Team leader now guiding Everest pursuit from Montreal
By Paula Trotter
Published: Red Deer Advocate, May 11, 2011
The two Red Deer men hoping to summit Mount Everest later this month will now attempt to do so with their team leader some 11,600 km away.
Experienced mountaineer Manuel Pizarro, 40, arrived home in Montreal on May 5 after a heart-scare brought to an end his quest to become the first Canadian to successfully scale the world’s tallest peak three times. He summited in 2007 and 2009.
Pizarro is disappointed but remains fully committed in helping Steve Barahona, 28, and Phil Bota, 22, reach the mountain crest in their first attempt.
“Even though I’m home, my job is still to lead the team up,” he said Tuesday.
The three talk at least once a day via satellite phone despite the 10-hour time difference between Montreal and Mount Everest, which towers 8,850 metres above sea level in the Himalayan range at the Nepal-China border.
Pizarro will continue to guide the men by phone for the remainder of their journey even though he appointed a new ascent leader to physically lead them up the mountain.
During these conversations, Barahona and Bota update Pizarro on their vitals, wellbeing and supplies before discussing the day’s plan.
On Tuesday, Pizarro instructed the Red Deer residents to test all of their technical equipment such as boots, crampons and harnesses by hiking up the glacier at advanced base camp, which stands at more than 6,100 metres (20,100 feet).
Pizarro believes tackling Mount Everest from a day-by-day approach will increase the chance of summiting — something he is confident Barahona, Bota and the three accompanying Sherpas will accomplish sometime during the week of May 23.
He said Barahona and Bota are both extremely fit, take direction well and are logistically prepared. Pizarro has also previously worked with all three of the Sherpas, who have 12 successful summits between them.
And the Red Deerians have been respectful and eager to participate in spiritual ceremonies, something Pizarro believes will help keep them out of harm’s way.
Still, he knows Everest presents many risks.
“(I’m) proceeding with their safety in mind and not the allure of the summit.”
Pizarro said brushing his ego aside and deciding to discontinue his hunt of a new Canadian mountain climbing record proves he puts safety first.
He started experiencing chest pain and flu-like symptoms as the crew was acclimatizing at more than 5,100 metres (17,000 feet). Barahona, a Red Deer fire-medic, assessed Pizarro and it was decided they should descend to a lower altitude.
But Pizarro’s symptoms did not lessen at more than 3,600 metres (12,000 feet).
He was airlifted to a cardiology clinic in Kathmandu, Nepal, where a surgeon initially believed Pizarro’s abnormal heartbeat was caused by a blocked artery.
An angiogram proved this wasn’t the case but the artery did have some damage, something the doctor believed was caused by Pizarro’s two previous Everest summits.
Pizarro listened to the doctor’s orders and pulled out of his third attempt. It was the first time he suffered such a setback in the 20 years he’s been climbing.
Pizarro has a cardiology appointment today and said he’s feeling much better although somewhat dejected for not being able to make history.
“Having been so close . . . I have to force myself to psychologically remind myself that this was the right decision.”
He said it would have been an “unacceptable irony” if he died of heart failure during the climb that is raising money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation in honour of Bota’s dad, who died of a massive heart attack 10 years ago.
Bota’s mother, Jean, said news of Pizarro’s condition did cause her some distress.
But she is relieved he is feeling better and still guiding her son and Barahona to the summit.
The proud mother, who is admittedly battling some nerves over her son’s adventurous attempt, is confident in the men’s ability to reach the summit.
“I’m worried, but in my heart I know they’ll be fine,” she said Tuesday.
Mother and son have been able to stay in contact by phone and email since Bota left early in April.
The team has been posting updates and pictures to www.climbforheartandstroke.com.