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Shawn Dawson summits Everest!

Deana ZabalĀ­do photo

We are pleased to announce that MounĀ­tain MadĀ­ness client Shawn DawĀ­son has reached the sumĀ­mit! Shawn is on a whirlĀ­wind tour of the SevĀ­en SumĀ­mits in slightĀ­ly more than a year. All he has left is CarstenĀ­sz PyraĀ­mind, which is posĀ­siĀ­ble this fall with a MounĀ­tain MadĀ­ness team, and Elbrus. Below is a disĀ­patch from his climb, which was comĀ­pletĀ­ed with MounĀ­tain MadĀ­ness guide Willie BeneĀ­gas and his team of climbers from ArgentiĀ­na- conĀ­grats to both (Willieā€™s 10th ascent!).

ā€œAt 9:07 a.m., May 23 (Nepal time), Shawn reached the highĀ­est point on earth, the sumĀ­mit of Mount EverĀ­estā€‰ā€“ā€‰29,029 feet or 8,848 metres above sea level!

The final leg of the climb up took exactĀ­ly 12 hours, the hardĀ­est 12 hours Shawn has ever expeĀ­riĀ­enced. It took anothĀ­er six hours to climb down out of the ā€‹ā€œDeath Zoneā€ to camp 4, which sits at 7,900 metres. DurĀ­ing that 18 hours, Shawn was only able to drink less than half a water botĀ­tle and ate one chocoĀ­late bar. 

He called us from the tent in Camp 4, where he was tryĀ­ing to rehyĀ­drate with Ramen nooĀ­dles and get some sleep before the two very tough days ahead of him descendĀ­ing back to Base Camp. Hereā€™s how he described what is uniĀ­verĀ­salĀ­ly thought to be the hardĀ­est part of the techĀ­niĀ­cal climb up the highĀ­est mounĀ­tain in the world, the Hillary Step, a sheer cliff face at 8,760 m (28,740 ft):

ā€œThe Hillary step is realĀ­ly toughā€‰ā€“ā€‰imagĀ­ine putting on a pair of skates and then climbĀ­ing up a cliff face in them. Thatā€™s what it feels like going up a straight rock face in crampons.ā€

On the way to Camp 4, a snowĀ­storm blew in, and sevĀ­erĀ­al resĀ­cues needĀ­ed to be perĀ­formed, which slowed Shawnā€™s descent out of the Death Zone. But the weathĀ­er has cleared up and he is lookĀ­ing forĀ­ward to getĀ­ting back to the ā€‹ā€œcomĀ­fortsā€ of Base Camp in two days.

He sends his love to his famĀ­iĀ­ly and friends, and thanks everyĀ­one for the good wishĀ­es, prayers, and encouragement.

Karen on behalf of Shawnā€¦ā€