Dr Mwende: Postponing summit a difficult decision, but safety first

Though she failed to summit Mt Everest in Nepal this year, she is not giving up. Instead this has fired her up to do it once the weather permits it.

"As Sir Edmund Hillary once said, human life is more important than reaching the mountain's top. I have learned resilience and patience from the mountains, qualities I share with the youth as a mentor,” Mwende said.

The Certified Investment Financial Analyst said challenges in life, like summits, require calculated risks.

“I assure you that I have not given up. Once the weather permits, I will return to fulfil my dream of summiting the highest mountain. Just as Sir Edmund Hillary said, "I will come and conquer you because as a mountain you can't grow, but as a human, I can." No Summit Too High,” Mwende said.

She spoke during an exclusive interview with the Star at a Machakos hotel on Sunday.

 “I would also like to highlight the way forward from now. Carry the message of climate change, mental health and peace. I will be sharing the plan of action with the corporate and other sponsors in the coming days,” Mwende said.

She expressed her gratitude to sponsors, family, friends and supporters.

“I express my gratitude for your presence and support. I feel honoured and humbled. Conrad Anker, an American rock climber, once said The climb itself is what matters."

"Like life, climbing is about the people who accompany us, lift us up, hold us accountable, and stand by us. Your unwavering support throughout this journey has been uplifting, and I am truly thankful,” Mwende said.

“I extend my gratitude to my sponsors and everyone who believed in me as a representative of the Kenyan spirit. Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to summit Mt Everest, famously said; We conquer ourselves, not the mountain." 

Mwende said, "extraordinary accomplishments are born from our decisions, and great challenges test our abilities."

She said to overcome them, we must face them head-on.

“My journey up Everest was not without difficulties, including the Khumbu Cough, which affected my lungs. However, my determination drove me forward,” she said.

Mwende said Mt Everest, known as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma in China, represents a connection not only with nature, but also with a higher power, God.

She said the climb began in Kathmandu, followed by a nerve-racking flight to Lukla, home to one of the world's most dangerous airports. The Lukla airport, named after Sir Edmund Hillary the first person to summit Mt. Everest who was from Newzealand, and Norgay Tenzing his Nepali Sherpa, posed its own challenges.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to God for safe passage and protection since my arrival in Kathmandu. With your support, I successfully trekked from Kathmandu to the base camp (5,364m), climbed Lobuche peak (6,119m), and underwent training at the Khumbu Ice Wall, all of which contributed to my acclimatisation,” Mwende said.

 “Unfortunately, an outbreak of the Khumbu Cough at the base camp affected many, including myself. Despite being acclimatised and ready for the summit push, the cough persisted affecting my lungs.” 

She said the doctor advised her to descend to lower elevations for a faster recovery, and she followed their recommendation, seeking treatment in Kathmandu.

“I remain determined to continue the climb, and with the support of the company, I explored the possibility of extending the weather window. However, due to unfavourable conditions, it was not feasible as this year had a shorter weather window and very unpredictable weather,” Mwende said.

Mwende said the window closed earlier on May 29, due to bad weather.

“I have accepted this reality and will return next year and fulfil my dream,” Mwende said.

She managed to summit Mt Everest up to 6,119m above the sea level before the cough outbreak affected her.

“Mountains are unpredictable, and this year's climbing season has been particularly challenging.” 

Mwende said tragic incidents and changing weather patterns had made the climb more dangerous.

“Climate change plays a significant role in these shifts, affecting not only Everest but also our planet. As a mountaineer and advocate, I have witnessed first-hand the impact of climate change on our environment. Glaciers are melting, landscapes are changing, and we must raise awareness of this pressing issue,” Mwende said.

She said the dangers and effects of climate change may seem insurmountable, but through collective action, they can be overcome.

“I remain committed to my dream of summiting Everest, with a focus on promoting sustainable development goals, particularly climate action, good health and well-being, and peace,” Mwende said.

The mountaineer extended her gratitude to Sports CS Ababu Namwamba for the support in developing mountain tourism and mountaineering in Kenya.

Mwende said scaling up the mountain was known to be a challenging task and the last two weeks had seen her tackle each challenge the mountain presented her way.

“This season in particular, is recorded to have been one of the toughest. The weather has been very unpredictable, with wind speeds of up to 40km/h.

There was an outbreak of Khumbu Cough Virus that affected nearly everyone at the Everest Base Camp. I got infected by the virus too after coming back from summiting Lobuche Peak (6119m).” 

Mwende said she sought medication at the base camp but the healing process was slow as she was still in company of other infected individuals at the Base Camp.

“The doctor recommended seven days of rest (till  May 27) after which I was given a clean bill of health. However, due to the adverse effects of climate change affecting the Himalayan mountains, increasing temperatures have made the mountain unstable with increased risks of avalanches, ice falls and rock falls,” Mwende said.

This has resulted in the Nepali government shortening the climbing window to summit Mt Everest and closing it as of  May 29, 2023.

“So far, this season has reported 18 deaths and two missing persons. We thank God that I’m safe and in good health,” she said.

Mwende jetted back to the country last Friday. She landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport through Dubai.