Atlantica - 01.06.2002, Side 44

42 A T L A N T I C A
the summit of Mt. Everest felt like being
in space. Like they say in Star Trek, is
space the final frontier?
HÓ: I’ve already been there. [Laughs.] If I
happened to see a little hole in the wall
and saw that there was an opportunity, I
would probably go for it, but I probably
won’t have much of a chance. Space trav-
el is really expensive. I’ve done expensive
things before but space would be on a
different level. The only hesitation is that
space travel has very little to do with your
own strength. You’re just a passenger. So
maybe it’s not enough of a challenge for
me. I’m not too keen on machinery. I like
the body against nature. The mind
against nature.
EW: How do you train mentally for your
expeditions?
HÓ: I have my own methods to stay
focused. I have this philosophy that I got
from my North Pole trip. I start each
morning by saying, “Do everything right
today.” It’s very important for survival.
People die on mountains and trekking to
the poles. Sometimes it’s bad luck, but
mostly it’s human error.
EW: What can you imagine next for your-
self?
HÓ: A lot of people ask me about climb-
ing the 14 peaks above 8,000 m. It might
seem like the next logical step, but the
answer is no. There are two reasons I’m
not planning it. First, it’s too dangerous.
And second, it takes too long, something
like 20 years. That’s too much of an effort
for one project. After all, life is more than
climbing. 
EDWARD WEINMAN IS A STAFF WRITER.
 ON TOP OF THE WORLD. HARALDUR ÖRN
STANDS 8,848 M TALL ON THE SUMMIT OF MT.
EVEREST.
 STANDING ON THE YELLOW BAND ROCK
FACE (ABOUT 7,600 M) LOOKING DOWN ON TO
CAMP 3, IN THE RIGHT-HAND CORNER. THE DAY
BEFORE SUMMIT DAY.
 THE VILLAGE OF TENGBOCHE, NEPAL. THE
TIP OF MT. EVEREST IS IN THE BACKGROUND,
CENTRE-LEFT, DUSTED BY CLOUDS.
ELEVATION: 3,860 M.
 LANDING IN LUKLA, NEPAL, WHERE THE
EIGHT-DAY TREK TO BASE CAMP BEGINS.
 
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