INNOVATION July-August 2014

f ea t u r e s

APEGBC Member Climbs Tallest

Peaks on All Seven Continents

Above: Climbers approaching the North Col of Mt. Everest at 7,100 m. Left: Approaching advanced base camp at 6,400 m. Below: Camp at the North Col of Mt. Everest, 7,100 m.

Michelle Grady

Dr. Ravil Chamgoulov, P.Eng., has just returned from his latest feat: climbing to the summit of Mt. Everest. He now joins the extraordinary group of about 300 climbers who have climbed what is known as the 7 Summits—the tallest peaks on the seven continents. Though that seems significant enough, Chamgoulov has climbed more than 200 peaks worldwide. Once an electrical engineer with the BC Cancer Agency, Chamgoulov started out his 10-year plan to climb the 7 Summits as an opportunity to raise money for cancer research. “I thought that I could do more to help than strictly my research and my on-site work,” he says. “So I tried to use my other skills as well.” Now, he works in the mining industry and raises money while climbing for Mining for Miracles, which benefits the BC Children’s Hospital. Ascending Everest The unpredictable climbing conditions and weather during Chamgoulov’s Everest climb made it more difficult than usual to complete. In fact, Chamgoulov says, “Usually about one climber dies for every 20 climbers that make it to the top of Everest. This year, the ratio was one to six.” Sixteen Sherpa guides passed away after an avalanche on the Khumbu Icefall, which is thought to be one of the most dangerous stages of the southern route from Nepal to Everest’s summit. The tragedy shut the southern route down for the season, the more technical and less crowded route on Mt. Everest. This meant that Chamgoulov had to reroute in order to take the open passage. To achieve his goal, Chamgoulov spent two months meticulously altering his body chemistry by slowly transitioning to higher and higher altitudes. Each leg of the journey involved climbing from one camp to the next, retreating, skipping over the following two camps and then retreating back one again. He reached the summit on May 25 at 7 am.

14

J u ly/Au g u s t 2 014

i n n o v a t i o n