On top of the world: Youngest ever British woman scales Everest at 22...

The Daily Mail (U.K.) ^ | May 17, 2010

[Stoat]

She had never climbed a mountain until last year.

But a 22-year-old graduate has become the youngest British woman to scale the world’s highest peak – despite having little experience of mountaineering and feeling like she was ‘going to die’ when she went for her first jog to get fit.

Bonita Norris reached the summit of Mount Everest early yesterday morning, after being inspired by survival expert Bear Grylls’s account of his own record-breaking climb at the age of 23.

 

She said she woke up one day determined to go through with the ‘crazy’ idea, ignoring her family’s warnings that it was ‘stupid’.

Miss Norris, from Wokingham, Berkshire, also had to fight an uphill battle with an eating disorder to get into peak condition for the 29,029ft climb.

But yesterday, the media arts graduate from Royal Holloway, University of London, posted on her blog that she had reached the summit and was ‘proud to be the new holder of a British record’.

[Stoat]

My apologies for the severe editing of this article....please click on the main article link to see the full story.

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On top of the world: Bonita Norris has realised her 'crazy' dream after becoming the youngest British female to reach the summit at the age of 22

 

Stakes are high: The intrepid climber posted pictures of herself on her website during the course of the ascent

Training: Bonita began training to climb Everest five years ago at the age of 17 - she was inspired by Bear Grylls, who is the youngest Briton to have climbed the mountain

 

 

Gruelling: The 22-year-old is pictured getting a fix of bottled oxygen - climbers often find the trek especially difficult due to extreme altitude sickness

 

 

Ain't no mountain high enough for Royal Holloway's Bonita - Staines News

 

 

 

 

Bonita Norris in bid to climb into record books - News - getwokingham - The Wokingham Times

[Stoat]

Mountain Angel Ping

[ccmay]

I suspect she is far and away the most attractive woman ever to set foot on Everest.

[AZ .44 MAG]

Different type of climb than what you find near Tucson.

[eddie willers]

I was just reading an Everest blog yesterday and it said the summit was still socked in by the Jet Stream with 100+ mph winds.

Obviously it has moved away and the hunt is on.

Congratulations to the bonnie lass!

[Stoat]

UPDATE: Here is her blog where she provided updates as to her progress and announced her victory.

Bonita Norris

 

[2harddrive]

She is HAWT!!!

[Chode]

mile high club???

[Stoat]

UPDATE:

Here is her 'dotcom' page which includes a video made before her ascent, telling about her plans and appealing for donations and support.

 

Bonita Norris

 

The linked page above also has quite a few nice expedition photos, but I won't be posting them here because she specifically asks that the photos not be used 'on any site, in any shape, manner or form'.

 

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Here is her Twitter page

Bonita on Twitter

 

And here are some of her most recent Tweets:

 

bonitanorris

1. would like to thank all those who donated to the Everest campaign by topping up their mobiles at ATMs (MPTU), and my sponsor VocaLink!!!about 17 hours ago via web
2.   
   SUMMITTED Mt. Everest this morning (17th)...proud to be the new holder of a British record. Thank you ALL for your support!about 19 hours ago via web
   • Reply
   • Retweet
3. summit day has been pushed back 1 day to Monday 17th due to extremely high winds8:41 AM May 14th via web
4. up at camp 3...two stages left! Getting closer...4:54 AM May 14th via web
5. @ c2. Summit window around 16th is only a 36hr gap, with the potential 2 change drastically due to dangerously high winds. Watch this space12:31 AM May 13th via web
6. starts her summit attempt tomorrow...fingers crossed for a summit push this Sunday. Daily updates to follow2:41 AM May 12th via web
7. summit attempt looking possible for the 16th...unconfirmed, but will keep you posted. New blog up online: www.bonitanorris.com10:30 AM May 8th via web
8. escaped serious danger on an ice shelf while helping a Spanish lady who had gone into a panicked state. Blog and photos up bonitanorris.com1:47 PM May 2nd via web
9. negotiating Lhotse Face between c2&c3.must b on a permanent fixed line,which is rather inconvenient being a2way line.Passing is treacherous9:02 AM Apr 28th via web
10. made it to c2, quick ascent time of 2.5hrs from c1.Weather closing in fast not sure is c3 is achievable.Big ice wall climb tomorrow!!5:32 AM Apr 26th via web
11. second day of final 5 or 6 day acclimatisation trek up to camp 2 or 3 (depending on team preference). Love to all back home!1:36 AM Apr 26th via web
12. 5/6 day trek up to c2 or c3 coming up. Then we can realistically look at summit pushes in mid May. New blog and photos - bonitanorris.com2:55 AM Apr 24th via web

 

 

[KoRn]

I’m sure she’ll be the nicest looking female to ever go up on Everest.

[Frantzie]

I had read that unless you have a sherpa it is almost impossible to do the climb. Also the descent is usually where most people die. Anyone know if this is true?

The picture of the mountain at the bottom of the article is amazing. She is not bad either.

[max americana]

SHE’S HOT!

[Stoat]

SHE’S HOT!

You can also see her as well as hear her lovely voice in the video included in the page at the first link in post #9 :-)

[Stoat]

Meant to include you in the recipient list of my post #13; Sorry for the omission. No offense was intended :-)

[Principled]

Not guilty whatsoever.

[rcrngroup]

Good pictures!

[truthguy]

Let's hope she makes it down. It would be a shame to lose her. I've heard somewhere that the chance of dying on Everest is about 10%. Yikes, I don't like those odds.
Good Luck on the way down and don't make a habit of stuff like this. It isn't good to tempt fate too many times.

[ground_fog]

Melissa Arnot going for the Summit this weekend without oxygen. She is one of the elite climbers inthe world. American girl

http://www.rmiguides.com/dispatches/_images/eb-ev-09/03-28/MelissaArnot_with_Newari_men_Bhktapur_Nepal.jpg

[ground_fog]

http://blog.firstascent.com/2010/05/15/arnot-reflects-on-personal-goal-to-climb-without-supplemental-oxygen/

http://twitter.com/MelissaArnot

Follow this weekend for the summit

[Rummyfan]

Marking.