Expeditions
Himalayan First Encounter
October 23 - A special date for me, as this was my first experience travelling to Nepal and breathing in the Himalayan air.
After a tough year bringing everything together to make this trip happen, with much support from the amazing supporters of the project. Somehow this expedition became real! I had set out to and find out how my body will cope at altitude.
Good friend of mine Adri and her partner offered to support me and went that little bit further. After much planning we decided that I was going to climb Lobuche East peak (6,119m asl), we would do this after trekking to Everest Basecamp from Lukla. Thanks to Adri and Galjie’s company (AGA Adventures) and there record-breaking experience they put in place an amazing team. Dawa, Lakpa, Phuri. I was in safe hands.
After we completed the E.B.C part of the trek, it was time i’d get my gear ready and my mind right before finally reaching High camp waiting for our summit window for the big push.
On the 31st of October we had left High Camp at midnight, after hours of slow and methodical climbing we had made it! I had reached the summit of Lobuche East peak 6,119m.
This has officially started the clock and still being on target for 2025. so, I ask who is wanting to be a part of something special?
Against all odd
As a black man interested in the outdoors, I have set out to empower others like me through my various projects. Within this project, I am undertaking extreme expeditions into some of the world's most remote and high-risk environments. The reason for choosing these areas is because there is an underrepresentation of black people within outdoor spaces and across many different disciplines.
To start I have set out to become one of the few black men to navigate across the North Pole by 2024 then I will also be going to the Himalayas to become one of the first Black men to summit mount Everest by 2025.
Polar Regions
While researching about Polar explorers it came to my attention that it was possible that one of the first men to ever set foot on North Pole was black!
Mathew Henson was an African American explorer who accompanied Robert Peary on seven voyages to the Arctic over a period of nearly 23 years. This well and truly blew my mind and I one day hope to follow in is footsteps and continue carrying his torch to shine the light on new adventures to the next generation.
Everest 2025
Climbing Mount Everest is hard. Historically, less than 30 percent of people who attempted to make it to the summit succeeded. Nowadays, this figure has increased to about 50 percent. In order to successfully summit Everest, you must be incredibly physically robust. As I attempt to summit Mount Everest, I should have gained experience climbing at altitude above 7,000 meters. To minimise risk the Nepal Government has set regulations in order to climb Everest, one of which includes the fact that climbers must have summited a 7,000m peak prior.
Before I make my attempt I will be developing skills and the right exposure in country. Trips such as E.B.C trek and climbing one of the a neighbouring mountains.
To the best of my knowledge, only 10 black climbers have stood at the top of Everest and that only three have been British. As of July 2022, there have been approximately 11,346 summit ascents by 6,098 people of the great Chomolungma (Mt Everest). Meaning only around 0.01% have been black let alone black British.
The Everest expedition and others like it will only strengthen the ability to empower younger generations. By engaging with the youth and providing lessons, speeches and youth camp events. Aimed to benefit and build self-confidence, socialising and self-awareness. By carrying out expeditions like Everest, I know that it will give credibility to the overall project.
Future Expeditions
Expeds like these are a strong counterpart to the over all project. I have plans to continue inspiring others by going to extreme and remote environments across the world.
In 2022 after the project started I have already tested my ability by creating my own challenge called the 12/4 challenge. I also assisted in several other challenges and I believe in strengthening others.