Atlantica - 01.06.2002, Qupperneq 42

40 A T L A N T I C A
Sherpas. I would have preferred being
there only with my small team, but this is
how it is and you have to accept it. The
worst things are the traffic jams that can
occur and delay climbers. Things were
going pretty smooth when I summitted,
but still I had to wait a few times for other
climbers to get out of the way.
EW: When did you first realise that you
had successfully accomplished your quest
to climb the Seven Summits?
HÓ: You know the Hillary Step? It’s very
high, a steep rock face. It’s named after
[Sir] Edmund Hillary. When I was climbing
it, I got this smile on my face. I was like,
“No turning back now.”
EW: What problems did you encounter on
Mt. Everest?
HÓ: I was really healthy compared to a lot
of people. My biggest worry was getting a
lung infection, which is very common at
high altitude. I didn’t get it, however, I
was coughing all the time, for nearly two
months. I coughed so much that I broke a
rib, which still bothers me today. I was in
pain going up to the summit.
EW: How long did it take to climb Mt.
Everest?
HÓ: Two months. Well, I was two months
away from Iceland so a little bit less.
Altogether, in base camp and above, I
was on the mountain for more than one
and a half months.
EW: When you arrived at Mt. Everest, you
had already climbed six of the seven
highest summits on each continent. What
was it like to have Mt. Everest standing in
the way of your quest?
HÓ: I knew Everest was much more diffi-
cult than the other mountains. Only 30
percent of the climbers make it to the
summit, so there was a 70 percent chance
that I would not. I was very humbled by
the mountain. I said to my climbing part-
ner, “Somebody is going to die on this
mountain in the next two months. Let’s
not make it either one of us.” That’s the
attitude I wanted. I constantly reminded
myself, “This is dangerous. Do it right.
Don’t take chances.” My number one goal
was getting down safely. Number two
was getting to the summit.
EW: What pushes you to climb Mt.
Everest when you know that death is a
distinct possibility?
HÓ: I like challenges. That’s my motiva-
tion. I love being on the mountain – strug-
gling with nature. I feel comfortable in
nature. I like the challenges nature pre-
sents. And it doesn’t have to be such a
big challenge. I do a lot of smaller things
in Iceland that nobody knows about. I’m
always out climbing in Iceland. When I
take something on, I want to be success-
ful. I take on challenges I think I can fin-
ish. But in the end, you can probably do
anything. You just have to plan it right, be
motivated, really want it and know what
you’re doing is possible.
EW: I think “Why?” is the million dollar
question. Why did you trek to both poles
and climb the Seven Summits?
HÓ: It’s like everything else in life. Why do
you write for a magazine? Things happen.
It’s not like I’ve planned this since I was
six. It happens, and you don’t exactly
know why. I mean I could be doing some-
thing different. But then again maybe not.
It depends what you believe in. I do think
that climbing is the right thing for me to
do because there’s something in climbing
that fits my personality, fits my skills. And
I found it. If I didn’t climb, what then? I’d
be a lawyer working on cases, watching
TV and meeting my friends for a beer.
Climbing is much more fun.
I know some people find it difficult to
understand why people trek to poles or
climb mountains. I don’t think people ask
the same questions to football players or
marathon runners or swimmers. Those
sports are accepted as a regular thing
while climbing is unusual. For me, climb-
ing or polar adventures are normal. I
don’t have to ask myself why I do it
because it’s something I love to do.
EW: How does a polar trip or a quest to
climb the Seven Summits evolve?
HÓ: I get this dream – a little idea in my
mind. Why do I get this dream? It’s hard
to say. You read about polar trips and say,
“Why not? I can do it, too.” But then it’s
just a dream. Lots of dreams become
nothing. Sometimes, though, they some-
how take shape. Then you read more and
begin to plan. Then one day you find
yourself taking the first step.
EW: What will you remember most about
the Seven Summits?
HÓ: All the trips were good. I had a great
time on Kilimanjaro. It’s an easy moun-
tain, but beautiful. The greatest challenge
and the biggest emotions I felt were on
Everest. Also, Antarctica is a very special
place for me – Mt. Vinson is wild. It’s like
a different planet.
EW: With all the obstacles you faced –
raising money, frigid weather, Maoist
rebels – what makes these types of quests
worth while?
HÓ: It’s like an investment for me. It’s like
a little piece of property. It doesn’t matter
to me what other people say or think
about my adventures. I know what I
 CAMP 2 (6,400 M), WESTERN CWM (ADVANCE BASE
CAMP), WHERE CLIMBERS SPEND DAYS ACCLIMATISING.
 BASE CAMP (5,300 M): SHERPAS PERFORMING
‘PUJA’, A RITUAL CEREMONY AND CELEBRATION
PERFORMED BEFORE ANY EXPEDITION TO
THE SUMMIT BEGINS.
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