfectly content to serve the entire team in any supportive way that I can without all the pressure that he must endure. Better him than me.
Erie: If Erik has to bail, would you be willing to step in as our blind climber?
Mau: Perhaps if you would ask that question again in a million years I could give you a better answer, or if we could bypass the khumbu icefall.
Erie: Would you like some summit side-burns and a fu-man-chu like mine?
Mau: No, I am content to hide as much of my face behind the warmth of these whiskers as possible.
Erie: What inspiration have you gathered thus far on this trip?
Mau: I can honestly say that inspiration comes to me each and every day from the talent, courage and strength of each member of the expedition as well as those who have trekked up here such as Adam Scaturro, a quadriplegic who is the son of Pasquale Scaturro and also Steven Kelly who is diabetic and insulin dependent.
Erie: Do blind and sighted people see this climb differently?
Mau: From my perspective I would answer emphatically that we do not. This is truly an integrated team of both sighted and blind members who share a united mission and goals. We see it the same way here as I hope society will come to see it as well. That is to me essentially the mission of this expedition.
Erie: Would you do this again, and how will this change your life going home?
Mau: Yes, but I hope the next expedition is to a French speaking Caribbean island with white sandy beaches. I believe my life has been changed by having the honor and privilege of taking part in this expedition with such strong and talented individuals as a fish among whales. The meaning of this experience will be vastly greater to the degree that I can share it with others upon my return home.
Erie: Thanks Mau for your thoughts and compliments, now could you please pass the Tibeten Brick Bread oh, and hold the flavor please.