Mount Everest was summited Monday by New Zealander Mark Inglis.
What makes this interesting is that Mr. Inglis lost both of his legs in an earlier mountaineering accident.
From CNN/World:
NZ legs amputee conquers EverestWow! When climbing mountains this high, the available Oxygen becomes a serious issue. At 5,000 meters, each breath takes in 50% of what it does at sea level. The body compensates for this by manufacturing more red blood cells, running the heart at a higher rate and shutting down non-essential functions. Once you hit 8,000 meters altitude, you enter a "zone of death" where the available Oxygen is 30% that of sea level and the body simply cannot do any more to compensate for the decreased oxygen. You start to very slowly die. For Mark to be willing to do this and to succeed shows awesome strength, planning and courage.
New Zealand climber Mark Inglis, the first double amputee to reach the summit of Mount Everest, was congratulated Tuesday by Prime Minister Helen Clark, herself a keen climber.
Inglis, 47, reached the peak of the world's tallest mountain late Monday, phoning his wife Anne on New Zealand's South Island to say he'd made it and had returned to his party's base camp.
"As a very amateur climber myself with two sound legs and having got to 6,000 meters (19,700 feet), I can appreciate what an amazing achievement this is and I offer him my full congratulations," Clark said.
She hopes to congratulate Inglis personally for his "absolutely incredible feat."
But asked if she would be prepared to tackle the world's tallest mountain herself, Clark was clear: "No, not even with two sound legs. No, it's too tough."
Mount Everest is 8,850 meters (29,035 feet) high and Inglis has spent a grueling 40 days on the mountain.
