Icelandic adventurer Vilborg Arna Gissurardóttir, who became the first Icelander to walk solo to the South Pole, has returned to Mt. Everest to complete her Seven Summit challenge and climb the world’s highest peak. Today, she will leave Base Camp for Camp 1.
“Leaving at 0400 we will make our way through the Khumbu Icefall in the early hours of the day, reaching Camp 1 at 5900 metres after 6 to 7 hours of climbing,” Vilborg blogged yesterday.
“Equipment and food has been packed, personal messages posted as we will be out of contact for approximately 1 week apart from our satellite phones, and an air of excitement has permeated Base Camp,” she added.
“The weather forecast is mixed with cloudy conditions and snow for the next few days, but low winds will hopefully mean we can stick to our programme. Next dispatch from Camp 1!”
If Vilborg will succeed in summiting Everest, she will become the first Icelandic woman to do so. She had originally planned to complete her challenge last year but decided to postpone the climb following the tragic accident when 13 people died in an avalanche on the mountain.
