7 Summits
Everest by moonlight
Everest by moonlight from North Base Camp on the Tibetan side of the mountain.
The moon shining on Everest is a memory Deshun will always carry with her. The ice reflects the light so brightly that it's as though the mountain is floodlit.
Next mountain: Aconcagua!
Having successfully summitted two mountains in her 7 Summits quest, Deshun's focus is now on Aconcagua, S America's highest peak. Situated in the Mendoza region of Argentina, and at 6962m above sea level, "Ac" is the 2nd highest of the 7 Summits.
Its position, general terrain and weather all combine to make conditions extremely uncomfortable and difficult with he average day being very windy, very dusty and very cold. Not at all a pretty mountain, Ac is an enormous lump of stone, gravel, scree, some snow and ice and is well known for the treacherous storms that appear suddenly and send climbers scrambling for safety.
In 2002 Deshun was part of a team which was forced to turn back just 500 vertical metres from the summit. The wind was so strong that the climbers couldn't stay upright and couldn't see where they were going. With wind chill the temperature was around -15 to -20oC so it was extremely fortunate that the whole team got back down safely. With visas and money running out they were forced to return to South Africa without having another go to reach the summit.
Facts, figures, fables
The "7 Summits" are the highest mountain on each of the 7 continents
Africa - Kilimanjaro
Antarctica - Vinson Massif
Asia - Mount Everest
Europe - Mount Elbrus
North America - Denali (also called Mount McKinley)
Oceania - Puncak Jaya (also Carstenz Pyramid)
South America - Aconcagua
7 Summits project - climbing schedule
The 7 Summits program launched in April 2007 with a trek to Everest South Base Camp in Nepal.
Deshun was accompanied by Daley Thompson - renowned UK former Olympic decathlete gold medallist and fellow Laureus Sport for Good member - and the trek was sponsored by the Laureus Foundation, South African Chapter, headed by Morne du Plessis
In August 2007 Deshun left for Mt Elbrus (Europe's highest mountain) in Russia on an expedition sponsored by 1st for Women Insurance Brokers. She summitted Elbrus in glorious weather on 8 August and returned to SA to plan the next of her 7 Summits expeditions.
On 12 January 2008, again generously sponsored by 1st for Women Insurance Brokers, she summited Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain on the African continent. The expedition group included included the winners of competitions run in "O' magazine and the 1st for Women website as well as representatives from the 1st for Women organisation.
She will then tackle the remaining 5 mountains in the 7 Summits project: Puncak Jaya (Indonesia - Oceania), Aconcagua (Argentina - South America), Denali (Alaska - North America) and Vinson Massif (Antarctica).
Arrangements for the next 2 expeditions are at an advanced stage and details will be announced on this website as soon as they are available.
Training schedule
Paradoxically, although one needs to be strong and fit to climb mountains, climbing high altitude mountains must be done very slowly. Speed at high altitudes can kill so the acclimatisation process is slow and measured with plenty of rest days to allow the body to adjust.
Acclimatisation to high altitudes has very little to do with fitness or physical strength - the slower you go the better the body acclimatises and the less problems you should have with the altitude.
