Words by Bim Legisniana
Garduce on top of the world (Mt. Everest peak) in 2006
Veteran mountain climber Romi Garduce has successfully reached the summit of Vinson Massif on January 5, 2012 at 6:45 PM (Antarctica time). This officially makes him the first Filipino to ever complete the Seven Summits of the World.
Vinson Massif is actually the eighth mountain Garduce has summitted crossing out all peaks in both Richard Bass and Reinhold Meissner’s Seven Summits lists. Garduce went on this five-day expedition with fellow UP Mountaineer Levi Nayahangan and four guides from mountain climbing and trekking guide service Mountain Madness.
Nayahangan, unfortunately, failed to summit due to respiratory infection at the high camp. He has already left the continent and safely arrived Punta Arenas for recovery, “it just was not in the cards for Levi, but he made a great effort to stay with the team as much as he could,” said Mark G. in his blog post for Mountain Madness.
Although the alpine mountain greeted the team with a cold -26 °C, temperature conditions were relatively good throughout the day with mild to moderate winds. “Overall a perfect day and a good strategy played out as a weather system is moving in on Friday that would have likely delayed efforts to reach the summit had they been one day behind the schedule they have maintained,” adds Mark.
Antarctica’s 4892 m giant: Vinson Massif. Photo courtesy of Mountain Madness
Garduce started his quest for the Seven Summits in 2002 when he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 5895 m. From then on, it has been a series of sweet successes and sufferfests for Romi. After Mt. Kilimanjaro, Garduce has summitted Mt. Aconcagua in 2005 (South America; 6969 m), Mt. Everest in 2006 (Asia; 8848 m), Mt. Elbrus in 2007 (Europe; 5642 m), Mt. McKinley (North America; 6194 m) and Mt. Kosciuzko (Australia, Bass’s list; 2228 m) both in 2008, Puncak Jaya or Carstensz Pyramid in 2011 (Australia, Meissner’s list; 4884 m), and finally, Antarctica’s tallest at 4892 m–Vinson Massif or Mount Vinson.
Garduce’s decade-long quest for the Seven has finally been concluded but may this ignite each Filipino’s drive to pursue greater heights. Congratulations, Romi! You have made the country proud!
References:
http://www.mountainmadness.com
