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Follow the first Dominican expedition to climb Mount Everest in the Himalayas
Report sent back by Karim Mella, Ivan Gomez and Federico Jovine:
On 20 May 9pm, Dominicans Karim Mella, Ivan Gomez and Federico Jovine began the ascent to the height of Mount Everest. They would stop at the Balcony at 8,400 meters high where they would change their supplementary oxygen tanks for new ones of 3,000 lbs that would given them an additional 10 hours to reach the top and descend to Camp 4 from where they had departed four hours before.
Due to the wind and the extreme cold, the new oxygen tanks of Ivan and Karim had problems in the regulators creating an emergency situation where the oxygen was liquefying and the sherpas needed to resolve before the tanks would empty. Meanwhile Ivan and Karim entered into a state of hypoxia because they were not breathing the oxygen necessary for that height that is known as the death zone because the human being is incapable of surviving alone at such low levels of oxygen and extreme temperatures.
After 10 mins they were able to solve the problem in Karim’s tank who began to climb again to heat up his body that began to be affected by hypothermia. After about 35 minutes, the new oxygen tanks of Ivan could not be repaired when Federico Jovine arrived and found him in advanced hypoxia until his tank and regulator were replaced. Ivan Gomez recovered and continued the height some 45 minutes after Karim Mella. At that same place known as the balcony, the oxygen equipment of Federico Jovine also presented failures that were resolved, but these problems led Jovine to suffer from hypoxia and hypothermia endangering his life, which obliged him to begin the descent to Camp 4, aborting the climb to the summit.
Once he reached the top at 5am, Karim Mella tried to wait for Ivan Gomez to together raise the Dominican flag at the height, but the wind and extreme cold ruined the plans. Some 40 minutes later, Ivan Gomez made it and raised the flag, as well as that of the Army, of which he is a member.
After the difficult and complicated descent, aggravated by their exhaustion and physical weakness of a climb of more than 13 hours, the expeditionaries grouped at Camp 4 at 7,900 meters height to after an hour of rest and rehydrating continue to descent to Camp 2 at 6,500 meters.
They ate at this stop and spent the night to continue the descent in early hours of the next day crossing the very dangerous Khumbu Ice Fall to reach base camp where the danger was over and the feat accomplished.
From there they took a helicopter ride to Lukla to board a plane to Katmandu, where they are resting from the extreme physical exertion. This week they travel to the DR.
On 20 May 9pm, Dominicans Karim Mella, Ivan Gomez and Federico Jovine began the ascent to the height of Mount Everest. They would stop at the Balcony at 8,400 meters high where they would change their supplementary oxygen tanks for new ones of 3,000 lbs that would given them an additional 10 hours to reach the top and descend to Camp 4 from where they had departed four hours before.
Due to the wind and the extreme cold, the new oxygen tanks of Ivan and Karim had problems in the regulators creating an emergency situation where the oxygen was liquefying and the sherpas needed to resolve before the tanks would empty. Meanwhile Ivan and Karim entered into a state of hypoxia because they were not breathing the oxygen necessary for that height that is known as the death zone because the human being is incapable of surviving alone at such low levels of oxygen and extreme temperatures.
After 10 mins they were able to solve the problem in Karim’s tank who began to climb again to heat up his body that began to be affected by hypothermia. After about 35 minutes, the new oxygen tanks of Ivan could not be repaired when Federico Jovine arrived and found him in advanced hypoxia until his tank and regulator were replaced. Ivan Gomez recovered and continued the height some 45 minutes after Karim Mella. At that same place known as the balcony, the oxygen equipment of Federico Jovine also presented failures that were resolved, but these problems led Jovine to suffer from hypoxia and hypothermia endangering his life, which obliged him to begin the descent to Camp 4, aborting the climb to the summit.
Once he reached the top at 5am, Karim Mella tried to wait for Ivan Gomez to together raise the Dominican flag at the height, but the wind and extreme cold ruined the plans. Some 40 minutes later, Ivan Gomez made it and raised the flag, as well as that of the Army, of which he is a member.
After the difficult and complicated descent, aggravated by their exhaustion and physical weakness of a climb of more than 13 hours, the expeditionaries grouped at Camp 4 at 7,900 meters height to after an hour of rest and rehydrating continue to descent to Camp 2 at 6,500 meters.
They ate at this stop and spent the night to continue the descent in early hours of the next day crossing the very dangerous Khumbu Ice Fall to reach base camp where the danger was over and the feat accomplished.
From there they took a helicopter ride to Lukla to board a plane to Katmandu, where they are resting from the extreme physical exertion. This week they travel to the DR.
Karim Mella, Ivan Gomez and Federico Jovine shared with the Listin Diario details of the recent climb of Mount Everest in an interview yesterday as they recovered prior from flying back to the DR. Ivan Gomez explained that the last day of the climb they spent 22 hours hiking. He said he was concerned because his oxygen was running out, but that it was a gorgeous day, with a bright sun out. He said one of the most difficult moments was to find the corpse of a Japanese hiker who did not make it.
"Even though deaths are less, it is common for people to die, he explained. He said knowing one of the persons affects one. He recalled seeing the helicopter bringing back the cadaver of a fellow hiker. That is one when asks oneself, what did I get myself into? We were 26, one died and 19 did not make it to the top," he said summing up his group.
Karim Mella was the first to get to the top. He said now they understand the magnitude of what they accomplished. Of the three, he is the only one who lives abroad. He said that many of the foreigners were surprised Dominicans had climbed the mountain.
"I am very proud now, because abroad they thought we Dominicans were only about merengue or playing baseball, that more interesting stuff is left up to developed countries or Latin American countries with a mountain climbing culture," he said. Jovine said the prowess should serve to stimulate the development of mountain climbing in the country.
"Even though deaths are less, it is common for people to die, he explained. He said knowing one of the persons affects one. He recalled seeing the helicopter bringing back the cadaver of a fellow hiker. That is one when asks oneself, what did I get myself into? We were 26, one died and 19 did not make it to the top," he said summing up his group.
Karim Mella was the first to get to the top. He said now they understand the magnitude of what they accomplished. Of the three, he is the only one who lives abroad. He said that many of the foreigners were surprised Dominicans had climbed the mountain.
"I am very proud now, because abroad they thought we Dominicans were only about merengue or playing baseball, that more interesting stuff is left up to developed countries or Latin American countries with a mountain climbing culture," he said. Jovine said the prowess should serve to stimulate the development of mountain climbing in the country.
As per dr1 news
Dominicans who climbed Mt. Everest to tell their story
The Dominicans who climbed Mount Everest will be speaking at the Funglode auditorium this Saturday, 30 May 2015 at 2pm. The three men (Karim Mella, Ivan Gomez and Federico Jovine) later participated in the film La Montana, directed by Tabare Blanchard. The talk is sponsored by the Masters candidates at the UNAPEC Corporate Communication School. Calle Capitan Eugenio de Marchena 26, Santo Domingo.
Everyone has a mountain to climb - DiarioLibre.com
Dominicans who climbed Mt. Everest to tell their story
The Dominicans who climbed Mount Everest will be speaking at the Funglode auditorium this Saturday, 30 May 2015 at 2pm. The three men (Karim Mella, Ivan Gomez and Federico Jovine) later participated in the film La Montana, directed by Tabare Blanchard. The talk is sponsored by the Masters candidates at the UNAPEC Corporate Communication School. Calle Capitan Eugenio de Marchena 26, Santo Domingo.
Everyone has a mountain to climb - DiarioLibre.com