A general view of Mount Everest from a mountain flight in November 2006. A Dutch daredevil is to tackle the world's highest peak wearing just boots, shorts, gloves and a cap, the expedition leader told AFP Wednesday.(AFP/File)
Posted on 03/07/2007 9:39:49 AM PST by NormsRevenge
KATHMANDU (AFP) - A Dutch daredevil is to tackle the world's highest peak wearing just boots, shorts, gloves and a cap, the expedition leader told AFP Wednesday.
Wim Hof, known as the "Iceman," holds nine endurance records and recently ran 21 kilometres (13 miles) barefoot above the Arctic circle in Finland.
Hof claims to have special abilities to withstand freezing temperatures.
His website innerfire.nl shows him cross-legged and semi-naked, meditating on ice.
"He will not climb all the way in shorts, only in sections, but we plan to set many new world records," said expedition leader Werner de Jong by telephone from the Netherlands.
For the attempt on the 8,848-metre (29,014 feet) peak, Hof will strip off for climbing, but don clothes while resting, de Jong said.
"He has four extra Sherpas (high altitude mountain guides)," the team leader said. "Overnight and during tea breaks he will wear clothes."
Last May, Lakpa Tharke Sherpa caused a media furore when he claimed to have briefly stripped off on the summit of Everest, considered a holy mountain by Tibetans.
The main season on Everest gets underway in late April and May when a small window between the spring and summer monsoon make climbing Everest most feasible.
Temperatures on the summit during spring range between minus 25 and minus 30 Centigrade. The upper reaches are littered with corpses of climbers who have been killed.
The expedition, which includes four clothed climbers, leaves the Netherlands on April 1 and hopes to make a summit attempt on May 16th, de Jong's website says.
Ten mountaineers died last year trying to reach the roof of the world, first summitted by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953.
But De Jong is sure that the ascent can be undertaken safely.
"I am the one who will decide when he can continue, and I have enough mountaineering experience," he said.
Hof claims an unexplained ability to control his skin temperature from within and resist frostbite.
"He has trained for years and I am sure that he is the only man in the world who will be able to do this," de Jong said.
A general view of Mount Everest from a mountain flight in November 2006. A Dutch daredevil is to tackle the world's highest peak wearing just boots, shorts, gloves and a cap, the expedition leader told AFP Wednesday.(AFP/File)
He should join Rosie.
Talk about Shrinkage!!
Wim Hof Still Looking To Kill Himself: Everest In Shorts
Ran a half Marathon (21 km) above the polar circle in Finland. He wore only a pair of shorts and no shoes. The ground (snow) temperature was 35 below.
Hanging between 2 hot air balloons by his middle finger at an altitude of 1500 meters. Once back inside the basket, Wim finished by climbing to the top of the balloon.
In preparation for Everest, Wim has already climbed Mont Blanc - in shorts.
What's next for Wim? Crossing Antarctica in a jockstrap?
What Larry Niven called a "Corpse-ickle".
Been nice knowing ya, Ice.
He's gotta act quickly
otherwise Algore's global warming is gonna eliminate any chance to do it.........
His Ton Ton will freeze before he reaches the first marker.
This is nothing. He's not climbing to the summit till mid May and by then Global Warming will have knocked off the chill at the top.
What a jerk. Now it's gonna take 4 people risking their lives to haul his dead body off the hill.
Not enough O2, unless addition to his shorts he wears a can.
What will be different on Mt. Everest is (1) not enough O2, and (2) much rougher winds.
Lots of good Everest stories of late .... thanks for posting.
He had managed to climb from Everest base camp to around 6,700 metres just wearing shorts and open sandals, but after that he had to wear boots.
"From there you need crampons, which can't be attached to sandals," he explained.
It's not so bad once your feet go numb and your toes turn black.
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